I love it when readers ask me questions via email (nicki[at]futurederm[dot]com), Facebook, and Twitter. Recently, I received a question about which peptide moisturizer is the best, and I’ll admit, it kind of stupefied me at first. There are so many different peptides out there nowadays, and various combinations (not to mention concentrations) of peptides are found in drugstore and department store-grade moisturizers. So figuring out which peptide is best? it was a tricky question for sure.
That said, I love sifting through research, whether it be scientific journals or browsing the racks at Sephora (hey, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!) So, without further adieu:
Best for a Temporary “Freeze” of Your Wrinkles: Argireline (AKA Acetyl hexapeptide-3)
How It Works: Like BotoxTM, Argireline has been found to stop muscles from contracting when it is used as an injectible (International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2002). However, they work in different ways at the neuronal level. With BotoxTM, your neurons release a signal (neurotransmitter) to the muscles, signaling for them to contract. BotoxTM breaks down the neurotransmitter at the synapse (space between the neuron and the muscle), so your muscles never get the signal.
On the other hand, Argireline works within the neuron itself. To release a neurotransmitter, your neurons need to adopt a specific formation known as a SNARE complex. Argireline binds to the SNARE complex, so your neurons are like, “OMG, something’s wrong here!” And then they don’t release neurotransmitter, so your muscles don’t contract. It’s a different mechanism that gives same result. While BotoxTMneeds to be injected into the skin in order to be effective, some patients get effects from topically applying Argireline in moisturizers, but some don’t.
The best peptide moisturizer with Argireline: Perfect Image Hydra-Repair Wrinkle Cream ($26.26, Amazon.com)
Argireline is only featured in peer-reviewed, independent, published research as either a.) an injectible, or b.) in concentrations of 10% or more. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to find a serum or moisturizer that touts on its website or published materials that it has 10% or more argireline (International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2002). Keep in mind that the US FDA cracks down on companies who print the percentage/concentration of an ingredient on the label, so you’ll never find that on the actual packaging, even though it may be implied, as with Skinceuticals Retinol 0.5 or FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol 0.5.
Argireline is found in fair concentration with Matrixyl, another peptide (see below) in Perfect Image Hydra-Repair Wrinkle Cream. The moisturizer is of medium texture, and drinks into the skin well. It is not sticky at all, and leaves the skin smooth. It should be suitable for all but the most oily of skin types, owing to the fact that it has glycerin and cetyl alcohol (a fatty, hydrating alcohol) in fairly high concentration, but is “thinned out” with butylene glycol (a known penetration enhancer). I have a theory that Argireline works best for those with older, thinner skin; I am 28 years old (29 tomorrow, actually) and have tried Perfect Image Hydra-Repair Wrinkle Cream with absolutely no face-freezing effects, but my 68-year-old mother has tried it and gotten some wrinkle-freezing effects.
There is a concern with Argireline that it can lead to face drooping over time, but the only way that this is possible is if Argireline binds to the SNARE complex within your neurons (see above) and changes the complex permanently, so your neurons never release neurotransmitter normally again. Not likely, particularly not in the concentrations found in Perfect Image Hydra-Repair Wrinkle Cream. At any rate, if you notice that your face is drooping, discontinue use of Perfect Image Hydra-Repair Wrinkle Cream or any product with Argireline immediately.
Ingredients: Distilled Water, Aloe Vera Gel, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Camelia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Matricaria Recutita Flower (Chamomile) Extract, Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Leaf Extract, Retinol Palmitate.
Best for Skin Firming/Hydrating: Matrixyl (AKA Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, AKA Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3)
Another amino acid peptide of interest is Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide). According to a board-certified dermatologist hailing from Great Neck, NY, matrixyl is best when used between concentrations of 4-8% and may stimulate collagen production when used consistently over time. Like Argireline, Matrixyl is always a peptide combined with a fatty acid component, in order to increase its penetration into the skin. At the 2002 World Congress of Dermatology in Paris, France, use of a cream containing 8% Matrixyl was found to decrease wrinkle depth by 68% and wrinkle density by 47% over six months. Matrixyl, like argireline, promotes fibroblasts to produce collagen, but has the additional benefit of promoting hyaluronic acid production in the skin.
While Matrixyl is the brand name, it’s chemical name is palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. It seems palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 is the accepted name now; previously, the International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients name for the compound was palmitoyl pentapeptide-3. At any rate, Matrixyl/palmitoyl pentapeptide-3/palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 is popular in skin care products due to its possible collagen-stimulating activity, increasing skin’s firmness over time.
The best peptide treatment with Matrixyl: Timeless Matrixyl 3000 Serum with Hyaluronic Acid ($22.95, Amazon.com)
What I love about this product: it contains 8% Matrixyl, which is the highest you are going to be able to get over-the-counter (legally, anyway). I also love it because it’s fairly cost effective, at just $23 — where can you get an effective serum for just $23?!
Unfortunately, there are a few things I don’t love about Timeless Matrixyl 3000 Serum with Hyaluronic Acid. For one, it is only suitable for dry or normal skin types. Oily, very oily, or acne-prone skin types are not likely to get benefits from this serum, because not only does Matrixyl stimulate hyaluronic acid production within the skin, but the serum also contains 1% hyaluronic acid. It’s literally like, “Oh, let’s cover your oily skin in an ingredient that will cause your skin to create molecules that will bind to 1000 times its weight in water…oh, and then let’s put a ton of it in the serum too.” Not cool at all for oily, very oily, or acne-prone skin.
For another, the packaging of Timeless Matrixyl 3000 Serum with Hyaluronic Acid really leaves something to be desired. I hate to say it, but it’s just really ugly, and the blue bottle isn’t guarding anything from light or air. Considering this product is ranked #22,978 on Amazon in Beauty right now, the company is doing well enough where they could give this a bit of a makeover. Give us something to wake up to (or see right before we go to sleep)! If we can’t all marry Brad Pitt, then let us at least have pretty packaging!
But, I digress. Getting back to the science, if you have dry to normal skin, then Timeless Matrixyl 3000 Serum with Hyaluronic Acid is a solid way to test whether or not Matrixyl firms your skin in particular. Studies show that it will!
Ingredients: Water, Matrixyl 3000 (8%), Aloe Barbadensis, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid (1%; “100% Strength”), Benzylalcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid.
Best for Treating Hyperpigmentation: Lumixyl Oligopeptides
I love hydroquinone. I know that sounds a little weird, sitting here, saying I love a molecule, but it’s true. Hydroquinone is the gold standard for treating sun spots, melasma, freckles, and other signs of hyperpigmentation. Although in about 2% of persons with darker skin types it has been associated with ochronosis, a reflexive darkening of skin, it is considered in the dermatological/cosmetic science community largely to be safe.
With that concern in mind, Stanford University researchers recently developed LumixylTM, a complex of oligopeptides (0.1% w/w) that has been found to significantly inhibit tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme in melanin production. According to a 2009 study in The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Lumixyl™ also improved melasma and overall facial aesthetics in five female participants — a significant finding in such a well-controlled study, though the sample size was small. Still, as researchers report, Lumixyl™ seems to hold great promise for treating hyperpigmentation and melasma. As I learned in a recent opportunity to interview Lumixyl™ scientists, the great promise of Lumixyl™ is the product’s ability to “deliver efficacy similar to hydroquinone, without the potential toxicity.”
That’s why the Lumixyl MD Topical Brightening System Kit ($190, amazon.com) is a great option.
Bottom Line
This was definitely a tough question to answer, but I think I’ve broken this down into the right categories. Depending on what you’re looking for, there are different peptides that are right for what you need. Here are the top three preformers and the products I recommend:
- Best “freeze” for wrinkles: Argireline. I recommend Perfect Image Hydra-Repair Wrinkle Cream
- Best skin firming and hydration: Matrixyl. I recommend Timeless Matrixyl 3000 Serum with Hyaluronic Acid
- Best for hyperpigmentation: Lumixyl oligopeptides. I recommend Lumixyl MD Topical Brightening System Kit