Here’s why I was an apt guinea pig for a SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Serum review: I wear my heart on my sleeve and my feelings on my face. One plastic surgeon deemed me “expressive,” and my poker face is nonexistent, which is why I mostly play roulette. Over the years, this attribute has led to crows’ feet that, when left untouched, reach out toward my temples, as well as deep smile lines and brow furrows that take an increasingly long time to fade once I manage to relax.
The good news? At 34, I’m a prime candidate for regular neuromodulator appointments and microneedling treatments, so anything that promises to replicate the results of botulinum toxin—which works by inhibiting the neurotransmitters that activate certain facial muscles, thus keeping them relaxed—is a no-brainer for me.
And, coming from SkinCeuticals, the debut of a peptide serum is especially compelling. You might already know the brand for its lineup of potent vitamin C serums, which are a mainstay among Vogue editors and dermatologists alike; the brand’s CE Ferulic is the gold standard in its category, spawning dozens of imitators over the years.
SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Serum eschews vitamin C for peptides, a time-tested ingredient that’s only recently emerged as a sought-after active for targeting signs of aging. Coming in at $148 for a 1 oz. vial—competitively-priced among the rest of its pro-grade lineup—what makes it newsworthy is the peptide itself: neuropeptides are a burgeoning type of peptide that seem to inhibit neurotransmitters.
In other words, they work similarly to neuromodulators like Botox, Dysport, and Daxxify in that they relax, or “freeze,” the muscles. This can supposedly help prevent the formation of expression lines, which are, as the name implies, the result of repeated facial expressions over years. These include fine lines, forehead wrinkles, the glabellar wrinkles (or 11s, so named for their appearance), crow’s feet, under-eye lines, cheek folds, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines. Of course, being applied topically to skin versus injected directly into the muscle, neuropeptides are far less potent than their injectable counterparts—so it’s helpful to adjust your expectations accordingly.
Fortunately, my expectations skew low: I’m skeptical about anything that claims to work as well as an injectable. But I was curious enough to add it to my daily routine, applying five or so drops after my vitamin C serum (SkinCeuticals’s Silymarin CF) in the mornings and before my retinoid in the evenings. It’s a clear, lightweight formula, and unlike the brand’s vitamin C offerings—which are notorious for their odor—it seemed to be unscented. It disappeared quickly into my skin, so I didn’t have to wait before moving on to the next steps in my routine.
