COSRX
5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum
COSRX's PDRN collagen serum, worn after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening, for skin that looks tired and flat.
No reviews yet100ml
$26.99 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- SensitiveCompromised barrierUneven toneDull
- Helps with
- Barrier weaknessEarly environmental damageUneven tone and dullnessExcess oil
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How it works
A serum is the step where one idea gets concentrated, and the idea here is the PDRN naming COSRX uses across this line, which on the list is sodium DNA. It carries niacinamide and panthenol, with hydrolyzed collagen and adenosine behind them. It goes on after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening, pressed in rather than rubbed around. Skin that looks flat and tired rather than dry or congested is the case it fits, and the change it works on is gradual. Twice a day, every day, and it layers under anything else already in the routine.
Key benefits
- 100 ml bottle, the size the Korean market sells
- Goes on after toner and before cream, AM or PM
- Sourced as the original Korean-market version
How to use
- Use the 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
- Three or four drops covers the face and neck. Press it in with flat palms rather than rubbing it around.
- Toner first, this second, then moisturizer, and sunscreen last in the morning.
- Twice a day, every day. Do not stack it with a second serum doing the same job; two at once do the work of one.
COSRX 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum
What does PDRN mean for this serum's actual ingredient list?
PDRN is not itself an INCI name; on this bottle it appears as Sodium DNA, tenth on the list, and again further down as Hydrolyzed DNA. Niacinamide leads the active portion of the formula in sixth place, with hydrolyzed collagen and alpha-arbutin following in the middle of the list. Reading the actual INCI names rather than the marketing term is the accurate way to know what this serum contains.
Is this serum suitable for sensitive skin?
No fragrance, essential oil, denatured alcohol, silicone, paraben, sulfate surfactant, mineral oil, or added colourant appear anywhere on this ingredient list. Panthenol, allantoin, and centella asiatica extract sit in the middle of the list as calming support alongside the DNA-derived and collagen ingredients. Anyone with reactive skin should still patch test given the acetyl hexapeptide-8 and lactobacillus ferment further down the list, since a new active is worth introducing slowly regardless of the overall gentle formulation.
How long before this vitalizing serum shows a difference?
Niacinamide, the DNA-derived ingredients, and hydrolyzed collagen all work as part of a sustained routine rather than delivering a change after one application. Adenosine and the eight hyaluronate forms further down the list support surface hydration in the meantime while the other actives build with repeated use. Most people apply this daily for several weeks before assessing whether skin texture and tone have shifted, since a single night will not show a dramatic result.
Can this serum be layered with a separate hyaluronic acid moisturizer?
Yes, this serum already carries eight separate hyaluronate forms of its own, so a hyaluronic acid moisturizer applied afterward layers naturally rather than duplicating an ingredient that would cause any conflict. Niacinamide and alpha-arbutin sit earlier in the list and are commonly used alongside a standard moisturizing routine. As with any new serum, introduce it before your usual moisturizer and watch how skin responds over the first few uses.
How can I confirm this bottle is the authentic Korean-market formula?
This product's own barcode, 8800311121423, is a genuine, checkable EAN for this exact serum, so confirming that number matches your box is a first-line check. Beyond the barcode, COSRX runs its own authentication system: the batch number and expiration date printed on your unit are entered on the verification page at cosrx.com. Reading both the barcode and the batch code directly off your packaging, rather than trusting a listing's description, is the reliable way to confirm authenticity.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (38): Aqua/Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, Sodium DNA, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sucrose, t-Butyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Allantoin, Alpha-Arbutin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed DNA, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
Ingredient list read from inkeedecoder.com on 19 August 2026.
37 of 38 explained
- Aqua/Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- Pentylene Glycol humectant
- Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Betaine humectant
- Betaine is a sugar-beet-derived humectant that cells use to hold water. In a formula it hydrates and takes the edge off cleansers and acids, which is why it often appears alongside them.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Sodium DNA active
- Sodium DNA is the salt of DNA, in Korean skincare almost always salmon derived, and it is the ingredient behind the PDRN category. It is used as a humectant and for the look of tired skin; the fragments themselves are what the name PDRN refers to.
- Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer thickener
- This is a synthetic thickener that gels quickly and holds an emulsion stable across a wide pH range. It gives a light, non-tacky body.
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 thickener
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a thickener chosen for a notably fresh, bouncy gel feel that breaks down to water on the skin.
25 more explained
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- Adenosine active
- Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated.
- Hydrolyzed Corn Starch absorbent
- Hydrolyzed Corn Starch is starch broken into smaller fragments. It gives a silky, powdery slip and absorbs a little oil.
- Disodium EDTA chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- Hydrolyzed Collagen protein
- Hydrolyzed Collagen is collagen broken into fragments small enough to dissolve in water. It cannot become collagen in skin; what it does is hold water at the surface and leave a smooth, conditioned film.
- Sucrose humectant
- Sucrose is table sugar, used here as a humectant. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and, in a scrub, doubles as the physical grain.
- t-Butyl Alcohol solvent
- t-Butyl Alcohol is the bittering agent added to cosmetic ethanol so it cannot be drunk. It appears in tiny amounts alongside alcohol denat. and does no formulation work of its own.
- Lactobacillus Ferment ferment
- Lactobacillus Ferment is the liquid left after lactobacillus bacteria have fermented a plant or milk substrate. It carries the small molecules the fermentation produced, including lactic acid and amino acids, and is used for the look of dull, uneven skin.
- Allantoin active
- Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin.
- Alpha-Arbutin active
- Alpha-Arbutin is a plant-derived compound, related to the sugar-bound form found in bearberry, used for the look of dark spots and uneven tone. It is stable in water and works at skin-friendly pH.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Propanediol humectant
- Propanediol is a plant-derived glycol used in place of propylene glycol. It hydrates, carries actives into solution, and gives a lighter, less sticky slip than glycerin at the same strength.
- Tocopherol antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- Sodium Phytate chelator
- Sodium Phytate is a rice-derived chelator used in place of EDTA. It ties up trace metals so the formula stays stable and its colour and scent hold.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- Hydrolyzed DNA active
- Hydrolyzed DNA is DNA cut into short fragments so it dissolves and spreads. It is the same ingredient family as sodium DNA and polydeoxyribonucleotide, the one Korean formulas market as PDRN.
- Caprylyl Glycol preservative booster
- Caprylyl Glycol is a glycol that conditions skin and, more importantly, strengthens a preservative system so less of the traditional preservative is needed. It appears in most modern formulas built without parabens.
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate humectant
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate carries a positive charge, and skin carries a slight negative one, so it is attracted to the surface and stays through rinsing. It is the hyaluronic used where a formula gets washed off.
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 peptide
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines, particularly around the eyes. It is the peptide sold under the name Argireline and is water soluble and stable.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid modified to be part oil-loving, so it clings to skin instead of rinsing away. Formulators call it the one that stays put.
- Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar chain the body already makes, and one gram of it can hold several litres of water. In a formula it is a humectant that pulls water to the surface of skin and holds it in a film, which is what makes skin look plumper while it is there.
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is hyaluronic acid linked into a mesh. It holds water in a soft gel on the surface rather than sinking in, and it releases that water slowly through the day.
- Potassium Hyaluronate humectant
- Potassium Hyaluronate is another salt of hyaluronic acid, used for the same reason as the sodium form: it dissolves easily and holds a large amount of water in the outer layer of skin.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8800311121423
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 100ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule / PDRN / Anti-aging Serum
- Actives
- Adenosine, Allantoin, Arbutin, Centella Asiatica, Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, PDRN (Sodium DNA), Peptides, Sodium Hyaluronate
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
Worth knowing
- Collagen here is not plant-derived, so this is not a vegan formula.
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COSRX 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
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COSRX, Korean-market original
The serum step, worked into damp skin before moisturizer. 100 ml bottle.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
COSRX verifies units itself. Find the verification page on cosrx.com and enter the batch number and expiration date printed on your unit. Read them off the package rather than from us, which is the point.
Source: COSRX FAQ
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
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