Peptides 101: A Guide to The Best Peptide Serums, Hair Care & More

Not only does this serum have stellar clinical results, but I love the way it’s made my skin look and feel after just weeks of use. It’s formulated with a Lifting Peptide Complex to improve smoothness and reduce the appearance of expression of fine lines. Its potent concentration of SH-Oligopeptide Complex helps stimulate collagen production and recovery, and it’s also just full of skin-loving ingredients like phospholipids and glycerin.

Dieux’s neatly edited line of effective, no-BS formulas are some of my favorites, and this serum is one of my skin care mainstays. In addition to calming, hydrating ingredients like a proprietary cannabinoid complex and soothing water lily complex, this lightweight serum includes N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Complex, which has been clinically studied to boost skin’s visible firmness and minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. I love the serum’s texture and how it absorbs in an instant while leaving my skin with a soothed, supple appearance.

At first glance, this serum looks very iridescent. I feared it would be reminiscent of an early 2000s jaunt to the Bare Minerals store in which my friends and I left looking like we’d dumped our faces in a vat of glitter. This is why you can’t judge a book by its cover. Not only does this serum have a silky, non-greasy texture, it also gives my skin an instant glimmering upgrade––not at all the illumination overload of my youth. In addition to peptides and retinol, it's formulated with superfine mica minerals, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and FHF-grown black opal basil to refine skin’s texture, boost moisture, and visibly brighten the look of dark spots. I use it daily mixed in with my moisturizer and (always!) finish with sunscreen.

If wrinkles are what’s bothering you, consider this silky, supercharged serum. It contains 11 peptides and a Growth Factor and Expression line MiniProtein™, respectively, which are clinically proven to diminish the appearance of expression lines in 10 minutes (!) and deep-set wrinkles in 8 weeks. It boasts claims from independent clinical studies, as well as independent consumer studies, which is always a good sign. (It’s one of Palermino’s favorite serums as well.)

Similar to Dieux Deliverance, this is one of those “good for almost everyone, day and night, everyday” serums. Deinde’s proprietary ingredient is naringenin, which reduces inflammaging (inflammation + aging). Naringenin, paired with multifunctional niacinamide, seed extract to help even skin tone, and a signal peptide to support skin's natural collagen production (plus glycerin, squalane, and other hydration heroes) gives this formula a leg up when it comes to yielding power-packed results. It’s a gorgeous, silky texture that goes on easily and absorbs quickly.

This chemical exfoliator is formulated to help minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines, and crow’s feet while supporting collagen production and enhancing hydration without irritation. What intrigued me about it, however, is its combination of lactic acid for chemical exfoliation, peptides to firm and smooth, humectants to hydrate, and saccharomyces and black tea ferment to enhance skin quality. I found it to be incredibly gentle and hydrating for a chemical exfoliator and easy to incorporate into my weekly routine.

This techy skin care brand is best known for their use of NAD+ (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme gaining attention for its role in cellular metabolism, i.e. “longevity.” I like this formulation, which includes 1% retinol concentration paired with Tetrapetide-21 and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, known to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin texture and elasticity. Some people prefer a pure, prescription retinoid but I also like using retinoid formulas that incorporate hydrating and plumping ingredients. It can be a nice way to ease into a retinoid routine while experiencing a variety of benefits.

I love this high-performing cream, especially for those looking to minimize wrinkles and skin laxity. It does triple duty on skin firmness, texture, and hydration and is made with two innovative neuropeptides, which signal facial muscles to relax. It treats multiple signs of aging and is clinically tested to tighten skin and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles immediately and over time––and without stripping skin of moisture! While its creamy texture is heavy enough for nighttime, it absorbs quickly and leaves a clean, non-greasy finish, making it optimal for daytime wear as well.

The proprietary ingredient in all Mother Science formulas is Malassezin, which strengthens and restores the skin barrier. In addition, this formula is full of elastin-boosting growth factors and copper peptides to smooth fine lines, firm skin, and reduce redness. Hyaluronic acid, squalane, and a lipid concentrate support moisture retention and boost hydration. It’s a hard-working product with a creamy texture that gives my skin a subtle sheen that’s not too dewey, and not too matte, but somewhere that’s just right.

This lightweight, all-day moisturizer features a bio-identical collagen peptide called Polypeptide 69 Vegan Collagen, as well as skin-barrier darling niacinamide and hydrating squalane. But the brand’s proprietary ingredient is Molecur 3™, which is made of exosomes and NAD+. What the heck does that mean, Deenie?! Not enough space here to explain––just know this product is packed with ingredients to keep skin firm, smooth, hydrated, while softening the appearance of visible wrinkles. Their clinical results boast 100% improvement in wrinkle depth and length, and 128% increase in moisture within 30 minutes.

Clean beauty enthusiasts! Listen up. I like Acaderma for a few reasons, one of them being that they include a link to the EWG scores of each ingredient. The EWG can help consumers navigate products and ingredients based on their levels of toxicity. Acaderma marries science with nature for formulas that are potent, but still effective. This lovely, lightweight moisturizer is positively packed with skin-loving ingredients like their signature ingredient, Kinkeliba, peptides, a NAD+ booster, ceramides and more. It helps with inflammation, strengthens the skin barrier, hydrates, soothes, and helps firm skin, too.

This skin-drenching moisturizer comes from Los Angeles aesthetician Biba de Sousa, known for giving glow to clients such as Billie Eilish, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and more. This cream is so thick it's almost tacky, but when applied, leaves the most glorious, donut-glaze patina. It contains Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, also called Matrixyl® Synthe'6, to help even skin tone and diminish wrinkles. Additionally, it boasts an herbal blend of powerhouse ingredients to promote collagen and smooth signs of aging, as well as saccharomyces lysate, a fermented, probiotic yeast that can help normalize skin’s microbiome. (Her Plant Stem Cell Serum is worth a try, too.)

I love Cocokind for their effective and affordable lineup, and I especially like this product for its soothing, super-hydrating formulation (which is fragrance free and great for sensitive skin). Squalane, watermelon seed oil, and resurrection plant extract triple up to increase moisture retention, resilience, and skin barrier protection, while a signal peptide supports skin’s collagen production for firmness and wrinkle reduction. I’d recommend this cushy, creamy moisturizer as a fantastic starting place for someone who’s less concerned about wrinkles and is looking to elevate their overall skin quality.

I’m a fan of everything I’ve tried thus far from this Australian biotech brand, and this may be one of the most decadent creams I’ve ever used. It’s a multi-functional, anti-aging powerhouse with a gorgeous cushy texture reminiscent of buttercream frosting. It’s formulated with a hexapeptide (also known as a neuropeptide) to help smooth lines and wrinkles, as well as ingredients to hydrate, soothe, support the skin barrier, and improve elasticity. Unless you’ve got a solid 20 minutes to let this dewy darling absorb into your skin, though, I’d save it for nighttime, as it could make makeup application a bit, er, slick.

The main reason to love this eye cream should be the multitude of ingredient complexes formulated to reduce dark circles and fine lines, restore elasticity to the fragile under eye area, and reinforce the skin barrier. But I’m afraid my favorite thing about it is how absolutely gorgeous this cream feels on application and how its peachy hue gives my eyes an instant radiance. It feels strange to say that an eye cream feels “special,” but it does. (I highly recommend adding the complimentary orbital applicator––it does wonders for cooling and gently massaging the skin around the eyes.)

At first glance, this decadent eye cream reminds me of something I’d find in my grandmother’s beauty cabinet as a kid, stacked atop pots of Chanel makeup and Givenchy fragrances––except this product is anything but outdated. Formulated with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soothe fine lines, hyaluronic acid for hydration, and resveratrol and globe daisy extract to protect and neutralize while calming inflammation, its an of-the-moment formulation with a luxury texture that goes on smooth and absorbs easily.

I’m an extremely tough critic when it comes to hair care. I worked for a biotech hair care brand for nearly five years and saw firsthand how effective good hair care could be (and when to call bullshit). Not only does One Skin have tons of claims to back up their statements, but I also love how this serum makes my roots look and feel: healthy, refreshed, volumized, and never-greasy or weighed down. It’s designed to add density and thickness by targeting the biological process linked to hair thinning and loss. As a postpartum mom, my part is where my hair is thinnest, and I can’t wait to see the results with consistent use.

If you prefer supplements to topicals, OMI Hair Peptides gummies are a great option. Their IFP Hair Growth Peptide™ is clinically proven to fortify and anchor the follicle. Their clinicals showed new growth, reduction in hair loss, and enhanced strand strength across all hair types in 90 days. With any growth product, though, it’s important to understand the distinction between ingredients that actually regrow hair and the ones that protect, preserve, and strengthen existing follicles while improving scalp health (thus encouraging healthy growth and minimizing shedding). The only single ingredient that’s approved by the FDA to actually regrow hair is Minoxidil, which is a topical drug, but has a reputation for being somewhat harsh on hair. A supplement like OMI is nice because it can strengthen hair from the inside out without sacrificing hair quality.

These formulas are made with a multi-peptide complex, biotin, panthenol and Red Clover, all which promote thicker, healthier brows and longer, more voluminous lashes. Similar to the above note on growth, there is currently no lash or brow product with an FDA-approved growth ingredient––but it’s still beneficial to use products that will help protect, strengthen, and thicken existing lashes and brows while encouraging a landscape for growth. For my sensitive peeps: I have very sensitive eyes, but have not had any issue with these serums on my lashes or brows. 

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I don’t normally care much for celebrity beauty brands, but The Outset is one of my exceptions. I love their skin care, which is great for sensitive skin, and now I have fallen for their lip gloss treatment. It contains Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and hydrating, line-diminishing ingredients like squalane and polyglycerides. It’s not too tacky or sticky, and leaves a gorgeous glimmer no matter which color you choose.