PEPTIDES
The past, present and future of peptides
Sophia Bull, Joan Attia - Lucas Meyer Cosmetics
According to Google Trends, worldwide searches for the term ‘peptide’ have been steadily increasing since 2018, at a rate of about 20% growth per year. Understanding that Google Trends collates data from every single Google user around the globe points to a compelling conclusion: consumers clearly want to know more about peptides. In this article we will briefly explain what peptides are, what they do, and then we will investigate why there is so much attention on them right now.
What is a peptide? A peptide is a short chain of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds in a linear chain. For use in cosmetics, generally the chains are limited to 3 to 10 amino acid units due to factors like bioavailability in the skin, stability, or price. To be performant, peptides must balance efficacy and bioavailability within the skin or the scalp. After topical application, to help the peptide
penetrate through the stratum corneum, a lipophilic barrier, there are several strategies that can be employed. The peptide can be designed with an octanol-water partition coefficient (logP) close to 1 and with low molecular weight or encapsulated within a delivery vehicle like a liposome. Chemical modifications like fatty acid grafting can also improve penetration or the formula itself can be designed with penetration enhancers like lecithin or surfactants. Peptides are naturally occurring molecules in the body and play various roles, including signaling and communication between cells. Many peptides are designed to deliver anti- ageing benefits, like combatting wrinkles
or improving firmness, but there also exist peptides to counteract inflammation, improve skin barrier function, modulate melanogenesis in the skin or scalp, and stimulate hair growth. The combination and order of amino acids will dictate the end-benefit of the peptide in a cosmetic formulation.
Types of peptide Peptides are broadly categorized into four groups based on their biological function within the skin. Signal peptides are designed to
mimic the natural signaling mechanisms in the body and stimulate protein production, often including the extracellular matrix components like collagen and elastin. Carrier peptides enhance the delivery of
certain ingredients to deeper layers of the skin and can help improve the overall efficacy of skincare products. Neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides target
nerve signaling molecules in the skin, like acetylcholine, which are responsible for muscle contraction.
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Figure 1: Difference in structure between amino acids, a peptide, and a protein
www.personalcaremagazine.com November 2023 PERSONAL CARE
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