Peptides are trendy. Retinol has been with us for decades. And perhaps precisely for that reason, the former seem much more interesting right now.
In cosmetics, we have a certain fascination with the new. Each season, an ingredient, a technique, or a new way of building a routine appears that promises to change our skin.
Peptides. Skin cycling. Layering. Retinol sandwich. Slugging. Ten-step Korean routines. At Método R, we prefer to ask ourselves another question:
What does the skin really need?
Because when we develop a formula, we aren't looking to incorporate the ingredient that is most searched for on Google. We look for active ingredients that make sense from a dermatological point of view, in appropriate concentrations and within a formulation that allows for consistent use. And when we had to choose between peptides and retinoids, it was quite clear to us.
Peptides vs. retinol: which has more evidence?
Peptides are small chains of amino acids that can perform various functions in the skin. Depending on the peptide, they can act as signaling molecules and contribute to processes related to hydration, barrier function, or the synthesis of extracellular matrix components.
They are interesting ingredients. But not all peptides are the same, nor can we attribute the results obtained with a specific peptide to the entire category. And, above all, if we are talking about improving the signs of skin aging, there is an important difference today: Retinoids have decades of dermatological research and a much higher level of evidence.
We know that they can promote cell renewal, stimulate collagen production, and improve aspects such as texture, fine lines, uneven tone, and certain signs of photoaging.
That is why at Método R we choose a derivative of vitamin A as one of the pillars of our night routines. Peptides can be an interesting complement within certain formulations. But a complement is not necessarily a substitute.
If we had to choose where to put our resources, our active ingredients, and the complexity of a formula, we would prioritize that which has the greatest evidence.
So, why do we use liposomal retinol?
Because choosing an effective active ingredient is only part of the problem. The other is ensuring the skin tolerates it well enough to use it consistently. Something curious happens with retinoids. There is a tendency to think that the higher the concentration, the better the product.
We don't see it that way: a very potent retinoid that irritates your skin to the point of forcing you to stop using it may be less interesting than a well-designed formulation that you can maintain for months and years.
Consistency matters more than potency. That is why at Método R we use new-generation liposome DDS technology. The active ingredient is incorporated into liposomes that allow for a more gradual, targeted, and controlled release. The goal is to improve its availability in the skin and favor tolerance without sacrificing efficacy.
We don't want to be the brand with the highest concentration of retinol, nor are we talking about the most potent retinol. We know what the optimal concentration is to obtain all its benefits, and we want it to reach its target effectively, for your skin to tolerate it, and for it to be easy for you to incorporate into your routine. And this difference is important for understanding many of the current trends surrounding retinol.
Retinol sandwich: is it necessary to apply cream before and after retinol?
The so-called retinol sandwich has become one of the most popular skincare techniques on social media. It consists of applying a moisturizer first, then the product with retinol, and finally another layer of cream. The goal? To reduce irritation by creating a barrier between the retinol and the skin.
But there is something we find paradoxical: we buy a product for its retinol and then we put up a barrier to try to make it penetrate less. That is to say, we pay for a certain concentration of an active ingredient only to then deliberately reduce its availability to the skin.
It can be a useful resource when a retinoid is too irritating, but at Método R we prefer to solve that problem much earlier: in the formula.
That is why we use liposomal retinol with a gradual and controlled release system, seeking the balance between efficacy and tolerance without the need to interpose layers that could interfere with its penetration. We don't want you to have to protect your skin from the cosmetic you just bought. We want to design the cosmetic so your skin can take full advantage of it.
That is why our routines do not need a retinol sandwich. Tolerance should not be achieved by wasting part of the active ingredient's potential, but by formulating it better.
Layering skincare: in what order should I apply products?
First the serum. Then the essence. Then the peptides. Hyaluronic acid before or after niacinamide? Can I mix vitamin C and retinol? And where do I put the acids? The popularity of layering skincare has turned skincare almost into a school subject. And it was precisely against that idea that Método R was born.
We do not believe that a person has to know cosmetic formulation to properly care for their skin. That is work we should be doing. Our routines are designed by a dermatologist and constructed so that each product has a specific function within a specific moment of the day.
- Cleanse.
- Treat and protect in the morning.
- Treat and repair at night.
Instead of offering several serums so that you then have to decide which ones to combine, in what concentration, and in what order, we incorporate different complementary active ingredients within the same formulation. We select the ingredients, decide their concentrations, study their compatibility, and design the vehicle to optimize their delivery.
You shouldn't have to act as a formulator in your bathroom at home. That is why we do not recommend adding layering to our routines.
Skin cycling: do you have to change active ingredients every night?
Another major trend is skin cycling: one night of exfoliation, another night of retinol, then several nights of recovery, and back to the beginning.
The logic makes sense when we use different potentially irritating products separately. But it also shifts back to the consumer a decision that we prefer to solve through formulation and routine design. If you need a calendar to take care of your skin, perhaps we have made cosmetics too complicated.
At Método R, we don't want cosmetics to be one more task on your agenda. We want it to be simple, to be easily incorporated into your day-to-day life, and for consistency to arise precisely from that simplicity.
That is why we formulate thinking not only about which active ingredients work, but about how to combine them, in what concentrations, and how we can improve their tolerance to create routines that can be maintained over time.
Does that mean that all skin types should use retinoids every night from day one? No. If skin needs to adapt, we recommend starting little by little and increasing the frequency based on tolerance. But not because you have to follow a predetermined calendar. Because it is your skin that sets the pace, not a trend.
Our philosophy is simple: fewer decisions, fewer products, and a routine designed to be maintained for years. Because in cosmetics, consistency is likely much more important than having a perfect routine.
Slugging: does more product mean more hydration?
Slugging proposes covering the skin at the end of the routine with a very occlusive layer to reduce water loss. Occlusion has dermatological sense in certain situations and skin types. But that does not mean that all skin types need to add an extra layer every night.
A good moisturizing cream should be formulated taking into account hydration, emollience, barrier function, and transepidermal water loss. Again, our question is not what we can add. It is what we can formulate better.
10-step Korean routine: do more products care for the skin better?
This is probably the trend that best explains our philosophy. A 10-step Korean routine can be pleasant for those who enjoy cosmetics as a ritual. And there is nothing wrong with that. But taking care of the skin and entertaining ourselves with cosmetics are two different things.
To maintain healthy skin, we do not necessarily need ten products. Each additional product means more packaging, more ingredients, more possibilities for interaction, more expense, and more time. We deliberately chose the opposite path.
Fewer products, better formulated, and less packaging on the planet.
And what about peptides?
We have nothing against them. Some peptides are interesting cosmetic ingredients, and there is promising research on certain molecules. If at any point we consider that a specific peptide provides a relevant benefit, has sufficient evidence, and improves a formula we are developing, we may use it. But we will not incorporate peptides simply because they are trendy. Nor will we substitute an active ingredient with decades of evidence for them if there is no scientific reason to do so.
That criterion applies to peptides and any other ingredient.
The trend we do want to follow
Perhaps the future of cosmetics shouldn't consist of discovering what the next viral ingredient will be. Perhaps it should consist of making better use of the ones we already know work.
Formulate better / Choose better / Use less / Be consistent / Generate less waste.
And stop turning skincare into an endless race toward perfect skin that, quite simply, does not exist. At Método R, we do not want to follow that trend. We want to create another: a trend based on common sense, scientific evidence, and sustainability. A type of cosmetics where you don't have to learn which product goes first, which one goes next, which active ingredients you can mix, or which technique you need to use to tolerate them.
That is what a dermatologist is behind the routine for. Because for us, the skin is not entertainment. It is the largest organ in our body. It protects us throughout our entire life and changes with us. And we think it is too important to treat it frivolously.
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A gift to better care for your skin
When we thought about a gift for our customers, we didn't want to give away another cream. We wanted to give away knowledge. That is why, with all orders over €100, you will receive Larga vida a tu piel, the new book by Dr. Ricardo Ruiz. Because taking care of your skin also means understanding it.
While supplies last.
And I also recommend this article by Dr. Ricardo Ruiz.
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