A traditional Japanese fruit, prized for centuries for its refreshing and antioxidant-rich properties. Naturally rich in organic acids, it helps support bright, healthy-looking skin.

Snow mushroom (Tremella fuciformis) is an edible fungus whose polysaccharide binds water, which is why it is often compared to hyaluronic acid. One commercial extract measured about 87.76% HA-comparable polysaccharide (Galla 2025). DAMDAM uses it in the Snow Mushroom Salt Cleanser.

Shiso, or perilla, is a Japanese herb whose leaf and stem oil carries antioxidant polyphenols such as rosmarinic acid. A perilla leaf extract was studied for skin hydration and elasticity in an 8-week, 30-person study (Mungmai 2020). DAMDAM uses it in the Mochi Mochi Luminous Cream and across the hair and body line.

Fermented rice is one of Japan's oldest ideas about transformation: take rice, let koji and yeast work on it, and you get something with a different character from the grain you started with. In skincare it appears as a filtrate rich in amino acids and peptides.

Amanatsu is a Japanese summer citrus and the heritage botanical in the Citrus Glow serum, where its peel oil provides the citrus note. The vitamin C in the serum comes from two stabilised vitamin C derivatives, not from the fruit.

Komenuka is Japanese rice bran. Its pressed oil is rich in vitamin E, gamma-oryzanol and fatty acids close to the lipids in skin, and it softens skin and supports moisture. In one study, a 10% rice bran oil formula raised skin moisture by around 38% (Bernardi 2011). Find it in the Silk Rice Cleansing Oil and Rice Drops.

Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) is a humectant that binds water in the skin. It has been studied in controlled trials for hydration and for the appearance of fine lines, texture and elasticity (Pavicic 2011; Bravo 2022). DAMDAM uses it in the Matcha Boost Eye Serum and the Citrus Glow serum.

Uji matcha is green tea (Camellia sinensis) from the Uji region of Kyoto. Green tea leaf extract has been studied on skin for hydration and barrier function (Shill 2025), and its catechins for antioxidant activity in laboratory models. DAMDAM uses it in the Matcha Boost Eye Serum. It is not a sun-protection ingredient.

Bakuchi (Psoralea corylifolia) is the plant whose fruit contains bakuchiol, a compound often described as a plant-based alternative to retinol. In one controlled trial, purified bakuchiol matched retinol on the appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation with better tolerability (Dhaliwal 2019). DAMDAM uses a whole-fruit extract in the Matcha Boost Eye Serum.