Peptides in Skincare: What They Are, What They Do, & How to Use Them

Consider this blog post a guide on all things peptides. Although they’re trending, they’re not a trend–peptides have been used in skincare for decades and are worth understanding in detail. Let’s dive in. PSA: many Dieux formulas include peptides, including our 3-in-1 serum, Deliverance.

What Are Peptides?

That seems like a good place to start. Peptides are short chains of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that influence many biological processes, like cell growth and hormone regulation. They’re naturally occurring in skin, contributing to the formation of collagen and elastin–proteins your skin needs for overall health (both visible and invisible). With age, our bodies naturally produce these proteins less and less, which is where topical peptides come in. Found in many skincare formulas, these extra amino acid chains can encourage skin to produce more collagen and elastin, which can lead to increased firmness and overall skin health.

What Do Peptides Do For Skin?

The benefits of peptides for skin are plentiful. When you see peptides in a skincare formula, know that they:

Help With Firmness And Elasticity

Back to collagen. The most abundant protein in the body, collagen’s fibre-like structure connects tissues, making them stronger and more elastic. But its molecules are large and can’t be absorbed through skin (cue the endless array of collagen bone broths and supplements). Where collagen fails, peptides succeed. Small enough to be absorbed into the skin, peptides send messages that cue the production of these needed proteins, leading to firmer, more resilient, vibrant-looking skin.

Improve The Skin Barrier

The skin barrier–the outermost layer of skin–protects against all the things we come into contact with (think: pollution, bacteria, UV rays, toxins). You can’t have healthy skin without a healthy barrier, and vice versa. 

However protective, the skin barrier can be weakened by many factors, such as extreme heat or cold, allergens, irritants, pollutants, harsh soap, sun exposure, diet or smoking habits, low-quality skincare, over-exfoliation, medications, and stress, to name a few.

Luckily, there are equally as many ways to protect and maintain a strong skin barrier, with the application of peptides being one of them. Peptides’ strengthening qualities reinforce the barrier and all of its functions.

Reduce Fine Lines And Wrinkles

Like we said, more peptides mean more collagen, and more collagen means plumped skin with fewer wrinkles. However, that’s not to say that peptide formulas can do it all. Keep in mind that skin changes with age, and there are many factors to consider and preventative measures to take when it comes to maintaining elasticity and minimizing fine lines, one of the most important being wearing sunscreen daily and copiously. With that said, adding peptides to your ritual are a proven way to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and keep skin bouncy and supple.

Help To Calm Skin

Studies show that peptides can also influence the body’s inflammatory response by suppressing inflammatory molecules and boosting anti-inflammatory ones. This can mean calming redness and visible puffiness.

Reduce Breakouts

In addition to reducing redness and calming inflammation, peptides can help fight acne-causing bacteria and balance sebum production, making them helpful in treating acne and healing skin on a deeper level.

Types of Peptides Commonly Found in Skincare

In true Dieux fashion, we’re going to break down how this ingredient works on a molecular level across different types of topical peptides commonly found in skincare formulas.

Signal Peptides

Signal peptides interact with skin cells directly, signaling them to produce collagen and elastin, which are shown to firm skin, reduce inflammation, and improve the barrier. 

These look like: Tetrapeptide-21, tetrapeptide TKEK, carnosine, N-acetylcarnosine, palmitoyl peptides, hexapeptide-11, hexapeptide-14, palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, palmitoyl oligopeptide-7

Dieux products with Signal Peptides: 

• Instant Angel - Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Dipalmityl Hydroxyproline
• Air Angel - Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Dipalmityl Hydroxyproline
• Auracle - Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
• Deliverance - NProlyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate

Carrier Peptides

Like their name, these peptides carry trace elements (like copper and magnesium) to skin cells, which support wound healing and skin repair, and similarly to antioxidants, protect skin from free radical damage (AKA oxidative stress).

These look like: Copper peptides, manganese tripeptide-1, X-50 Myocept

Neurotransmitter-Inhibiting Peptides

Neurotransmitter peptides interrupt the signal our brains send to nerve cells in our muscles, which, over time, create wrinkles in our skin. Similarly to Botox, these peptides reduce wrinkles created by that movement (according to a study, by up to 30%).

These look like: Acetylhexapeptide-3, pentapeptide-3, pentapeptide-18, tripeptide-3, XEP-30

Enzyme Inhibitor Peptides

Many of the most common signs of aging result from enzymatic activity that tells collagen to break down. Enzyme Inhibitor peptides stop them–working on a chemical level to slow the production of such enzymes. 

These look like: Soybean peptides, rice peptides, silk fibroin peptides, trifluoroacetyl tripeptide-2, Trylagen

How to Incorporate Peptides Into Your Skincare Routine

Now that you know about peptides, where can you find them? Although they’re unlikely to be in your cleanser (at efficacious doses), peptides are often found in serums, eye creams, and moisturizers. Where serums will offer concentrated doses of peptides formulated to be delivered impactfully into the skin, eye cream or eye gel peptides will target the fragile under-eye area, and moisturizer peptides will improve firmness and elasticity while hydrating and preventing moisture loss.

Peptides generally play well with other active ingredients found in skincare, but work their hardest when used in tandem with ingredients that hydrate and soothe the skin, supporting the barrier, such as:

Antioxidants (like niacinamide) - complement peptides by protecting skin from environmental irritants and damage.

Lipids and Ceramides - help lock the benefits of peptides in place, while deeply protecting the barrier.

Since peptides can be used as targeting treatments or part of a more general routine, they’re right for every skin type. We recommend aiming to include peptides in at least two steps of your skincare routine. 

Think: cleanse with your favorite cleanser, treat skin with a peptide and antioxidant-rich formula, and select a moisturizer with peptides, lipids, and ceramides toward the top of the ingredient list.

What Dieux Products Contain Peptides?

From our onset, our product team has always formulated with peptides front and center. In fact, they’re found in all of our treatments and moisturizers (AKA our non-cleanser formulas). In order of use:

Deliverance - 3-in-1 Repair Serum

Our first-ever formula, Deliverance, is a triple-threat, powerhouse serum. Antioxidant and peptide-rich (that combo we talked about), Deliverance reduces redness, wrinkles, and dark spots. Our 5% Peptide Blend, formulated in-house by our Product team, combats the appearance of fine lines and aging and boosts visible firmness. Our Antioxidant Blend combines cannabinoid and waterlily to soothe skin and support barrier function, while niacinamide evens the look of skin tone and texture.

PS- when it comes to adding more peptides to your routine, we recommend starting here. In a clinical study*, Deliverance was proven to significantly decrease lines and wrinkles, improve skin texture, and improve overall firmness of skin.

Peptides in this formula: N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Hexapeptide-52, and Sodium Palmitoyl Proline

*Based on an independent clinical study of 40 participants measured via instrumentation.

Auracle - Smooth & Depuff Eye Serum

This smoothing serum that deeply hydrates and visibly softens wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness with renewable algae extracts and, you guessed it, peptides. In Auracle’s formula, our 3% Peptide Blend stimulates the under-eye area to reduce puffiness and improve the appearance of dark circles. In a consumer perception study*, 89% of panelists said Auracle visibly reduced the appearance of fine lines.

Peptides in this formula: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (and) Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

*Based on a four-week clinical study of 35 panelists.

Air Angel - Peptide Plumping Gel Cream

This lightweight, cooling, soothing formula cocoons the skin with major hydration, plumping skin, and repairing the barrier, all without clogging pores or causing breakouts. In Air Angel’s formula, peptides work with our Hydro Lipid Blend to plump and hydrate.

Peptides in this formula: Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 and Dipalmityl Hydroxyproline

Instant Angel - Lipid Rich Firming Moisturizer

Our bestseller contains lipids and ceramides like squalane, meadowestolide, and phytosterols to replenish for plump, hydrated skin, and .5% dipalmityl hydroxylproline peptide to improve the appearance of wrinkles and wrinkle depth. In fact, in a clinical study*, 100% of participants using Instant Angel showed a significant reduction in wrinkles after 4 weeks.

Peptides in this formula: Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 and Dipalmityl Hydroxyproline

*Based on an independent clinical study of 40 participants measured via instrumentation.

Ready to Add Peptides to Your Routine?

We’ve got the lineup you need. Remember–peptides are only one active ingredient category in a hard-working skincare routine, but they’re important to address so many skin concerns. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend adding Deliverance 3-in-1 Serum to your ritual. 

It’s always our goal to give you all of the information you need to actually understand what’s in your products, and how to make choices in an industry with so many. If you’ve gotten all the way through this article, you’re dieux-ing great.