Why Peptides Could Be The Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine

Skincare ingredients can be confusing, but when it comes to collagen stimulation and wrinkle reduction, peptides are worth knowing about. Here’s what we know…

If you’ve ever found yourself confused by skincare ingredients don’t worry, you are not alone. Mysterious ingredients like kojic this and azelaic can dumbfound even the biggest skincare aficionados. But while they might sound super intimidating, these science-based actives are often some of the most effective ingredients you can use on healthy aging skin.

On that note, let’s talk about peptides. Major news in skincare right now, peptides are short chains of amino acids which, as you know, are the building blocks of protein. Like tiny little messengers that communicate with your skin at a cellular level, peptides deliver a whole host of incredible benefits, triggering specific responses like skin barrier repair and collagen production. By telling the cells exactly what to do and accelerating healing, renewal and rejuvenation, they’re vital for the health of your skin.

A Quick Lesson On The Different Types Of Peptides

Not only are there thousands of active ingredients available in skincare, but there are tons of peptides alone: often with hand-scratching names, numbers and spellings. Here’s a quick run-through of the four main peptide types to know…

Signal Peptides: the most common peptides found in skincare, these send signals to specific cells prompting them to produce collagen, elastin and other important proteins. Examples include Matrixyl 3000, palmitoyl tripeptides and palmitoyl oligopeptide.

Carrier Peptides: these peptides work by transporting essential minerals and nutrients to the skin to aid healing and encourage collagen synthesis. They’re like the delivery systems of the peptide world. The most common and well-researched are copper peptides.

Neurotransmitter Peptides: by targeting muscle contractions, these peptides are thought to relax the facial muscles thus helping to soften expression lines and delay etched-in wrinkles. Acetyl hexapeptide-8 (aka Argireline) and tripeptide-3 (aka Syn-Ake) are popular examples.

Enzyme-Inhibitor Peptides: great for strengthening and preserving the skin, these work by blocking certain enzymes that are known to break down collagen and elastin. Matrixyl 3000 also comes under this umbrella, as does acetyl hexapepetide-8.

The Power Of Peptides In Skincare

The great thing about peptides is that, unlike larger proteins which are unable to penetrate the top layers of the skin, they're small enough to communicate with the skin at a much deeper, cellular level. This makes them a must in any skincare routine because the benefits are huge. Keep scrolling to learn about the most important benefits of peptides.

1. All The Collagen Love

Undoubtedly the biggest draw for including peptides in your skincare routine is for their proven abilities for boosting collagen production. With the exception of neurotransmitter peptides, they all work hard to increase collagen synthesis, some by more than 100 percent.

Signal peptides, for example, send direct messages to the dermal fibroblasts – the fibrous connective tissue cells that, among other things, are responsible for producing collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. They basically give these cells a gentle nudge to work harder and faster. What does that mean for your skin? Strength, structure, radiance, lift, smoothness and youthfulness. Need we go on?

2. Softer-Looking Wrinkles

Of course, more quality collagen in your skin automatically means you will age more slowly so signal peptides, carrier peptides and enzyme-inhibitor peptides are the bee’s knees for keeping your fine lines and wrinkles under control. But don’t forget neurotransmitter peptides like acetyl hexapepetide-8. While these don’t improve collagen production, per se, they temporarily work to relax your facial muscles – kind of like Botox without the needles.

Don’t get us wrong, topical skincare is never going to offer the kind of dramatic wrinkle reduction effects you’ll get from injectable treatments, but with consistent use, neurotransmitter peptides show great promise for helping to soften the visible appearance of expression lines.

3. A Better Barrier Function

Carrier peptides are incredible for improving wound healing and strengthening the skin’s barrier function. Quick reminder: your barrier function is the super important but extremely fragile uppermost layer of the skin, aka the stratum corneum. This protective layer works relentlessly to help your skin retain moisture, while keeping nasty things like allergens, irritants and pollutants from penetrating through the skin and causing a negative reaction. As skin ages and life (stress, UV radiation, pollution) gets in the way, this barrier can become compromised, allowing moisture to escape and irritants to get in. Cue dryness, dehydration, sensitivities and all sorts.

All this is why barrier care skin formulations are so important. And peptides check that box with bells on. Copper peptides, in particular, have shown to significantly increase skin thickness and elasticity while encouraging the skin’s natural repair process.

4. Youthful Skin That Snaps Right Back

While collagen is vital for the look and feel of healthy skin, elastin is equally as important. Elastin is another structural protein in the skin but while collagen gives strength and stability, elastin allows it to stretch, flex and bounce back with your face and body's movements and expressions. It basically ensures that your skin remains firm and smooth, rather than saggy and lax. 

Elastin production also decreases with age (no surprises there!), causing your skin to lose its natural, bounce-back quality. But good news: signal peptides stimulate elastin synthesis, encouraging your skin to retain its plump youthfulness.

5. Awesome Pore Control

Your pores are a crucial part of the structure of your skin. They allow important liquids, particles and gases to pass through the surface, helping to regulate body temperature and lubricate the skin. They can also (annoyingly!) stretch and appear larger with age as collagen and elastin fibers become weak and the walls of the pores become equally slack and kind of baggy-looking.

Enter the collagen and elastin-boosting powers of peptides. Stronger proteins in the skin = tighter-looking pores. Makes sense, right?

How To Work Peptides Into Your Skincare Routine

The key to getting visible results from peptides in your daily regime is to go for leave-on formulations that can be layered underneath your moisturizer. AKA, the mighty serum.

Search out peptide serums that contain a few different types in order to maximize their benefits. Our Peptide Facial Serum, for example, is crafted with an incredible peptide complex blend including palmitoyl tripeptides-1 and -5, plus palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, all of which are lauded for their collagen-pumping, elastin-boosting, hyaluronic acid-enhancing abilities. Oh, and Peptide Eye Gel is another skincare great that shouldn’t be ignored.

Because neither should the skin around your eyes.