Can Copper Peptides and Retin A be used together?
We’ve written a lot about copper peptides lately, and these powerful skin-healing ingredients are getting a lot of attention right now. So when you’re up to date, you’ll have a better idea of the benefits you can expect. Today we’re going to look at whether you can use copper peptides with retinol A (also known as retinol). We’ll address any concerns you may have about using these powerful skin ingredients together. So let’s dive in and find out more.
What are peptides?
Peptides are already present in the skin and play an important role in building skin proteins. They can do this by boosting the production of collagen and elastin, which results in a firmer, smoother complexion and fewer signs of aging. It’s not clear exactly how peptides work on the skin, but they are known to be a compatible ingredient and are often combined with other nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid. You’ll still get the benefits of a stronger ingredient, but you should give it a little more thought before using it.
What is retinol?
Retinol is one of the most potent ingredients in skincare and needs to be incorporated slowly into your daily routine to avoid severe dryness and irritation. The main benefit of retinol is that it speeds up the turnover of skin cells for a fresher complexion. Due to the high efficacy of retinol, it is important to be confident when using all types of products. If you want to learn more about retinol and how to use it in your daily routine, read our blog post.
Can I use peptides with Retin A?
Yes, you can, but you need to use them in a specific way to avoid adverse reactions on your skin. It is well known that peptides easily combine with other ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. When combining peptides with Retinol A or other forms of retinoids, it is best to alternate each ingredient. Since peptides can be absorbed quickly into the lower layers, this often causes the skin to become sensitive and inflamed. Therefore, it is best for you to use peptides in your morning routine and then retinol in your evening routine.
Do you use peptides before or after retinol?
In your morning routine, it is best to use peptides first and then retinol. Retinol and other forms of retinoids increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV radiation, making it more susceptible to damage such as hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Therefore, it is important to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day. You’ll also find that UV radiation renders retinol useless, so for best results, you should use it at night.
To reap the benefits of both ingredients, try using a peptide-rich serum in the morning after cleansing your skin, followed by a serum with a retinol that your skin tolerates. That way you’ll reap the benefits without overloading your skin and weakening its protective barrier.
Should you use peptides with retinol?
Yes, but only if your skin is happy with the proper use of both ingredients. Both ingredients offer impressive anti-aging benefits that will keep your face looking youthful and radiant. With the antioxidant properties of peptides and the exfoliating power of retinol, you’ll also be able to combat any signs of hyperpigmentation, from sunspots and age spots to uneven skin tone. Finally, you’ll find that peptides are cell-communicating ingredients, and thanks to their bilingual abilities, they can tell skin cells how to behave and boost collagen production.
When should you apply peptides?
A lot of this depends on the skincare product that contains the active peptide value. What I mean by that is that the order in which you use your skincare routine plays a vital role in ensuring that each ingredient and product delivers its unique benefits to your skin. You’ll often find peptides primarily in cream-based products that are applied after cleansing and before heavy moisturizers, face oils, and sunscreens.
How Often Should You Use Copper Peptides?
You can use copper peptides twice daily. While copper peptides deliver impressive skin results, the hydration is improved when used with humectants like hyaluronic acid. When used with these, you’ll find that the skin barrier remains fully functional and healthy, and it protects itself from free radical damage. If you plan to use a peptide serum on its own, you’ll still benefit from it and achieve a radiant, healthy complexion, but you’ll have to wait a while to see the results.
When Should You Apply Peptides?
You can use peptides twice daily in your daily routine, as long as you don’t follow up with overly strong ingredients like vitamin C and retinol.
What makes peptides such a unique skin ingredient is how they work. What I mean by this is that once you apply a peptide-rich product to your skin, you’ll notice that these peptides act as signals in your body. Here’s how it works: if you have minor surface injuries, a compromised protective barrier, or signs of premature aging, peptides send messages to the skin to respond by repairing itself or boosting collagen production. It sounds like we know exactly how peptides work on the skin, but as I mentioned before, exactly how they achieve such impressive results is still a mystery.
I hope this blog post answered some of your questions about copper peptides and Retin A and whether they can be used together. If you have any further concerns, it’s best to consult a doctor or dermatologist to clear your doubts. As with all skincare ingredients, it’s recommended to do a 24-hour patch test before applying any product to your face.
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DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
