Ingredient profile
- Japanese name
- 紫蘇 (Shiso)
- Botanical / INCI
- Perilla ocymoides leaf/stem oil
- Sustainability verification
Essential takeaways
- Shiso, or perilla, is an aromatic herb long grown in Japan; DAMDAM uses the leaf/stem oil, an antioxidant-and-polyphenol form (a different profile from perilla seed oil).
- A perilla leaf extract has been studied in a topical formulation for skin hydration and elasticity in an 8-week, 30-person study (Mungmai 2020).
- Shiso leaf polyphenols, chiefly rosmarinic acid and luteolin, have been studied in laboratory models for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
- Shiso has long been used in Japanese cooking and traditional medicine.
Shiso (Perilla): What It Does for Your Skin
Shiso (紫蘇), or perilla, is one of Japan's most recognisable culinary herbs, and its leaf has a quieter second life in skincare. DAMDAM uses perilla ocymoides leaf/stem oil, the leaf-and-stem form of the plant.
What is shiso, and what form does DAMDAM use?
On an ingredient list, shiso appears as perilla ocymoides leaf/stem oil. The form matters: the leaf/stem oil is valued for antioxidant polyphenols, a different profile from perilla seed oil. DAMDAM uses the leaf/stem oil across a bestseller face cream and several hair and body formulas.
What has shiso been studied for on skin?
A perilla leaf extract has been studied in a topical formulation for skin hydration and elasticity in an 8-week, 30-person study (Mungmai 2020). Its leaf polyphenols, chiefly rosmarinic acid and luteolin, have been studied in laboratory models for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. These are early findings on the leaf form; shiso reads best as a soothing, antioxidant botanical rather than a treatment.
How is shiso used in Japan?
Shiso is a staple of Japanese cooking and a documented herb in traditional medicine, valued for its aroma and its leaves. That everyday familiarity is part of why it sits naturally in a Japanese skincare range.
Which DAMDAM products contain shiso?
Shiso leaf/stem oil is in the Mochi Mochi Luminous Cream, DAMDAM's bestselling face cream, and across its hair and body line: the Body Wash, Classic Shampoo, and Classic Conditioner. The Mochi Mochi Luminous Cream is carried by Hankyu in Japan, and DAMDAM's products have been reviewed by The Quality Edit and Who What Wear.
In the US, DAMDAM is available at Sephora, where it carries the Clean + Planet Aware seal, and on damdamtokyo.com; in Japan, you can also find DAMDAM at its Kyoto flagship and stockists including Isetan and Ron Herman.