What if you could supplement your skincare routine with an ingredient that builds skin-beautifying proteins in your body? An ingredient so specifically created that it targets the exact skincare concern you’ve been battling for as long as you can remember? If this magical skin care ingredient sounds too good to be true, we’ve got some good news for you.
No matter your skin type, peptides might be the anti-aging, hydrating, plumping, skin-renewing, fortifying skincare addition you’ve been seeking.
Peptides act as catalysts for protein synthesis within our bodies, comprising short chains of minuscule amino acids, the fundamental components constituting our skin and nearly all organs.
Amino acids serve diverse pivotal functions, fostering muscle development, protein synthesis, skin cell regeneration, and fortifying our immune defenses, offering both energy and stability.
As amino acids amalgamate and bond into abbreviated chains, they form peptides. Conversely, when amino acids unite into longer chains, they give rise to proteins.
Thus, amino acids and peptides serve as the elemental constituents of proteins, which, in turn, construct our organs.
Peptides play a signaling role, prompting cellular protein production in response to protein breakdown.
Aging and environmental stressors, such as sun exposure and pollution, can decelerate our natural protein regeneration processes.
Within the realm of skincare, peptide products have gained prominence for their ability to enhance skin texture and firmness.
They are frequently integrated into formulations, such as eye creams, to combat signs of aging and environmental damage.
When selecting skincare products, consumers often scrutinize the ingredient list to discern the presence of peptides and other beneficial components.
Alarmingly, at only 20-years-old, our bodies start producing 1% less collagen each year.
Because peptides are the powerhouses behind the production of skin-strengthening proteins, like collagen, keratin, and elastin, peptides are our best friends in skincare.
They nudge our skin cells, signaling them to create new proteins that generate firm, tight, flexible, and hydrated skin.
These magical entities give our sensitive skin, its texture, suppleness, flexibility, and vitality—all the skin qualities we love.
Polypeptides, which are naturally occurring compounds in all living organisms, including humans, are abundantly present in our skin and muscles, particularly in the form of collagen peptides.
Regrettably, as we age, our body's production of peptides, and consequently proteins, decelerates, leading to a decline in the firmness and resilience of our skin, causing it to sag.
Our body's proteins aren't confined to just our muscles or skin; they are essential components of every vital organ, ranging from the heart and liver to the eyes.
When we eat proteins, they are broken down into their individual amino acids. Our cells then cleverly put these back together to make the peptides our bodies need.
Considering the importance of peptides as the building blocks of proteins in maintaining healthy skin, especially in the formation of collagen and elastin, which are vital for the health of our skin, it becomes evident that peptides play a pivotal role in this process.
Since the skin acts as our body's largest and most prominent organ, the role of peptides in synthesizing these essential proteins cannot be overstated.
Despite the presence of numerous skin-regenerating peptides in our bodies, our skin can greatly benefit from additional peptides introduced through ingestion or topical application.
Different types of peptides, including those specifically designed to enhance skin barrier function and combat dry skin, are often incorporated into skincare products such as cleansers.
Peptides signal our cells to create more proteins. They’re very specific and can only signal a cell that has the associated receptor. All cells in our bodies have receptors, but they’re only receptive to the right peptide. This is why it’s key to know which peptides to integrate into our skincare routine. Choosing the peptide that targets specific cells is how we can garner the exact benefits we want.
Our skin is mostly composed of a particular protein—the protein we seek in our skincare products; the protein that is (unfortunately) produced at a significantly slower rate as we age; the protein that gives our skin its brilliant youthfulness—collagen.
Peptides are the source that feeds and stimulates new collagen production. They signal our bodies to generate more collagen proteins as collagen breaks down, so you can imagine how instrumental peptides are in maintaining young, healthy, and beautiful skin.
Specific peptides will signal elastin and collagen proteins to look and act ‘younger’. Not only do collagen proteins give our skin a youthful and fresh appearance, but they also enable our skin cells to behave in a tight, firm, and resilient manner.
Skincare gurus often rave over anti-aging products, like tripeptide 5 night cream, that stimulate collagen synthesis by using specific peptides known to firm the skin and correct wrinkles. (Or, if you really want to give your skin some love, be a glow-getter.)
One study showed an intense reduction of wrinkles in subjects who used collagen-like peptides.
When we absorb or ingest peptides, they know where to travel in our bodies to provide us with the utmost benefit.
Peptides are essentially magnetized to our needs. If our skin is lacking in hydration or moisture, our bodies will reorganize the amino acids in the peptides we consume or apply and reassemble them into hydrating structures.
Peptides that are small enough in composition for our skin to absorb will signal our skin to repair itself and alleviate dehydration by producing more water-retaining cells and proteins.
Not only do these intelligent protein-builders prompt our skin to produce new collagen, but they boost our hyaluronic acid production too. Hyaluronic acid is key to retaining moisture in our skin.
A single gram of hyaluronic acid can hold up to six liters of water, and peptides effectively increase our natural production of this miraculously hydrating substance.
We can take peptides orally or topically to realize their hydrating effects. Studies by the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology have shown that “oral collagen peptide supplementation significantly increased skin hydration after 8 weeks of intake.”
Peptides can effectively supplement a skincare routine to increase our cells’ ability to attract and retain moisture in the skin.
There are many different peptides and countless benefits of peptides when it comes to skincare. Different groups of peptides will benefit the skin in different ways. The different peptide subgroups are:
Transport essential elements (like Copper) in our bodies to induce wound-healing;
Used by neurons to communicate with each other; responsible for memory, metabolism, and anti-inflammatory responses on the skin;
Guide proteins to their appropriate location in our cell membranes and send messages to our bodies to fulfill missing proteins;
Applied to the skin’s surface, signaling skin cells to produce more collagen and elastin proteins;
Let's see them in detail:
Matrixyl 3000 is a peptide often found in moisturizer cream to repair collagen proteins, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduce the effects of photoaging, and combat loss of firmnessin the skin
Copper peptides prove as effective moisturizers for the skin. Dermatologists often suggest copper peptides specifically for their tendency to remain on the surface and moisturize the skin, because these peptides are considerably larger and more difficult for the skin to fully absorb.
Palmitoyl tripeptides, some of the most well-liked anti-inflammatory peptides for skincare, work to hydrate the skin, lessen the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and lessen signs of skin damage from the sun and environmental pollution.
Argireline, a synthetic peptide present in numerous skincare formulations, is renowned for imparting an anti-aging effect and enhancing skin firmness akin to Botox®.
It is often classified as a topical Botox alternative due to its ability to combat sagging and effectively diminish visible signs of aging.
Argireline stands as one of the prominent anti-aging ingredients recognized for its prowess in promoting skin firmness and vitality.
A lot of skincare hype exists around tetrapeptides because they’re highly effective at increasing skin elasticity, evening skin tone, and reducing discoloration caused by blemishes, sun exposure, wounds, and similar traumas.
Peptides are often compounded with other skin-strengthening ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
While peptides work to strengthen the skin by way of protein production, hyaluronic acid works synonymously to hydrate the skin.
Vitamin C, an antioxidant known to minimize signs of aging, is excellent to pair with hyaluronic acid and peptides.
This antioxidant combats free radicals, or unstable molecules that damage our cells, to aid the skin in generating new, firm, evenly-pigmented, and evenly-textured skin cells.
Try incorporating peptides and a vitamin C booster with a hydrating hyaluronic acid peptide serum in your daily regimen, or use them separately in your skin care routine.
Any way you choose to integrate these nourishing, hydrating skin care products, you can’t go wrong by adding them to your routine.
It’s also important to try to mitigate the factors that cause damage to the skin. Although peptides are highly effective at reversing skin damage, it’s smart to prevent damage before it even occurs.
One of the great benefits of peptides is the reduction of photoaging, or skin damage caused by sun exposure. To prevent photoaging before peptides become necessary, use an anti-aging sunscreen daily.
Not only does this sunscreen protect the skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays, but it also reduces the rate of aging on the skin and creates a protective barrier to shield the skin from stress and aggressors of city life, specifically fine particles and heavy metals.
The bottom line is: peptides work exceptionally well for our skin because they’re already familiar to our bodies.
Our bodies recognize peptides as their own, so they know what to do with them and how to benefit from them.
Our bodies respond to peptides rather than reacting to them, as our bodies do with many foreign products and ingredients.
When we reintroduce the right peptides into our bodies, we can reap their benefits and preserve our buoyant, brilliant skin for as long as our biological clocks allow.
As long as you opt for peptide skin care products sold by reputable skin care companies, it’s unlikely that you’ll experience any significant side effects.
As always, and with any skin care product, it’s important that you are cautious with the products you choose to integrate into your skin care routine.
Identify your unique skin type and your skin goals to understand which peptides will benefit you best, and which peptide-infused skincare products work best for you.
