Peptide Skincare Is the New "It" Ingredient—These Are the Peptide Products I Swear By (2025)

If you keep up with the latest beauty trends, you might have noticed how many new skincare launches are touting peptides in their products. Peptide-rich formulas are popping up everywhere among moisturizers, milky toners, and nourishing lip balms. Allow Dr. Asmi Berry, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles, to explain the hype.

“Peptides are short chains of amino acids that serve as building blocks for proteins, such as collagen and elastin, which keep skin firm and healthy,” she says. “In skincare, peptides act as messengers, signaling the skin to produce more collagen, repair damage, and maintain a strong barrier. Over time, this can help improve firmness, elasticity, and overall skin resilience.” Dr. Berry adds that while everyone can benefit from peptides in their skincare, those with sensitive skin or people experiencing early signs of aging, loss of firmness, or dryness will benefit the most.

After years of over-exfoliating and disrupting my skin barrier, I’ve tried to use more gentle, hydrating formulas over the last year or two. I’ve found that products including peptides have significantly improved how my skin looks and feels. These peptide-rich skincare items, in particular, give me the softest, healthiest skin.

A leader in the skin barrier health space, Skinfix makes several peptide-focused formulas, and this moisturizer (the brand’s hero product) is top-tier. I’ve been using it at night for over three years, and I credit it with helping my skin return to health after over-exfoliating. The texture is thick but easily spreadable, and after applying it at night, it keeps my skin moisturized well into the next day. If you’re looking for a rich moisturizer loaded with peptides, I can’t recommend this one enough.

I love lip balms full of peptides because they have a soft, pillowy texture and give my lips a smooth, super-hydrated finish. I often reach for this one from Rhode because it layers well over lip liner, creates a glass-like shine, and comes in delicious scents (watermelon slice is my favorite).

Another peptide lip balm I swear by is this gem from Ole Henriksen. I use the OG clear one at night as a lip mask and keep the tinted ones in my bag for on-the-go application. This formula does a great job of smoothing the look of lip lines and keeping my lips comfortable for hours on end.

Most facial sunscreens break me out, so when I discovered last year that this one doesn’t, I began using it daily. It’s a physical SPF that contains peptides and vitamin C, which help hydrate and brighten the skin. I adore the lightweight but creamy texture; it feels moisturizing but nongreasy, a rare combination in the SPF category.

Mara kindly sent me a sample of this new launch a few weeks ago to start testing, and I absolutely love it. The fluid texture feels like a hybrid between a toner and a serum, making it a great layering product if you want added moisture in your skincare routine. I often use products with this consistency instead of my face cream under SPF because classic moisturizers layered with SPF can feel too heavy. This formula contains marine collagen peptides, algae, and pearl powder, a combination of hydrating and collagen-supporting ingredients, and I’ve noticed that it’s made my skin smoother and more radiant.