Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Details
A soothing dipeptide (tyrosine + arginine) based molecule that functions as a "messenger of tranquility and muscle relaxation". It works via stimulating the skin nerve cells to release met-enkephalin, which is an opioid (i.e. relaxing, pain-relieving) messenger molecule.
This means that Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester can "signal" our skin cells to "relax" and it can instantly decrease skin irritations coming from heat, chemical stinging or mechanical stresses. It is also claimed to be able to prevent the onset of wrinkles and expression lines thanks to its muscle relaxation properties.
Regarding the research, we could find one study that compared the calming effects of our guy with the soothing molecule called 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol. They irritated the skin with Capsaicin (the active in chili peppers) and examined how the test products relieved the burning/stinging sensation. They found that both molecules worked, but 4-t-Butylcyclohexanol worked somewhat better.
Show me some proof
- Schoelermann, A. M., et al. "Comparison of skin calming effects of cosmetic products containing 4‐t‐butylcyclohexanol or acetyl dipeptide‐1 cetyl ester on capsaicin‐induced facial stinging in volunteers with sensitive skin." Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 30.S1 (2016): 18-20.