New findings in beauty are exhilarating, but there’s something especially satisfying about discovering a new use for an ancient ingredient. You may have heard of dragon’s blood – a tree sap from the sangre de drago tree – a plumping ingredient strong enough to act as a substitute for wrinkle fillers. The badass name doesn’t hurt in making it one of our new go-to ingredients. Maria Hatzistefanis, President and Founder of Rodial and NIP + Fab, was introduced to dragon’s blood when traveling in Asia, leading her to base an entire range of Rodial products around the ingredient. According to Maria, dragon’s blood “works by forming a unique second skin-like film around the face,” that protects against the environment while minimizing redness.
Dragon’s blood has been used for centuries as a healing extract, according to Carrie Lindsey, Eyebrow Specialist and Esthetician at Brooklyn’s niche beauty go-to, Shen Beauty. “I love dragon’s blood products for skin that has been compromised from over exfoliation, increased sun exposure or any inflammation that has disturbed the skin’s protective layer.” We compiled our favorite dragon’s blood products below!
READ MORE: Copper is Our Favorite New/Ancient Beauty Ingredient
1An Injection in a Jar
Thinking about getting injections? First, try a collagen boost from this anti-aging gel, crafted to plump fine lines for a smoother you. It’s Rodial’s best-seller for a reason. // Rodial Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel, $98
2 A Brightener with Damage Control
One of Lindsey’s favorite dragon’s blood-infused products, she promises this serum works for “even the most delicate of skin types.” // Su-Man Velvet Skin Brightening Serum, $164
3A Plumping Pore-Cleanser
If you must (and yes, you must) wipe off your makeup before you work out, it makes sense to use a multitasking product for plumping, long-lasting hydration and pore-cleansing while you’re at it. // Nip + Fab Dragon’s Blood Fix Cleansing Pads, 12.99
4An Herbal Undereye Boost
Spot treat your undereyes with this refreshing eye mask that’ll leave you smelling like ancient royalty and looking like a teenager. // Wei Dragon’s Blood Eye Lifting Pads, $60
5A Skin Revolution
With a 43% concentration of dragon’s blood, this serum has the science to back up its’ anti-aging effects: In a study, 96% of users saw an improvement in undereye puffiness after four weeks of use. Goodbye, eyebags! // Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacing Eye Serum, $58
6A Full-Service Package
For the dragon’s blood addict or newbie looking for some facial love, this kit contains travel size versions of the sculpting gel, plus a cleansing water, hyaluronic tonic, and hyaluronic moisturizer all infused with our new favorite ingredient. // Rodial Dragon’s Blood Discovery Kit, $48
