Beauty science is continually evolving, yielding innovative and more effective methods for enhancing skin quality and combating ageing. At the forefront of these advancements are peptides in skincare products.

This article explains the science supporting the use of peptides in your daily skincare routine and how they complement your favourite treatments like microneedling and facial peels.

Opulent Aesthetics prides itself on being up-to-date on the latest scientific developments and shares that knowledge with you, allowing you to separate fact from fiction and maintain radiant, youthful skin.

We deliver high-quality treatments from our studios in Caterham and Purley, and even visit clients in their homes for some beauty treatments, making our services as accessible as possible.

Let’s explore the fascinating world of peptides.

What are peptides?

Your skin is made up of protein structures like collagen, elastin, and keratin. The building blocks of those proteins are short-chain amino acids called peptides.

Peptides are vital to maintaining your skin’s smoothness and firm structure. Being so tiny, their molecules can be absorbed deeply into the skin when applied in creams and serums. Once absorbed, they act as messengers, triggering your skin cells to carry out specific functions like producing more collagen or repairing damage from the sun or environment.

Their effects are compounded when combined with antioxidants, reducing inflammation.

There are four main types of peptide:

• Signal peptides: These encourage collagen and elastin production by providing instructions through chemical-reactions.
  
  
• Carrier peptides: These peptides deliver essential minerals to cells for repair and healing.
  
  
• Neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides: Relax facial muscles to reduce expression lines. This peptide is crucial for preventing wrinkles. 
  
  
• Enzyme-inhibiting peptides: Slow down the breakdown of collagen and elastin, keeping your skin firm and plump.
  
  

What are the benefits of using peptides?

There are several benefits to incorporating peptides into your skincare routine. The most notable benefits include stimulating collagen and elastin production, strengthening the skin barrier, soothing and reducing inflammation, supporting wound healing, acne control, and hydrating the skin.

Let’s take a closer look at each of those powerful benefits.

• Stimulating collagen and elastin production -Peptides instruct your skin to boost collagen and elastin synthesis on a cellular level, resulting in firmer, more elastic skin with fewer visible lines and wrinkles. By doing so, your skin is more resilient to signs of ageing.
  
  
• Strengthens your skin barrier – A healthy skin barrier keeps moisture in and harmful elements out. Peptides support and rebuild this barrier, helping to combat dryness and sensitivity. This is particularly important if your skin is exposed to daily stressors like the sun, harsh chemicals, or debris.
  
  
• Soothes and reduces inflammation – Certain peptides have anti-inflammatory properties, which help calm irritated skin, reducing redness. This is especially useful for those with sensitive skin and for people prone to flare-ups. Inflammation isn’t always obvious, but it affects all skin types.
  
  
• Aids in wound healing and acne control – Some peptides exhibit antimicrobial behaviour, making them useful in wound healing and acne management by reducing bacteria and inflammation.
  
  
• Improves skin hydration – By supporting the skin’s moisture retention processes, peptides contribute to a plumper, more radiant complexion. Skin hydration is quite possibly the most overlooked and undertreated element of skincare routines.

10 Peptide formulas you need to know about

There are hundreds of peptide formulas coming into existence, thanks to beauty science. Some contain a cocktail consisting of several peptides, while others include other useful ingredients like hyaluronic acid and antioxidants, increasing the efficacy of the peptides. You can guarantee that as the science of peptides develop, powerful innovations in peptide treatments will emerge.

For now, here is a shortlist of essential peptides to have on your radar.

1. Matrixyl 3000 – Effective for anti-ageing through wrinkle reduction by firming the skin. It boosts collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis, reducing photo damage (from the sun, not your Instagram snaps) and the depth of wrinkles.
   
   
2. Argireline – Reduces expression lines and crow’s feet. This powerful peptide is often dubbed “Botox in a jar,” as it relaxes facial tension by inhibiting neurotransmitters involved in muscle movement.
   
   
3. Copper Tripeptide-1 – Effective for wound healing and anti-ageing. It supports skin renewal by improving elasticity and increasing skin thickness through stimulating collagen and glycosaminoglycans, maintaining the integrity of skin structures.
   
   
4. Palmitoyl Pentapeptide – 4 (Matrixyl) –  Smoothes wrinkles by increasing the signals instructing collagen production, improving skin elasticity and reducing wrinkle depth with regular use.
   
   
5. Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 – Addresses under-eye puffiness and dark circles by reducing water retention and improving lymphatic circulation in the eye area. This works great with Lumi Eyes skin boosters.
   
   
6. Tripeptide-1 – Firms and smoothes your skin by bio-mimicking fragments of collagen to signal fibroblast activity, improving firmness and texture.
   
   
7. Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17 – Enhances eyelash and eyebrow growth by increasing keratin production and follicle size, promoting thicker lashes and brows.
   
   
8. Oligopeptide-1 – Promotes skin regeneration and healing by stimulating epidermal cell growth, enhancing skin repair and reducing wrinkles.
   
   
9. Syn-Ake – Smoothes expression lines using a synthetic tripeptide mimicking snake venom that inhibits muscle contractions for anti-wrinkle effects. This is another “Botox in a jar” formula.
   
   
10. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 – Penetrates the skin and stimulates TGF-β activity, a key factor in collagen production, boosting collagen production, reducing wrinkle depth.
    
    

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Must read: Pro-tips For Fabulous Skin_________________________________________________________________________

How effective are peptides?

Clinical studies and dermatological research support the effectiveness of peptides in improving skin firmness, hydration, and texture. However, they work best when used consistently and as part of a broader skincare routine that includes ingredients like antioxidants and hyaluronic acid.

Beauty treatments are a vital part of your broader skincare routine because they target and treat deeper layers of your skin compared to the superficial and topical treatments you apply at home. In particular, microneedling, which creates micropunctures to stimulate collagen and elastin production, creates channels in your skin structure, allowing for better absorption of topical treatments like exosomes and peptides.

The power of combining these treatments cannot be underestimated. The same is true of skin peels, which dissolve the outer layer of your skin, removing dead skin cells, and permitting better absorption of topical treatments like peptides. 

How to include peptides in your skincare routine

While peptides are generally safe, it is best to start with a patch test to ensure that it does not cause any irritation.

It is also advisable to avoid applying some peptide formulas when using products like vitamin C serum and other acidic formulas, because Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids (AHAs) and Beta-Hydroxy-Acids (BHAs) can break some peptides down, rendering them useless. There are hundreds of peptide formulas, and not all are affected this way, so it is best to check the instructions of your particular brand.

Peptides are most effective when applied as a leave-on treatment, like serums and creams. You can apply them at night or in the morning (probably best to alternate with your vitamin C, which is best applied in the morning), and before applying make-up or sunscreen.

Final thoughts

Peptides are a great addition to your armoury to fight ageing. They uniquely trigger collagen and elastin production by bio-hacking your skin’s biological processes. As beauty science uncovers new and effective peptide formulas, cosmetic manufacturers will innovate products containing them just as quickly. We are fortunate to live in the anti-ageing revolution, enabling us to maintain radiant, youthful skin for much longer than our ancestors.

Topical treatments are important to your skincare routine. It is the equivalent of a good diet to complement your gym sessions in your quest for keeping fit and healthy. That said, beauty treatments like microneedling with exosomes, facial peels, and injectable skin boosters are the equivalent of your gym sessions, where the real toning and collagen growth is achieved.

To get the best out of your skin, or better put, to give your skin the best it deserves, call Sadie at Opulent Aesthetics to create a treatment program that includes all that beauty science has to offer, on rotation. Consider it an investment that your skin will thank you for later, and everyone will complement you for now.