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October 13, 2025
Skincare ingredients are constantly evolving, but in the ever-advancing world of science and technology, two categories have proven their irreplaceable effects on cell regeneration and skin health, remaining timeless and future-proof: growth factors and peptides.
While often mentioned together, they play distinct roles in communicating with skin cells to signal repair, regeneration, and renewal. Furthermore, different growth factors and peptides have completely different mechanisms of action, leading to varied skincare results. Therefore, a deep understanding of these key ingredients is essential for effective anti-aging.
Imagine your skin as a city. Growth factors are the city planners, and peptides are the various departments and agencies that transmit crucial messages in the city. Each of them has a specific task to keep the city running smoothly.
Growth factors are a broad class of large protein molecules that are naturally present in the human body. They are closely related to the health of all our organs. For the skin, the main role of growth factors is to stimulate the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of various cells.
They act like the skin's "master repairers", precisely guiding skin cells such as fibroblasts and keratinocytes to heal wounds, repair damage, and maintain a youthful structure. Therefore, growth factors are crucial for healthy, vibrant skin.
Due to continuous scientific progress, new growth factors are constantly being discovered, so there is no exact number defining their types. However, some of the major growth factor families include:
Our skin's foundation is built from proteins. To maintain its texture, strength, and elasticity, it's essential to continuously replenish proteins in various parts of the skin, such as collagen and elastin.
Peptides, which are made of different amino acids, are part of these proteins. Different sequences of amino acids form various peptides that act as messengers between skin cells, specifically targeting and improving different skin concerns.
Years of research have shown that peptides can target and address specific skincare needs in a very precise way. They give instructions to skin cells on how to activate their building blocks to reverse various signs of aging. Simply put, using skincare products containing peptides is like sending a small team of messengers to the skin, ordering skin cells to perform specific functions, such as building collagen and elastin, smoothing wrinkles, providing intense hydration, promoting wound healing, neutralizing free radicals, and even reducing inflammation.
Since peptides are chains of amino acids with an enormous number of possible combinations, there is no exact number of peptide types. Peptides are typically classified based on the number of amino acids they contain (e.g., dipeptides, tripeptides, polypeptides) or their function in the body. In the context of skincare, peptides are generally divided into four main categories:
Growth factors and peptides are naturally occurring elements in the skin. However, as we age, the production of these vital molecules slows down, leading to visible signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging. Applying these ingredients topically creates a synergistic effect with the skin's natural processes, helping to restore its communication network and prompting skin cells to behave more like their youthful selves.
Furthermore, because they are non-irritating, they can be safely used on all skin types, even those with inflamed skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and rosacea!
Below, we will introduce you to some of the most common growth factors and peptides found in skincare products.
Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is a powerful signaling protein that effectively stimulates the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of skin cells, especially keratinocytes, making it crucial for maintaining skin health and integrity. It accelerates the repair process for damaged skin, including minor wounds and cellular damage caused by inflammation and sensitivity. Additionally, by stimulating cell renewal and promoting the synthesis of collagen and elastin, it helps to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity, enhance firmness and plumpness, and improve skin barrier function, resulting in a more youthful, smooth, and refined complexion.
Clinical data shows that EGF has a significant ability to improve fine lines, wrinkles, radiance, and overall appearance. After three months of continuous use, it can significantly increase skin hydration by up to 69% and improve skin elasticity and firmness by 13%. For atrophic acne scars, a one-month use of EGF resulted in an average improvement of 18.97% in scar volume, and after three months, the average improvement was 27.40%!
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Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) is an important signaling protein. As the skin's "architect", it is mainly responsible for activating the proliferation and activity of fibroblasts to stimulate the synthesis of skin matrix components like collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. This significantly improves skin elasticity, firmness, and plumpness. Studies also show that FGF has a remarkable effect on reducing skin roughness and average wrinkle depth.
Additionally, FGF helps to accelerate the skin's repair process, promote the regeneration of damaged skin, and help improve the overall health and radiance of the skin, while protecting the skin from UV damage, thus fundamentally addressing skin aging from all angles.
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Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) is an important polypeptide that plays a key role in supporting growth and development. Its primary role in skincare is to promote cell growth and maintain the integrity of the skin's structure. IGF-1 maintains skin firmness and elasticity by inhibiting enzymes that break down collagen (collagenase) while inducing new collagen synthesis. IGF-2, on the other hand, stimulates the generation of new epidermal cells, thereby helping to prevent wrinkles and ensuring continuous skin regeneration. These two factors work together to maintain the skin's youthful state, strengthening its structure from the inside out and promoting cell renewal for a fuller, more vibrant complexion. Clinical research shows that products containing IGF can reduce skin wrinkles by 18.7%, improve skin hydration by 45.5%, and reduce pore size by 7.2% in just four weeks.
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Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) is a key regulator of tissue repair and regeneration. It signals to fibroblasts to produce essential components of the extracellular matrix, including collagen and glycosaminoglycans, which are vital for healthy, plump skin. Furthermore, TGF-β plays a central role in the wound healing process, effectively helping to repair damaged skin and strengthen its structure.
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Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2 is a specially designed bioactive peptide that primarily targets progerin, a toxic protein that accumulates with cellular aging and contributes to skin sagging. Research has confirmed that by lowering progerin levels, this peptide helps strengthen the skin's structure, improve its firmness and elasticity, significantly reduce the depth of fine lines and wrinkles, and improve sagging facial contours, thereby restoring a youthful, firm appearance to the skin.
Clinical studies show that after 56 days of use, skin elasticity improved by 11.1%, skin firmness increased by 1.5%, and facial sagging was reduced by 16%. Specifically for the jawline contour, firmness increased by 1% and elasticity improved by 11%, thus demonstrating its ability to enhance skin structure and reduce the appearance of aging.
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The human body has a cellular autophagy system, which acts like a smart scavenger, proactively clearing away old, damaged cellular components such as proteins and organelles, and promoting the regeneration of healthy cells. However, factors like aging, stress, and lack of sleep can accelerate the decline of this autophagy function, causing the accumulation of damaged proteins and organelles that attack surrounding cells and speed up body and skin aging.
Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12 is a cutting-edge autophagy-activating peptide that enhances the cell's own "clean-up" ability, helping to clear away damaged proteins and organelles. By activating this natural process, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12 can maintain cellular health and function, thereby fundamentally improving skin condition. A randomized, placebo-controlled study showed that users experienced a significant improvement in skin elasticity after four and eight weeks of continuous use, while also reducing signs of aging caused by oxidative stress.
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One of the causes of fine lines and wrinkles comes from our constantly repeated facial expressions, such as smiling, frowning, or squinting. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, derived from Botox, works similarly to Botox but without the need for injections or its side effects.
It can locally block nerve signals from being sent to muscles and affect neural transmission in the dermis, preventing facial muscle contraction. This allows the muscles to relax, which helps to smooth out dynamic, static, and fine lines caused by expressions like smiling, frowning, or squinting, while also reducing and preventing the appearance of wrinkles.
It also promotes the skin's natural production of Type I collagen, while reorganizing collagen elasticity, increasing the activity of elastin, and improving skin hydration to further improve fine lines, wrinkles, and skin elasticity. Studies show that continuous use for 30 days can reduce wrinkle depth by up to 30%.
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Acetyl Hexapeptide-37 works with naturally occurring aquaporins in the skin, regulating the movement of water between the epidermal basal layer and the stratum corneum to promote moisture flow from the dermis to the epidermis, thereby enhancing skin hydration from within. This unique mechanism not only improves skin's moisturizing function and balances moisture content between different skin layers but also strengthens the skin barrier. A clinical study showed that it can significantly increase skin hydration while improving mechanical properties and reducing skin anisotropy.
Clinical research also shows that Acetyl Hexapeptide-37 effectively boosts the synthesis rate of Type I collagen by up to 61%, making fine lines and wrinkles less noticeable and the skin firmer and more youthful.
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Copper Tripeptide-1, also known as "GHK-Cu", is a naturally occurring peptide in the human body. When combined with a copper ion, it exhibits powerful regenerative and protective effects. These include stimulating the synthesis of collagen by dermal fibroblasts, increasing the total protein, glycosaminoglycans, and DNA in dermal wounds, and boosting the synthesis of decorin (a proteoglycan that regulates collagen synthesis and wound healing). This ultimately improves skin elasticity, clarity, and firmness, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. One study found that it can reduce wrinkle volume by up to 67%!
It also has unique wound-healing properties, which stimulate the breakdown of unhealthy, oversized collagen in scar tissue and promote the production of healthy collagen. Furthermore, it has significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Beyond the skin, Copper Tripeptide-1 can also stimulate hair growth by promoting the proliferation of hair follicle cells, extending the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle, and increasing blood circulation in the scalp to deliver essential nutrients to the hair follicles. It also helps promote collagen synthesis in the scalp to improve the strength and elasticity of the scalp and hair follicles, leading to healthier hair growth and significant improvements in hair density and thickness.
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Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a collagen fragment that, when applied topically, signals the skin to directly stimulate the proliferation of Type I collagen, glycosaminoglycans (polysaccharide chains attached to central proteins in the dermis, such as hyaluronic acid), and elastin, while also strengthening the epidermis. As a signal peptide, it works directly on skin cells, telling them it's time to "rebuild". Its effects are therefore similar to retinoic acid but without the irritation.
Numerous studies and clinical tests show that using products with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 twice daily for four weeks or more can significantly reduce wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness. It also helps tighten pores and helps the skin maintain its moisture levels.
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Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a highly effective signal peptide that mimics the body's own growth factors, particularly excelling at stimulating collagen synthesis. It can penetrate the epidermis and reach deep into the dermis, activating Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) to initiate the synthesis of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. This helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, firm and lift the skin, and increase skin hydration and elasticity. Additionally, it can inhibit collagen-degrading enzymes and promote healthy skin cell function while detoxifying the skin, thus providing a dual-action approach to preserving a youthful state.
A clinical study showed that after 4 weeks of use, 77% of participants had a noticeable improvement in firmness and elasticity, and 60% of participants' pores were significantly reduced.
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Known commercially as "Matrixyl® synthe'6™", Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 targets six key components of the skin matrix, including Type I, III, and IV collagen, as well as hyaluronic acid. By replenishing the skin's "matrix", it reshapes the skin's structure from within to effectively smooth wrinkles and fine lines.
When this Tripeptide-38 is combined with specific plant extracts, it can also stimulate hyaluronic acid synthesis to reduce lip lines and improve the texture of both the internal and surface of the lips. This effectively increases hydration and softness, making the lips look fuller and plumper.
It also has anti-aging and anti-sagging properties to slow down the aging, shrinking, and thinning of lips due to age.
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Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 is a primarily anti-inflammatory peptide. It effectively reduces cumulative skin damage caused by UV radiation, pollution, stress, and other inflammatory triggers by lowering the levels of inflammatory cytokines called "interleukins". One study showed that the tetrapeptide reduced the number of interleukins by 86% after the skin was exposed to UV radiation. By inhibiting the cellular signals that cause skin inflammation, it also prevents the collagen breakdown caused by chronic inflammation.
Clinical trials have proven that it can also significantly stimulate the proliferation of collagen and elastin in the dermis and boost the skin's own hyaluronic acid production. This effectively reduces fine lines and wrinkles and leads to a firming effect. Furthermore, it has been shown to effectively reduce hyperpigmentation, lighten dark spots, and even out skin tone. Some studies also show it helps alleviate rosacea issues!
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Known commercially as "Matrixyl®", Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is a potent signal peptide that effectively addresses multiple signs of skin aging by mimicking a fragment of Type I collagen. Regarded as a "collagen booster", it stimulates the skin's natural production of Type I, III, and IV collagen, as well as elastin and fibronectin, which are key components of the extracellular matrix. This improves skin elasticity, firmness, and overall texture, fundamentally addressing issues like wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity.
A double-blind study showed that using it twice daily for 28 days quantitatively reduced wrinkle depth by 18%, fold thickness by 37%, and increased skin firmness by 21%. Other studies indicate that after 4 weeks of use, crow's feet wrinkles were reduced by 14.07%, skin elasticity increased by 8.79%, and dermal density increased by 27.63%.
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Tripeptide-1, with the chemical structure Glycyl-Histidyl-Lysine (GHK), is a small signal peptide. Its role in skin care is to transmit instructions to skin cells to promote the synthesis of collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans. This accelerates wound healing, significantly improves skin firmness and elasticity, and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, making the skin smoother and plumper. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and helps strengthen the skin's natural barrier.
Hexapeptide-9, which is widely recognized for its outstanding repair and regeneration capabilities, has a unique function: it rebuilds the Dermal-Epidermal Junction (DEJ). The DEJ is the crucial layer that connects the epidermis and dermis, and a strong DEJ is the foundation for maintaining youthful skin firmness. As we age, the DEJ gradually weakens. Hexapeptide-9 strengthens the DEJ by promoting the synthesis of collagen and laminin, thereby improving skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles from the inside out.
Furthermore, it effectively promotes skin cell renewal and proliferation, stimulates the skin's own collagen synthesis, and accelerates the repair process for damaged skin. It is therefore particularly effective at improving fine lines, wrinkles, and rough skin texture, while also helping to boost skin elasticity.
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Hexapeptide-11 is a multifunctional peptide that can improve skin elasticity. Its mechanism of action is related to promoting skin cell energy production, and fighting against premature cell aging caused by oxidative stress. At the same time, by stimulating the synthesis of key structural proteins in the skin, such as collagen and elastin, it helps to rebuild the skin's support network, thereby reducing fine lines and wrinkles, while improving the skin's overall contour and condition, and slowing down the aging process.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide is a lipopeptide. By mimicking natural signaling between skin cells, it promotes the formation of new, well-organized types I, III, and IV collagen to achieve good overall biological tension (collagen linking, networking, and anchoring), counteracting the breakdown and loss of collagen that occurs with age. By rebuilding and strengthening these support, it helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity, and tighten facial contours.
Clinical studies have shown that this peptide can improve the quality, density, quantity, thickness, and organization of collagen, making the skin's structure up to 10 years younger.
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Soy and Rice Peptides are star ingredients for eye care. They work together by strengthening blood vessel walls and improving microcirculation to significantly reduce pigmentation and fluid accumulation, thereby effectively lightening dark circles and reducing under-eye puffiness. In addition, clinical studies have also confirmed that they can enhance the collagen and elastin network around the eyes and stimulate the synthesis of collagen and glycosaminoglycans, thereby improving various lines around the eyes. After eight weeks of twice-daily use, the improvement in fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, eye bags, and skin moisture content can reach up to 35%.
In addition, they are also highly effective antioxidants that can help skin cells defend against free radicals, inhibit skin inflammation, and reduce oxidative damage.
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Hydrolyzed Silk Peptides are natural small-molecule proteins extracted from silk. Their small-molecule structure allows them to easily penetrate the skin's surface, locking in moisture while brightening skin tone, stimulating collagen proliferation, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and forming a lightweight, breathable protective film on the skin's surface. This protective film effectively guards against external environmental damage and makes the skin feel smoother and softer. Due to its compatibility with the skin's natural structure, hydrolyzed silk peptides can provide an instant smoothing effect and continuously improve skin hydration.
When used in hair care products, the cysteine contained in hydrolyzed silk peptides (an amino acid that supports keratin molecules) helps strengthen hair bonds from root to tip, while improving hair elasticity and locking in moisture, making hair fuller, thicker, and healthier.
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Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3 is a bioactive peptide specifically designed to improve scalp and hair health. It acts directly on the extracellular matrix of hair follicles and, by mimicking natural growth factors, stimulates dermal papilla cell extracellular matrix proteins to promote hair follicle growth and regeneration. It also enhances the structural support of hair follicles and stimulates tissue regeneration by promoting the growth of collagen that connects the hair follicles to the scalp tissue. This ensures a stronger hold for hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes, reducing the factors that lead to thinning, and effectively fighting hair loss. In addition, it can simultaneously strengthen hair, improve scalp circulation, and promote hair, eyebrow, and eyelash growth, while addressing the root cause of hair loss or eyelash and eyebrow shedding.
A recent study reported that this ingredient increased hair follicle length by 35% in just eight days of topical application!
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Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 is an active ingredient composed of biotin (vitamin B7) and tripeptide-1, mainly used to strengthen eyelashes. It increases the cellular adhesion of eyelash follicles, reduces eyelash shedding, and promotes the proliferation and activity of hair follicle cells, making eyelashes longer and thicker. In addition, by strengthening the structure of hair follicles, it ensures that eyelash growth is in a healthy cycle, thereby improving short, thin, and sparse eyelashes. Continued use helps enhance eyelash strength, fullness, and length.
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