Matrixyl™ is the most potent skincare ingredient you’ve never heard of. We think it’s time You Were Introduced
Long story, short:
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Matrixyl™ peptides are matrikines: messages modelled on skin's own signals.
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Synthe'6 supports the materials of the skin's matrix.
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Morphomics, the newer peptide, supports the connections, with visible results on vertical expression lines.
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Find them both in Superdrops Flash Face Lift Intense
Let's talk about peptides. Or rather, one family of them: Matrixyl™, which has been turning up in serious firming formulas for 25 years while flashier ingredients got the headlines.
If you read ingredient lists for fun (no judgement, so do we), you may have spotted one before, hiding under a name like palmitoyl tripeptide-38. If not, you're in good company: Matrixyl™ is far better known in labs than on shelves. One of its newer, more interesting members is Matrixyl™ Morphomics. (Unless you use our Plantastic™ Genius Ginseng™ Power Peptide Cream, in which case: hello again.) Superdrops Flash Face Lift Intense is formulated with it, alongside its older sibling, Matrixyl™ synthe'6. Here's what they do, and what they can do for you.
First things first: what is a Matrixyl™ peptide?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Matrixyl™ peptides are a particular kind called matrikines. They're modelled on the fragments your skin produces when its own supporting matrix (the collagen-rich scaffolding beneath the surface) breaks down. In lab studies, those fragments act as messages to skin cells. In other words: less "here's some new collagen", more "you know how to do this".
Matrixyl™ synthe'6: the all-rounder
Matrixyl™ Synthe'6 has a ‘six’ in its name because in lab studies, it supported six major components of the skin's matrix, including three types of collagen and hyaluronic acid. Think of it as a site manager who checks the scaffolding, the plumbing and the plasterwork in a single visit.
Matrixyl™ Morphomics: the leap forward
Matrixyl™ Morphomics asks a different question. While earlier Matrixyl™ peptides focused on the materials: more support, more scaffolding, Morphomics focuses on the connections.
Using proteomics (the large-scale study of proteins), researchers looked at how the link between skin cells and the matrix around them changes with age. Picture scaffolding that's still standing, but has come loose from the building. In lab studies, Morphomics helped support those connections, along with the activity of genes associated with cell longevity.
The visible payoff is specific. In lab tests, Morphomics visibly reduced the appearance of vertical lines after six weeks: nasolabial folds, marionette lines and frown lines. These are the lines that make a resting face read as tired or cross, and the reason strangers occasionally ask if you're alright when you're simply thinking about lunch.
That's the step forward: a newer mechanism, aimed squarely at the vertical lines that give a face its expression.
Why use both?
Because they're complementary. Synthe'6 supports the materials; Morphomics supports how well they hold together. We first formulated with Morphomics (at 2%) in Genius Ginseng™ Power Peptide Cream. Superdrops Flash Face Lift Intense is where we've paired it with synthe'6. Superdrops Flash Face Lift Intense then adds Argireline, a peptide formulated to help soften the look of expression lines, plus a plant cell culture and a glycobiopolymer for a firmer feel. Three peptides, one fragrance-free, vegan serum, made in Switzerland.
What to expect
Peptides are a steady sort of ingredient: consistency matters more than enthusiasm. In a four-week user trial of 71 women aged 18 to 70:
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87% agreed skin is more glowing
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85% agreed skin is firmer
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77% agreed skin is more lifted
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77% agreed skin is more plump
