INSIDE OUR FORMULAS: The Science of Japanese Botanicals

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Konnyaku is konjac, a root whose glucomannan fibre binds water and forms a soft film (Sun 2023). DAMDAM uses it in the Nomad's Cream Purifying Cleanser, a rinse-off formula, where it works as a gentle cleansing fibre and not as a leave-on treatment.

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.

White kaolin is a soft clay mineral that absorbs excess surface oil. In one study, a twice-weekly kaolin and bentonite mask reduced open comedones by 65.8% and sebum by 29.9% over four weeks (Zhang 2023); kaolin was not tested on its own. DAMDAM uses it in the Skin Mud Pure Mask.

Willow bark is a quiet workhorse. It does not headline a DAMDAM product, but it appears across the range as a gentle botanical, and it is worth clearing up a common misconception about what it does.

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.