Your Skin on OLAY Peptides

Peptides are found in every cell in the body. They provide a variety of functions to keep you healthy and your system running smoothly – from digestion to muscle-building. But while we have peptides in abundance, only a few have been shown to enhance skin’s appearance. Based on work by scientists at University of Tennessee that identified peptides that are involved in synthesis of proteins (e.g. collagens) in lung tissue, further work has confirmed that specific peptides play a role in providing anti-aging skin benefits to increase skin resiliency.

It was also discovered that peptides need a partner to get into the skin before they can work their wonders. In other words, not just any peptide, when put into a face cream or eye cream, is going to give you anti-aging benefits. Therefore formulating skin care products properly is truly important to delivering the desired anti-aging benefits.

Peptides 101

Peptides are tiny fragments of protein molecules that help keep skin’s natural renewal processes properly working …the result is a well-maintained, smooth and supple complexion with minimal harsh side effects. In order for your skin to reap the benefits of peptides, they must be properly formulated to penetrate into the skin’s selective surface barrier.

Think of your skin as a piece of fabric. The threads in the fabric are the proteins within the skin. Each thread is made up of tiny fiber fragments, or peptides. When you’re young, the fabric is flexible, resilient, and elastic. When it is exposed to the sun, pollution, or just gets older, the threads break down into fiber fragments. The fiber fragments communicate to the fabric to create new threads, which help restore the fabric to its original smoothness and appearance. Yay peptides!

Peptides in Aging Skin

As you age, that beautiful fabric you call your skin begins to break down and appear worn over time. This happens naturally but other factors like sun exposure can accelerate the signs of aging. During the process of aging, the amount of threads holding the fabric together decline and the fabric appears worn and stretched out. To add insult to injury, the recovery process that stimulates new threads to the restore the fabric slows down. Skin care products with peptides effectively work by adding more fiber fragments to help restore the threads, improving appearance, smoothness, and firmness.

So while we can’t turn back time, we can formulate serums, face creams, lotions, and eye creams, that support your skin’s natural renewal processes.

OLAY's Peptides

OLAY uses 2 peptides to help your skin be at its best. A bit about each:

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is the most effective peptides we use at OLAY. Pentapeptide-4 is the peptide itself, and Palmitoyl is a fatty acid partner. It’s the perfect partner to help the Pentapeptide-4 penetrate the skin’s surface. Without Palmitoyl, Pentapeptide – 4 would just sit on the skin’s surface. This peptide- fatty acid combination acts in the same way those naturally occurring peptides work in younger skin. So as your skin ages, applying this topical peptide supports your skin’s natural renewal processes, so skin appearance is noticeably improved. Multiple clinical studies have shown Pentapeptide-4 significantly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, for smoother looking skin without damage to the skin barrier.

Palmitoyl DiPeptide-7: As you age, the work that skin does to maintain itself can fall out of balance and processes can go wrong; skin can make too much of one thing and not enough of another. Sometimes as skin ages, it even gets confused and eliminates things it’s not supposed to, resulting in compromised skin. Palmitoyl DiPeptide-7 can help get skin back on track and become more resilient and less prone to compromise. DiPeptide-7 is exclusive to OLAY and patented. It is also paired with Palmitoyl to help it penetrate into the skin surface.

The great news is you can find these peptides in our OLAY Regenerist collection, so whether you like the feel of a serum, face cream/lotion, or eye cream, we’ve got you covered.

Who Should Use Peptides?

When it comes to enhancing your skin care routine, it’s never too early to start incorporating peptides. As long as you use them, your skin will continue to benefit, whether it’s day 1 or day 50. We recommend them for all ages and all skin types. Plus, unlike some other fantastic anti-aging ingredients (retinol, we’re looking at you), peptides are ultra-gentle so they don’t need an adjustment period and they are even recommended for sensitive skin.

Peptides Compared to Other Anti-Aging Ingredients

Retinol is the most powerful and effective anti-aging ingredient on the market. It’s not just great at reducing the visible signs of aging such as lines and wrinkles, but also at smoothing the look of problematic skin, skin tone, or uneven texture. One way retinol works is by exfoliating old cells more rapidly than it would otherwise, leaving you with a smooth, younger-looking complexion. But while we love this ingredient, it’s not for everyone: the higher retinol level in the product, the more irritating it is. Until your skin gets used to the retinol, you might see dryness, peeling, redness, or itching. And if you have sensitive skin, the side effects of retinol might outweigh the benefits.

Peptides, while may not be as powerful, have similar skin-smoothing benefits with far less harsh side effects. They are a gentler option for all skin types and can be combined with retinols to get the benefits of both, if your skin can tolerate retinol.

Vitamin B3(aka niacinamide), is a great multi-tasking ingredient for improving skin appearance in many ways. B3’s surface barrier-strengthening properties help keep irritants away, reducing the appearance of redness, and a blotchy complexion. It brightens and smooths the look of your skin by enhancing skin’s natural renewal process. But its major impact is on the skin barrier: it improves the surface barrier to help keep in hydration and keep out irritating particles and environmental pollution. It’s a perfect pairing with peptides because both ingredients do not interfere with each other, so you get the benefits of both. Click HERE to learn more about OLAY’s Vitamin B3!

Hyaluronic Acid is a powerful and sticky hydrator that binds with the moisture found in the skin care formula and on your skin surface, holding it there. It keeps your skin moisturized and smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by plumping your skin with hydration. You can certainly use it in conjunction with peptides, without worrying about any negative effects.

Peptides are a gentle yet effective choice for all skin types and ages. They are a great choice for sensitive skin, as they have shown to be less non-irritating, even in delicate areas, like the skin around the eyes. They work with many other ingredients, without interfering or reducing the effects of either. When paired with another peptide, can even boost the anti-aging effects.

FAQ

What’s the best way to use peptides? Can I mix them with other products?

Peptides are not an either/or ingredient. If you have a great skin care routine already, you can add peptides to the products you love to give them an extra boost. For maximum effectiveness use a peptide-enhanced product daily both morning and night. We recommend pairing up OLAY’s Miracle Booster with Regenerist Microsculpting cream to get the full effect of OLAY Peptides.

Can I use peptides all over my face? What about under my eyes?

Absolutely. Peptides are safe and effective for all areas of the face. However, for the sensitive areas under your eyes you should use an eye-specific cream or serum so you don’t have any stinging or irritation. And of course, these peptides are for external use only. If you are sensitive to fragrance, Regenerist peptide products are also available in fragrance free.

Are there any down sides to using peptides?

There are none! Studies show that peptides have no adverse effects on skin barrier. Therefore, this makes them an excellent choice for all skin types. However, you should always patch-test every new product before putting it on your face in case your skin doesn’t like one of the other ingredients.