Am I the only one who is put off by “Botox in a jar” claims?
I get why they’re doing it. Who doesn’t want the benefits of Botox without the needle and the high price tag? (Sign me up, please!).
But am I really supposed to believe a cream can freeze my wrinkles? Pleeeeeeease.
Yet, that’s exactly how Argireline hooks you in. Here’s what it promises (and what it REALLY delivers):
What Is Argireline?
Argireline (full name Acetyl Hexapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide made by Spanish firm Lipotec. Rumour has it, it prevents wrinkles by inhibiting muscle movement.
Here’s how it works. For a muscle to move, it must receive a message from a neurotransmitter. This is a more complicated process than it sounds, so I won’t bore you with all the little details.
You just need to know this: for this message to get through to the muscle, you need to activate something called SNARE complex. This complex is made up of three proteins, VAMP, Sintaxina and SNAP-25.
Argireline is sneaky. It knows how to mimic the protein SNAP-25, taking the place of the real thing in the SNARE Complex. This destabilizes its formation, without breaking any of its components.
If the SNARE complex is destabilized, the muscle can’t move. No movement = no wrinkles (well, no wrinkles caused by facial movement; UV rays, pollution, and co can still cause them).
Related: The Truth About Peptides In Skincare: Do They Really Work?
Need help creating an anti-aging routine that really works? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Anti-Aging Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).
What Does Argireline Do For Skin?
In theory, it helps freeze muscles, so wrinkles won’t show. In practice, here’s what science says.
A study published by the International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2002 shows that a cream with 10% Argireline (way more than the amount usually used in skincare products) applied “on healthy women volunteers reduced wrinkle depth up to 30% upon 30 days treatment”. A good start but I need more than one study to convince my inner sceptic.
A more recent study tested a combo of argireline and tripeptide-10 citrulline and found two things: it helps keep skin moisturised and has some anti-wrinkle activity. But the problem with studies like this is that you can’t be sure if the duo shares the antiaging and moisturising jobs equally or one of them does the heavy lifting.
Either way, there is NO proof that Argireline works as well as Botox.
P.S. If you’re interested in trying argireline, choose a water-in-oil product. Argireline penetrates skin better when there’s plenty of water around.
Related: Treatment VS Prevention: What Really Works Against Wrinkles?
Can Argireline Penetrate Skin?
You know what they say, “What works for one person may not work for another.” That’s true ESPECIALLY with Argireline.
Some women may experience the 30% reduction in wrinkles depth as shown in the study above, but others have NO results at all. They may just as well splash water on their skin.
What’s going on here?
Argireline is very bad at penetrating skin. Even after several hours, it can’t penetrate beyond the uppermost, dead layers of skin. It never reaches deep enough to affect muscle movement.
The thinner your skin is, the higher the chance Argireline can penetrate a little deeper and work a little better. If you’re young and your skin is still fairly thick, you won’t see any difference at all.
Related: Does Your Skin Really Absorb 60% Of What You Put On It?
Can Argireline Damage Skin?
You know how Botox targets one particular muscle? Argireline doesn’t. You put it all over your face.
Some people are worrying that putting too much argireline on your face over a long period of time may freeze it. Sag, even (muscles atrophy when they’re not used).
I personally don’t think this is a big concern because argireline can’t really reach your muscles. But who knows, maybe in the future, we’ll have the technology for that, too!
P.S. Argireline is safe to use. It’s not very effective, but it doesn’t have any other serious side effect.
What Are The Best Skincare Products With Argireline?
I don’t recommend you splurge on a product just because it has argireline yet. But if you really want to give it a try, go with The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%. It has enough argireline to work (it uses the same concentration as the studies), it’s water-based, and is affordable. Just saying.
Related: The Complete Guide To The Ordinary Peptide Serums: Which One Is Right For You?
The Bottom Line
Research on argireline is promising but limited. I wouldn’t buy a product just because it has argireline yet but if you’re curious, go with the cheapest option.
Do you use products with Argireline? Share your faves in the comments below.
Stuff like this kind of scares me. I’d rather age naturally, honestly. I mean…it inhibits muscle movement? Yikes.
Trisha, I’d rather age naturally too. We don’t really know much about Argireline at trhe moment but even if it turns out to be safe, inhibiting muscle movement can’t be a very good idea. Muscles are supposed to move!
I’m with you guys, I want my face to move! Looking good when you are older is great but if parts of your face don’t move then you just look stupid IMHO!
Annabella, I agree with you. It really freaks me out when people start to talk or express feelings with their voices and their faces remain still and nothing moves.. that’s just weird and not a good look. Your face is supposed to move!
This was from five years ago. Is there any new research? I know of some anecdotal evidence from You Tube, using a serum by Skin Deva. Of course, they use so many different anti-aging products, who knows if it’s the Argireline!
Sherry, yes, I’ve found a few new studies. I will update the post with them but in the meantime here’s the gist:
One study tested a combo of acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline and found it helps keep skin moisturised and even has some anti-wrinkle activity: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocd.12314/full
But there’s also research showing that while argireline may help with wrinkles and is able to penetrate the skin, it doesn’t work as well as dermatological procedures: http://www.paulaschoice.com/ingredient-dictionary/skin-restoring/acetyl-hexapeptide-8.html
In a nutshell, it can help make wrinkles look smaller but it’s no alternative to Botox.
any updates?
Rachel, nothing worth mentioning. If it were really that revolutionary as the press makes it out to be, you’d know!