Peptides in Skincare: A Journey Through Active Ingredients

 

Photo: Linda Cooper

 

As a beauty professional, I've always been drawn to exploring cutting-edge skincare ingredients. Over the years, I've tested countless actives, formulating skincare for my personal use in my quest to understand what really works. Among all these experiments, peptides have consistently stood out.

My journey with peptides began in the mid-2000s when I started creating my own skincare formulations at home. The decision to formulate my own products came from a combination of necessity and curiosity. With sensitive, breakout-prone skin, I wanted complete control over the ingredients I was using. Plus, I found myself frustrated by expensive brands charging premium prices for effective ingredients that could be accessed more affordably.

While many trendy ingredients have come and gone, peptides - particularly Matrixyl and copper peptides - have earned their permanent place in my personal skincare routine. There's something compelling about these small but mighty protein fragments that keeps me coming back to them.

 

Understanding Your Skin's Needs

Our skin naturally contains proteins like collagen and elastin that keep it firm, elastic, and healthy. These proteins, made up of amino acid chains, maintain skin structure and function. As we age, our natural collagen and elastin production decreases, and environmental factors like UV exposure and pollution accelerate the breakdown of these essential proteins. This is where peptides come in - they offer a way to support our skin's natural protein-building processes.

 

What Are Peptides and Why Do They Matter?

While applying complete proteins like collagen topically isn't effective (they're too large to penetrate), peptides offer a clever alternative. These smaller chains of amino acids can interact with skin meaningfully, working as:

•     Signaling molecules

•     Building blocks for skin repair

•     Support for natural skin processes

What to Realistically Expect:

•     Gradual improvements over 8-12 weeks

•     Subtle firming and smoothing effects

•     Support for overall skin health

•     Better results with consistent use

What Not to Expect:

•     Immediate dramatic results

•     Complete reversal of deep wrinkles

•     Botox-like freezing of muscles

•     Instant lifting effects

 

Different Types of Peptides and Their Functions:

• Signal Peptides - Think of these as tiny messengers communicating with your skin cells. Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4) is a perfect example - it's like a wake-up call for collagen-producing cells.

• Carrier Peptides - These work as delivery systems, transporting vital elements like copper to where they're needed. Copper peptides (GHK-Cu) excel at wound healing and antioxidant support.

• Neurotransmitter Peptides - These affect muscle contraction signals. Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-3) is the most famous, offering subtle smoothing of expression lines.

• Enzyme Inhibitor Peptides - These act as protective guards for existing collagen, managing breakdown processes.

 

Using Peptides Effectively

Getting the most out of your peptide products isn't just about choosing the right formulation - it's also about how and when you use them. Peptides are relatively stable and gentle, making them versatile in your skincare routine. However, proper layering can enhance their effectiveness. The key is to apply peptide products to clean, slightly damp skin, allowing them to penetrate before adding other products.

For your morning routine, start with a gentle cleanse followed by your peptide serum while your skin is still slightly damp. This helps with absorption and maximises benefits. Give it about 30-60 seconds to settle before following with your moisturiser. If you use SPF, you can use it on top of the moisturiser.

Evening routines offer more flexibility for incorporating other active ingredients. If you're wearing makeup or SPF, start with a double cleanse. Apply your peptide serum to damp skin, just as you would in the morning. When using other active ingredients, timing and order matter. Keep copper peptides separate from vitamin C, use acids on alternate nights, and if you're including retinol in your routine, apply it after your peptide products have absorbed. Complete your evening routine with a nourishing moisturiser.
Remember, consistency is key with peptides. Following a regular routine allows these ingredients to work optimally, supporting your skin's natural processes over time. While peptides are generally compatible with most skincare ingredients, giving them proper absorption time helps ensure they can interact effectively with your skin.

 

Understanding Peptide Products and Formulations 

When shopping for peptide products, there's something important to know about these ingredients. Many of the most effective peptide complexes are actually trademarked by specific manufacturers - Matrixyl belongs to Sederma, Argireline to Lubrizol, and SYN-AKE to DSM. This means skincare brands must source these ingredients directly from these manufacturers, which naturally affects both formulation costs and final product pricing.

When evaluating a peptide product, you'll want to look beyond the marketing claims. A well-formulated product should contain at least 2% active peptide complexes, and you'll typically find these listed somewhere in the middle of the ingredient list - not right at the top (where your bulk ingredients like water and glycerin belong) and not buried at the bottom (where they'd be too dilute to be effective). The packaging matters too; look for airless pumps or similar protective packaging that will keep these delicate ingredients stable. Finally, consider the supporting cast of ingredients that help these peptides work effectively.

Peptide Serums Worth Considering:

Medik8 Liquid Peptides

    Contains multiple peptide complexes including Matrixyl
    Well-thought-out formulation with supporting ingredients
    Airless pump packaging protects stability
    Professional brand with research backing


Face Theory PolyPep Collagen Boosting Serum

    Combines copper peptides with other peptide complexes
    Good supporting ingredients for barrier function
    Transparent about concentrations
    Well-priced for the formulation quality


Timeless Matrixyl Synthe 6 

    Focused, straightforward formulation
    Good concentration of Matrixyl
    No unnecessary fillers
    Reasonable price point for active content

 

Conclusion:

Peptides represent some of the most interesting developments in skincare science, offering subtle but meaningful improvements when used correctly. Their ability to communicate with our skin cells and support natural processes makes them valuable additions to a thoughtful skincare routine.

Success with peptides comes from choosing well-formulated products and using them consistently, not from higher concentrations or multiple products. Think of them as long-term supporters of skin health rather than overnight transformers. Give your chosen peptide products time to work, support them with good skincare basics, and watch for gradual improvements over several weeks.

The Daddy Of All Anti-ageing Ingredients - Vitamin A

 

Retinol or another name for vitamin A is a tough one to explain and I’ve been putting off writing about it for ages, but I knew I had to do it as it plays such a major part in our bodies.

The oxidised form of retinol is called retinoic acid (reinoids)– it’s made from vitamin A either in our bodies or in a laboratory. It’s especially present in formation of an embryo as it helps cells grow and develop.

When created in a lab it’s used to treat some forms of cancer and less importantly in the general scheme of things, is used to treat acne.

What’s acne treatment got to do with ageing, you may ask? Well, it was discovered that while treating acne, the wrinkles and sun spots on the skin also improved. It was thought that the way it worked was by making the skin peel and renew, but the way it works is a bit more complicated.

So how does it actually work?

It's a bit of a mystery but in a nutshell retinoic acid increases the thickness of epidermis and stimulates new collagen production. It also shrinks sebaceous glands and unclogs pores. It's like a skin cell builder. Imagine if retinoids can help build an embryo what they can do for our skin? It actually works for majority of people as countless scientific studies have proven.

You see, retinoic acid is actually classified as a prescription medicine and you can only get it from your doctor in form of gel (for treating acne – isotretinoin  Retin A) or emollient cream (for sun damage – Renova).

It can irritate the skin big time, the skin can peel, dry out and it can become very sensitive to UVA rays. If you’re prone to spots, using Renova cream can enlarge your pores and make you break out. It's not because of the retinoids, but the emollient base might be too rich for oilier skins.

You may actually ask why I’m writing about something that you can’t go out and buy freely in a shop? I’ll tell you why.

Almost every single cosmetic company has a cream with some sort of vitamin A that promises this or that. A lot of those creams did nothing for us.

Retinoic acid has to be present in certain concentration for it to work – prescription creams are sold either in 0.05% or 0.025% for more sensitive skins, so the bog standard vitamin A cream you buy in shops also has to contain a percentage of an active ingredient for it to make any difference. And most of the time it doesn’t. 

As a rule, retinols are about half as effective as retinoids (retinoic acid), so if you get a cream with low concentration of retinol you are wasting your money. 

Also, it's a tough job for skin to convert your normal vitamin A into its effective form - retinoic acid, it doesn't just happen like that. The effective cream with retinol has to also contain some other helpful ingredients - for example, peptides have been shown to be quite effective.

Things to bear in mind before you buy any vitamin A cream:

The most common ingredients to look out in the creams are retinaldehyde, retinlyl acetate and retinyl palmitate. Make sure that on the list of ingredients the retinol is not listed as one of the last ingredients – or just before the preservatives. Somewhere in the middle of a list would be the best place for it.

Both retinols and retinoids can irritate the skin and make it sensitive to sunlight so make sure you wear an adequate SPF of at least 30.

Your skin might not like it all. If you start getting redness and peeling too much use the cream every alternate day. If the symptoms don't go away with time you need to stop using it.

Retinol is sensitive to sunlight so use the cream at night only. Retinoic acid (prescription stuff) is never sold in jars, but in tubes as it's also sensitive to exposure to air.

Remember that even prescription stuff takes six months of continuous use to show any significant results, so if a cosmetic company claims that you'll see visible results in just three weeks, they are full of it. Yes your skin might "appear" smoother and firmer, but that won't be due to its effective retinols, but more due to moisturisers that temporarily plump out the skin.

Retinols are NOT expensive. If you buy a cream containing retinols and pay loads of money for it, you are either paying for the name or the packaging. The prescription retinoids are not expensive either! 

I like vitamin A. If used wisely with an adequate sun protection it can make a lot of difference to our skin. By all means go and see a dermatologist and get some advice, especially if your suffer from sun damage (pigmentation with premature wrinkles). 
If you're just trying to stop the clock, retinols are probably enough.