The short answer

In Firming Bakuchiol PDRN Serum, 20,000 ppm (2%) is the amount of AIO MARINE PLANT PDRN, a patented complex raw material made from marine plants. It is not 20,000 ppm of pure PDRN, and it should never be read as 2% sodium DNA. The number is real, but it describes the whole supplied complex. The serum is REWIND, the firming serum in VVBETTER's Solution Series, built on vegan PDRN, bakuchiol, aloe vera leaf water and adenosine.

Lavender frosted glass bottle labeled Firming Bakuchiol PDRN Serum with a dropper releasing a single drop
Firming Bakuchiol PDRN Serum, 30 ml, in its dropper bottle.

From ppm to percent in one step

ppm stands for parts per million. One percent is 10,000 ppm, so 20,000 ppm is 2%, and 1 ppm is 0.0001%. Converting is easy. Knowing what was measured is the part that deserves attention, because the same figure can describe very different things:

What the label says What the number refers to What to ask
"PDRN 2%" Unclear. It could be the pure ingredient or a blend that contains it. 2% of which material, and in what form?
"2% (20,000 ppm) of a patented vegan PDRN complex" The supplied complex raw material, counted as a whole. What is the complex made of?
"Sodium DNA (1 ppm)" in the ingredient list The single named ingredient, as printed in the finished product's list. How does this relate to the front-label figure?

Our serum belongs on the second row. The raw material's own ingredient list is Water, 1,2-hexanediol and Sodium DNA, so the 2% describes the full blend. The finished serum's ingredient list prints Sodium DNA at 1 ppm. Both statements are true at once, and that is exactly why we keep the word "complex" next to the number.

What PDRN is and where this one comes from

PDRN is a nucleotide-based ingredient. It is most often taken from salmon. The PDRN in this serum comes from marine plants instead, supplied by the ingredient maker as AIO MARINE PLANT PDRN under its own patent (supplier patent No. 10-2249241). The serum has no animal-derived ingredient and is vegan certified.

That is a statement about the source. We do not compare it with salmon-derived PDRN on effect, and we do not say it is absorbed better or worse. If a label or ad does make that comparison, it is fair to ask what evidence sits behind it.

The rest of the bottle matters as much as one number

A single headline figure rarely describes a formula. REWIND is positioned for firmness and elasticity, and for mature skin, and here is how the full serum reads:

  • 60% aloe vera leaf water is the base, used in place of purified water.
  • Bakuchiol 1% (10,000 ppm) is a plant-based alternative to retinol, and the raw material is over 99% pure.
  • Adenosine and niacinamide, 20,400 ppm combined, are the MFDS-listed ingredients behind its functional cosmetic notification (brightening and wrinkle-improvement categories, July 2025).
  • Plant squalane 100 ppm and an EGF peptide complex are included, as are ceramide NP and centella-derived madecassoside and asiaticoside.
  • Edelweiss callus culture extract, often nicknamed "phyto placenta", is plant-derived. The nickname does not mean animal placenta.

The product page also quotes "firming actives combined: 30,500 ppm". Read it as a map, not a score. It adds several ingredients together, and the PDRN complex counted at its raw-material basis is the largest part of that total.

How to use the serum

  1. Shake the bottle well. The formula separates slightly at rest, and a few shakes bring it back together. This is expected, not a defect.
  2. After cleansing and toner, dispense 2–3 drops over the face and neck and press in gently.
  3. Follow with a cream. In the morning, finish with sunscreen.
  4. Use it morning and night, or as your skin allows. If your skin is sensitive, start every other night.

The serum contains natural colorants, so its color can look uneven after standing or fade if left in strong light. Shaking restores it, and the quality is not affected. Store it in a cool place away from direct sunlight and use it within 12 months of opening. If you layer several Solution serums, the order is Succinic, Vita C TRX, then this one last, 2–3 drops each; very sensitive or thin skin should use one serum per routine. There is more on the shaking in Shake, then take your moment. It is a small pause that fits the idea behind the name: in VVBETTER, the dot above the V stands for a moment of focus.

Small lavender-tinted swatch of Firming Bakuchiol PDRN Serum on a pale grey surface
A small swatch of the serum on a neutral background.

A checklist for reading any PDRN label

  • Find the source. Salmon, marine plant or another origin should be stated, not implied.
  • Find what the percentage belongs to. "Complex", "extract" or "raw material" in the wording changes the meaning of the figure.
  • Compare like with like. A percentage of a supplied blend and a percentage of a single ingredient are not directly comparable, so a bigger number on the front is not automatically a better formula.
  • Read the whole ingredient list, including the base and the other actives.
  • Check the directions for the format: drops for a dropper, shaking if the formula separates, and sunscreen in the morning.

Quick answers

Is the 2% the amount of PDRN itself?

No. It is 2% (20,000 ppm) of the AIO MARINE PLANT PDRN complex raw material. The finished ingredient list prints sodium DNA at 1 ppm.

Is vegan PDRN the same as salmon PDRN?

Both are nucleotide-based ingredients sold under the name PDRN, but the source differs. This serum uses a patented marine-plant complex with no animal-derived material. We do not claim one performs better than the other.

Does the serum contain retinol?

No. It uses bakuchiol at 1% (10,000 ppm), a different ingredient: a plant-based alternative to retinol, from a raw material over 99% pure.

Can I use it every day?

Yes. It completed a skin low-irritation test and is made for daily use. If your skin is sensitive or you are new to bakuchiol, start every other night and patch-test on the jawline for two nights.

Where does REWIND sit among the Solution serums?

The Solution Series has three focus serums: REGLOW (Vita C TRX) for brightening, REWIND (this serum) for firmness and elasticity, and REFINE (Succinic Balancing Serum) for balance, soothing and the skin barrier. If you layer them, this one goes last.

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