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Editor Tip: Apply this serum on its own or use it to literally boost another serum or moisturizer of your choice.
Key Ingredients: Peptides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin | Who It’s For: Those who don’t want to add another step to their routine
Best Medical-Grade: Alastin Restorative Skin Complex
Why It’s Worth It: Dr. Libby also recommends Alastin’s Restorative Skin Complex, which she mentions is known for its patented TriHex peptides. This innovative, damage-reversing technology has been shown to stimulate collagen and elastin production by removing aged cells and restoring an optimal environment for new batches to flourish. Furthermore, the gel-like formula also contains barrier-restoring ingredients like ceramides and squalane that will help your skin actually maintain and support the aforementioned new collagen and elastin.
Editor Tip: The addition of niacinamide gives it brightening properties, making it a good option for treating signs of sun damage.
Key Ingredients: Peptides, niacinamide, tremella mushroom | Who It’s For: Those with sun damage
Best for Dark Spots: Kinship Brightwave 10% Vitamin-C + Peptide Brightening Serum
Why It’s Worth It: The Kinship Brightwave 10% Vitamin C + Peptide Serum earned a 2023 Best of Beauty Award in the Clean Beauty category for its ability to bottle vitamin C — a famously finicky ingredient — within a consciously designed, cruelty-free formula. It pairs tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate with peptides to brighten and firm skin in one seamless application.
Editor Tip: As with all of Kinship’s formulas, this vitamin C serum contains a prebiotic technology to support the skin barrier.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, collagen peptides, red algae | Who It’s For: Those with hyperpigmentation and dark spots
Best Drugstore: Olay Regenerist Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Face Moisturizer
Why It’s Worth It: Olay Regenerist has been a skin-care staple for what seems like ages (especially in the beauty sphere) but that doesn’t mean the innovations come to a halt. Case in point: The drugstore-friendly brand’s Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Face Moisturizer delivers serious brightening benefits alongside niacinamide, palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, and lactic acid (a type of AHA), which work together to improve cell turnover and support smoother, firmer, and more hydrated skin.
Editor Tip: The noncomedogenic formula is lightly laced with a citrus scent.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, peptides, niacinamide | Who It’s For: Those seeking an all-in-one product
Best for Nighttime: Exuviance Age Reverse Night Lift
Why It’s Worth It: Maximize your beauty rest with a few pumps of Exuviance’s Age Reverse Night Lift, a refreshing night cream packed with AHA (glycolic acid), PHA, and peptides (including Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7) to build new collagen and prevent future breakdown of collagen, boost firmness, and curb the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s almost like a face-lift in a tube.
Editor Tip: Since this contains several exfoliating acids, it’s critical to protect skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen in the AM.
Key Ingredients: Peptides, polyhydroxy acid, gluconolactone | Who It’s For: Anyone who wants overnight benefits