There aren’t many skin issues that are quite as annoying to deal with as dry, chapped lips. It’s an issue we’ve all faced before, especially if you live in a cold or dry climate, but when you constantly feel like the moisture is being sucked out of your skin and lips, the weather isn’t always the culprit. Sometimes your lips can begin to peel or feel tight as a result of your body simply being dehydrated, but constantly talking or licking your lips can also cause dryness. Face washes with harsh cleansing agents, as well as the toothpaste and lipsticks you use can be looked at as well. If you feel like you’ve chugged water and tried all the balms in the world to no avail, then there’s a good chance you need to take a look at the ingredients you’re using to do the job.
If you’ve been tuned in to the skincare trends of the last year, then it’s likely you’ve heard of PDRN and peptides. Both of these have quickly become wildly popular ingredients in anti-aging treatments, but they’re also elite moisturizers that can add a lot of life back to your dry, uncomfortable pout. In case you’re in need of a brief refresher, read ahead to find everything you need to know about PDRN and peptides and why they’re essential to your lip care routine.
What Is PDRN?
PDRN is an abbreviation for polydeoxyribonucleotide, a fancy word that describes the DNA fragments that are extracted from salmon and trout sperm. Before you clutch your pearls at the thought of a fish’s bodily fluid coming anywhere near your face, know that you’re only doing this in a technical sense. Salmon sperm is typically filtered to remove any impurities before it makes its way into any product that’s meant to be used topically. And speaking of that, in many cases, PDRN can be injected into your skin by a dermatologist or licensed practitioner during a salmon sperm facial, but you can also find dozens of products that feature less concentrated versions of PDRN as their main ingredient.
All that said, not all PDRN is salmon- or fish-derived, so if you want to reap all the benefits of it (more on that below) without harming any fish or animals, you can find skincare formulas that use vegan or plant-based PDRN instead. The most common example of this is rose-derived PDRN, which is the hero ingredient in our Peptide Glowy Lip Balm.
How Can PDRN Benefit the Skin and Lips?
In a few different ways, actually. Most people who use PDRN regularly are big fans of its anti-aging properties. Certain research has shown that PDRN can contribute to a more youthful complexion overall by keeping the skin hydrated and increasing collagen production (collagen is a naturally-occurring ingredient known for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles). In turn, this causes the skin to appear less saggy and much more firm. That’s all just the tip of the iceberg though, as some studies have also proven PDRN to be a useful ingredient for addressing issues like hyperpigmentation, skin sensitivity, redness, and more.
What Are Peptides?
You’ve heard of amino acids before, right? If you took a chemistry course in high school, your teacher probably described them to you as “the building blocks of protein.” Well, when amino acids are combined in certain formations (usually chains of two to fifty), they create peptides. When those peptides are combined, they create proteins. Think of it like building a bracelet. Amino acids are the individual beads and charms, and when you combine them all on a plastic string, you get a peptide. A collection of these bracelets would be a protein.
So, What Do Peptides Do?
Peptides can combine to form proteins like the collagen mentioned above, as well as elastin. Using a peptide-rich product in general can help the skin look and feel plumper and more firm, since the proteins they create can support the structure of the skin. They can also strengthen your skin barrier while helping the skin retain moisture and reducing inflammation and stress that might lead to wrinkles and dullness.
How Can I Use PDRN and Peptides In My Lip Care Routine?
That’s easy. Most often when you hear people discussing the use of topical PDRN and peptides, they’re referring to skincare products, but these ingredients are also essential to keeping your lips healthy and hydrated. As stated before, our Peptide Glowy Balm contains the usual suspects like moisturizing shea butter, vitamin E, and jojoba oil, as well as vegan PDRN derived from Damascus rose, and it’s meant to repair the look of dry, severely chapped lips by trapping in moisture. If your lips are peeling, the balm also includes five different peptides that add structure back to the area in order to plump the lips and fill in any lines that have been caused by chapping. And then there are the ceramides. These are lipids that make up most of the outer layer of your skin, and their purpose is to moisturize while keeping your skin barrier intact. Lastly, you’re not doing lip care right if you’re not at least exfoliating regularly, but the good news is that this balm has a built in exfoliant in the form of lactic acid. It’s one of the more gentle alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that removes dead skin cells and can prevent the lips from peeling or becoming flaky.
Despite having a glossy finish, the Peptide Glowy Balm has a soft formula that doesn’t end up feeling sticky or uncomfortable after hours of wear. If you needed more proof of just how good it is, our pool of testers tried it out for a period of 24 hours, and the majority of the group reported back saying that they saw a huge improvement in how moisturized and hydrated their lips felt. Use this whenever your lips are feeling a little parched or as the last step in your makeup or skincare routine.
The Power of PDRN and Peptides In Lip Care
There aren’t many skin issues that are quite as annoying to deal with as dry, chapped lips. It’s an issue we’ve all faced before, especially if you live in a cold or dry climate, but when you constantly feel like the moisture is being sucked out of your skin and lips, the weather isn’t always the culprit. Sometimes your lips can begin to peel or feel tight as a result of your body simply being dehydrated, but constantly talking or licking your lips can also cause dryness. Face washes with harsh cleansing agents, as well as the toothpaste and lipsticks you use can be looked at as well. If you feel like you’ve chugged water and tried all the balms in the world to no avail, then there’s a good chance you need to take a look at the ingredients you’re using to do the job.
If you’ve been tuned in to the skincare trends of the last year, then it’s likely you’ve heard of PDRN and peptides. Both of these have quickly become wildly popular ingredients in anti-aging treatments, but they’re also elite moisturizers that can add a lot of life back to your dry, uncomfortable pout. In case you’re in need of a brief refresher, read ahead to find everything you need to know about PDRN and peptides and why they’re essential to your lip care routine.
What Is PDRN?
PDRN is an abbreviation for polydeoxyribonucleotide, a fancy word that describes the DNA fragments that are extracted from salmon and trout sperm. Before you clutch your pearls at the thought of a fish’s bodily fluid coming anywhere near your face, know that you’re only doing this in a technical sense. Salmon sperm is typically filtered to remove any impurities before it makes its way into any product that’s meant to be used topically. And speaking of that, in many cases, PDRN can be injected into your skin by a dermatologist or licensed practitioner during a salmon sperm facial, but you can also find dozens of products that feature less concentrated versions of PDRN as their main ingredient.
All that said, not all PDRN is salmon- or fish-derived, so if you want to reap all the benefits of it (more on that below) without harming any fish or animals, you can find skincare formulas that use vegan or plant-based PDRN instead. The most common example of this is rose-derived PDRN, which is the hero ingredient in our Peptide Glowy Lip Balm.
How Can PDRN Benefit the Skin and Lips?
In a few different ways, actually. Most people who use PDRN regularly are big fans of its anti-aging properties. Certain research has shown that PDRN can contribute to a more youthful complexion overall by keeping the skin hydrated and increasing collagen production (collagen is a naturally-occurring ingredient known for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles). In turn, this causes the skin to appear less saggy and much more firm. That’s all just the tip of the iceberg though, as some studies have also proven PDRN to be a useful ingredient for addressing issues like hyperpigmentation, skin sensitivity, redness, and more.
What Are Peptides?
You’ve heard of amino acids before, right? If you took a chemistry course in high school, your teacher probably described them to you as “the building blocks of protein.” Well, when amino acids are combined in certain formations (usually chains of two to fifty), they create peptides. When those peptides are combined, they create proteins. Think of it like building a bracelet. Amino acids are the individual beads and charms, and when you combine them all on a plastic string, you get a peptide. A collection of these bracelets would be a protein.
So, What Do Peptides Do?
Peptides can combine to form proteins like the collagen mentioned above, as well as elastin. Using a peptide-rich product in general can help the skin look and feel plumper and more firm, since the proteins they create can support the structure of the skin. They can also strengthen your skin barrier while helping the skin retain moisture and reducing inflammation and stress that might lead to wrinkles and dullness.
How Can I Use PDRN and Peptides In My Lip Care Routine?
That’s easy. Most often when you hear people discussing the use of topical PDRN and peptides, they’re referring to skincare products, but these ingredients are also essential to keeping your lips healthy and hydrated. As stated before, our Peptide Glowy Balm contains the usual suspects like moisturizing shea butter, vitamin E, and jojoba oil, as well as vegan PDRN derived from Damascus rose, and it’s meant to repair the look of dry, severely chapped lips by trapping in moisture. If your lips are peeling, the balm also includes five different peptides that add structure back to the area in order to plump the lips and fill in any lines that have been caused by chapping. And then there are the ceramides. These are lipids that make up most of the outer layer of your skin, and their purpose is to moisturize while keeping your skin barrier intact. Lastly, you’re not doing lip care right if you’re not at least exfoliating regularly, but the good news is that this balm has a built in exfoliant in the form of lactic acid. It’s one of the more gentle alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that removes dead skin cells and can prevent the lips from peeling or becoming flaky.
Despite having a glossy finish, the Peptide Glowy Balm has a soft formula that doesn’t end up feeling sticky or uncomfortable after hours of wear. If you needed more proof of just how good it is, our pool of testers tried it out for a period of 24 hours, and the majority of the group reported back saying that they saw a huge improvement in how moisturized and hydrated their lips felt. Use this whenever your lips are feeling a little parched or as the last step in your makeup or skincare routine.