Journal /
Science
·
6 min
Peptides get talked about like magic. They are not. Here is the boring, useful version of what they do to a tired barrier.
By Dr. Rina Oyelaran
Peptides turn up on every label now, which is usually a sign that a useful ingredient has been diluted into decoration. So here is the plain version.
What they actually are
A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. Your skin already reads these chains as instructions. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, the one in Plump Drops, reads roughly as: make more collagen, the wall is thin here.
That instruction only lands if enough of it arrives. Below about 2% you are buying a claim. We formulate at 5%, which is high enough to change how skin behaves within three weeks and low enough that sensitive skin does not object.
What they are not
They are not an exfoliant, so they will not resurface anything. They are not retinol, so they will not thin your barrier while they work. If your skin is currently angry, peptides are one of the few actives you can keep using while it calms down.
Give it three weeks. Take a photo in the same light on day one if you want to be honest with yourself about the difference.
