Andrada Pintea 1 , Andrei Manea 1,* , Cezara Pintea 1 , Robert-Alexandru Vlad 2 , Magdalena Bîrsan 3 , Paula Antonoaea 2 , Emöke Margit Rédai 2 and Adriana Ciurba 2

1 Medicine and Pharmacy Doctoral School, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania

2 Pharmaceutical Technology and Cosmetology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania; 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (A.C.)

3 Department of Drug Industry and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania

* Correspondence: 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。

Academic Editors: Maurice Am Van

Steensel and Jean-Luc Poyet

Received: 29 November 2024

Revised: 28 December 2024

Accepted: 8 January 2025

Published: 9 January 2025

Citation: Pintea, A.; Manea, A.; Pintea, C.; Vlad, R.-A.; Bîrsan, M.; Antonoaea, P.; Rédai, E.M.; Ciurba, A.

Peptides: Emerging Candidates for the Prevention and Treatment of Skin

Senescence: A Review. Biomolecules 2025, 15, 88. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/biom15010088

Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract: One class of cosmetic compounds that have raised interest of many experts is peptides. The search for ingredients with good biocompatibility and bioactivity has led to the use of peptides in cosmetic products. Peptides are novel active ingredients that improve collagen synthesis, enhance skin cell proliferation, or decrease inflammation. Based on their mechanism of action, they can be classified into signal peptides, carrier peptides, neurotransmitter inhibitor peptides, and enzyme inhibitor peptides. This review focuses on the main types of peptides and their application in the cosmetic field, underlining their main limitations. One of the most significant drawbacks of cosmetic peptides is their poor permeability through membranes, which limits their delivery and effectiveness. As a result, this review follows the methods used for improving permeability through the stratum corneum. Increasing peptide bioavailability and stability for enhanced delivery to the desired site of action and visible effects have become central points for the latest research due to their promising features. For this purpose, several methods have been identified and described. Physical techniques include thermal ablation (radiofrequency and laser), electrical methods (electroporation, iontophoresis), mechanical approach (microneedles), and ultrasounds. As an alternative, innovative formulations have been developed in nanosystems such as liposomes, niosomes, ethosomes, nanoemulsions, and other nanomaterials to reduce skin irritation and improve product effectiveness. The purpose of this review is to provide the latest information regarding these noteworthy molecules and the reasoning behind their use in cosmetic formulations.

Keywords: cosmetic peptides; anti-aging products; permeability; nano-systems