What's the Deal with Peptides?

let's do our best to find out!

Something I've always wanted to know: What's the deal with peptides? Is it just a fancy way to say things that are good for your skin? Do I want to look for something that has peptides vs. something like Vit. C?

The quick answers:

What’s the deal with peptides? Peptides are short chains (2-50) of amino acids that, depending on the type, can do many things such as act as antioxidants, assist with cellular repair, firm & smooth wrinkles, work as antibiotic or antimicrobial agents and more. Peptides are particularly useful for cellular communication and signaling – they can tell your skin to begin processes or bind with other molecules to carry them where they need to go. Because there are so many different types of peptides that can do so many different things, they are increasingly popular in skincare formulations, especially as new research is conducted. (Note that I am talking about peptides in skincare specifically – peptides do all sorts of other things for your body, too!)

Is it just a fancy way to say things that are good for your skin? Eh, sort of! Peptides are certainly a quantifiable, scientific thing (aka not just marketing). But without knowing about the specific peptide(s) used, just saying “peptide” won’t tell you much. However, the rest of the product name and description should give you a pretty good idea about what the product is supposedly targeting, even if you don’t know peptides by name. 

Do I want to look for something that has peptides vs. something like vit c? You can! But you don’t have to and they are often formulated together anyway, with peptides acting as a sort of booster to improve the efficacy/delivery of other ingredients and eliminating the need to play chemist in your bathroom. Peptides are likely in some of the products you are already using. Instead of seeking out a dedicated peptide serum, you’d more likely look for a “firming” or “antioxidant” serum that will likely have peptides in it as part of the formulation. Some peptides have the word peptide in their name, but not all.