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Hexapeptide-11 · firmness signal active
Overview
On the INCI deck this active reads as Hexapeptide-11 — the six-residue peptide derived originally from a Saccharomyces yeast-fermentation route. The sequence Phe-Val-Ala-Pro-Phe-Pro (C36H48N6O7, MW 676.80) is a signal peptide studied around skin firmness and elasticity, with the marketed narrative leaning on the appearance of resilience and overall skin condition rather than the wrinkle-relaxation or brightening routes elsewhere in the range. For a finished-product brand it is the active that lets a firming or anti-aging serum carry an elasticity-support story framed at the 'designed to support' level. Pepoderma writes the Hexapeptide-11 spec for cosmetic chemists building firming and anti-aging serums and richer creams where a water-soluble signal peptide drives the formulation work. The active goes into the water phase cool and late on copper-clean process water; near-neutral carriers (pH 5.5–7.0) on polyglyceryl, lecithin, or sucrose-ester emulsifiers behave well, and pre-dissolving the powder in a small glycerin or propanediol slurry keeps it dispersing cleanly. Because it sits in the firmness-and-elasticity signal lane, a brief can layer it with a collagen-leaning matrikine (Matrixyl, Hexapeptide-9) or an elastin-fragment peptide (Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12) for a broader firmness claim, or pair it with a neurotransmitter peptide (SNAP-8) and a carrier peptide (GHK-Cu) for a multi-axis stack. Sample fills of 10 mg and 100 mg cover bench iterations and pilot work; kilo-scale runs on the standard OEM cycle once a carrier is locked. INCI and CAS appear on the SDS for CPNP and equivalent cosmetic notifications, with an allergen and trace-impurity sheet per lot.
Who buys this, and why
Anti-aging peptide actives — Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu), Acetyl Octapeptide-3 (SNAP-8), Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl) — ship primarily to indie beauty brand founders building retail serums, established skincare R&D chemists extending an existing anti-wrinkle line, and med-aesthetic brand OEMs developing back-bar retail products. The defining formulation considerations are use-level optimisation (lower is often better at the working pH), carrier selection (aqueous vs. lipid-encapsulated), and chelator-free preservative systems. The data packet ships with guidance on all three on the lot report.
Primary buyer fit: med-aesthetic brand R&D + back-bar retail OEM and regional cosmetic-active distributors serving brand programmes.
Applications & formulation fit
A signal peptide: Hexapeptide-11 (Phe-Val-Ala-Pro-Phe-Pro), derived from a yeast-fermentation route, is studied around skin firmness and elasticity.
Use levels, pH window, and carrier compatibility are covered in the Journal — verify them against your own base:
Specifications
Documentation available on request
Regulatory note
Supplied as a cosmetic-grade peptide active under the EU EC 1223/2009 cosmetic regulation, NMPA cosmetic ingredient framework, FDA OTC monograph framework (where applicable), and equivalent regimes elsewhere. NOT a finished cosmetic product. Brand registration, finished-product safety substantiation, claim documentation, and notification (CPNP for EU, equivalent registries elsewhere) remain the responsibility of the brand owner. INCI naming and CAS are supplied with the SDS that ships with every lot.
Frequently asked questions
Hexapeptide-11 is a signal peptide studied around skin firmness and elasticity, which places it alongside the collagen-leaning matrikines (Matrixyl, Hexapeptide-9) and the elastin-fragment peptides (Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12) rather than the expression-line or brightening actives. That lets a brand layer it for a broader firmness claim or use it as a standalone elasticity-support hero. The framing stays at the 'studied / designed to support' level — a cosmetic firmness narrative, not an efficacy or treatment claim. Put the INCI name and CAS 161258-30-6 on the PO.
Add it to the water phase cool and late on copper-clean process water at a near-neutral pH (5.5–7.0), in anionic or non-ionic emulsions or a hydrogel; pre-dissolving the powder in a small glycerin or propanediol slurry avoids clumping. As with any cosmetic peptide it does not self-preserve, so the preservation system has to hold the whole product. Use-level and pH specifics are best verified against your own base; our emulsion-stability guide covers the carrier work rather than us restating a single figure here.
Sample fills are 10 mg for first-pass bench iterations and 100 mg once a carrier is selected and stability work begins; brand programmes scale to kilo lots on the standard OEM cycle. Every shipment carries the INCI name (Hexapeptide-11), the CAS, an allergen and trace-impurity statement for CPNP and equivalent cosmetic notifications, and a formulation-notes card. We supply the cosmetic-grade ingredient and its ingredient-level documentation; finished-product registration and claims substantiation remain the brand owner's responsibility.
Related peptides
5-mer
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
18-mer
Hexapeptide-9 (Collaxyl) · collagen-fragment signal active
21-mer
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 (Biopeptide EL) · elastin-fragment signal active
