The Ordinary Lacto-PDRN 4% Eye Cream Lands at RM50
PDRN has become one of skincare's most talked-about ingredients, usually spun from salmon DNA and usually attached to a premium price. The Ordinary is taking a different route. Its new Lacto-PDRN 4% + B9 Eye Cream uses a vegan, laboratory-grown version of the ingredient and lands in Malaysia at RM50 for a 15ml tube.
What The Ordinary is launching
The Lacto-PDRN 4% + B9 Eye Cream is built around Lacto-PDRN, a biotechnology-derived alternative to the fish-derived PDRN found in many other formulas. The Ordinary makes it through the controlled fermentation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which keeps the formula vegan while still delivering the ingredient at a 4% concentration.
It is paired with Folic Acid, also known as Vitamin B9, to support skin renewal and elasticity, and a film-forming technology that gives an immediate smoothing effect on the thin, easily creased skin around the eyes. That area tends to show age early because it has fewer cell layers and less fat and collagen than the rest of the face, which is the gap this cream is aimed at.
What the brand's testing showed
The Ordinary ran the formula through its own in-house clinical labs and reported both immediate and longer-term effects:
- Visibly lifts the eyelids from first use, with continued improvement over time
- Tightens on application to reduce the look of under-eye bags
- Smooths visible texture and crepey eyelids by 17% after eight weeks
- Reduces the appearance of fine lines under the eye by 18% after eight weeks
- Hydrates the eye area and helps reinforce the skin barrier
These figures come from the brand's own testing rather than an independent study, so read them as what The Ordinary is claiming rather than a guarantee.
Why a vegan PDRN at RM50 matters
PDRN, short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, has ridden a wave of interest off the back of Korean salmon-DNA treatments, and most versions on shelves are animal-derived and sit well above the RM50 mark. A vegan, fermentation-made alternative at this price fits The Ordinary's usual pitch of putting a single active in front of shoppers without the markup. If you like minimal, no-frills formulas, our look at why additive-free skincare works for sensitive skin covers the same thinking from another angle.
It also lowers the entry point for the eye-cream category. A 15ml eye treatment at RM50 is a long way from luxury lines like La Mer's Treatment Lotion and Soft Cream, which is part of what makes The Ordinary's move worth watching.
Price and availability
The Lacto-PDRN 4% + B9 Eye Cream comes in a 15ml size at RM50 in Malaysia. For anyone after fuller-face results, The Ordinary suggests pairing it with its GF 15% Solution across the rest of the face, while keeping the eye cream for the delicate eye area.
For a buzzy ingredient that normally commands a premium, The Ordinary is doing what it tends to do best here: stripping it back to one clear active and a price most shoppers can actually reach.
