12 Peptide-Powered Skincare Products for a Younger-Looking Complexion

Sep 07, 2018

As much as we're all told to love the skin we're in — and as much as we really, truly do! — that doesn't stop us from wanting a firmer, tighter, brighter complexion. And while those results used to go hand in hand with a trip to the cosmetic dermatologist, nowadays you can stroll down the beauty aisle for an OTC solution that, while not as instant as an injection, can be just as good. The trick is to look for products jam-packed with peptides. "Peptides are proteins that strengthen one’s own key proteins — collagen and elastin," says Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skincare Collection. "We need these building blocks to help reinforce our collagen because collagen synthesis wanes with age." That's the short of it, so we dug a little deeper to really learn why this ingredient is such a star in skincare.

"Peptides are bonds of amino acids, which are the building blocks for protein," says Sameer Bashey, a Beverly Hills-based cosmetic dermatologist at ZO Skin Centre. In addition to collagen and elastin, other integral components of skin, including the basement membrane zone (what attaches the epidermis to the dermis), are all made up of protein. "Our skin is actually comprised of 75 percent collagen protein," he says. "These proteins are constantly being updated and turned over. It is imperative that adequate peptides be provided to the skin during the turnover process, for building new collagen, healing, repair, and to decrease inflammation." In other words, peptides are an integral ingredient in any quality anti-aging skincare routine.

(Image via Luxy/Getty)

If you're wondering why peptides are so important if protein is the main goal, take notes. You'd never want to rub a protein smoothie across your face — it not only would be messy but ineffective too. The reason peptides are so much different is due to their size. "Peptides are small molecules consisting of amino acids linked together," Loretta Ciraldo, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Loretta skincare, says. "When the amino acid chain is bigger, we classify it as a protein." That said, peptides are actually just small fragments of protein, but just as powerful when it comes to caring for the skin. "Because peptides are very small they can penetrate well into living layers of skin," she says.

(Image via Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty)

Now that you have a better grasp on the why of peptides, it's time to tackle the how. As with any new skincare product in your routine, you have to think about when to apply it to get the best results. "I like to apply peptide-based products after the skin has been washed, scrubbed, stripped of oil (toner), and after other ingredients, such as glycolic or salicylic acid, are applied," Bashey says. "It is generally the last thing I recommend to patients to put on their face in the morning before sunscreen." Lamees Hamdan, a Dubai-based medical doctor turned founder and CEO of Shiffa Skincare, takes it a step further and says that you want to use a form that it easily absorbed into the skin. As small and effective as peptides are, they'll only work if they have the chance to really sink in. "There is no use in having peptides in a cleanser that gets washed off, or in a thick cream that doesn’t fully get absorbed," she says, pointing out the light serums probably work best.

(Image via Luxy/Getty)

Now, as with any skincare advice, there's always two sides to a story. And, according to Ciraldo, the best method of application is with all your other skincare faves — save for sunscreen, that is. "At Dr. Loretta and within my practice, we advocate cocktailing products in the palm of our hand and then applying them together in a single step," Ciraldo says. "The only thing that you can't cocktail is your sunscreen, since the FDA suggests that this is put on last of all." Beyond how you choose to layer them into your daily regimen, Vargas says that's it's also a good idea to include weekly peptide masks in your routine for even more anti-aging results.

Armed with all the information you could ever hope for on peptides, it's time to put the products to work. Ahead, you'll find 12 of the most highly rated peptide products that will inspire you to make room on your vanity ASAP.

(Image via GI/Jamie Grill/Getty)

Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream ($29)

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream ($68)

Paula's Choice Peptide Booster ($52)

Elemis Peptide 4 Night Recovery Cream-Oil ($59)

Revision Skincare Revox 7 ($130)

Youth To The People Superfood Peptide Eye Cream ($35)

Joanna Vargas Bright Eye Hydrating Mask ($60 for five sets)

Jan Marini Transformation Face Cream ($105)

ZO Skin Health Ossential Daily Power Defense ($150)

SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum ($281)

Anthony High Performance Anti-Wrinkle Glycolic Peptide Serum ($55)

2. Dr. Loretta Tightening Eye Gel ($60)

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Why Timothée Chalamet Abandoned “Good Friend” Austin Butler’s ‘Elvis’ Method For Bob Dylan Role

Austin Butler as Elvis, Selena Gomez as Linda Rondstat, and now Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan — there will never be enough biopics for me! (The real question is when are we going to get a Taylor Swift movie?). When pictures from the set of the new Bob Dylan movie, A Complete Unknown, hit Twitter, I had to do a double take because Timothée Chalamet looks so much like the musician I couldn't believe my eyes! You can watch the A Complete Unknown trailer here.

Timothée is going to be joined by Met Gala queen Elle Fanning, as well as Top Gun superstar Monica Barbaro. Here's everything you need to know about the movie — and our favorite Bob Dylan songs to listen to while you wait for its release.

Keep reading to see the latest updates from Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.

Timothée Chalamet stars in A Complete Unknown, coming to theaters December 25, 2024.
He's joined by Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro.
The movie follows Bob Dylan's career in the 1960s as he rises to fame and later shifts from folk to rock'n'roll.

Did Timothée Chalamet take inspiration from Austin Butler’s Elvis?

Timothée Chalamet recently revealed that while he originally wanted to approach A Complete Unknown by taking direct inspiration from Bob Dylan, he quickly changed his tone...so to speak. "Somebody once said to me, you can't make a movie about a painter because it's not interesting to watch paint dry," he says in People's exclusive video. "Bob has that element because he's not one of these forward-facing musicians."

While Timmy saw Natalie Portman a sequence in Jackie "step-for-step exactly what Jackie did," and paid attention to "all this stuff that I saw my good friend Austin Butler crush it with on Elvis," he quickly realized "I gotta do none of this because this is not my style."

"Bob did not have a vocal coach," he continues. "He had two bottles of red wine and four packs of cigarettes. There's no way to impersonate that." One of my favorite things about biopics is seeing how a well-known actor portrays a recognizable figure. And you can see Timothée Chalamet's interpretation of Bob Dylan in theaters December 25!

Monica Barbaro Sings Her Heart Out

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We got a look at Monica Barbaro as singer-songwriter Joan Baez, who was one of the first major artists in the 1960s to record Bob Dylan's music!

I was super impressed to learn Timothée showed up and sang live for the film. "It was important for me to play and sing on set because it was in the spirit of the movie to do it live," he says in a video from People. "Many of the artists through American pop culture that had the balls to turn their back on what was expected of them, that moment started with Bob. His words are relevant; 'Times They are A Changing' ' is relevant, 'Blowin' in the Wind' is relevant."

Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet In "A Complete Unknown"

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Elle Fanning totally embodies the late '60s vibe in this fall outfit. The bold maroon blazer, the long straight hair, and the striped turtleneck — I love it all! Elle is starring this Bob Dylan movie as Sylvie Russo, a university student and artist Bob falls for in the '60s.

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Thanks to some onset leaks, we also got a glimpse of the movie's version of The Freewheelin'! Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet look incredible as Sylvia Russo and Bob Dylan. I'm a sucker for any kind of recreation, so seeing this new version of the classic record cover is incredible!!

The First Pictures From Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan Movie

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Timothée Chalamet has totally transformed into Bob Dylan on the set of A Complete Unknown. And when I saw the pictures of Timothée carrying the guitar my jaw dropped!! He completely engrossed himself in Wonka and Dune 2 and I'm so excited to see him do the same for this Bob Dylan movie.

What is the movie about Bob Dylan called?

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A Complete Unknown Plot

Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan movie is called A Complete Unknown. The movie filmed around New York City in the spring of 2024, and James Mangold is serving as director (you might recognize his name from Logan, Girl, Interrupted, and Walk the Line). The movie will cover the period during the 1960s when Bob Dylan shifted from folk to rock'n'roll, changing the face of pop culture (and culture in general, TBH), forever.

"When that movie finally comes out, people are going to be shocked because you're going to think you're hearing Bob Dylan sing," vocal coach Eric Vetro tells PEOPLE. "[Timothée Chalamet] just has this uncanny ability to not impersonate, but really breathe life into it. He's embodying Bob Dylan and what he was like at that age."

Who else is in A Complete Unknown with Timothée Chalamet?

Amy Sussman/Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images/Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Gotham Film & Media Institute

A Complete Unknown Cast

The A Complete Unknown cast is incredible! Alongside Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, we'll see Top Gun: Maverick's Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, and Nick Offerman as Alan Lomax.

When is the Bob Dylan movie coming out?

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A Complete Unknown Release Date

A Complete Unknown will hit theaters on December 25, 2024. And since Timothée Chalamet has been seen in turtlenecks, hats, and jackets on set, this sounds like the perfect cozy movie to me!

I always need some brand new music to listen to once the weather gets chilly, and I will for sure be listening to anything Timothée records.

What song did Bob Dylan write for a movie?

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Bob Dylan wrote "Things Have Changed" for the 2000 movie Wonder Boys, which starred Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, and Katie Holmes. This Bob Dylan song ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Original Songand the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song!

"Knockin' On Heaven's Door," which is arguably the singer's most popular track, was released two months after the 1973 premiere of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid as a part of the film's soundtrack.

What are some other Bob Dylan songs to listen to?

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I totally agree that one of the best Bob Dylan songs is "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," but "Blowin' In The Wind" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'" are also great songs to listen to if you're a new Bob Dylan fan. So far, "The Times They Are A-Changin'" is my personal favorite song.

His style is the perfect blend of rock and folk that reminds me of summer picnics and walks in the woods. His sound also reportedly inspired Taylor Swift's Folklore!

What are you most excited to see in Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan movie A Complete Unknown? Check out our Facebook for more movie news!

This post has been updated.

Renée Zellwegger & Leo Woodall Prove Age Gaps Are Sexy In 'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy' Trailer

If you're a rom-com fan who also can't get enough of Jane Austen's books, you've probably seen the Bridget Jones movies. The story (which is loosely based on Pride & Prejudice) follows the titular Bridget Jones, a 30-something who sets out on a mission to improve herself over the course of a year while she looks for a partner. And, in true romantic movie form, she keeps a diary the whole time. Not only can we rewatch the original trilogy as many times as we want, but we're also getting a fourth movie! Here's everything we know about Bridget Jones 4.