Can I Use Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides Together?
Hyaluronic acid and peptides are two powerhouse ingredients in skincare, each known for their remarkable benefits. But can they work effectively together in your routine? Let’s explore how these ingredients can complement each other to give your skin the care it deserves. First, let’s take a quick look at the individual benefits of hyaluronic acid and peptides, so we understand how they help keep the skin healthy and glowing.
Skincare Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid
Hydration: As a humectant, hyaluronic acid helps retain water in the skin, keeping it moisturized and enhancing the skin’s protective barrier.
Anti-aging: It visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by plumping the skin.
Smoother Texture: Helps rejuvenate the skin, leaving it feeling smoother and softer.
Skin Regeneration: Stimulates skin cell renewal, resulting in a healthier-looking complexion.
Brightening: Helps reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and acne scars for clearer, more even-toned skin.
For more on hyaluronic acid, check out our detailed blog post on this versatile ingredient.
Skincare Benefits of Peptides
Skin Barrier Repair: Peptides help strengthen the skin’s barrier, making it more resilient to environmental stressors like pollution and UV rays.
Anti-aging: Peptides help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, promoting firmer, plumper skin.
Antimicrobial: They have antibacterial properties, making them effective in treating acne-prone skin.
Calming and Repairing: Peptides calm inflammation and help repair skin damage.
Collagen Boosting: They stimulate collagen and elastin production, improving skin elasticity and structure.
There’s a lot more to learn about peptides, so don’t miss our in-depth blog post on their many benefits.
Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides Together?
Absolutely! Hyaluronic acid and peptides make a powerful combination that works wonders for the skin. Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps the skin by drawing moisture into the skin’s surface, while peptides work deep within the skin to stimulate collagen production, improve elasticity, and repair damage. Together, these ingredients enhance each other’s effects, ensuring the skin stays hydrated, smooth, and youthful.
When using both ingredients together, apply hyaluronic acid first to lock in moisture, followed by peptides to support collagen production and enhance skin renewal.
What Should You Not Mix with Peptides?
While peptides are generally compatible with many ingredients, there are a few ingredients you should avoid mixing with them:
Acids (AHAs/BHAs): Exfoliating acids like glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid should not be mixed with peptides. These acids can break down the peptide molecules, reducing their effectiveness.
Retinol and Peptides: Interestingly, retinol and peptides are a great combination. Peptides can actually enhance the penetration of retinol, helping it absorb more effectively into the skin, resulting in a more youthful and rejuvenated complexion.
As always, before introducing new ingredients into your skincare routine, perform a patch test to ensure your skin reacts well, and consult a dermatologist if you have concerns.
What Can You Not Mix with Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most versatile skincare ingredients and generally works well with most other ingredients. However, applying excessive amounts of hyaluronic acid can lead to dehydration. When too much is used, it can draw water from the deeper layers of the skin, leading to moisture loss. For optimal results, use products containing hyaluronic acid in moderation, and avoid layering multiple hyaluronic acid-based products.
How Long Does It Take for Peptides to Work?
Peptides can have an immediate impact on the skin, giving it a more radiant and hydrated look right after application. However, the full effects, including improvements in texture, elasticity, and signs of aging, typically take 3-6 months of consistent use to become visible. Patience is key, but the results are worth it!
How Do You Incorporate Peptides Into Your Routine?
Peptides can be used twice a day to keep the skin hydrated, strengthen the skin barrier, and promote healthy aging. They are often found in serums and moisturizers. To incorporate them into your routine, apply peptides in the later stages, after your cleansing and toning steps but before your heavier creams or oils. This ensures the peptides can absorb into the skin effectively.
Do Peptides Tighten the Skin?
Yes, peptides can help tighten the skin by boosting collagen and elastin production. This leads to a firmer, more youthful appearance, particularly around areas where sagging is noticeable, such as the jawline and cheeks. Many experts recommend combining peptides with retinol for a routine that addresses both skin aging and texture. When applying peptide-based products, always use an upward motion to help counteract the effects of gravity and enhance their tightening benefits.
Conclusion:
Hyaluronic acid and peptides are an excellent combination for achieving smooth, hydrated, and youthful-looking skin. These two ingredients complement each other beautifully, with hyaluronic acid providing hydration and peptides boosting collagen production. By using them together in the right order, you can help support your skin’s health and appearance, keeping it radiant and youthful for years to come.
If you have any more questions about skincare or want tips on layering your products, be sure to follow us on Instagram for more updates!
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.