Hydrating Overnight Mask with Peptides

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides acemannan-based wound healing and comprehensive moisturising skin conditioning from the quintessential healing plant.

Why It's Used: The most universally recognised natural healing plant — aloe vera's acemannan polysaccharides, vitamins, and enzymes provide a comprehensive wound healing and soothing profile with thousands of years of documented use.

How It Works: Acemannan (poly-mannose) activates dectin-1 for wound healing immune stimulation. gibberellin promotes fibroblast growth. salicylic acid derivative provides anti-inflammatory. vitamins c and e provide antioxidant. glucomannan provides humectant.

Typically Found In: After-sun products,wound healing,moisturisers,virtually all skin care categories

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – aloe vera gel

Secondary Functions: Redness reduction,anti-inflammatory,calming

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.5%–99%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – from aloe barbadensis leaf

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Plant-derived extract or synthetic.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; ideal for reactive and sensitive skin.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes – particularly recommended for sensitive skin

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Ceramides,panthenol,allantoin,hyaluronic acid,centella asiatica

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Aloe vera's clinical evidence for sunburn relief is among the best for any botanical wound healing ingredient. multiple rcts demonstrate that aloe vera gel reduces healing time of first and second degree burns and sunburns, attributed primarily to acemannan's immunomodulatory wound healing activity and the anti-inflammatory salicylate derivatives providing prostaglandin inhibition.

Last Verified: Cosing database,surjushe et al. aloe vera skin review,cir safety assessment

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Exfoliates dead skin cells, attracts and retains moisture, brightens skin tone, and improves texture.

Why It's Used: Dual exfoliant and humectant – uniquely hydrating vs other ahas. gentler and suitable for normal-to-sensitive skin.

How It Works: Disrupts desmosomes to promote exfoliation at low ph. acts as humectant. also stimulates ceramide synthesis at lower concentrations for barrier support.

Typically Found In: Chemical exfoliants,toners,serums,professional peels

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – alpha hydroxy acid (aha)

Secondary Functions: Humectant,brightening,barrier support,ceramide synthesis

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 2%–10% (daily); 20%–90% (professional); active at ph ≤3.9

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetic or fermentation-derived

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Fermentation-derived from carbohydrates or synthetically produced. both l-form and dl-form used.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 2/5 – low to moderate

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Photosensitizing – spf required. better tolerated than glycolic acid for most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Use with caution – spf required

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Safe at otc concentrations. eu: ≤10% leave-on at ph ≥3.5. mandatory spf advisory.

Works Well With: Niacinamide,ceramides,hyaluronic acid,spf

Avoid Combining With: Retinol in same step; multiple exfoliants simultaneously

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Lactic acid's role as a natural moisturizing factor (nmf) component makes it uniquely hydrating among ahas. ceramide synthesis stimulation at 2% provides barrier benefits complementing exfoliating activity.

Last Verified: Cosing database,stiller et al. lactic acid review,sccs aha opinion

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Niacinamide strengthens the skin barrier, reduces visible pore size, regulates sebum production, fades dark spots, and improves skin texture and tone.

Why It's Used: It is used because it addresses multiple skin concerns at once without irritation, making it suitable for all skin types. it is stable in formulations and pairs well with most other actives.

How It Works: Niacinamide inhibits the transfer of melanosomes (pigment packets) to skin cells, reducing hyperpigmentation. it also stimulates ceramide synthesis to strengthen the skin barrier and reduces inflammation by modulating cytokine activity.

Typically Found In: Serums,moisturizers,toners,cleansers,eye creams,sunscreens,primers

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – vitamin

Secondary Functions: Barrier repair,brightening,anti-inflammatory

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 2%–10% (typical: 5%; higher concentrations may cause flushing in some individuals)

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetically produced

Halal Status: Yes – synthetic origin

Source Notes: Commercially produced via synthesis from nicotinic acid or 3-cyanopyridine. no animal-derived sources used in cosmetic-grade niacinamide.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low; concentrations above 10% may cause temporary flushing in sensitive individuals

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: At concentrations >10%, some users experience niacin flush (transient redness/tingling). generally very well-tolerated.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes – one of the best-tolerated actives for sensitive skin

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Extensively studied and considered very safe. ewg hazard score: 1. no significant systemic toxicity concerns at topical concentrations.

Works Well With: Retinol,peptides,ahas/bhas,hyaluronic acid,ceramides,zinc,vitamin c,spf

Avoid Combining With: High concentrations of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) may theoretically convert to niacin – use at different times if using pure l-ascorbic acid above 15%

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Niacinamide is a precursor to nad+ and nadp+, coenzymes vital to cellular energy metabolism. its benefits for dna repair and mitochondrial function make it a key ingredient in anti-aging strategies.

Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep,pubmed clinical studies

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Stimulates collagen types i, iii, and iv synthesis in fibroblasts, reducing wrinkles and firming skin.

Why It's Used: Clinically proven signal peptide and the original matrixyl with the strongest evidence base for wrinkle reduction via collagen stimulation. cornerstone of peptide anti-aging formulations.

How It Works: Palmitoyl moiety enables stratum corneum penetration. pal-kttks peptide sequence mimics collagen type i procollagen fragment activating tgf-beta receptor-mediated collagen synthesis in fibroblasts. also stimulates fibronectin and hyaluronan production.

Typically Found In: Anti-aging serums,anti-wrinkle creams,eye treatments,neck creams

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – matrikine signal peptide

Secondary Functions: Collagen type i stimulation,wrinkle reduction,skin firming

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 1–1000 ppm (typically 3–200 ppm)

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetically produced

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis (spps) followed by palmitoylation. commercially supplied in aqueous solution (matrixyl by sederma).

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Exceptional safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Hyaluronic acid,ceramides,retinol,vitamin c,niacinamide

Avoid Combining With: Avoid mixing with high-concentration ahas at same ph (may hydrolyze peptide bonds)

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Lintner & mas-chamberlin (2002) demonstrated pal-kttks upregulates collagen i, iii, and iv as well as fibronectin in fibroblast cultures. a 2.0 ppm clinical trial showed statistically significant wrinkle depth reduction after 4 weeks.

Last Verified: Cosing database,lintner & mas-chamberlin (2002) matrixyl study,gorouhi & maibach peptide review

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Reduces inflammatory cytokine il-6, calms skin inflammation, and stimulates ecm components for anti-aging.

Why It's Used: Used as the anti-inflammatory component of matrixyl 3000 for complementary anti-aging via inflammation-driven aging pathway inhibition.

How It Works: Pal-gqpr mimics immunomodulatory beta-msh peptide. binds mc receptors reducing il-6, a pro-aging inflammatory cytokine that inhibits collagen synthesis. works synergistically with pal-kttks in matrixyl 3000.

Typically Found In: Anti-aging serums,anti-inflammatory formulations,redness relief with anti-aging benefits

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – anti-inflammatory signal peptide

Secondary Functions: Il-6 reduction,anti-inflammatory signaling

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 50–1000 ppm

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetically produced

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthesized by spps with palmitoyl esterification. commercially supplied as matrixyl 3000 with pal-kttks (sederma).

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Exceptional safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Hyaluronic acid,ceramides,retinol,vitamin c,niacinamide

Avoid Combining With: Avoid mixing with high-concentration ahas at same ph (may hydrolyze peptide bonds)

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

The pal-kttks + pal-gqpr combination in matrixyl 3000 addresses two complementary aging pathways simultaneously: collagen stimulation (pal-kttks) and inflammation-driven collagen suppression reduction (pal-gqpr), providing superior anti-aging efficacy vs either peptide alone.

Last Verified: Cosing database,sederma matrixyl 3000 technical data,gorouhi & maibach peptide review

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12