A quick course on Anti Aging Ingredients!

If any of you follow me on instagram, you might have seen that I recently attended a large training with a brand called Colorscience which is a medical grade sunscreen brand that has now expanded to cosmeceuticals which means medical grade skin care. Medical grade means it’s predominantly sold through medical offices or med spas. These products are potent and require guidance on how to effectively use the products and help us reach optimal skin health appearance. 

One of the newest releases from Colorscince that caught my attention is a peptide serum called Pep-Up. I’ll explain why in a second but here are some key terms words I want to highlight first. 

Peptide: Peptides are short chains of amino acids—smaller components of proteins. In skin, peptides naturally exist and play a key role as building blocks for important proteins like collagen, elastin, and keratin. 

Think of them as tiny messengers: when applied topically, they signal your skin cells to perform specific actions—like producing more collagen, calming inflammation, or smoothing wrinkles. 

Growth factors are naturally occurring signaling proteins that tell your skin cells when to grow, repair, or produce essential components like collagen and elastin. They’re produced by various skin cells—like keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and melanocytes—and help regulate cellular renewal and structure. In skincare, these proteins may come from human, plant-derived, or lab-engineered sources, designed to mimic the skin’s own signaling molecules

Exosomes: Exosomes are tiny vesicles (about 30–150 nm in size) released by various cells. They carry proteins, lipids, and genetic material (like RNA) that help cells communicate with one another. In skincare, exosomes are harnessed as “smart messengers” to deliver signals that promote skin repair, regeneration, and anti-aging benefits. They activate fibroblasts, boosting collagen and elastin production to improve firmness and reduce wrinkles.Their anti-inflammatory properties help soothe irritation, shorten downtime after procedures, and support faster recovery. They support hyaluronic acid synthesis, reduce hyperpigmentation, and even out skin tone for a brighter, smoother complexion. Exosomes can help other active ingredients penetrate deeper and remain more stable—amplifying the effects of vitamin C, retinol, or hyaluronic acid, while reducing potential irritation. 

Important note: Human derived growth factors and exosomes will always be superior to synthetic and plant derived. Why? Because sadly, we are not plants so the most effective key to our lock will always be human. 

Well done! Science is fun right? Lets continue! 

We all want to do what we can to help slow the signs of aging and help keep our skin healthy. To achieve that I usually have all of my clients on the following products:

1.Vitamin C at 10-20% concentration (Full post on this soon)

2. Retinoid in some form at whichever concentration is tolerated. If retinoids are not tolerated, some sort of acid to help stimulate cell turnover and improve texture, color, etc. (Full post on this soon too)

3. Sunscreen daily at a minimum of 35 but 50 SPF daily is ideal

Once we have those covered, I then add in products that target specific concerns like dryness, pigmentation or skin laxity. Today we are talking about laxity, fine lines and wrinkles. 

TNS A+ : When it comes to skin laxity, fine lines and wrinkles, historically I always use TNS A+ by Skin Medica which is the gold standard in growth factors.  This product utilizes human derived growth factors and has a TON of data to support its claims. It is owned by Allergan (now Abbvie) which is a pharmaceutical behemoth. The technology in TNS A+ is patented and therefore monopolized by Allergan. What does that mean? Big ol’ price tag! A 1oz bottle runs about $295.00. Yikes! That being said, it works. Period. Over the years I have had to train myself to not feel bad about this or not tell people about this product because of the price. My job is to recommend what I think is the best for my clients and let them decided what is important and valuable to them. That being said, I usually recommend this to clients whom who could truly benefit from this which is usually abut 40 years of age and up. 

Plated: Now this is the new guy in town! Plated utilizes human derived exosomes to do everything from reduce redness, fine lines, wrinkles, laxity and even skin tone! This almost sounds to good to be true but the data so far is extremely promising. Human derived exosomes are truly the future of anti-aging. The only reason I haven’t brought it in yet is that its new. I like to watch how things play out a little bit before jumping on the band wagon. Because exosmes work by actually entering our cells and communicating with our DNA, we need to be very careful about where these exosomes are coming from. Just like anything else, exosomes are not created equal and need to be sourced mindfully. Plated is highly regarded as the best in the skincare. What about the price tag? Welp, its huge! Plated will run you about $258.00 for .5oz. When this product has been around block a few times and data is more solid, I plan on bringing it in. 

Pep-up: So what about the younger folks or people who aren’t seeing major signs of aging yet but want to start preventing what we can? Well thats where this one comes in and that’s why I am so excited! Pep up utilizes peptides to help us produce more collagen, calm inflammation, and smooth wrinkles. It also has hyaluronic acid to help plump the skin and keep our cells hydrated which means better functioning as well. At $179.00 for a 1 oz bottle this is the best option for younger folks who maybe don’t need the big guns yet or for someone who wants potent ingredients but can’t do the $300 price tag. 

Ways to save! 

Skincare at this level is no joke. Its an investment. I try my best to make it accessible to everyone and here a some of the best ways!

VIP Program: All VIPS get 20% off all products, all the time. This can be combined with Alle discounts! Check out my website for details on the VIP Program. 

Alle: Alle is a points program offered by Allergan (Abbvie) that is free and lets you get points for product purchases and Diamond Glow treatments. I save people hundreds of dollars every single day using this and recommend it to everyone! 

Lasting Beauty Rewards: This is a points program similar to Alle but for Colorscience. You get points for purchases and other things like getting your skin checked by a dermatologist! Its another great way to be rewarded for all your purchases. 

And lastly but the most important one of all: STOP BUYING SKINCARE ANYWHERE ELSE! Seriously! So many of my clients spend thousands of dollars on Sephora and Instagram skincare that has zero data and ends up just sitting in bathroom. Stop thinking about skincare and let your trusted pro handle that for you. Reduce excess, follow the programs specifically designed for you and go live your best life!

Great job guys! That was a lot of science but you guys are smart cookies :) 

Pep-up can be purchased directly with me or online via my website and can ship directly to your home! Just head to my website and click shop and you’ll see Colorscience in the dropdown menu. Right now its 20% both online and with me so text anytime to place your pick up order! 

TNS A+ is available through me and will soon be available online as well, I’ll keep you updated!

 I hope this was helpful and as always, feel free to text or email any questions you have anytime. 

Big hugs!

Keri