Remember the old days when you were lucky to find a small peptide floating alone in a serum?
Now, peptide cocktails are all the rage. Blame it on The Ordinary. After they paved the way with Buffet, everyone’s coming out with their own version. About time, too!
The latest peptide cocktail to catch my eye is Medik8 Liquid Peptide. It’s a 30% peptide blend said to fight wrinkles and make you look younger. Does it deliver?
What’s In Medik8 Liquid Peptides?
PEPTIDES TO SLOW DOWN AGING
Let’s start with the stars of the show, the peptides. Medik8 Liquid Peptides includes:
- Argirelox: A “Botox-like” peptide that prevents muscles from contracting with full force. Now they can’t move freely, expression lines look less deep. But the only studies confirming this come from the manufacturer (always take them with a pinch of salt).
- Carnosine: A peptide your body already makes on its own, it prevents glycation (corruption of collagen) by blocking sugars from binding to collagen.Â
- Drone-Targeted Copper Peptide: Copper peptides keep skin in a constant state of repair, making sure everything is working properly. They help skin heal faster, make retinol more tolerable and boost the production of collagen. If your skin’s in good condition, these peptides will just maintain the status quo so you won’t see visible results – but they work. Drone-targeted means these peptides have a GPS that allows them to penetrate the skin enough to reach the collagen-producing cells – but I haven’t found any studies supporting this last claim yet.
- Matrixyl 3000: A combination of two peptides, Matrixyl 3000 is a powerful collagen booster. Most of the studies are done by the manufacturer, but the initial independent research shows it may help treat wrinkles.
Argirelox aside (let’s face it, NOTHING works as well as Botox!), I’m pretty happy with the mix of peptides Medik8 picked.
It’s a varied mix that addresses several causes of aging, getting you covered on all fronts. I just wish we had more research backing up their effectiveness – but the initial results are promising.
Related: What Are The Best Peptides Used In Skincare?
HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN
Medik8 Liquid Peptides uses Sodium Hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid that’s better able to penetrate your skin.
Sodium hyaluronate is a moisture magnet: it attracts moisture from the air and the deeper layers of your skin and dumps it into the surface of your skin.
Once there, this extra moisture plumps up fine lines and wrinkles so they look smaller, softens your skin’s texture and brightens up the complexion, giving it a youthful glow.
P.S. Sodium Hyaluronate is so powerful, it can bind up to 1000 times its weight in water!
Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type
Struggling to put together a skincare routine that minimises wrinkles, prevents premature aging, and gives your complexion a youthful glow? Download your FREE “Best Anti-Aging Skincare Routine” to get started (it features product recommendations + right application order):
Texture
Medik8 Liquid Peptides has a thickish gel-like texture that absorbs in seconds and leaves no sticky residue behind.
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free.
How To Use It
Morning and night, right before moisturiser.
Performance & Personal Opinion
The first thing I’ve noticed about Medik8 Liquid Peptides is how soft it makes my skin. It’s so hydrating, it gives my skin that extra moisture boost it needs in this freezing winter weather.
But did it do anything for my wrinkles? I’m not sure. I can’t say that it made my fine lines incredibly smaller but – can I tell you a secret? – I didn’t expect it to. Shhh!
It’s not that Medik8 Liquid Peptides doesn’t work. It’s that nothing can get rid of wrinkles in a month. Even retinol, which is more powerful than copper peptides, takes two months to affect collagen production!
But I can tell you this: this serum improved the texture of my skin, making it softer and smoother. It helps protect my skin from the winter cold and soothe irritations. If nothing else, it seems to be keeping the status quo – and that’s something I did expect.
Research on peptides is scant, but promising. I do believe this peptide cocktail can help you fight wrinkles so they look smaller, but you need to play the long game here. Expect to see results, but not straight away.
Who Is This For?
If you’ve already using all the anti-aging superstars (retinol, Vitamin C, sunscreen, and niacinamide) and want to go the extra mile, this is for you.
Who Is This NOT For?
If you’re expecting peptides to be the bomb for anti-aging, this’ll disappoint you. Sunscreen + retinol is still your most effective weapon against wrinkles.
Packaging
A see-through bottle with a dropper applicator. Sleek and practical.
Does Medik8 Liquid Peptides Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Target the appearance of expression lines and deeper set wrinkles with this hydrating 30% peptide cocktail. | True, but don’t expect extraordinary results in a few weeks. |
| The needle-free formula helps to fight expression wrinkles by minimising muscle contractions while stimulating collagen synthesis. | It has ingredients that have been proven by the manufacturer to do this. |
| Fine lines and wrinkles fade effortlessly away, elasticity is rejuvenated and skin texture is perfectly refined. | It helps with anti-aging, but this claim is totally over the top. NOTHING fades wrinkles effortlessly away. |
Price & Availability
£45.00 at Medik8
Do You Need It?
It depends.
If you’re under 30, you’re still better off with vitamin C and sunscreen. Once you reach the big 3-0, up your game with retinol.
If, after that, you still need the extra help in the antiaging department and your wallet won’t feel the hit, that’s when it’s time to add Medik8 Liquid Peptides to your skincare routine.
Related: Are Copper Peptides More Effective Than Retinol At Fighting Wrinkles?
Dupes & Alternatives
- The Ordinary “Buffet” ($12.70)
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Heptapeptide-14 Pantothenate, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Carnosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Tetrapeptide-21, Sodium Hyaluronate, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dunaliella Salina (Green Algae) Extract, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pantolactone, Phenylpropanol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum.
What do you think about the Buffet. Do you think its good if you can’t afford the Medic 8?
Christina, I personally saw better results from Medik8 than Buffet, probably because of the added copper peptides and hyaluronic acid.
Hi, can a copper peptide serum like Paula’s choice be layered under differin or tretinoin? Thanks for all your help!
Sylvia, yes you can.
Thanks you for your great review. What do you think about Copper Amino Isolate Serum 2:1 from NIOD? Could it be better than this Medik8 peptide? 🙂
Hang, they’re different products. Copper peptides have way more research to prove their effectiveness in firming skin than all the peptides in here, so if that’s what you’re looking for go with CAIS. Medik8 is more for hydration and improving texture.