There aren’t too many skincare ingredients out there that can really do it all. Some are mostly known for being hydrating while others mostly have acne-fighting properties. Some are only meant to reduce signs of aging while others work as hard as they can to prevent wrinkles from forming prematurely altogether. That’s not to say that the aforementioned issues aren’t very important to address, but if you’re looking to pare down your skincare routine with products that feature gentle ingredients that can address multiple concerns at once, allow me to turn your attention to the Damascus rose.
Damascus rose has been popping up in plenty of Korean skincare products lately, and most people love it because of how versatile it is. Not only does it tackle a variety of issues (more on that later), but it also does so gently. To learn a little more about Damascus rose, including its origins and how you can add it to your daily skincare routine, read ahead.
What is Damascus rose and what benefits does it have?
Scientifically known as Rosa damascena, the Damascus rose or damask rose is a powder pink flower that’s native to the Middle East (its name is inspired by Damascus, the capital of Syria). A cross between three different types of roses—Rosa gallica (the Gallic rose), Rosa moschata (the musk rose) and Rosa fedtschenkoana— the damask rose is known for its complex, sweet-but-spicy scent, and because its petals feature a large concentration of natural oils, they’re often broken down so that the oils can be extracted and used in aromatherapy treatments. (Fun fact: nearly five tons of damask rose petals are needed to produce just one kilogram of oil.) Outside of being able to calm your nerves and provide you with a bit of stress relief with just a few sniffs, Damascus rose also has major skincare benefits, which is why, these days, you’ll often find it listed as a featured ingredient in moisturizers and serums.
Damascus rose water is typically used to add a hint of fragrance to skincare products, but that’s on top of it being a hydrator that can help boost the skin’s moisture levels. Additionally, Damascus rose essential oil has antioxidant properties, meaning that it keeps your skin protected from free radicals and environmental aggressors like pollution, smoke, and general germs that just like to hang out in the air. Exposure to these pollutants can lead to oxidative stress that causes the skin to age prematurely and become damaged, so throwing a Damascus rose product into your routine can’t hurt if you want to turn back the clock ever so slightly.
Speaking of aging, your skin naturally produces collagen to keep itself looking bouncy and plump (this is called elasticity), but over time, that production begins to slow, leading to sagginess and fine lines. Research has shown that Damascus rose can slightly increase collagen production and increase the skin’s ability to bounce back like new after being stretched and pulled while doing everyday things like talking, eating, smiling, or rubbing your face.
Lastly, Damascus rose water is also proven to reduce inflammation, making it an ideal ingredient for soothing redness and irritation, or just preventing sensitivity altogether. Use it if your skin is on the more sensitive side.
Why is Damascus rose so popular?
If you’ve paid an ounce of attention to the beauty market trends that have emerged over the last two years, it’s highly likely you’ve heard a thing or two about PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide), a wildly popular ingredient in the K-beauty world that’s extracted from salmon and trout DNA. When used as a skincare additive, PDRN can increase hydration and provide most of the same benefits as Damascus rose, which is why the latter of the two is often used as a vegan alternative for animal-derived PDRN for anyone who wants their skin to see the benefits of PDRN in a way that feels more ethical.
How to use rose PDRN in your skincare routine
The popularity of vegan PDRN products is on the rise, and if you’re looking for any easy way to sneak it into your skincare routine, you can start with our Rose PDRN Soothing Serum. This is a soft, non-sticky serum that combines rose PDRN with acne-fighting azelaic acid to promote skin health by increasing hydration, promoting skin cell renewal, and targeting bacteria that can lead to blemishes and breakouts. Panthenol, aka vitamin B5, and squalane add to the fun: they’re both hydrators that soften the skin while improving texture.
Meanwhile, our Rose PDRN Firming Serum features retinal, adenosine, and a special blend of peptides to smooth rough, bumpy texture and visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As you could probably guess by its ingredient makeup, this serum’s formula is slightly-more powerful than the Soothing Serum, so grab it when you want to treat your skin with something that has a little more umph. Both serums should be applied after cleansing and toning (since retinoids can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, the Firming Serum should only be applied at night), and you should follow up with a moisturizer to seal it all in.
Lastly, vegan PDRN can also be used to treat dry, thirsty lips, so go ahead and grab a handful of our Rose PDRN Peptide Glowy Balms to keep one in every handbag you own in case of a beauty emergency. This is a glossy (but not sticky!) lip balm that touts key ingredients like peptides, ceramides, lactic acid, and Damascus rose to hydrate and improve the appearance of chapped lips. There’s nothing worse than dry, chapped lips that are also peeling, which is why lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), is thrown into the mix here to gently exfoliate and prevent all of that from happening. The product itself is so good that, after just one use, a cluster of testers reported that the balm not only improved their pouts’ ability to retain moisture, but it also kept their lips juicy and moisturized for a full 24 hours.
The Rose PDRN Products Your Skincare Routine Is Missing
There aren’t too many skincare ingredients out there that can really do it all. Some are mostly known for being hydrating while others mostly have acne-fighting properties. Some are only meant to reduce signs of aging while others work as hard as they can to prevent wrinkles from forming prematurely altogether. That’s not to say that the aforementioned issues aren’t very important to address, but if you’re looking to pare down your skincare routine with products that feature gentle ingredients that can address multiple concerns at once, allow me to turn your attention to the Damascus rose.
Damascus rose has been popping up in plenty of Korean skincare products lately, and most people love it because of how versatile it is. Not only does it tackle a variety of issues (more on that later), but it also does so gently. To learn a little more about Damascus rose, including its origins and how you can add it to your daily skincare routine, read ahead.
What is Damascus rose and what benefits does it have?
Scientifically known as Rosa damascena, the Damascus rose or damask rose is a powder pink flower that’s native to the Middle East (its name is inspired by Damascus, the capital of Syria). A cross between three different types of roses—Rosa gallica (the Gallic rose), Rosa moschata (the musk rose) and Rosa fedtschenkoana— the damask rose is known for its complex, sweet-but-spicy scent, and because its petals feature a large concentration of natural oils, they’re often broken down so that the oils can be extracted and used in aromatherapy treatments. (Fun fact: nearly five tons of damask rose petals are needed to produce just one kilogram of oil.) Outside of being able to calm your nerves and provide you with a bit of stress relief with just a few sniffs, Damascus rose also has major skincare benefits, which is why, these days, you’ll often find it listed as a featured ingredient in moisturizers and serums.
Damascus rose water is typically used to add a hint of fragrance to skincare products, but that’s on top of it being a hydrator that can help boost the skin’s moisture levels. Additionally, Damascus rose essential oil has antioxidant properties, meaning that it keeps your skin protected from free radicals and environmental aggressors like pollution, smoke, and general germs that just like to hang out in the air. Exposure to these pollutants can lead to oxidative stress that causes the skin to age prematurely and become damaged, so throwing a Damascus rose product into your routine can’t hurt if you want to turn back the clock ever so slightly.
Speaking of aging, your skin naturally produces collagen to keep itself looking bouncy and plump (this is called elasticity), but over time, that production begins to slow, leading to sagginess and fine lines. Research has shown that Damascus rose can slightly increase collagen production and increase the skin’s ability to bounce back like new after being stretched and pulled while doing everyday things like talking, eating, smiling, or rubbing your face.
Lastly, Damascus rose water is also proven to reduce inflammation, making it an ideal ingredient for soothing redness and irritation, or just preventing sensitivity altogether. Use it if your skin is on the more sensitive side.
Why is Damascus rose so popular?
If you’ve paid an ounce of attention to the beauty market trends that have emerged over the last two years, it’s highly likely you’ve heard a thing or two about PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide), a wildly popular ingredient in the K-beauty world that’s extracted from salmon and trout DNA. When used as a skincare additive, PDRN can increase hydration and provide most of the same benefits as Damascus rose, which is why the latter of the two is often used as a vegan alternative for animal-derived PDRN for anyone who wants their skin to see the benefits of PDRN in a way that feels more ethical.
How to use rose PDRN in your skincare routine
The popularity of vegan PDRN products is on the rise, and if you’re looking for any easy way to sneak it into your skincare routine, you can start with our Rose PDRN Soothing Serum. This is a soft, non-sticky serum that combines rose PDRN with acne-fighting azelaic acid to promote skin health by increasing hydration, promoting skin cell renewal, and targeting bacteria that can lead to blemishes and breakouts. Panthenol, aka vitamin B5, and squalane add to the fun: they’re both hydrators that soften the skin while improving texture.
Meanwhile, our Rose PDRN Firming Serum features retinal, adenosine, and a special blend of peptides to smooth rough, bumpy texture and visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As you could probably guess by its ingredient makeup, this serum’s formula is slightly-more powerful than the Soothing Serum, so grab it when you want to treat your skin with something that has a little more umph. Both serums should be applied after cleansing and toning (since retinoids can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, the Firming Serum should only be applied at night), and you should follow up with a moisturizer to seal it all in.
Lastly, vegan PDRN can also be used to treat dry, thirsty lips, so go ahead and grab a handful of our Rose PDRN Peptide Glowy Balms to keep one in every handbag you own in case of a beauty emergency. This is a glossy (but not sticky!) lip balm that touts key ingredients like peptides, ceramides, lactic acid, and Damascus rose to hydrate and improve the appearance of chapped lips. There’s nothing worse than dry, chapped lips that are also peeling, which is why lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), is thrown into the mix here to gently exfoliate and prevent all of that from happening. The product itself is so good that, after just one use, a cluster of testers reported that the balm not only improved their pouts’ ability to retain moisture, but it also kept their lips juicy and moisturized for a full 24 hours.