The Skin Nerd: Peptides are the answer to plumper skin

Peptides are an unassuming ingredient that stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis within the skin

If you’re concerned about deepening fine lines, peptides are perfectly safe to use twice a day.

The teeny crinkles and wrinkles that grace your face are a result of many smiles, belly laughs and good times. They're an inevitable chapter in your skin story that no amount of hardworking serums, creams and moisturisers can erase once they’ve settled into your skin – and why should you want to erase them? 

Your skin is your own and how you care for it is completely up to you, but I would encourage those with mature complexions to adopt a product regimen that’ll hydrate, nourish, protect and plump the skin. And there’s one hero ingredient that has “plumping” qualities in abundance – peptides.

Peptides are an unassuming ingredient that you might not be familiar with. They are well worth your attention because they’re one of a few skincare ingredients (like vitamin A) that make a difference to fine lines and wrinkles. Now, that’s not to say they’ll completely smooth any wrinkles out, but they can help to diminish the depth of fine lines.

First let’s start with the nerdie basics. Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which make up key proteins in our skin. Proteins are crucial for the structure and overall health of our skin, and you’ll be very familiar with a bunch of them – collagen, elastin and keratin are the most well-known. 

Peptides are a chatty bunch and by that, I mean they’re constantly sending messages to our fibroblasts to synthesise proteins. Fibroblasts are the skin cells that are responsible for the production of collagen and elastin fibres – the two structural proteins, which are the skin’s scaffolding. Collagen has a plumping effect on the skin, whereas elastin keeps the skin firm and ensures it “snaps back” like an elastic band. 

Skincare products are formulated with peptides because they’re small enough to pass through the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of skin in the epidermis. Proteins like collagen and elastin are much bigger in comparison and can’t penetrate through the skin when applied topically. 

Peptides have made their way into a plethora of skincare products, with serums, moisturisers and night creams being common vehicles for these hero ingredients. The frequency you apply peptides totally depends on your skin goals – if you’re concerned about deepening fine lines, peptides are perfectly safe to use twice a day.

Ready for some peptide inspiration? Skingredients Skin Veg (€45, theskinnerd.com), and Skin Protein (€45, theskinnerd.com) have both been formulated with a clinically-proven pro-collagen peptide to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Skin Veg also contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin, and a blend of fruit, vegetable and botanical extracts to provide antioxidant protection against the ageing effects of free radical attack. 

Skin Protein should be applied after Skin Veg because it’s got a thicker consistency; it contains vitamin A to regulate cell turnover rates for an even-toned complexion, and vitamin C, which is a hero antioxidant that’ll shield skin from free radical damage.

Or perhaps you prefer moisturisers over serums? The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream (€65, cultbeauty.com/ie) is a water-gel moisturiser that feels silky smooth, lightweight and ultra-hydrating after application. It serves the skin a complex mocktail of nine different peptides to maintain collagen supplies, encourage fibroblasts to continue synthesising the protein and prevent its depletion from harmful free radicals.

Are you ready to acquaint your skin with peptides? Of course, they won’t work miracles – no skincare ingredient can – but it’ll help to plump and firm the skin, which I for one won’t say no to.

SPF is vital all year round

Nerdie Pick

The sun has finally made an appearance, which means that we should be extra vigilant with our SPF — although, as you know, SPF is an all-weather essential.

The Murad City Skin Broad Spectrum SPF50 remains a firm favourite thanks to its high factor (SPF 50, of course) and lightweight finish on the skin.

It acts like an “environmental shield” to protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays, blue light from devices, infrared radiation, and pollution — all of which can accelerate the ageing process if left unchecked. 

Murad City Skin Broad Spectrum SPF 50 (€70, theskinnerd.com)