The Science Behind Your Glow Ritual

What PDRN and hyaluronic acid actually do, why the Glow Ritual is three products and not one, and how they work together on the skin.

What is PDRN?

PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide. Strip away the long name and it's simply a purified fragment of DNA — the same molecule that carries genetic information in every living cell, cut down into short, stable chains and put to work as a skin-repair ingredient. PDRN sits inside a broader family called polynucleotides (PN), which is why you'll see both terms used in skincare and aesthetic medicine, sometimes interchangeably.

Cosmetic and medical-grade PDRN is extracted and purified from salmon or trout sperm DNA — chosen because it's around 95% structurally similar to human DNA, so the fragments are recognised by our cells rather than flagged as foreign.

The science: how it works in the dermis

Skin has two main layers: the epidermis on the surface, and the dermis underneath — a deeper layer built from collagen, elastin, and fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing both. As we age, fibroblast activity slows, collagen degrades faster than it's replaced, and the dermis thins and loses density. That's what shows up on the surface as fine lines, sagging, and a loss of bounce.

PDRN works by binding to a receptor on skin cells called the adenosine A2A receptor. Once activated, this triggers a chain of effects: fibroblasts are stimulated to proliferate and produce more collagen, blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) improves circulation to the area, and levels of MMP-1 — an enzyme that breaks down existing collagen — are reduced. It also carries anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, calming the low-grade inflammation that accelerates skin ageing.

A 2025 systematic review pooling nine aesthetic studies (219 patients total) found consistent improvements in wrinkles, texture, elasticity, and patient satisfaction, though it rated the evidence base low to moderate quality — promising, but still developing. A randomized, double-blind trial published in 2026 compared a topical PDRN eye cream against retinol over 28 days and found the PDRN formula produced roughly double the improvement in periocular wrinkles, dermal thickness, dermal density, and under-eye bag appearance, with better tolerability than retinol — one of the first controlled studies confirming topical PDRN reaches and acts on the dermis, not just the surface.

It's worth being upfront: injectable PDRN, delivered by a practitioner directly into the dermis, will always produce a faster, stronger result than anything topical. A topical serum works more gradually, supporting the same biological pathway from the surface inward over weeks of consistent use — think daily maintenance rather than a one-off treatment.

Why three products, not one

The Glow Ritual isn't three random items bundled for a discount. Each product targets a different part of the same problem — ageing skin loses structure from the outside in and the inside out — so they're formulated to work at different depths and different areas of the face, neck, and body.

Eye Serum

With polynucleotides, hyaluronic acid & spilanthes. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the face, with very little fat or oil to cushion it, which is why fine lines and crepiness usually show here first. The serum format is deliberate: a lightweight, fast-absorbing liquid that a rich cream would be too heavy for in this area. Hyaluronic acid draws in moisture for immediate plumping, spilanthes (sometimes nicknamed nature's botox) has a temporary, gentle smoothing effect on expression lines, and polynucleotides work over time on the mechanisms described above — collagen support, reduced inflammation, better circulation.

Face & Neck Cream

With polynucleotides, calendula, chamomile & ginseng. The neck is often the most neglected part of a skincare routine, but it has fewer oil glands than the face and thinner skin than almost anywhere else on the body — which is exactly why lines and crepiness appear there early, and why most face creams aren't rich enough to help it. This cream is formulated for a bigger surface area and a different texture of skin: calendula and chamomile are calming and anti-inflammatory, ginseng is antioxidant-rich and traditionally used to support circulation, and polynucleotides do the same dermal-support work described above, applied where skin often needs it most and gets it least.

Hyaluronic Acid Tablets

With hyaluronic acid & vitamin C. This is the one product in the ritual that works from the inside. A 2023 randomized double-blind clinical trial of 129 participants found that oral hyaluronic acid significantly improved skin hydration within 2–8 weeks, with skin tone improvements following at 4–8 weeks; a more recent meta-analysis of seven trials confirmed statistically significant improvements in hydration, elasticity, and wrinkle depth from daily oral HA. Vitamin C isn't just an antioxidant here — it's a required cofactor for the enzymes that build and cross-link collagen, so without enough of it, collagen production is limited no matter what else you're applying topically. Together, the tablets support hydration and collagen synthesis systemically, complementing what the serum and cream are doing on the surface.

How they work together

Topical polynucleotides support fibroblast activity and collagen production directly at the skin's surface and just beneath it. Oral hyaluronic acid and vitamin C support hydration and collagen synthesis throughout the body, including the skin. Used together, the idea is straightforward: give the dermis what it needs to rebuild from both directions, rather than relying on one product to do all of the work.

Real results

Progress photos from real customers using the Glow Ritual routine.

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Individual results vary. Photos shared with customer permission.

References

• Marques et al., "From Polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRNs) to Polynucleotides (PNs)," Biomolecules, 2025.
• "Topical medium-length PDRN enhances dermal extracellular matrix repair in photodamaged skin," PLOS One, 2026.
• "Polynucleotides and polydeoxyribonucleotides in dermatology – A narrative review," Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery.
• James Kace MD Skincare, "PDRN Skincare: What Does the Clinical Evidence Say?," 2026.
• Gao et al., "Oral administration of hyaluronic acid to improve skin conditions," Skin Research and Technology, 2023.
• "Oral Hyaluronic Acid Supplement: Efficacy in Skin Hydration, Elasticity, and Wrinkle Depth Reduction," Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025.

This page describes published research on PDRN, polynucleotides, and hyaluronic acid as ingredient categories. It reflects general scientific and clinical literature, not clinical testing of Mellow Skin products specifically, and individual results will vary. It isn't medical advice.