Glossary
Peptide glossary: actives from A to Z
Every peptide on an INCI list, explained briefly and correctly — definition, mechanism and what it actually does in a serum.
- Peptide
- A peptide is a short chain of 2 to roughly 50 amino acids. In skincare it acts as a signalling molecule: it tells skin cells what to produce — collagen, for example.
- GHK-Cu
- GHK-Cu is a tripeptide of glycine, histidine and lysine bound to a copper ion. It activates fibroblasts to build collagen I, III and elastin while slowing collagen-degrading enzymes.
- Argireline (Acetyl Hexapeptide-8)
- Argireline is the trade name for acetyl hexapeptide-8, a hexapeptide that dampens neurotransmitter release at the muscle end plate. Expression lines look softer as a result.
- SNAP-8 (Acetyl Octapeptide-3)
- SNAP-8 is acetyl octapeptide-3, an eight-amino-acid peptide developed as the successor to Argireline. It dampens SNARE complex formation and with it muscle contraction in expression areas.
- Matrixyl (Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4)
- Matrixyl is the trade name for palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, a signal peptide with a fatty-acid anchor. It mimics a collagen fragment and tells skin to build new collagen and hyaluronic acid.
- Signal peptide
- A signal peptide is a peptide that prompts skin cells to produce structural proteins. It mimics the fragments released when collagen breaks down, which skin reads as a repair order.
INCI name: Copper Tripeptide-1
INCI name: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
INCI name: Acetyl Octapeptide-3
INCI name: Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4