

The Skin-Care Ingredient That Will Make You Look Younger Than J.Lo


IT Cosmetics Eye Cream, Olay Regenerist Serum, Alastin Peptide serum
Getty Images / Courtesy of Brands

You might look at ageless celebs like Celine Dion and J.Lo and think, Damn. How do they look so freaking good?

Sure, some of it is genetics, and some of it likely has to do with their ability to have round-the-clock hair, makeup, and skin-care treatments.

But nabbing an ageless glow isn't necessarily out of reach for us mere mortals, thanks to this popular moisturizer and serum ingredient: peptides.

What are peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), says Deanna Mraz Robinson, M.D.

They matter to your body because your skin is supported by the protein collagen (you know, the stuff that keeps your skin firm and wrinkle-free). When you break down collagen, its amino acid building blocks contain peptides that signal skin to create fresh, new collagen.

What do peptides do?

You'll often spot peptides in anti-aging creams and serums (like Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum), since they're well-known for their regenerating benefits, says Mraz-Robinson.

It's not because peptides are directly making your skin look younger. They're more like the coach on your intramural flag football team. They tell your skin to make more collagen, and that fresh collagen helps your skin look and feel firmer, smoother, and more elastic. Teamwork!

Products with copper peptides (a combination of copper and collagen-building peptides) are super-popular right now, thanks to studies showing that copper is also really good at healing and regenerating skin.

How do you use peptides?

IT Cosmetics

Mraz-Robinson recommends using a product with peptides in a serum or moisturizer at night, to give it time to deeply penetrate the skin and help work its magic. They work really well around the eye area, too—so consider trying peptides in an eye cream (like IT Cosmetics Confidence In An Eye Cream).

Alastin Skincare

One note: Mraz-Robinson warns that some peptides used in skin-care products are too large to effectively go through the skin and get to work. "Invest in a peptide with proven results," she says (she likes Alastin Restorative Skin Complex).

That doesn't mean you have to get an M.D. to know how to find the best night cream. Keep it simple: Buy from brands you trust, that show evidence (like study results) that their peptides are the real deal.

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