Peptides – it’s one of the biggest buzzwords when it comes to beauty and skincare these days. You’ll find it in just about everything from eye creams, lip treatments, moisturisers and serums all boasting firmer, more vibrant looking skin.
But what are they and are they safe to use? Women’s Health spoke to Skin Therapist and Adore Beauty IQ Expert Host Tegan Macdonald about the benefits, the use of peptides versus other popular ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid, and our top picks for our best peptide products.
What are peptides?
There’s a little bit of science involved in explaining this. Essentially, they are a chain of amino acids that provide the building blocks for certain proteins needed by the skin like collagen and elastin. Applying peptides to your face, neck and even lips is said to moisturise, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, strengthen the skin barrier, and boost bounce and elasticity. Peptides can also be found in haircare products to stimulate strong and healthy hair growth.
Are peptides safe?
Generally speaking, they are completely safe to use in your skincare so long as you’re using good-quality products that have not been damaged, are stored correctly, and have not expired. Like all skincare, do a small test patch to see how your skin reacts. If you’re noticing itchiness, redness or other irritation, you should not continue to use the product.
The benefits of peptides versus retinol
Retinol and peptides play different roles in skincare and actually work together for preserving our skin integrity.
Retinol is a Vitamin A derivative that helps to promote cell turnover, stimulate collagen and elastin for skin firming, and improve skin texture. Peptides are short chain amino acids that act as our messenger ingredient, they send signals to the cells to produce proteins which go on to create collagen and elastin,” Tegan says.
Are they better than hyaluronic acid and niacinamide?
All three bring different benefits to the skin. Choosing between peptides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide will boil down to your skin concerns and goals.
“You’ll often find peptides and hyaluronic acid in the same product. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that focuses on hydrating the skin, whereas peptides focus more on antiaging,” Tegan explains.
“Niacinamide is an antioxidant and also has a range of versatile benefits from brightening, balancing oil production and is anti-inflammatory. Think of Niacinamide as your multitasking ingredient, compared to peptides which are your building blocks for firming the skin,” she continues.
What are the disadvantages of peptides?
While peptides come with a whole host of benefits including promoting healthier skin, being well tolerated by all skin type and pregnancy safe (unlike retinol), there are some disadvantages as Tegan explains:
- You may experience slower results, as they are not resurfacing like retinols
- Products with a decent percentage of peptide-based ingredients may come at a higher price point
- They are not as multitasking as other ingredients
Are peptides legal in Australia?
Yes, the peptides you find in skincare products are legal. You may be thinking of the peptide often used in bodybuilding (and similar to steroids) which builds muscle. To use these in Australia, you need permission from a doctor or specialist. These are completely different to the ones you find in your eye cream or lip balm.
The best skincare peptide products
The skin under your eyes not what they used to be? This gentle yet powerful eye cream firms and brightens the eye contour. Ingredients like peptides, hexylresorcinol, vitamin C and botanicals work together to hydrate and even the skin tone.
Containing a duo of peptides, this morning and night serum helps to target the signs of ageing like wrinkles, loss of firmness in the skin and dullness. It looks to treat fine lines while plumping and hydrating.
This little tube of goodness words hard to help speed cell turnover to repair the skin while hydrating. It’s a retinol serum enhanced with peptides to smooth stubborn wrinkles and boost the natural collagen in the skin for a smoother complexion.
The best lip care peptide products
Like the peptides found in your face creams, peptides in lip treatments similarly smooths and plumps for juicy lips. This affordable option from MCoBeauty works like an all-in-one conditioner and coloured gloss for a hydrated pout.
Plump and hydrate tired, dry lips with this lip treatment from Laneige. It’s super nourishing thanks to the peptides, collagen and ceramides to give you that bouncy supple look. The super luscious formula (kind of like honey) slathers over the lips beautifully.
Who needs lip fillers when you’ve got this treatment! Clinically proven to give your lips that gorgeous fuller look in just one week, it reduces reduces the look of lip lines, hydrates and improves elasticity. Choose from different flavours like citrus, strawberry, cocoa and crème brûlée.
The best haircare and hair growth peptide products
For sparse brows, this product is a miracle-worker. Get the full brow and lash look you’ve always wanted with this two-in-one peptide serum that supports hair growth and volume. The special blend of vitamin B5, hyaluronic and acid works together to create a once-a-day formula.
Use this detox shampoo once a week to clarify the scalp. Massage it into the hair for a few minutes before working it into a lather. It promotes clean and healthy hair to target oily hair, a flaky scalp and product buildup.
This leave-in hair serum can be used morning or night, and on dry or wet hair. Massage it into the scalp for a couple of minutes to hydrate the head, promoting full, thick and healthy hair growth, supported by peptides.
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