PDRN Pioneers: How GENABELLE Brought Skin-boosting Salmon DNA out of the Dermatologist's Office and Into Bathroom Cabinets Worldwide

This May, we’re thrilled to announce our newest exclusive UK partnership with superstar K-derma brand, GENABELLE! With a CEO who’s both a practicing dermatologist and a playful presence on TikTok, a passionate team of staff, and a pioneering product line-up that creates trends rather than follows them, GENABELLE is a seriously cool addition to our roster of brands.

Founded in 2017 by Dr. Park Kibum – also known as Dr. Conan – GENABELLE was inspired by Dr Park’s desire to help his patients recover faster from clinical skincare procedures like laser treatments. But he didn’t stop there, combining his intensive dermatological knowledge and his research into the powerful effects of PDRN (more on which below) with pharmaceutical-grade ingredients to create a “mass-tige” line of high-performing products at an accessible price point, intended for home-use.

Meticulous in their approach to developing formulas, as well as committed to constant innovation, GENABELLE prioritises quality, safety, and transparency above all: they use only high-performance active ingredients that have been validated to enhance skin health; their products are crafted with optimal concentrations, determined through extensive research, to deliver visible results; and every formula is rigorously tested to ensure it won’t cause irritation or sensitisation.  

In celebration of GENABELLE joining the Skin Cupid family, we’re sharing with you the story behind the brand, with a special focus on GENABELLE’s signature ingredient, PDRN. If you’re a K-beauty fan, you might have already read about PDRN’s popularity in Korea, interest in which the West has been sparked as much by the ingredient’s unusual source – salmon milt, or sperm – as by its effectiveness at restoring sensitive, compromised, or prematurely-aged-looking skin to maximum health and radiance. We’ll be covering what exactly PDRN is, how it helps your skin, and what makes GENABELLE’s PDRN a cut above the rest, as well as highlighting some of the key benefits of four products in the brand’s PDRN line that are now available at Skin Cupid!

The story behind GENABELLE 

GENABELLE was born in 2017, the brainchild of Dr. Conan Park, who was then a practicing dermatologist at a small derma clinic in Seoul. After shepherding thousands of patients through the treatment aftercare process, Dr. Park wanted to use his experience in the industry to put together a line of skincare products that would better help accelerate the skin’s natural healing cycle following dermatological procedures. 

Not only that, but Dr. Park was committed to developing skincare that could be sold at an honest and reasonable price point. While the expense of dermatological procedures and the ingredients used therein renders them off-limits for a large percentage of the general population, Dr. Park wanted to break down the price barriers restricting access to derma-quality products, but without skimping on quality. 

Within dermatological circles, PDRN was already a well-known rejuvenating agent by the time that Dr. Park was developing the idea that would become GENABELLE, but its use had largely been restricted to clinical settings, where it was coupled with microneedling treatments to stimulate tissue repair and encourage wound healing. While some of those keyed into the skincare scene had been buying vials of PDRN to inject via at-home microneedling procedures, the general public was unfamiliar with the ingredient. But Dr. Park saw the potential for PDRN in topical application, and decided to take the risk of placing it front and centre of the formulas he was working on. 

Described as very “fixated” and “conscientious” by current GENABELLE staff, Dr Park conducted over 10 rounds of evaluations as he worked to refine the formula for the brand’s hero product, the PDRN Rejuvenating Cream, and even discarded a 5000-piece batch of fully manufactured products, paid for with his own money, after he realised that he wasn’t happy with their quality. All told, the GENABELLE team say, the research period that led to the discovery of the optimal PDRN-blend ratio in the PDRN cream lasted 4890 hours.

GENABELLE was first made available for purchase at the small derma clinic where Dr. Park worked – today, GENABELLE is used and sold in 50 different dermatological- and plastic surgery clinics in Korea, and more than 800,000 units of the brand’s PDRN Rejuvenating Cream have been sold in Korea over the past couple of years. 

The GENABELLE team locate the beginnings of their current worldwide popularity in the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which people spent significantly more time researching skincare products and shopping online. Momentum built quickly on Kakao’s online shopping mall, through which they managed to sell all the stock they had in their warehouse within just four weeks. Following that wave of success, the brand expanded onto other platforms, and, in 2022, the company began to focus on building out its global presence, with consumers now able to buy GENABELLE products on Amazon US, Amazon Japan, and China’s RedNote app. PR was initially mixed as many people were unfamiliar with PDRN as an ingredient, but they hit the big-time last year when Glow with Ava, a Korean beauty influencer and entrepreneur based in NYC, posted about the products. From then on, GENABELLE has gone from strength to strength, moving into more and more markets and further developing their innovative range of products.

Meanwhile, with the success of his brand, Dr. Park was encouraged to push through with his vision of opening his own dermatological clinic. The G. U. Clinic, located in the Gangnam area of Seoul, opened in 2021, since which time it has been recognised in various ranking surveys for the quality of its treatments and customer satisfaction – and where, of course, GENABELLE products feature heavily in the powder room. Dr. Park has even become somewhat of a celebrity in Korea, where he’s known as a “doctor to the stars” and has featured on Netflix shows about how the elite live in Seoul – personally, though, we’re the biggest fans of his TikTok, where he posts day-in-the-life videos, offers insights into GENABELLE products and current K-beauty trends, and pokes fun at his career. 

That’s the brand story – now, let’s get into the details of GENABELLE’s most famous ingredient and the star of its signature skincare line: PDRN. 

What is PDRN?

PDRN (which stands for Polydeoxyribonucleotide) is a DNA-derived ingredient, made up of small DNA fragments typically between 50 and 1500kDa in molecular weight. Small enough to penetrate into skin and trigger biological activity to support long-term skin repair, these low-molecular-weight chunks of DNA work by activating A2A adenosine receptors in the skin, which control anti-inflammatory responses, stimulate cell growth, and encourage new blood vessel formation. This improves oxygen and nutrient delivery to the skin, which is one of the keys to long-term skin health.

PDRN also encourages the proliferation of fibroblasts, the skin’s collagen-producing cells, which helps to boost skin firmness, elevate skin hydration levels, and enhance tissue regeneration, speeding up wound healing. As such, PDRN is especially helpful for treating dull, mature, sensitive, and irritable complexions, though its high biocompatibility with human skin makes it suitable for use on all skin types. 

Although we now associate PDRN treatments most prominently with the South Korean beauty scene, PDRN was actually first discovered in Italy in the 1980s, where it was documented as a component in human placenta extracts that could be used to treat radiodermatitis and repair damaged skin tissue. When further research in the 1990s and 2000s revealed that PDRN was made up of short DNA chains, and that it encouraged the growth of fibroblasts in the skin, the first PDRN injectables for the purposes of wound healing and skin regeneration were developed from human placenta. Naturally, as demand for the treatment grew, this posed significant sourcing and ethical issues, and so manufacturers sought alternatives in DNA extracts from salmon sperm and microbial ferments. It wasn’t long before PDRN started to be utilised in the field of dermatology as a cosmetic treatment, with multiple studies confirming its effectiveness at combating skin sagging, fine lines and wrinkles, and rough texture. Now, PDRN treatments – typically delivered via microneedling – are widespread, and especially popular in Korea, where a 2023 study revealed that 88% of those surveyed considered PDRN-based skin boosters one of the most sought-after injectable treatments. 

While dermatological procedures that incorporate PDRN have been available in Korea for some time, GENABELLE is one of the first brands to infuse the ingredient into topical-application skincare products, creating serums, moisturisers, and toners that help to calm irritation, brighten skin tone, boost elasticity, and optimise your skin’s moisture levels. 

GENABELLE’s PDRN

Although some brands have begun experimenting with vegan PDRN, extracted from substances such as Green Tea and Rose, GENABELLE’s PDRN is sourced from salmon milt, which Dr. Park believes research has shown to be the most effective at skin rejuvenation.

Aside from pure PDRN (which appears on ingredients lists as Sodium DNA), GENABELLE has also developed two proprietary PDRN complexes that they deploy in many of their formulas.

The first is the HTD-Genacomplex™, a blend of hydrolysed Sodium DNA (PDRN), 3 layers of multi-molecular-weight Hyaluronic Acid, and the synthetic peptide Tripeptide-1. These last two ingredients support PDRN’s regenerative properties by keeping all layers of the skin lush and hydrated, fading discoloration, and stimulating skin collagen and elastic synthesis, helping to increase skin firmness, soften fine lines and fill in wrinkles, and smooth out rough texture. The PDRN in this complex is hydrolysed, meaning it has been fragmented into lower-molecular-weight pieces that can be more easily absorbed into the deepest layers of the skin. 

The second is PDRS+ : described by the brand as a “total derma solution”, PDRS+ is ideal for skin that has been sensitised by harmful external factors. Along with PDRN, this GENABELLE-exclusive complex also contains salmon-derived polynucleotides, chains of DNA and RNA made up of the five primary nucleotide bases – uracil (in RNA), thymine (in DNA), adenine, guanine, and cytosine – to soothe, moisturise, and fortify the skin barrier. 

Intrigued? Here’s a round-up of the GENABELLE PDRN products currently available at Skin Cupid – click through an image to learn more about each product and start your PDRN journey!

GENABELLE PDRN products at Skin Cupid

PDRN Rejuvenating Cream

GENABELLE's first and hero product, the PDRN Rejuvenating Cream helped to pioneer the use of PDRN in topical skincare treatments. Formulated with medical-grade PDRN, it firms, smooths, brightens, and softens sensitive and fatigued complexions thanks to a triple-threat blend of PDRN, HTD-Genacomplex™, and PDRS+. 

PDRN Rejuvenating Mask

Designed to protect sensitive skin after dermatological treatments, the second product in GENABELLE's signature line is this high-concentration PDRN Rejuvenating Mask. A powerful derma mask that’s nonetheless suitable for daily use, it is infused with PDRN, GENABELLE's proprietary HTD-Genacomplex™, and various floral extracts, which work together to brighten, soothe, and rejuvenate complexions suffering from irritation or experiencing visible signs of ageing.  

PDRN Vita Toning Ampoule

This skin-revitalising toning ampoule provides intensive care to soothe and rejuvenate ageing and stressed-out skin, thanks to PDRN, HTD-Genacomplex™, and densely packed vitamin capsules infused with vitamins B, C, and E, for extra nourishment and rejuvenating power – all in one light, refreshing formula!

PDRN Rejuvenating Toner

Another star product in the brand’s signature line, this soothing, refreshing toner is powered by both PDRN and GENABELLE’s exclusive HTD-Genacomplex™, while a triple-layer moisture solution comprised of Panthenol, Tocopherol, and Beta-Glucan provides essential care by inhibiting moisture loss, soothing irritation and acne, and increasing skin hydration levels.