Medik8 is stepping into the PDRN arena.
The U.K.-based clinical skin care brand, which last June was acquired by L’Oréal for $1.1 billion, is introducing a new Exo-PDRN Prismatic+ serum powered by a combination of vegan PDRN and a triple-exosome complex.
Three years in the making, the $96 serum is now available direct-to-consumer and is rolling out to Medik8’s network of more than 7,000 professional clinics and pharmacies across the U.K., Europe, Australia and other geographies.
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“There’s a real shift that’s happening in skin care where people are seeking all-around rejuvenation and visible skin health,” said Medik8 cofounder and chief product officer Daniel Isaacs. “We have the ‘CSA philosophy’ — which is that your three steps to great skin are vitamin C, SPF and vitamin A, and that’s based on established, well-proven research — but we also appreciate that people want other, specific outcomes that complement that core routine.…Exo-PDRN is supporting that broader rejuvenation and longevity.”
PDRN, a DNA derivative traditionally sourced from salmon sperm, has risen of late as K-beauty brands like Medicube have introduced viral products harnessing forms of the ingredient, creating a halo effect across beauty. At the same time, injectable PDRN has also become increasingly popular on the treatments side, with consumers increasingly traveling to South Korea and other global markets where injectable PDRN is approved to get their fix.
While many brands have introduced vegan PDRN products powered by plants and other natural ingredients, Medik8’s PDRN is produced via bacteria-derived biotechnology. That technology replicates nucleotide “DNA” chains which similarly form tetrahedral structures that can more effectively absorb into the skin.
“That’s the core innovation of this product,” said Isaacs, adding that each serum vial also contains up to 151 billion exosomes sourced from pomegranate, centella asiatica and postbiotics to further boost the skin. “We chose three different exosomes to help support skin barrier restoration; to calm the skin, and to provide some energy-boosting as well, which slows down as we age.”
The serum, which in a two-week independent clinical study was shown to visibly improve skin volume and wrinkles, is one of Medik8’s biggest launches since its acquisition by L’Oréal nearly one year ago.
Under new ownership, Medik8 is “working with [L’Oréal] in the ways that we expected to; they have extensive research and innovation capabilities, so that unlocks additional research for us and now we can make even more innovative products,” Isaacs said.
Medik8, first launched in 2009, is part of L’Oréal’s Luxe division alongside prestige brands like Biotherm, Mugler, Kiehl’s and more. Though it is not yet available in-clinic in the U.S., “we remain very open to expansion in the U.S.,” said Isaacs, adding that key priorities for the brand at present include “being close to what’s happening in the clinics, and understanding what clients of those clinics are looking for — that’s a huge source of innovation inspiration for us.”