Peptides are currently one of the most talked-about skincare ingredients, but what can they actually do for your skin? Here we take you through everything you need to know, including which skin concerns they can help with and how to incorporate them into your skincare routine.
What Are Peptides?
Peptides are short chain amino acids, which are essentially the building blocks of the skin. Peptides help to form things like keratin, elastin and collagen, which play a really important role in maintaining the elasticity, bounce and smoothness of the skin.
How Peptides Support Collagen And Skin Barrier Health
Many topical skincare products contain peptides, and when they're applied to the skin, they can essentially kick-start the natural elastin and collagen production processes, which can help to improve the texture and firmness of the skin.
There are several different types of peptides, all of which play a slightly different role in supporting the skin: signal, carrier, enzyme-inhibitor, and neurotransmitter.
1. Signal Peptides
These peptides convince skin cells that collagen has broken down, which encourages them to produce fresh elastin and collagen to compensate.
2. Carrier Peptides
Carrier peptides provide the skin with important trace minerals, which both activate and stabilise the enzymes that are responsible for elastin and collagen formation. Copper peptides are one of the most common skincare ingredients and are a form of carrier peptide.
3. Enzyme-Inhibitor Peptides
These work to block enzymes that break down your skin's existing collagen, which can help to increase overall collagen levels.
4. Neurotransmitter Peptides
These peptides work by targeting the chemical signals that nerves send to the facial muscles, helping to soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
What Skin Concerns Can Peptides Help With?
Peptides are highly versatile and can help to improve the health and appearance of the skin in many different ways. As they have a central role to play in supporting collagen and elastin production, they can help to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles, as well as supporting a firmer overall complexion.
Peptides also have calming properties, which means they can serve to minimise redness, irritation, and breakouts. Their skin barrier supporting properties also mean peptides can improve your skin's ability to defend against environmental irritants, reducing sensitivity and even improving things like chronic dryness and flaking.
How To Incorporate Peptides Into Your Skincare Routine
Peptides are at their most effective when they're incorporated into a product that you'll leave on your skin, such as a moisturiser or serum. Lightweight peptide serums should be applied to the skin after cleansing, which can then be sealed into the skin with a thicker cream if needed. When using peptides as part of your morning skincare routine, they should always be followed with a high-quality sunscreen.
Popular Peptide-Based Skincare Products
Medik8's Liquid Peptides Advanced MP utilises innovative bio-technology, 13 age-defying peptides and supportive ingredients including hyaluronic acid to reduce the appearance of fine and deeper-set wrinkles within 8 weeks. It also features Expression Line MiniProtein, which is designed to relax dynamic expression lines.
The P-TIOX Anti-Wrinkle Serum from SkinCeuticals is another advanced serum, which is formulated with an advanced peptide complex to improve the appearance of nine different contraction lines, including crow's feet, nasolabial folds, under-eye wrinkles, and forehead wrinkles.