13 Best Peptide Creams to Smooth the Look of Fine Lines

Peptides are multitasking chains of amino acids that are naturally occurring in the body, but within the best peptide creams, can be combined to do the absolute most for your skin—protecting its upper layer, ramping up collagen and elastin production, accelerating wound healing, and so much more. People usually look to peptides specifically, though, for their ability to smooth over fine lines. They've long been touted as a non-invasive, topical way to emulate injectable-like results.

For people with skin sensitivities, board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, of New York City's Idriss Dermatology, says peptides are a gentler alternative to retinoids (which can be less tolerated on certain skin types). There are also many ways to get your hands on them, whether in serum or cream form. Here, 13 of the very best peptide moisturizers, as suggested by dermatologists and our staffers.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum, $148
• Best for Expression Lines: BeautyStat Peptide Wrinkle Relaxing Moisturizer, $61
• Best for Mature Skin: Filorga Time-Filler 5XP, $98
• Best For Dry Skin: Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream, $54
• Best for Oily Skin: Youth to the People Polypeptide-121 Future Cream, $68
• Best for Combination Skin: Shani Darden Hydration Peptide Cream, $60
• Best for Redness: Beautypie Youthbomb Biologic Collagen Peptide Cream, $88
• Best Value: Fig. 1 Ceramide Moisturizer, $34
• Best for Deep-Set Wrinkles: Medik8 Liquid Peptides Serum, $64
• Most Soothing: Isomers Matrixyl-4 Pur Collagen Peptide Serum, $89

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who should use peptide moisturizers?
• Can you layer peptide creams with other AHAs and retinol?
• How should a person shop for peptide moisturizers?
• Are there any notable peptides to look out for?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: SkinCeuticals P-Tiox

Why it’s worth it: While not technically a cream, SkinCeuticals' P-Tiox Modulating Peptide Serum was mentioned by nearly every dermatologist we spoke to as an exciting new launch with potent ingredients. It contains an advanced peptide complex that Philadelphia-based board-certified dermatologist Nazanin Saedi, MD, says "helps soften expression lines," plus a mix of polyhydroxy acid, niacinamide, and antioxidants for improving your skin tone and appearance. "After using it for seven days, I see an improvement in the appearance of fine lines and texture," Dr. Saedi adds. Board-certified dermatologist Michelle Henry, MD, founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan, is also a fan, stating that the serum is "a good example of a neuropeptide that helps with fine lines and wrinkles."

Count shopping contributor Deanna Pai, who applies it after vitamin C, among the sizeable fanbase: "I use this in between my neuromodulator appointments. It helps slow the roll of my forehead lines and can target expression lines where injectables can’t, like around my mouth."

Key ingredients: advanced peptide complex, PHA, niacinamide, and laminaria extract | Fragrance-free? yes

Best for Expression Lines: BeautyStat Peptide Wrinkle Relaxing Moisturizer

Why it’s worth it: BeautyStat mixes up a proprietary blend of peptides and hexapeptides in its Wrinkle Relaxing Moisturizer, plus a special ingredient: snail toxin. According to the brand, the snail toxin nourishes the skin while smoothing over fine lines, and is helped along by ceramides, coconut oil, and shea butter to maximize soothing and hydration. “I’ve always been told I’m an expressive person—sometimes I let my face speak for itself! However, that means forehead lines and furrows are a big concern," says commerce editor Sarah Han. “I can’t say I know how to explain the science behind this hexapeptide formula, but it feels oh so silky and luxurious, rich but not heavy, and has helped soften the look of my forehead lines."

Key ingredients: C22 Conotoxin Peptide+, hexapeptide, glucosamine.4 | Fragrance-free? yes

Best for Mature Skin: Filorga Time-Filler 5XP

Why it's worth it: Filorga Time-Filler 5XP's specialty is filling in and minimizing the look of wrinkles. Whether you've got expression lines, deep wrinkles, surface wrinkles, dehydration wrinkles, neck wrinkles—or a combination—Filorga has crafted a potent cream inspired by in-office procedures like botulinum toxin injections, peels, and thread lifts to seriously smooth and hydrate your complexion. Ingredients to thank are peptides, sea fennel extract, and kangaroo flower extract, as well as the French brand's signature, NCEF (New Cellular Encapsulated Factors); as of 2024, NCEF contains 10 active ingredients, including low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to penetrate deeper skin layers, ergothioneine to deflect environmental stressors, and arginine to encourage collagen production.

Key ingredients: peptides, sea fennel extract, kangaroo flower extract, encapsulated hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-free? no

Best For Dry Skin: Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream

Why it's worth it: For anyone who's been struggling with dry weather conditions, Skinfix's Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream goes to work repairing the skin barrier and plumping skin with a compound combining lipids, vitamins, and five signal peptides. Board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, of New York City's Idriss Dermatology, previously described the moisturizer as "super creamy and hydrating, and exactly what you need on a cold, dry winter night to restore and repair your skin barrier."

It additionally features hydrating glycerin and nourishing shea butter, winning over our staffers in 2019 to earn a Best of Beauty Award for a moisturizer for dry skin. Its larger sizes come with push-top packaging that even ensures you don't have to dip your finger into a jar first before smoothing the product onto your skin.

Key ingredients: skin lipid complex, glycerin, nutripeptides, and seaweed hyaluronate complex | Fragrance-free? yes

Best for Oily Skin: Youth to the People Polypeptide-121 Future Cream

Why it's worth it: With its Polypeptide-121 Future Cream, Youth to the People lives up to its name by delivering a skin-tightening, moisturizing blend for younger-looking skin. Two of our staffers with oily skin types, who have previously gravitated toward lighter water- and gel-based creams, were taken by its "airy, whipped texture," despite being a heavy-duty cream. Allure's commerce producer Sarah Hoffman, who tested it after it won a Best of Beauty Award in 2022, originally noted that "it absorbed quickly and didn't leave a film across my skin that would sit there for hours before disappearing."

Associate beauty editor Annie Blay was similarly converted by its non-greasy, yet deeply moisturizing formula that she says has helped fill in her fine lines over time. Board-certified dermatologist James Y. Wang, MD—who founded Metropolis Dermatology in Los Angeles— told us at the time that these hydration-boosting effects are common with a type of peptide in it called polypeptide-121, which "can help boost overall skin health and help fight additional damage to the skin barrier."

Key ingredients: peptides; rice, flax, and pea plant proteins; ceramides | Fragrance-free? yes

Best for Combination Skin: Shani Darden Hydration Peptide Cream

Why it's worth it: Developed by aesthetician Shani Darden, this peptide cream has a balanced, oil-free formula that hydrates without triggering any breakouts. It's been a major boon for Allure contributor Deanna Pai, who uses it twice a day and previously told us that "it's the only formula that seems to balance my combination skin without clogging pores." She adds that "it sinks in quickly while feeling nourishing enough to smooth and soften my skin," many thanks to the squalane and plumping peptides in it.

Key ingredients: squalane, niacinamide, peptides | Fragrance-free? yes

Best for Redness: Beautypie Youthbomb Biologic Collagen Peptide Cream

Why it's worth it: Youthbomb has to be one of the best names out there for a peptide cream, and this one makes no bones about youthful skin. The peptide-heavy formula looks to several lifting and firming peptides, plus botanical extracts in many forms for soothing and hydrating. Since this formula is created in Japan, it also makes use of local ingredients like ume fruit (a.k.a. Japanese plum), a rich source of antioxidants, along with a special Japanese grass extract with redness-reducing properties similar to those of cica.

Key ingredients: niacinamide, peptides, and shea butter | Fragrance-free? yes

Best Value: Fig. 1 Ceramide Moisturizer

Why it's worth it: When Fig. 1 burst onto the scene a couple of years back, its products were refreshingly unflashy and minimally branded, but nonetheless potent. And over the months I spent testing out these products—all packaged in sturdy glass bottles with replaceable tubes of product in each of them—I was really impressed by how well they helped ease my late-twenty-something skin into its "Saturn returns, losing elasticity" era.

The lightweight moisturizer—bolstered by ceramides, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and a peptide complex—has helped deeply hydrate my dry skin without inflaming its easily sensitized upper layer. It's also refreshingly affordable compared to other peptide moisturizers and gentle enough to use day and night. The only thing I wish is that there were more product in each bottle for the price, but it's already at such a good price for the ingredients that it's tough to complain.

Key ingredients: ceramides, Matrixyl 3000, and hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-free? yes

Best for Deep-Set Wrinkles: Medik8 Liquid Peptides Serum

Why it's worth it: When your expression lines or crow's feet are deeper than you'd like, or you're refining your mature skin routine, you may need to call in the big guns. Just short of using needles, this Medik8 serum does some heavy lifting with an A-team of hydrators, firmers, and plumpers. It's a 30% blend of several well-researched peptides (read more on those in our FAQs) that are formulated to sink deep into skin, along with hyaluronic acid for hydration. Dr. Kim likes that it's lightweight, not too expensive compared to other similar options, and contains both Matrixyl 3000—a combination of two collagen-boosting peptides—and copper peptides for fine line reduction.

Key ingredients: glycerin, hyaluronic acid, Matrixyl 3000, copper peptides, and argireline | Fragrance-free? yes

Most Soothing: Isomers Matrixyl-4 Pur Collagen Peptide Serum

Why it's worth it: If you're looking for another lightweight yet potent serum in this space, this writer has enjoyed using Isomers' collagen peptide-enhanced option as a nighttime serum. Isomers is a pretty no-frills, lab-based brand that focuses on science-backed formulas, and this Collagen Peptide Serum is no exception. It combines multiple peptides in one formula, including Matrixyl 3000 (read more about it below) which many call "Botox in a bottle." There's also hyaluronic acid and glycerin involved, which boosts its hydration power.

Key ingredients: allantoin, collagen peptides, glycerin, and Matrixyl 3000 | Fragrance-free? yes

More Peptide Moisturizers We Like:

Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer

Why it's worth it: You can always count on Paula's Choice to do its research on ingredients, and the lineup is stacked in its Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer. Originally formulated with retinol, this new version calls on tri-peptide 5 to help enhance skin elasticity instead for a gentler alternative that's less irritating to skin. As the name suggests, the formula also goes big on repairing the skin barrier by tapping cholesterol to soften and smooth skin as it shores up your epidermis. The watermelon seed oil and ceramides in it also contribute to the light, creamy texture that boosts plumpness upon application.

Key ingredients: ceramides, tri-peptide 5, and watermelon seed oil | Fragrance-free? yes

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Overnight Treatment

Why it's worth it: A blend of firming peptides, nourishing shea butter, and hydrating hyaluronic acid makes this Estée Lauder night cream a serious contender for medicine cabinet MVP. It melts into skin without any sticky residue, and feels like an indulgence after a long day. As senior beauty editor Paige Staples (a longtime devotee) previously told us, "A thin layer of this cushiony cream is really all I need to wake up looking refreshed and glowing—even when eight hours of beauty sleep is out of the question."

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, shea butter, polyglutamic acid | Fragrance-free? yes

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

Why it's worth it: Drunk Elephant's Protini Polypeptide Cream uses nine plant-derived peptide growth factors which are designed to mimic the function of ones you'd find in your own body. The result? A creamy, bouncy formula that helps enhance skin elasticity, rounded out by red algae for intense hydration. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shereene Idriss, MD, previously talked up the gel-like texture of this cream, which she says, "allows it to hydrate and nourish the skin instantly, leaving you looking and feeling your smoothest."

Key ingredients: peptides and red algae extract | Fragrance-free? yes

Olay Collagen Peptide Max Cream

Why it's worth it: Olay's Collagen Peptide Max Cream sells itself as a product that delivers collagen boosters deeper into the skin than they normally go. That's because it's loaded with peptides like palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 and palmitoyl dipeptide-7 known for deeply penetrating skin to boost the appearance of fine lines. This cream is one that Dr. Saedi recommends for "great anti-aging benefits," which she chalks up to the collagen peptides in it, plus the niacinamide in the formula that enhances skin radiance and hydration.

Key ingredients: collagen peptides, glycerin, and vitamin B3 | Fragrance-free? yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Peptides are generally considered safe to use without major risks of skin irritation. They're usually deployed for their potency as wrinkle reducers, which is why board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, of New York City's Idriss Dermatology, says he finds it more helpful for people to start using them in their late twenties, early thirties, and onwards when your body starts to lose collagen at a more rapid pace.

Still, Washington, DC-based board-certified dermatologist Adam Friedman, MD, who recently co-authored a study on peptides in skin care, notes that prevention is key. He thinks that people even younger can start adding peptides into their routine if they feel called to. “There is sufficient data with respect to the decline in collagen, even within your mid-twenties,” he explains, adding that peptides shouldn't be used in isolation without skin protectors like sunscreen that will really do the legwork of protecting your skin against wrinkles long-term.

Peptides are naturally found in the skin, and Dr. Kim notes they should be gentle enough to use in concert with other ingredients like retinol and AHAs, or as a skin-soothing stand-in on days you're not using AHAs and retinols but want to keep up an effective skin-boosting routine throughout the week.

Dr. Friedman is more hesitant on that front, noting that he would avoid pairing retinol with peptides at the same time, and instead would space them out. If you have especially sensitive skin, one way to determine your limits is test-patching a peptide moisturizer over a retinol serum or after using an AHA face wash, for example, for potential irritation. And keep in mind that other ingredients included in a peptide moisturizer can also contribute to skin irritation, as well.

For any kind of skin-care product, Dr. Kim says to keep in mind what works for your individual skin type and sensitivities (whether that's a texture preference or a certain base) above all, rather than just obsessing over ingredient lists.

Generally, the dermatologists we surveyed for this story also suggested peptide serums over thicker moisturizers, though Dr. Henry noted that both are helpful. "If you're looking to see the biggest change, a serum is going to give you the most concentrated version of a peptide treatment," she explains since they include higher concentrations of active ingredients than creams.

Peptides aren't as straightforward to spot in an ingredient lineup as something like glycerin or hyaluronic acid since there are so many different kinds out there that perform different functions. However, there are a few with skin-smoothing benefits worth looking out for. Dr. Kim calls out Matrixyl 3000 and copper tripeptides as two of the most well-studied types of peptides out there. "There's a lot of research out there on how [Matrixyl 3000, a combination of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7,] boosts collagen production," Dr. Kim says, adding that manufacturer studies have shown a reduction in wrinkles and more elastic skin among participants who have used the peptide topically twice a day over at least two months. "It's not going to erase your fine lines and wrinkles, but it will soften them," Kim explains.

Copper tripeptides similarly help with collagen production, Dr. Kim says, and boast anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits. Another one that's gaining a lot of attention is argireline, or hexapeptide-8, which he says people liken to Botox in a bottle because it's been shown to soften fine lines and affect nerve-to-muscle communication for a certain stiffness. Still, he cautions people to be realistic with their expectations of these peptides. "These things are not going to reduce wrinkles the way medical treatments will."

• Adam Friedman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Washington, DC
• Michelle Henry, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan in New York City
• James Y. Wang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder Metropolis Dermatology in Los Angeles
• David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology in NYC

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best peptide creams, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

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Hydrated skin is happy skin. Read more about our favorite science-backed solutions:

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