What are peptides and how do you use them in your skincare routine
Peptide toevoegen aan je skincare routine is een van de ant-iaging hacks die ik iedereen adviseer te doen. Peptiden zijn namelijk een van de doeltreffendste werkstoffen die er bestaan om rimpels te verminderen en de huid weer stevig te maken. Hier lees je alles wat je moet weten voordat je dit collageenverhogende ingrediënt in je skincare routine opneemt. Stel je voor dat je een directe verbinding met je huidcellen hebt. “Hé, ik begin wat lijntjes tussen mijn wenkbrauwen te zien,” zou je ze kunnen zeggen. “Kunnen we deze week de productie van collageen verdubbelen?”
But since direct contact with your skin cells will likely be a while yet, you might consider in the meantime to buy skincare that contains peptides. Peptides communicate with our skin cells as tiny packets, allowing them to communicate more efficiently with one another to combat and slow down wrinkles and fine lines. With that in mind, peptides are one of the strongest substances we have to reduce wrinkles and firm the skin. If your interest has been piqued, read on to learn how peptides work and how you can reap their benefits.
What are peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, where the amino acids are the smallest building blocks of a protein. And proteins—in the form of elastin, keratin, and collagen—give the skin its structure and elasticity.
Because peptides are amino acids and not proteins in themselves, they can penetrate the skin—unlike collagen, for example—when applied topically. There is a limit to the particle size required to be absorbed by the stratum corneum—that is, the top layer of our skin, the epidermis—and subsequently utilized within the skin in a biological manner. Different lengths and arrangements of these tiny amino acid chains result in the formation of different types of peptides. And although they all communicate with our skin cells, they do not all convey their message in an identical way.
How do you get more peptides into your skin?
When it comes to improving the skin, we recommend removing peptides from skincare products. However, pay attention to the product formulation: the stability of the ingredients and their ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This is where an appointment with a dermatologist can be important. Beware! Most cheap products have poor stability and penetrate the skin poorly or not at all.
Het juiste type product kiezen kan ook veel helpen. Het heeft weinig nu om een met peptiden verrijkte reiniger te kiezen, terwijl je deze direct van de huid afspoelt. Kies voor een peptiden crème of nog beter een peptiden serum. Koperpeptiden helpt collageen aan te maken, maar ook het aangemaakt collageen te behouden en versterkt het bestaande collageen. Als je eenmaal de juiste peptiden crème of het juiste peptiden serum hebt gevonden, breng je het twee keer per dag op een schone huid aan alvorens je je make-up en SPF aanbrengt.
Which types of peptides are used in cosmetics?
The main peptides used in skincare can be divided into a few categories (signaling, carrier, enzyme inhibitor, and neurotransmitter inhibitor), depending on how they work.
Signaal Peptiden
Signaling peptides trigger mechanisms that influence wound healing. This, in turn, activates fibroblasts in response to split chains of elastin and collagen. This type of peptide makes your skin cells believe that trauma has occurred. Your body then enters the repair phase and activates the production of elastin and collagen – resulting in firmer, fuller skin.
Copper peptides
Copper peptides such as from Medik8 are the most common type of carrier peptides, which contribute to the delivery of trace minerals to the skin. Copper, in particular, helps “with active wound healing,” which in turn promotes collagen production. There is also evidence that copper peptides have an antioxidant effect, which means they help neutralize skin-damaging free radicals.
Enzyme-inhibiting peptides
Enzymremmende peptiden zijn misschien wel de meest geavanceerde: Ze werken in op de enzymen in je lichaam die na verloop van tijd collageen afbreken. Bij de meesten van ons begint dit rond de leeftijd van 20 jaar te spelen.
Neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides
Finally, neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides block the release of certain chemical messengers that help muscles contract, thereby causing a muscle-relaxing effect that is theoretically comparable to that of botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin is, as is well known, the scientific name for Botox. However, to compete with an injection, a topical cream or serum must penetrate the epidermis, dermis, and fat layer to actually relax the muscle. And although we know that peptides are small enough to penetrate the top layer of our skin, more scientific research is needed to develop neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides that can penetrate even deeper.
My favorite peptide serum
If I had to recommend one anti-aging serum that you really see results from, it would be 
Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced
This is not a standard peptide serum, but an anti-aging serum with no less than 13 different peptides. The formula visibly works on skin texture, firmness, and fine lines — without being heavy or irritating.
- Makes the skin look smoother and fresher
- Supports firmness and elasticity
- Lightweight, fast-absorbing, and perfect for every routine
I use this myself daily. This is one of those products that simplifies your routine, but actually makes your skin work better.
Question and answer peptides
According to dermatologists and skincare experts, peptides in skincare help prevent signs of premature aging and keep the skin soft, supple, and youthful.
Peptiden zijn eiwitten. Eiwitten zijn de bouwstenen van onze huid en onze huid heeft ze nodig om stevig en intact te blijven. Naarmate we ouder worden, worden de verbindingen tussen deze eiwitten losser, waardoor we stevigheid en elasticiteit verliezen. Peptiden in huidverzorging helpen deze bindingen bij elkaar te houden, maar vergeet niet dat peptiden andere ingrediënten nodig hebben om de voordelen ervan te optimaliseren, zoals antioxidanten.
You apply the product with the smaller molecules first. If peptides are used in cream form, retinol serums or other serums are usually applied first. Cream always comes after the serum!
Peptides work perfectly together with other anti-aging ingredients for the skin such as retinol, vitamin C, and niacinamide.
Hyperpigmentation occurs when parts of the skin produce too much melanin, or pigment. This is a common problem for many women and men. Certain peptides can help brighten and even out skin tone affected by pigmentation problems. However, addressing hyperpigmentation cannot be done without treatment; read more about this at pigmentvlekken behandelen
When looking for peptides in skincare products, look for words that end in “peptide” or start with “palmitoyl”. You will also see prefixes such as -di, -tri, -hexa, -oligo, etc., to indicate how many amino acids the peptide consists of.
Retinol helps accelerate cell renewal, while peptides improve collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin, among other things. Neither is better than the other; they do something different in the skin.
Peptides do not cause skin irritation, redness, or dryness and are therefore safe to use on all skin types. However, potential users should be aware that peptide skincare products may contain other ingredients that can cause irritation or inflammation.
Supplements such as Laviesage Skin Boost & Lift contain collagen–peptides (we call this hydrolyzed collagen). This is collagen, but broken down into various amino acids. This allows our body to absorb it better and faster.
For all skin types
Around the age of 25, collagen decreases by approximately 1% every year. Additionally, collagen quality deteriorates as you get older. Therefore, it is wise to start thinking early about supporting your collagen levels with peptides to prevent premature skin aging.
