PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE PRO-COLLAGEN MULTI-PEPTIDE BOOSTER - What Is Collagen? Does Collagen Really Help Skin? Can You Rebuild Collagen in Your Skin?
PAULA’S CHOICE | PRO-COLLAGEN MULTI-PEPTIDE BOOSTER
I make no secret of the fact that my favorite skincare brand is Paula’s Choice.Why would I keep that a secret?!
I don’t mean to imply that I don’t have great admiration for other brands – or that they don’t do a stellar job of making some of the best anti-aging serums, face creams for sensitive skin, or Vitamin C serums.
Among the brands I consider to be top shelf in my 5-foot long medicine cabinet are The Inkey List, The Ordinary, Naturium, Drunk Elephant and Skinfix – the brand behind superstar Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream.
In fact, I consider Skinfix’s iconic face cream to be the best dry skin moisturizer on the market. It’s my go-to face cream from November to March. And I know I’m not alone! My beloved TLPC ranks consistently in the top ten of Sephora’s “bestselling moisturizers.” Whenever people ask me, which moisturizer is best for very dry skin?, I always start off my list of recommendations with Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream.
You can catch my Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream review on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SKINFIX BARRIER+ TRIPLE LIPID-PEPTIDE FACE CREAM – BEST FACE CREAM FOR DRY SKIN
But I have to have an answer ready when people ask me general questions like what is the best skincare brand? and which are the best skincare products for their skin concerns.
So, yes, I always answer Paula’s Choice first.
My favorite product from the Paula’s Choice brand also happens to be my favorite skincare product of all time – the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster. Taking the advice of that classic American Express commercial, I don’t leave home without it. I just got back from a weekend trip to Sarasota, Florida, and made sure to have a bottle of it with me!
The 25 Best Skincare Brands of 2023
Discover this curious compilation of the “best skincare brands” from the beauty experts at Birdie here. It includes some of my faves – and several I don’t care for (and don’t know why they’re on the list)!
I don’t go a day without my fave Niacinamide serum! I’ve fessed up that I go through a bottle of the antioxidant-powered 10% Niacinamide Booster skin brightening serum about once every 2-3 weeks. So any time (and it’s often!) that the brand offers a discount on their website, I stock up! Without a doubt, the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster is the best anti-aging serum on Earth. Period.
I credit its exceptional cocktail of potent pro-skin health actives for helping me maintain my skin’s youthful qualities. Paired with sunscreen and a lipid-replenishing face cream like the Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer, I’ve got just about everything my skin needs each day (aside from a gentle cleanser and a hydrating toner). Catch my Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster review on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE 10% NIACINAMIDE BOOSTER – BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM TO UNCLOG PORES
But I’m a skincare blogger and a beauty copywriter. My curiosity runs deep. Yes, my skin could be perfectly happy and healthy if I were just to use the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster and other essentials for the rest of my days on Earth. My need for knowledge and discovery of ingredients, products, and new technologies is insatiable. All that to say, I need to try new things.
In fact, I need to try everything!
And that inquisitive nature has me knee-deep in peptides over the last several weeks. It has nothing to do with me being suddenly and inexplicably obsessed with peptides. It’s everyone else’s fault! Peptides are trending and skincare marketers clearly believe they need to ride (and drive!) the trend.
Since the beginning of the year, I’ve reviewed the $19 Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer – one of the best anti-aging face creams under $20. That was followed two weeks later by my The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum review. At $25, it’s one of The Ordinary’s most expensive products – ever. But the new peptide-powered dream for eyes is worth every drop. Catch my review of it on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY MULTI-PEPTIDE EYE SERUM
In fact, the latest ingredient wave centered around multiple types of peptides was supercharged when The Ordinary jettisoned their iconic “Buffet” peptide serum by renaming, repositioning and repackaging it as the Multi-Peptide + HA Serum. You see, they needed to get the trendy word into the name. Apparently, the buffet wasn’t satisfying!
And it worked. My The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum review is the most popular article on the entire Skincarma Blog as I write this – with no end in sight. Feeling the #fomo? Catch my new review of it here.
So what is it about peptides that make them the hottest ingredient in skincare right now? Niacinamide is so two years ago! I think there’s a lot going into this new ingredient trend.
First is the ongoing trend toward education, and specifically the focus on individual ingredients and their benefits for the skin. Brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List are the OG’s, having pioneered that.
Today, we’re all interested in education about skincare and ingredients. We crave real answers to questions like: What are peptides? What do peptides do for the skin? Do peptides for skin really work? and Is collagen a peptide? (More on that below!)
PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY MULTI-PEPTIDE + HA SERUM - BEST PEPTIDE SERUM
Next is a craving for authenticity and legitimacy. Gone are the days of the vague, intriguing complex names driving product positioning and marketing. When it comes to over-hyped anti-aging creams and face serums for wrinkles, the gig is up.
Does anyone really believe that a $200 jar of Crème de la Mer Moisturizer or the $370 Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Serum are legitimate anti-aging products worth their weight in gold? There’s nothing “super” about her serum. What about the $132 bottle of Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique? It’s the brand’s longstanding bestseller. And it’s all nonsense and spin. I have news for the marketers at these skincare brands: your days are numbered.
People want what’s real and what works – not what’s boosted by big beauty marketing budgets to make us think they work. And ingredients like peptides, antioxidant vitamins, sun filters and Retinol are the real anti-aging heroes. Products packed with these deliver authentic pro-skin health benefits that can prevent signs of skin aging and even help repair the damage once it’s done.
IS IT REALLY A SCAM?
Find out on my TikTok channel.
I want to answer that earlier question: Is collagen a peptide? To do so, I sought out the experts on the Paula’s Choice research team. They’ve recently published an in-depth, well-sourced article titled, What Are Peptides and What Do They Do for Skin? You can access it here. An excerpt from the piece:
Proteins, like collagen and elastin, are the fundamental building blocks of skin. Without peptides and proteins, skin doesn’t remain intact. The result is loss of firmness, the appearance of wrinkles, textural changes and skin that doesn’t bounce back as it once did.
Recently collagen peptides have gotten a lot of attention– both in supplements and in topical skin care products. Yet there’s a bit of misunderstanding when it comes to the benefits of collagen peptides (also referred to as hydrolyzed collagen).
Unfortunately, for topical use, this specific form of peptide cannot help prompt collagen regeneration or repair within skin. Its molecule size is just too large to penetrate skin. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s not beneficial to skin. This buzzy ingredient functions as a humectant, meaning it helps attract and bind water to skin, increasing hydration. In turn, this promotes a dewy, smooth appearance.
Research shows these peptides (which can be extracted either from plant or animal collagen) have benefits when used in both topical and supplement applications.
Best Paula’s Choice Products
Before I get to my Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster product review, I wanted to explore more of what collagen is and how it functions in the skin. To do that, I sought out the artificial intelligence technology at you.com for answers to a few key questions. Here’s how the AI responded to the following queries:
1. What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a structural protein that is found in the skin, muscles, bones, and connective tissue. It is the most abundant protein in the human body and is responsible for providing structure and strength to these tissues. Collagen is made up of amino acids and is produced naturally by the body.
Sources: [1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen [2] https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/collagen-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-do [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339866/
2. Does Collagen Really Help Skin?
Numerous studies have shown that collagen can help improve skin health, with some studies showing that taking up to 10 grams (g) of collagen peptides per day can improve skin elasticity [1], hydration, and collagen density. Here are some sources and links that provide further information on the use of collagen for skin health.
Sources: [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5490444/
3. Can You Rebuild Collagen?
Yes, you can rebuild collagen in your skin. Collagen is the protein found in healthy skin [1], joints, muscles, and bones. Increasing collagen production can help to improve skin health and appearance. To rebuild collagen in your skin, you should focus on increasing your intake of amino acids and proteins, as these are the building blocks of collagen. Eating a balanced diet rich in lean proteins, such as fish, seafood, skinless chicken breasts, eggs, and legumes, can help to boost your collagen production. Additionally, you can supplement your diet with collagen peptides, which are hydrolyzed proteins that are more easily absorbed by the body. Other supplements, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin A, can also help to promote collagen production. Finally, using skin care products containing retinol, antioxidants, and exfoliants can help to stimulate collagen production in the skin.
Sources: [1] What to Do When Your Collagen Depletes
4. How Can I Get Collagen Naturally?
You can get collagen naturally by consuming foods that are rich in collagen. Such foods include bone broth, fish, eggs, and dairy. Red and green peppers, kiwifruit, and citrus fruits are also good sources of collagen. Additionally, some supplements are made from animal sources such as bovine skin and tendons, porcine skin, or chicken. Here are some helpful links for more information on collagen sources and foods that contain collagen:
Sources: [1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-collagen; [2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-collagen-supplements
5. Product Review
Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster Review
As my favorite skincare brand, there really is no company I trust more than Paula’s Choice to get it right. They simply create legitimate anti-aging serums that deliver true pro-skin health benefits without the fluff. No hyperbole. No bullshit marketing claims. No fake ingredient complexes. Just skincare products you can trust to promote the health of your skin.
So I was super excited to add the new Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster to my treatment step. Along with two other go-to face serums from Paula’s Choice – the 10% Niacinamide Booster and Vitamin C face serum, the C15 Super Booster serum – I now have a trio of pro-skin health serums that infuse my skin with vitamins, antioxidants and, yes, collagen peptides.
Suddenly, I’m using peptides both AM and PM. That’s new for me in 2023. In the morning, I use The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide + HA Serum to rehydrate and plump my skin. In the evening, I apply The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide Eye Serum around my eyes and layer the new Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster between the toning and moisturizing phases of my PM skincare routine.
The texture of the new Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster is kinda everything. It’s slightly pulpy and is quickly absorbed by my skin. Of course, it’s the dry period of the year here in Brooklyn and my skin would absorb chocolate pudding if I applied it.
I know, that sounds sticky. And that’s kind of unfair because Paula’s new Collagen booster serum isn’t the least bit sticky!
But its texture isn’t what makes the new Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster so unique and a winner for your skin. Since it’s Paula’s Choice, this should come as no surprise: what makes it so unique and innovative is the peptides.
I’ve kept my eye on a multitude of anti-aging peptide serums and face creams with peptides for a while now. And their peptide technologies always seem to be the same. You’re probably familiar with the trademark peptide complex called Matrixyl 3000. It’s been everywhere, in everything for years.
CATCH THAT TEXTURE
ON TIKTOK!
What is Matrixyl 3000?
Well, the popular, futuristic peptide complex was developed and patented by Sederma – a French pharmaceuticals company. Matrixyl 3000 is composed of two distinct peptides: palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, both commonly found on product INCI’s.
Matrixyl 3000 is used by numerous brands in their anti-aging serums to prompts cells to produce more collagen and as a result, plump and firm the skin.
The peptide complex is found in products you may be familiar with. In fact, it’s the signature peptide technology featured in The Ordinary’s $17.50 Multi-Peptide + HA Serum! Did you think the brand’s revamped peptide serum was innovative? It is not.
The Matrixyl 3000 peptides are also found in Youth To The People’s Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum and the Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum – though both of these contain additional peptide technologies.
CATCH SKINCARMA
ON TIKTOK!
What’s exceptional about the Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster is that the new anti-aging serum is powered by three completely new peptide technologies with distinct benefits for your skin.
Tridecapeptide-1 helps to smooth out surface lines and, in particular, expression lines.
sh-Polypeptide-121 helps to increase elasticity in the skin.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide targets collagen in the skin.
None of these were found in a single skincare product before the Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster was brought to market last month. And, according to Paula’s Choice, these three innovative peptides are behind the exceptional efficacy of the new collagen serum.
In fact, the brand claims that it’s “clinically proven to visibly firm, plump & reduce wrinkles in 4 weeks.” All of it backed up by clinical testing – unlike Dr. Barbara Sturm’s $370 Super Anti-Aging Serum.
Beyond the formula’s peptides, there are multiple humectants, antioxidant botanicals and even nutrient dense substances like Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract. All good stuff for your skin!
What I like about it: The Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster is one of the most innovative anti-aging serums with peptides on the market today. I love the texture, love how well it layers into a routine – and love its clinically proven results.
What I don’t like about it: It’s $58, which I find a bit pricey and out of reach for many people. But, you at least get your money’s worth with a legitimate skincare product – unlike so many skincare scams you’re spun to believe in. And, the brand regularly offers a discount, often 25% site wide.
Who it’s for: All skin types.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster for $58 here.
The Ingredient List of the Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster:
Water (Aqua/Eau), Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Dimethicone, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-72 Amide, Sh-Polypeptide-121, SYN®-TC, Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Tridecapeptide-1, Polyglucuronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, C9-12 Alkane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hexylene Glycol, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate.
MY TOP VITAMIN C PICKS FW21: NEW VITAMIN C SERUMS I’M CRUSHING ON FROM ALGENIST, NATURIUM AND MORE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUMS FOR CLOGGED PORES AND A BRIGHTER COMPLEXION
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
SKINCARE HACKS: GLYCOLIC ACID IS THE NATURAL DEODORANT THAT WORKS!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
MY FAVORITE HUMECTANT SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST, GHOST DEMOCRACY AND MORE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
COOL CLEAN FACIAL SUNSCREENS TO KEEP US SAFE AND SMILING IN THE SUN!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE OPULUS BEAUTY LABS RETINOL SYSTEM – THE COOLEST RETINOL INNOVATION I’VE EVER SEEN
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
MY 2021 VITAMIN C PICKS + THE BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS TO BRIGHTEN UP THE COMPLEXION!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
MY WINTER SKIN SAVIOR: SKINFIX BARRIER+ LIPID REPLENISHING SKINCARE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
A COMPLETE K-BEAUTY ROUTINE WITH THE BEST FACIAL SKINCARE FROM PURITO, COSRX, MISSHA & MORE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE YEAR’S BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS WITH PAULA'S CHOICE, SUNDAY RILEY, THE INKEY LIST AND MORE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
A SELFCARE SUNDAY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART – WITH THE PAULA’S CHOICE 25% AHA PEEL!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
