The past, present and future of peptides

Sophia Bull and Joan Attia of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics 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

Log in or register FREE to read the rest

This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text. If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.

See more about Lucas Meyer Cosmetics by Clariant

Latest Issues

SCS Formulate 2024

Coventry Building Society Arena, UK
12th - 13th November 2024

Making Cosmetics 2024

Allianz MiCo, Hall 4, Viale L. Scarampo, Milano, Italy
20-21 November 2024