It feels a little ironic: peptides—short chains of amino acids —have existed in my body my entire life. Yet I've spent more time thinking, talking, and writing about them in the past six months than ever before. I'm hardly alone. According to Google Trends, searches for "peptides" have climbed 80 percent, while searches for "what is a peptide" are up 70 percent.
The fascination makes sense. In a matter of months, topical peptides have gone from cosmetic chemistry insider speak to skincare's most talked-about ingredient. YSE Beauty launched its Dewy Peptide Serum in March. Dr. Barbara Sturm followed in April. CosRx released one in May, and Remedy announced its own this week. They're suddenly everywhere—but ask what peptides actually do, and the answer is surprisingly murky.
