Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 is the elastin-derived sequence Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly (VGVAPG) attached to a palmitic acid chain, used as a cosmetic ingredient. Research includes ex vivo human skin work on the palmitoylated form and older cell studies of the unmodified VGVAPG sequence.
VGVAPG is a repeating sequence in elastin; the unmodified peptide attracts fibroblasts and monocytes in lab assays, with peak activity near 10^-8 M [1]. Reviews describe the palmitoylated form as a signal peptide that may stimulate matrix production and lower IL-6 release from skin cells; these are proposed effects with limited independent data [3]. Ex vivo work shows the palmitoylated peptide penetrates the stratum corneum and epidermis and forms a gel with skin ions [2].
| Study | Model | Reported result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| VGVAPG chemotaxis [1] | Cell Fibroblasts and monocytes, chemotaxis assay (unmodified peptide) | VGVAPG attracted both cell types, optimal near 10^-8 M, reaching half or more of the response to reference chemoattractants. | Peer-reviewed J Cell Biol 1984 |
| Tracking the peptide in human skin layers [2] | Cell Ex vivo full-thickness human skin; delipidation barrier model | Peptide permeated stratum corneum and epidermis, self-assembled into a gel using endogenous ions; mechanical and Raman measures after delipidation assessed. | Peer-reviewed ACS Appl Bio Mater 2025 |
| Skin-senescence peptide review [3] | Review Review of cosmetic peptides | Lists it as a signal peptide studied for collagen/elastin and IL-6 markers in keratinocyte and fibroblast cultures. | Peer-reviewed Biomolecules 2025 |
| Cosmetic peptides review (2020) [4] | Review Review of cosmetic peptides | Notes a supplier-reported 10-woman double-blind study for which methods and statistics were not provided. | Peer-reviewed Cosmetics 2020 |
| Cosmetic peptide safety assessment [5] | Review Expert-panel safety review incl. animal, in vitro and human patch-test data | Panel concluded the VGVAPG-based ingredient is safe as used in cosmetics. | Peer-reviewed Int J Toxicol 2018 |
Human cosmetic studies describe appearance only. Lab results do not establish effects on skin structure.
