What Are Peptides? The Beauty Ingredient That’s Changing Skin and HaircareUpdated 17 hours ago
What Are Peptides? The Beauty Ingredient That’s Changing Skin and Haircare
Peptides: You’ve definitely seen the popular beauty ingredient somewhere by now - whether it’s been featured in skincare, hair products, or even injectables.
But what exactly are peptides, and what's the big deal around them?
Let’s get into it.
Why peptides, why now:
Peptides have had a long-standing reputation in the beauty world, but they seem to be everywhere recently.
There’s been a real shift in consumer buying – people are looking for science-backed, ingredient-driven skincare and haircare. We all want products that actually work, not just look cute on our shelf.
Peptides are typically gentle, yet highly effective - making them a favorite ingredient for delivering visible results across an array of skin types and their different concerns.
There’s also higher demand for products that multitask to allow for more minimalistic choices when it comes to skincare/beauty (bye-bye, 12-step skincare routines.) This approach is often called ‘skinimalism’ - a minimalist beauty routine that focuses on fewer, multi-tasking products. And peptides can do a lot with just a little!
Cool, but like... what are they?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, a.k.a. the building blocks of “beauty” proteins like collagen, elastin, and keratin.
Think of peptides as tiny personal trainers for your skin and hair – coaching your cells to stay strong, smooth, and more resilient.
What peptides actually do:
The best part about peptides is how multi-functional they are. Some things they can help with include:
- Firming and plumping skin
- Promoting hair density + reducing shedding
- Supporting longer, fuller-looking lashes, brows, and scalp hair
- Strengthening the skin barrier
The truth is, peptides are consistently pretty great. But there is a lot of variation between what different peptides do.
Peptides work uniquely together in different products, especially when they interact with other ingredients.
For example, peptides + hyaluronic acid? A dream team for hydration and more long-term results.
How peptides fit into Babe Original cosmetics:
We are big fans of peptides over here! When you purchase a product from Babe, you can almost guarantee that it has peptides (besides a select few that have other performance-driven ingredients!)
In fact, some of our most loved products (like Volumizing Brow Filler, Densifying Hair Serum, and Cloud 9 Lip Serum) have multiple peptides for layered benefits.
Take a sneak peek behind the Renewing Lash Serum label (our newer, alternative lash serum formula that’s made for sensitive eyes). Made up of our exclusive Pro-6 Peptide Complex™, here’s what each of the six peptides do:
- Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8 – Helps promote stronger, softer, and more flexible lashes
- Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 – Targets lash fallout and supports improved appearance of lash thickness
- Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16 – Conditions and strengthens the lash fiber
- Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17 – Supports longer-looking lashes by reinforcing the follicle
- Myristoyl Tetrapeptide-12 – Enhances softness and helps nourish brittle lashes
- Oligopeptide-2 – Helps maintain healthy-looking lashes and encourages appearance of fullness
Sound like the ultimate peptide lineup? We think so, too (and we have clinical studies to prove it!) We’ve paired this proprietary peptide complex with ultra-gentle and nourishing botanical extracts to aid in lash health even more.
So, who should use peptides?
Anyone can use peptides in beauty products! They’re good for all ages, generally safe for sensitive skin, and help support a more effective beauty routine without adding extra steps. They’re great for beginners too as they’re non-invasive but still effective – a great intro to more “active” skincare ingredients.
How to maximize peptide results:
A phrase we say often at Babe Original is “consistency is key” and it’s truly the way to see visible lash, brow, hair or skin results.
Typically, it’s best to use a peptide-based product every day for at least 4-12 weeks to begin seeing real results. (Note: time may vary per person!) After that, you can typically use the product(s) just 2-3x per week to maintain those results.
Which Babe products can I find peptides in?
Here’s where you’ll find peptides across our product lineup - organized by beauty category:
LASH:
BROW:
HAIR:
LIP/SKIN:
The TL;DR?
Peptides really are worth the hype. They’re gentle, effective, and multitasking powerhouses found in all sorts of beauty and skincare products. If your routine includes peptides, you’re already in good hands.
Want to see what peptides can do for you?