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I admit I have used pricey skincare in the past, but the Clinical Skin Polypeptide Firming Serum is among the most expensive stuff to ever grace my face. You would imagine it comes in a bottle made from pure gold, but while the packaging has a luxury air to it, being weighty and white and silver, that’s not the explanation.
The explanation is probably more in the selection of ingredients – and in the marketing. No blend of ingredients is worth that price point, although the product itself might be for you, if the blend of ingredients, brand story and texture speaks to you. I will make sure to point out a few less expensive alternatives at the end of this post though, just in case you prefer to spend your money on other things.
What the Clinical Skin Polypeptide Firming Serum claims
Combat the signs of aging with 4 powerful peptides. The award-winning Polypeptide Firming Serum’s science-backed formulation has multi-tasking peptides, antioxidants, ceramides and hyaluronic acid that will leave your skin feeling firmer and looking its best.
Facts about the Clinical Skin Polypeptide Firming Serum
Prize and size
One dropper bottle contains 50 ml and is available for 232,95 € on the website here.
Texture and smell
The product feels like a light lotion, is pearly-white and has no noticeable scent.
How to use the Clinical Skin Polypeptide Firming Serum
A serum should go on after cleansing (and toning if you use a toner), but before moisturizer, and this one can be used morning and night. Some brands recommend not pairing Copper Peptides with retinoids, but I usually don’t see an issue with that. My morning routine is pretty set with a Vitamin C serum, so I used it at night, but as it gives a beautiful, satin smooth finish to the skin, it might be a great one for no makeup days in the mornings.
The lotion like texture makes it easy to spread, it sinks in without any tackiness and never caused anything I used on top to pill.
Ingredients of the Clinical Skin Polypeptide Firming Serum
sii|h 0 0, Propanediol solv|h, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 vc, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 
cci|h, Bis (Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-28 cci, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 cci, Ceramide AP sii, Ceramide EOP sii, Ceramide NP sii, Ceramide NG sii, Cholesterol sii|emo 0 0, Phytosphingosine sii|cci|aacne|amic, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Ascorbic Acid aox|sb|buff, Ergothioneine aox, Glutathione, Plankton Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin , Micrococcus Lysate, Xanthan Gum vc, Coco-Caprylate emo, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate chel, Potassium Sorbate pres, Carbomer vc 0 1, Sodium Benzoate pres, Acetic Acid buff, Lecithin emo|emu, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate emu, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Phenoxyethanol pres, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract , Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract aox, Copper Pca h, Zinc Pca aacne|h, Kaolin col|abrasive/scrub 0 0Hover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
For ingredients there is Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate as humectants and then a variety of different peptides: Acetyl-Hexapeptide-8, often called “Botox in a jar” as it claims to have a similar (but much weaker!) effect on muscle movement, the Copper-Tripeptide-1 and the peptides from the Matrixyl family claiming to boost collagen production. (More info: Everything you need to know about peptides)
You will find different Ceramides to help with a healthy skin barrier (More info: Everything you need to know about Ceramides in skincare) as well as Cholesterol and Phytosphingosine that make up the other lipids in our skin barrier and even a little bit of Ascorbic Acid aka Vitamin C. The Kaolin listed, a clay, probably helps with the satiny finish.
Does it live up to its claims?
Yes.
It contains all the ingredients mentioned and leaves the skin feeling supple and a little firmer. If there is any long-term firming, or even a slow down of the natural sagging I can’t say, as these things are too subtle to really notice at home.
How does it compare to…
The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides 1%
The biggest difference between the two is surely the price, with The Ordinary being around 1/10 of the Clinical Skin product (for 30 ml as opposed to 50 ml in Clinical Skin, but it is still pretty drastic). In terms of ingredient list, they are similar in terms of peptides, but The Ordinary has no Ceramides or other skin identical lipids, but instead focuses on adding more amino acids to enhance the peptide effect.
The texture is more oily and has a slight tackiness, so Clinical Skin is definitely more elegant.
You can read my full review of The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides 1% here.
Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptides Rapid Plumping Serum
The Biossance offer is more similar in texture, but also doesn’t contain any Ceramides, only Copper Peptides and two other ones that have less data behind them than the ones from the Matrixyl Complex. For skin like lipids it contains Squalane and has a really nice texture, Panthenol for soothing (More info: Everything you need to know about Panthenol in skincare) and quite a few plant extracts for added antioxidant benefits.
You can read my full review of the Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptides Rapid Plumping Serum here.
NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1
My favorite Copper Peptide Serum and one of the more expensive skincare items in my collection. Still it is substantially less expensive than the Clinical Skin version and has a much more lightweight texture. That is probably due to the fact that it contains no lipids or ceramides and just focusses on peptides, both Copper and from the Matrixyl family, and humectants. In that it is similar to its less expensive cousin, The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides, but I admit I have spent the extra money after trying NIOD for the first time via PR and have repurchased with my own money – the texture is just right up my street.
You can read my full review of the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend the Clinical Skin Polypeptide Firming Serum to?
Although it is a lovely serum, it is not one I would repurchase. I appreciate texture, ingredients and overall branding, but the price is just more than I am willing to spend. So while I reckon it would be lovely for those with mature and dry or irritated skin, in the end it comes down to what budget you reserve for your active step. If you however want that luxury feel the brand surely offers, they also have a Vitamin C Serum you can read more about here.
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