Peptides for Skin To Create Younger, Firmer Skin
The world of skincare is constantly changing and evolving. It seems like almost every month, we hear about a new miracle ingredient that will change our lives and our skin for the better. But how many of these ingredients can actually deliver on those promises?
“Using peptides in your regular skincare routine can help support collagen production, glowing skin, and a youthful complexion.”
- Shani Darden, Esthetician
Peptides are an increasingly popular ingredient when it comes to skincare. But, unlike other fads, peptides aren’t a passing trend — they’re actually a nourishing ingredient that’s backed by science.
So let’s talk about peptides, what they are, and how they can help create younger, firmer skin.
What Are Peptides?
Peptides (sometimes known as polypeptides) are part of your skin’s natural structure. They’re made of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.
Your body needs protein to stay healthy, but there are two proteins in particular that your skin uses to stay looking young and vibrant: collagen and elastin. These proteins lend themselves to your skin elasticity.
You may be wondering if you need to use skincare products to get the benefits of peptides — after all, your body makes its own peptides.
There’s a reason peptides are included as active ingredients in so many skincare products. It’s partly because you can’t have too much of a good thing, but it’s also because your body’s collagen production decreases as you age, leading to visible signs of aging like a decrease in elasticity, sagging skin, and fine lines or wrinkles.
There are many different types of peptides, which can make shopping for skincare confusing. These include signal peptides, tetrapeptides, collagen peptides, copper peptides, and tripeptides.
What Can Peptides Do for Your Skin?
You may be wondering why many skincare products use collagen peptides instead of collagen itself to boost collagen production. The answer is simple: most collagen molecules are too big for your skin to absorb properly.
When it comes to dermatology, this is why you may want to use a peptide product over a collagen product. Peptides are small enough to absorb into your skin, where the enzymes in your skin cells can make use of the peptides.
Peptides can help address fine lines and other signs of aging, as well as provide a plumping effect for your skin and lips. This can improve skin texture and skin firmness, as well as minimize the appearance of fine lines.
In addition to improving the appearance of aging skin, peptides also can help promote a strong skin barrier, which is crucial to healthy skin. Your skin barrier helps to protect you from impurities and bacteria in your environment and also keeps your skin from losing too much water throughout the day.
How Can You Use Peptides in Your Routine?
While you may have seen collagen peptide supplements at your local health store, you should also include peptide skincare into your routine if you want to see results. While oral supplements are invaluable for many other areas of wellness, applying peptides topically can help make sure they go directly into your skin.
Working peptides into your skincare routine is actually pretty easy. As always, it’s a good idea to speak to your dermatologist before making any major changes to your skincare regimen, especially if you have sensitive skin. Luckily, peptides are safe for almost all skin types and don’t have any known side effects.
Let’s walk through a simple skincare routine that features peptides. Of course, there are many products that use peptides, from peptide face cream to peptide serum — so use these suggestions as a foundation, and make sure to build your skincare routine based on your skin’s unique needs.
1. Start With a Cleanser
Cleansing is the crucial first step of any worthwhile skincare routine. It’s generally recommended to use a gentle cleanser, like my Cleansing Serum, that clears your skin and pores of any dirt or impurities without stripping your skin of much-needed moisture.
My soothing formula can seamlessly melt away makeup and anything else that might clog your pores while promoting hydration with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and restorative oat bran.
2. Apply Your Serum
Serums are where you can really make your skincare routine unique.
Here, you can use a brightening serum that uses vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. This ingredient can help support overall youthful-looking skin, which means it’s a great ingredient to pair with your peptides.
If you do choose to use vitamin C, just make sure to avoid retinol in the same routine. Retinol is a powerful exfoliant, but using retinol and vitamin C together can cause them to cancel each other out.
Instead, you can follow your vitamin C with Serum No. 1 by Dr. Nigma. This hydrating serum features hyaluronic acid for hydration, as well as marine peptides to help your skin look firmer and fuller. Plus, Dr. Nigma’s patented light technology helps encourage ingredient absorption.
3. Hydrate Your Skin
While moisturizing is one of the most important steps in your skincare routine, it’s also one of the easiest to get wrong. For the best results, you should use a moisturizer that matches your skin type.
If you have dry skin, you should use a heavy moisturizer that contains hydrating and occlusive ingredients to help support your skin barrier. If you have oily skin, you should use a lightweight moisturizer that won’t clog your pores, like my Weightless Oil-Free Moisturizer.
I also recommend using my Hydration Peptide Cream, especially if aging is a concern for you. This night cream helps make sure you get plenty of peptides while your skin is in its natural repair state.
My Hydration Peptide Cream is enriched with peptides to support your skin’s natural elasticity, as well as firm and brighten the skin. It also uses niacinamide to help minimize the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and even enlarged pores. Meanwhile, ceramides and squalene help hydrate your skin and encourage a youthful glow.
4. Protect Your Complexion
Finally, finish your morning routine with a high-SPF sunscreen to protect your skin from damaging UV rays. Sun damage is one of the leading contributors to premature aging and other undesirable skin concerns, so even if you’re not planning to spend that much time in the sun, sunscreen is key to healthy-looking skin.
The Bottom Line
While some skincare ingredients may come and go without making much of an impact, other ingredients are here to stay. Peptides are a form of collagen that is easier for your skin to absorb and use.
Peptides can help support your skin’s natural collagen supply, as well as promote firmer, more youthful-looking skin. Luckily, I have some high-quality products that use peptides and other ingredients to help you help your skin. For more skin tips, head on over to my blog or check out my online selection of skincare products.
Sources:
Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin | The American Journal of Pathology
Role of Topical Peptides in Preventing or Treating Aged Skin | National Library of Medicine
Usage of Synthetic Peptides in Cosmetics for Sensitive Skin | PMC