On social media, falsehoods about cosmetics flourish like bacteria in a loofah. That may be why Javon Ford has so many ardent followers of his fact-filled, research-heavy yet addictively watchable TikTok. He’s a cosmetic chemist who approaches makeup, hair care, and skin care from a science nerd’s perspective. Ford started his career as a nuclear engineer because jobs in the field required less experience (“So random,” he says) but quickly shifted to the work he loves. In his videos, he sounds off on lip oil (“I don’t see the point”), product labels (“Deep conditioners are not very deep”), and claims made by every manufacturer under the sun, including makers of sunscreens. In this first installment of a continuing series, he analyzes a much-discussed ingredient of late, peptides.
It only takes one influencer to say, “Peptides got rid of my wrinkles” and—even if the influencer is 23—people believe it and the trend takes off. Peptides aren’t new, but they’re really big this year.
Peptides are great for hydrating, but people are treating them like some magic pill. Also, they’re really expensive. These skin-care products can cost $100 or more, and some of them claim to have peptides that can replace Botox. A lot of indie brands call one peptide in particular, Argireline, “Botox in a bottle.” And it’s like, no.
First of all, most peptides are too big to be absorbed by the skin. A lot of peptides are polymers, and most polymers are too big. As a chemist, there’s a rule of thumb: If a product has a molecular weight of more than 500 daltons [a unit used to express the molecular weight of proteins], it won’t be able to penetrate the epidermis. Remember around 10 years ago when collagen was being promoted in products? You don’t hear about that anymore because collagen is too big. It can’t pass through the surface layer.
A product has to have the right combination of solvents to go through the lipid barrier. And if they were to do that, then they’d also face the legal issue. If the ingredients penetrate the skin, then that’s a drug claim. So even if these peptides were able to do that, they can’t make that claim unless they’re available by prescription. That’s why the product packaging and ads always say they “reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.” It’s “reduce the appearance,” not “eliminate lines and wrinkles.”
Retinol can penetrate the skin, but some retinols are drugs. For instance, you need a prescription for Tretinoin. They don’t hide their drug claim.
I’ve been asked by several different companies to promote their peptide products on TikTok and Instagram, and I’ve said no. Why? Because I don’t believe in peptides.
Javon Ford is a Los Angeles–based cosmetic chemist
