R5 PDRN Firming Ampoule
VT's R5 firming ampoule, 30 ml, the step between toner and cream in a routine aimed at firmness. A dropper's worth covers the face and neck, morning or evening.
No reviews yet30ml
$63.30 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Helps with
- Texture and fine linesA first step zero layer before serumOverall hydration support
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How it works
This firming ampoule builds a barrier-focused half of the formula on five ceramides, ceramide NP, ceramide AS, ceramide NS, ceramide AP and ceramide EOP, alongside squalane and sunflower seed oil for a supple, non-greasy slip. Copper tripeptide-1 and acetyl hexapeptide-8 carry the peptide half of the firming formula, both classic peptides used across Korean cosmetic ampoules. Sodium DNA, the plant-derived PDRN ingredient, closes out the list alongside panax ginseng root extract and a lactobacillus soymilk ferment for glow support. Centella asiatica extract rounds out the calming side of the formula. The 30 ml milky emulsion ampoule carries no added fragrance and is fast-absorbing enough to layer easily under the rest of a routine.
Key benefits
- Five ceramides (NP, AS, NS, AP, EOP) build the barrier half of firming
- Copper tripeptide-1 and acetyl hexapeptide-8 handle the peptide half
- Sodium DNA, ginseng and a lactobacillus soymilk ferment back the glow
- Squalane and sunflower seed oil give it a supple, non-greasy slip
How to use
- Use it after toner and before your cream, morning or evening.
- A dropper's worth for the face and neck, massaged in and then pressed.
- Seal it with a cream so that it is not the top layer.
- Do not run two ampoules in one routine; pick the one you want doing the work.
VT Cosmetics R5 PDRN Firming Ampoule
What is the PDRN ingredient in this firming ampoule?
PDRN appears on the ingredient list as sodium DNA, closing out the formula alongside panax ginseng root extract and centella asiatica extract. It is described as plant-derived per the brand's positioning for this firming ampoule.
How many ceramides does this ampoule contain?
Five ceramides lead a barrier-focused half of the formula: ceramide NP, ceramide AS, ceramide NS, ceramide AP and ceramide EOP. Squalane and sunflower (helianthus annuus) seed oil add a supple, non-greasy slip alongside them.
What peptides support the firming claim?
Copper tripeptide-1 and acetyl hexapeptide-8 handle the peptide half of the firming formula, both classic peptides used across Korean cosmetic ampoules for a smoother, more radiant complexion. They work alongside the five named ceramides rather than as a standalone treatment.
What is the texture of this ampoule?
This is a milky emulsion ampoule with a supple finish, fast-absorbing enough to layer easily under the rest of a routine, and it carries no added fragrance on the ingredient list. Squalane and sunflower seed oil keep that finish from feeling greasy.
What is the bottle size?
This comes in a 30 ml bottle, sized for a fast-absorbing daily ampoule step rather than a travel or trial format. That size fits a dropper-style daily routine rather than a single-use or occasional-treatment format.
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): Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Tocopherol, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Allantoin, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Panthenol, Polyglucuronic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Ceramide AS, Ceramide NS, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium DNA
Ingredient list read from jolse.com on 30 August 2026.
37 of 38 explained
- 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.
- Isopropyl Myristate emollient
- Isopropyl Myristate is a light ester emollient that absorbs fast and helps other ingredients penetrate. It is known to be poorly suited to blemish-prone skin at higher levels.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emollient
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is the light fraction of coconut oil, with the heavy parts removed. It is the workhorse emollient of modern formulas: it softens skin, dissolves oil-soluble actives and absorbs without the greasy weight of a whole plant oil.
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate emollient
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is a synthetic ester used as a dry-feeling emollient. It spreads easily, leaves a silky rather than oily finish, and helps disperse pigments and UV filters evenly.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate emulsifier
- A water-in-oil emulsifier used in sticks and high-oil formulas, where it keeps the water phase in fine droplets so the texture stays smooth.
- Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate emulsifier
- Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate is a plant-derived emulsifier for water-in-oil formulas. It appears in cleansing balms and rich creams built without PEGs.
- PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate emulsifier
- PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate is an emulsifier for water-in-oil formulas, the kind where water droplets sit inside an oil phase. It is common in cleansing oils and balms.
- 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.
- Hydroxyacetophenone preservative booster
- Hydroxyacetophenone is an antioxidant that also strengthens a preservative system, so a formula needs less traditional preservative. Korean formulas pair it with 1,2-hexanediol constantly.
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil emollient
- Sunflower Seed Oil is high in linoleic acid, the fatty acid dry and blemish-prone skin is often short of. It is a light, non-fragrant emollient and one of the better tolerated plant oils.
25 more explained
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer thickener
- This is a carbomer relative with fatty side chains, so it thickens and stabilises an emulsion at the same time. It gives a light gel-cream body rather than a heavy one.
- Arginine amino acid
- Arginine is an amino acid that does two jobs here: it holds water in the outer layer of skin, and it neutralises acidic gelling agents, which is why it often stands in for a synthetic pH adjuster.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ceramide NP barrier lipid
- Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy.
- Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil emollient
- Baobab seed oil, balanced between oleic and linoleic acid so it absorbs at a middling speed, and unusually stable against oxidation.
- 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.
- Hydrogenated Lecithin emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
- Squalane emollient
- Squalane is the stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid human skin already makes. It is a light emollient that absorbs quickly, does not oxidise, and is one of the few oils widely considered safe for blemish-prone skin. Most cosmetic squalane is now from sugarcane or olive rather than shark.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyglucuronic Acid polysaccharide
- A sugar polymer built from glucuronic acid units, the same acid that makes up half of hyaluronic acid. It holds water and forms a light film.
- Collagen Amino Acids amino acid
- Collagen Amino Acids are collagen broken all the way down to its individual amino acids. At that size they act as humectants, the same job skin's own amino acids do.
- Ceramide AS barrier lipid
- Ceramide AS is a further member of the same lipid family. Its presence usually signals a formula built around a full ceramide profile rather than a single headline one.
- Ceramide NS barrier lipid
- Ceramide NS is another of the ceramides skin makes for itself. It is used alongside NP and AP so a formula supplies a mixture rather than a single lipid.
- 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.
- Ceramide AP barrier lipid
- Ceramide AP is a second cosmetic ceramide, distinguished by an extra hydroxyl group. Formulas that name several ceramides are copying the mix skin actually holds rather than relying on one.
- Ceramide EOP barrier lipid
- Ceramide EOP is the ceramide with the longest tail, and in skin it acts as the rivet holding the lipid layers together. It is the third member of the standard cosmetic ceramide trio.
- Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract antioxidant
- An algae extract that is the main natural source of astaxanthin, the deep red carotenoid. It is used as a plant antioxidant and colours a formula orange-red.
- 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.
- Panax Ginseng Root Extract plant extract
- Ginseng Root Extract is the signature ingredient of Korean traditional skincare, carrying ginsenosides. It is used for the look of tired, dull skin, and brands often ferment it to break the ginsenosides into smaller forms.
- Copper Tripeptide-1 peptide
- Copper Tripeptide-1 is three amino acids bound to a copper ion, and the classic firming peptide in cosmetic chemistry. It is blue in solution, which is often why a serum carrying it is tinted, and it is used for the look of firmness and fine lines.
- 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.
- 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.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8803463010515
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 30ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule / Ampoule
- Actives
- Adenosine, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Ceramides, Collagen, Ginseng, Panthenol, PDRN (Sodium DNA), Peptides, Squalane
- 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
- Anyone new to an ingredient on this formula's own list still does well to patch test on the inner arm before a first full application.
Reviews
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VT Cosmetics R5 PDRN Firming Ampoule
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VT Cosmetics, Korean-market original
Firming ampoule, 30 ml, with five ceramides, two peptides and Sodium DNA on the ingredient list.
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.
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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