EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PEPTIDES - UNDER THE MAGNIFYING GLASS, THE TOP INGREDIENTS IN THE MOST POPULAR ANTI-AGEING SERUMS!

Washes, serums, creams, lip balms, shampoos: many skin and hair care products contain peptides, which are essential for cell renewal and regeneration processes due to their diverse structure.

What are peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of essential proteins in our skin - think collagen, elastin and keratin!
These ingredients actually act as tiny messengers that send messages directly to skin cells and play a key role in improving skin elasticity, firmness and hydration.
There are different types of peptides with specific functions and effects. In fact, there are hundreds of them and peptides used in the cosmetic industry are divided into four main categories: transport, enzyme inhibitor, signalling and neurotransmitter peptides, depending on the function they perform. For example, copper peptides activate wound healing, which in turn stimulates collagen production.

Why highly effective ingredients?
For one thing, they are naturally present in our bodies (e.g. in the form of enzymes or hormones), so there is minimal risk in their application and the skin can use them with great efficiency. The term peptide comes from the Greek word "peptos", meaning "digestible". Although peptides are naturally formed in the body, like all good things, they become depleted with age - which is where peptides in skincare come in! This is why peptides are particularly beneficial for mature skin, as our bodies start to produce less collagen as we age.
The other major advantage is that they are very small molecules and remain small even when they form chains, so they can penetrate the skin more easily and effectively without damaging the skin barrier.
It is also interesting to note that the most popular peptide complexes are branded by well-known brands in the cosmetics industry and laboratories, which is why you may be familiar with the names Neodermyl®, Matrixyl 3000® or Argireline®, which are used as ingredients in the products of several companies.

Which ingredients work best in synergy with peptides?
The good news is that peptides work well with most other ingredients. You can use them in combination with vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, retinol and niacinamide. However, there are some active ingredients that are not advisable to mix with peptide formulas, such as AHAs and BHAs. Peptides should not be used in combination with salicylic acid and alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, as the acids can cause the peptide bonds to break down (in a process called hydrolysis), resulting in a reduction in the effectiveness of the peptides. Similarly, you may want to avoid using retinol and peptides together, as the latter may also make the latter less effective.

How to use peptides in your beauty routine?

Peptides are very easy to incorporate into your existing skincare routine, they can be used for all skin types. Because our skin recognises these amino acids, most of our skin tolerates them easily, even those with sensitive or redness-prone skin. The best choice is a serum that contains several types of peptides along with other moisturising and soothing ingredients (betaine, elastin, panthenol). This is because, like peptide moisturisers, serums stay on the skin, allowing the active ingredients to be fully absorbed and producing more effective results.

Here are the most popular elixirs in Solanie's Mesopeptide range: