Peptides: A Super Ingredient That Stimulates Collagen And Smooths

Ingredient Investigation

Peptides: A Super Ingredient That Stimulates Collagen And Smooths

By Chrissy Carrano

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Thinking way back to bio class, you might remember that amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Peptides are simply chains of amino acids that are fragments of the skin's essential proteins: collagen, elastin, and keratin. They're responsible for how plump our skin is, how well it holds in place (i.e. doesn't sag), and how resilient it is.
How it Works

Naturally in the body, peptides show up to build proteins in areas that need healing or support. When peptides are applied topically, they tell the skin to amp up its production of critical proteins that fight fine lines and loss of elasticity. The product is essentially tricking the skin into protein production.

Peptides are essentially signals to the proteins that give our skin its plumpness, bounce, and strength, saying "Hey, make more please!"

Make it Routine

You'll primarily find peptides in serums or moisturizers that target signs of aging.

This rich, velvety moisturizer promotes overall skin health and hydration, and is packed with peptides to work on signs of aging.

The eyes are a common area of fine line concern, and this eye cream packs peptides to help lessen the appearance of crow's feet. Pro tip? You can also use this eye cream on the nasolabial folds, aka smile lines.

Wait—One More Thing!

If you feel like you've suddenly heard a lot about peptides, you're right. We love being early adopters to skincare innovations, but they're a newer ingredient in skincare which means two things to us. First, its deeper effectiveness is still being studied and harnessed (for the science nerds, a good study round-up here). Second, where there's a new trend, there's likely to be a bit of marketing du jour happening. Look for peptides in serums and moisturizers (products you leave on) from high quality brands. Steer away from peptide claims in products, like cleansers, that you wash off.

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