After going through bottle after bottle of Haruharu wonder’s Black Rice Knight Night Serum, I thought I’d never fall in love with another retinol serum ever again. Then, earlier this year, the K-beauty brand launched the Rose PDRN Firming Serum — and suddenly, my skin had a new favorite for enhancing its supple, glassy glow and maintaining its resilience.
Now, whenever friends and family ask me for a retinol recommendation, I tell them the Black Rice Night Knight Retinol Serum is the ideal starting point. Its milky formula is loaded with ultra-gentle ingredients, including ceramide NP, fermented black rice, and sunflower seed oil, alongside 0.08% pure retinol and bakuchiol to help skin ease into retinoids without feeling overwhelmed.
Once your skin is comfortable with that, though, you can graduate to the Rose PDRN Firming Serum. It’s formulated with 0.1% retinal (note the spelling with an “a” — more on that in a bit), five different peptides, and, of course, skin-renewing rose PDRN.
Ahead, I’m sharing my full review of Haruharu wonder’s Rose PDRN Firming Serum, including how I worked it into my nighttime routine, what it was like to go from retinol to retinal, and the ways its results are key to my makeup routine.
My P.M. Routine
After cleansing with Haruharu wonder’s Black Rice Moisture 5.5 Soft Cleansing Gel and patting on the Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence, I reach for the Rose PDRN Firming Serum. One pump is enough for my entire face. Then, I seal everything in with a layer of the Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream. As with other retinol serums, this one should be used only at night, and sunscreen is essential during the day.
I’m an avid skin cycler, so I typically use the Rose PDRN Firming Serum every three days. On off nights, I swap it for either the Rose PDRN Soothing Serum to give my skin a recovery day or the Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum to help lift away dead skin cells and other impurities on the surface of my skin. I like to think of retinoids as mopping the floors and exfoliating acids as vacuuming — you need both for a well-rounded, clear-skin regimen.
My Experience
To give you some context, I have extremely reactive skin that easily turns red and becomes sensitive to the touch when I overdo it with harsh active ingredients. I also deal with painful hormonal breakouts, so I try to keep my routine as gentle as possible without sacrificing results. At 34, I’m also at the ideal age to incorporate retinal into my skincare routine, especially as collagen production and cell turnover naturally begin to slow. Prevention and consistency are essential for keeping my skin smooth, bouncy, and youthful-looking.
Because I’d already been using the Black Rice Knight Night Serum for the past year and a half, transitioning to retinal with the Rose PDRN Firming Serum was surprisingly seamless. I experienced zero flaking, inflammation, or purging. My skin already responds incredibly well to Haruharu wonder’s Rose PDRN Soothing Serum, so trying the Rose PDRN Firming Serum felt a bit like welcoming a friend of a friend into my skin’s inner circle.
Haruharu wonder’s Rose PDRN Firming Serum has a lightweight, lotion-like texture that doesn’t make skin tingle or sting as you spread it evenly all over your face. It’s formulated with the brand’s patented Phyto-Velvet Network to deliver a luxurious, velvety finish that feels weightless and never sticky, while looking glowy.
I love bright colors, so I look forward to seeing this firming serum’s naturally neon tennis-ball yellow hue, which comes from retinal. Retinal, by the way, requires less conversion in the skin to reach its most bioavailable form, which stimulates collagen production and accelerates cell turnover: retinoic acid. Because of this, studies have found that retinal is more potent and faster-acting than retinol, making it the strongest, most effective over-the-counter retinoid. Retinol, on the other hand, is the most popular and widely studied form of vitamin A. Our skin first converts it to retinaldehyde (AKA retinal), then to retinoic acid. Still, both ingredients ultimately deliver similar benefits: clearer pores, firmer skin, boosted elasticity, softened fine lines, and reduced discoloration.
Vegan rose PDRN gives the formula an added boost of skin-rejuvenating benefits by enhancing firmness and replenishing the skin barrier, while peptides support skin repair, improve firmness, and smooth rough texture. Despite all these powerhouse ingredients, my skin hasn’t experienced any sensitivity or redness.
For that reason alone, I will keep this serum consistently stocked in my nighttime skincare routine as a reliable tool for maintaining a resilient, youthful-looking complexion.
My Results
Although I love makeup, I absolutely hate wearing foundation and concealer. They always feel heavy and uncomfortable on my skin. Since incorporating the Rose PDRN Firming Serum into my routine, though, I’ve felt more confident than ever going without base makeup altogether. As my post-breakout marks began fading faster and my overall skin tone looked noticeably more even, showing off my natural skin became much easier.
These days, my skin has the kind of smooth, hydrated glow that makes it the perfect canvas for the makeup I actually enjoy wearing, such as vibrant pink blush, experimental eye makeup, and moody brown lip stains. The blush, in particular, melts more seamlessly onto my skin without any patchiness or streaks.
The biggest difference I’ve noticed is in my skin’s texture and overall clarity. It’s bouncier, more even-toned, and gorgeously lit from within, especially the morning after I use the serum. Instead of waking up to dullness or lingering redness, my complexion looks calm, fresh, and naturally radiant, even after nights of barely getting enough sleep.
In fact, I recently wore foundation to a special event and immediately missed seeing my real skin underneath it. That was probably the moment I realized just how much my relationship with my complexion had changed. My skin looks so healthy, resilient, and luminous on its own now that I’d rather let it shine through than cover it up — all thanks to the Haruharu wonder Rose PDRN Firming Serum.
I Thought I’d Never Cheat on My Favorite Retinol Serum — Then I Tried This
After going through bottle after bottle of Haruharu wonder’s Black Rice Knight Night Serum, I thought I’d never fall in love with another retinol serum ever again. Then, earlier this year, the K-beauty brand launched the Rose PDRN Firming Serum — and suddenly, my skin had a new favorite for enhancing its supple, glassy glow and maintaining its resilience.
Now, whenever friends and family ask me for a retinol recommendation, I tell them the Black Rice Night Knight Retinol Serum is the ideal starting point. Its milky formula is loaded with ultra-gentle ingredients, including ceramide NP, fermented black rice, and sunflower seed oil, alongside 0.08% pure retinol and bakuchiol to help skin ease into retinoids without feeling overwhelmed.
Once your skin is comfortable with that, though, you can graduate to the Rose PDRN Firming Serum. It’s formulated with 0.1% retinal (note the spelling with an “a” — more on that in a bit), five different peptides, and, of course, skin-renewing rose PDRN.
Ahead, I’m sharing my full review of Haruharu wonder’s Rose PDRN Firming Serum, including how I worked it into my nighttime routine, what it was like to go from retinol to retinal, and the ways its results are key to my makeup routine.
My P.M. Routine
After cleansing with Haruharu wonder’s Black Rice Moisture 5.5 Soft Cleansing Gel and patting on the Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence, I reach for the Rose PDRN Firming Serum. One pump is enough for my entire face. Then, I seal everything in with a layer of the Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream. As with other retinol serums, this one should be used only at night, and sunscreen is essential during the day.
I’m an avid skin cycler, so I typically use the Rose PDRN Firming Serum every three days. On off nights, I swap it for either the Rose PDRN Soothing Serum to give my skin a recovery day or the Centella 3% PHA Gentle Liquid Exfoliating Serum to help lift away dead skin cells and other impurities on the surface of my skin. I like to think of retinoids as mopping the floors and exfoliating acids as vacuuming — you need both for a well-rounded, clear-skin regimen.
My Experience
To give you some context, I have extremely reactive skin that easily turns red and becomes sensitive to the touch when I overdo it with harsh active ingredients. I also deal with painful hormonal breakouts, so I try to keep my routine as gentle as possible without sacrificing results. At 34, I’m also at the ideal age to incorporate retinal into my skincare routine, especially as collagen production and cell turnover naturally begin to slow. Prevention and consistency are essential for keeping my skin smooth, bouncy, and youthful-looking.
Because I’d already been using the Black Rice Knight Night Serum for the past year and a half, transitioning to retinal with the Rose PDRN Firming Serum was surprisingly seamless. I experienced zero flaking, inflammation, or purging. My skin already responds incredibly well to Haruharu wonder’s Rose PDRN Soothing Serum, so trying the Rose PDRN Firming Serum felt a bit like welcoming a friend of a friend into my skin’s inner circle.
Haruharu wonder’s Rose PDRN Firming Serum has a lightweight, lotion-like texture that doesn’t make skin tingle or sting as you spread it evenly all over your face. It’s formulated with the brand’s patented Phyto-Velvet Network to deliver a luxurious, velvety finish that feels weightless and never sticky, while looking glowy.
I love bright colors, so I look forward to seeing this firming serum’s naturally neon tennis-ball yellow hue, which comes from retinal. Retinal, by the way, requires less conversion in the skin to reach its most bioavailable form, which stimulates collagen production and accelerates cell turnover: retinoic acid. Because of this, studies have found that retinal is more potent and faster-acting than retinol, making it the strongest, most effective over-the-counter retinoid. Retinol, on the other hand, is the most popular and widely studied form of vitamin A. Our skin first converts it to retinaldehyde (AKA retinal), then to retinoic acid. Still, both ingredients ultimately deliver similar benefits: clearer pores, firmer skin, boosted elasticity, softened fine lines, and reduced discoloration.
Vegan rose PDRN gives the formula an added boost of skin-rejuvenating benefits by enhancing firmness and replenishing the skin barrier, while peptides support skin repair, improve firmness, and smooth rough texture. Despite all these powerhouse ingredients, my skin hasn’t experienced any sensitivity or redness.
For that reason alone, I will keep this serum consistently stocked in my nighttime skincare routine as a reliable tool for maintaining a resilient, youthful-looking complexion.
My Results
Although I love makeup, I absolutely hate wearing foundation and concealer. They always feel heavy and uncomfortable on my skin. Since incorporating the Rose PDRN Firming Serum into my routine, though, I’ve felt more confident than ever going without base makeup altogether. As my post-breakout marks began fading faster and my overall skin tone looked noticeably more even, showing off my natural skin became much easier.
These days, my skin has the kind of smooth, hydrated glow that makes it the perfect canvas for the makeup I actually enjoy wearing, such as vibrant pink blush, experimental eye makeup, and moody brown lip stains. The blush, in particular, melts more seamlessly onto my skin without any patchiness or streaks.
The biggest difference I’ve noticed is in my skin’s texture and overall clarity. It’s bouncier, more even-toned, and gorgeously lit from within, especially the morning after I use the serum. Instead of waking up to dullness or lingering redness, my complexion looks calm, fresh, and naturally radiant, even after nights of barely getting enough sleep.
In fact, I recently wore foundation to a special event and immediately missed seeing my real skin underneath it. That was probably the moment I realized just how much my relationship with my complexion had changed. My skin looks so healthy, resilient, and luminous on its own now that I’d rather let it shine through than cover it up — all thanks to the Haruharu wonder Rose PDRN Firming Serum.