COSRX
5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum (50 mL / 1.69 fl oz)
COSRX 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum is a 50ml serum from COSRX built around Sodium DNA.
No reviews yet50ml
$51.98 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Dehydrated skinSensitive skinSkin that has lost bounceDull, uneven tone
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Sodium DNA in a serumRoutines that want Sodium DNA and Niacinamide in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formula
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- Sodium DNA, the active this serum is built around
- Niacinamide, Adenosine, Allantoin and Alpha-Arbutin on the same list, actives
- Hydrolyzed DNA and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 further down the same list
- Lactobacillus Ferment and Tocopherol further down the same list
- Sodium DNA named tenth on the manufacturer list printed on this page
Key actives
6Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is named sixth on this serum's list, alongside Sodium DNA.
10Sodium DNAactive
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. It is the entry this serum is named after, and the list carries it.
15Adenosineactive
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. It is named fifteenth on this serum's list, alongside Sodium DNA.
22Allantoinactive
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. The panel names it twenty-second on this serum's list, beside Sodium DNA.
23Alpha-Arbutinactive
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. It is named twenty-third on this serum's list, alongside Sodium DNA.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 6Niacinamide
- 10Sodium DNA
- 15Adenosine
- 22Allantoin
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
COSRX 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum (50 mL / 1.69 fl oz)
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Sodium DNA and not three changes at once.
What else is on the list besides Sodium DNA?
Niacinamide, Adenosine and Allantoin. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Sodium DNA sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Alpha-Arbutin, Hydrolyzed DNA and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8.
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 jolse.com on 9 September 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)
- 8800311121676
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 50ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- 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.
How it works
The 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum is a 50ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Sodium DNA, named tenth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Niacinamide, Adenosine and Allantoin, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Sodium DNA stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. COSRX sells this Sodium DNA serum in Korea, and this is that 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.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Sodium DNA on the list.
- Introduce this serum on its own for the first week, so anything your skin does is traceable to the Sodium DNA rather than to three changes at once.
Reviews
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COSRX 5 PDRN Collagen Intense Vitalizing Serum (50 mL / 1.69 fl oz)
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
This serum's list includes Sodium DNA, the name behind the PDRN marketing, alongside Hydrolyzed Collagen, Adenosine, and Alpha-Arbutin, within a base built from eight hyaluronate forms rather than one.
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 the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Allantoin can tone down the dryness of the individual cells. It increases the water content of the skin, which means it helps to hydrate and moisturize.
Wilma Bergfeld, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic It's still a very new ingredient in the field of regenerative medicine.
Catherine ChangBeverly Hills board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Harper's Bazaar
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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