Can This Smoothing Serum Replace Botox Treatments?

Loren Savini
·6 min read

Design by Bella Geraci; Source Images: Getty Images, Courtesy of Brand

All good things in life come with some sacrifice. Want to drink a bottle of champagne? Prepare for a monster headache. Can’t say no to five-inch stilettos? You’ll have to grimace and limp through that last hour. Want Botox? Hope you’re not scared of needles.

Some things are worth the downside, but if you could get smooth skin without the needles, wouldn’t you? That’s what SkinCeuticals’ latest serum, P-Tiox, promises: smooth skin without any syringes. And while neuromodulators like Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are administered superficially with tiny little needles, there’s still a needle. If you're afraid of the needle when you get your flu shot then you've probably avoided line-reducing beauty treatments altogether. If you have dabbled in injectables, you know they’re uncomfortable at best and can leave you inflamed, bruised, and/or swollen for a few hours at worst. So getting the results delivered via bottle dropper would be game-changing for all parties.

SkinCeuticals P-Tiox

$148.00, Dermstore

Like nonsurgical nose jobs and hair growth elixirs, Botox in a bottle sounds a little too good to be true. So we asked the experts if a peptide serum could be powerful enough to make us cancel our upcoming appointments.

Meet the experts:

What is SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Serum?

SkinCeuticals P-Tiox is a new, peptide-based serum that’s meant to reduce texture and the same pesky expression lines that Botox targets. SkinCeuticals calls it a “wrinkle-modulating” product, which is a nod to neuromodulators like Botox, but positions it as “complementary” to the injections—not a total replacement for those same results. (It can be used alone if Botox isn’t in the cards for you, but the results won’t be as dramatic). “That’s because topical skin-care ingredients will always be less effective, due to their penetration depth,” says board-certified dermatologist Rachel Westbay, MD. “Topical products primarily affect the outermost layers of the skin, whereas in-office treatments can target deeper layers more effectively.”

Regardless, the brand claims the serum can help to reduce the appearance of nine types of expression lines, including those on the forehead, glabellar (the elevens between the brows), crow’s-feet (at the corners of eyes), marionette lines (from the corners of your mouth to the chin, and lines on the cheeks. Some of those lines (specifically nasolabial folds or lines across the cheeks) are too risky to treat with neuromodulators and would be an off-label application, says Dr. Westbay, making this product a great option if those are trouble areas you’re looking to target.

Ingredients and Formulation

Instead of using an injectable toxin to relax the muscles that create lines, “the P-Tiox serum utilizes two key peptides that relax muscle contractions to help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, as well as mild exfoliants to gently brighten the skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Omer Ibrahim, MD.

The first of the two peptides—dipeptide diaminobutyroyl—mimics the effects of Walgerin 1, the peptide responsible for viper venom’s toxicity (yikes!), says Dr. Ibrahim. In combination with peptide number two—acetyl hexapeptide-8—they work together to inhibit the neurotransmitters responsible for moving facial muscles. Again, not nearly as well as a straight-up toxin injection, Dr. Ibrahim adds, but still effective. “Nothing is a suitable alternative to Botox. However, for someone who wants to avoid injectables, this, along with a skin-care routine with retinol, antioxidants, and SPF can help [smooth fine lines].”

The serum also has benefits beyond smoothing lines. “It contains hydrating ingredients that deliver an instant boost to dull, dehydrated skin, like sea kelp extract, which also delivers antioxidant protection to preserve collagen stores,” says Dr. Westbay, while niacinamide provides anti-inflammatory and pore-reducing benefits. “The synergy of these hydrators with the peptides in the product, when used for a longer period of time, can also help lessen the appearance of prominent pores and improve overall skin quality and smoothness.”

Cosmetic chemist Ginger King notes that the serum also contains gluconolactone, along with salicylic and phytic acids, which “speed up cell turnover without irritation.” The exfoliation in combination with the hydrating ingredients and the imitation neuromodulators (the peptide complex) is, according to the brand, key to more radiant skin. In our experience, it definitely makes a difference.

My Honest Thoughts

I love neuromodulators. If there was a frequent flier club for Botox, I would have black card status. I attribute any compliment I get to my injections. How is my skin so glowy? Botox. You like my hair? It’s the Botox. You think my apartment is well-appointed? Oh, thank you. It’s just Botox. I should probably be sending my injector an annual holiday card.

That said, I’ve been on a bit of a Botox cleanse since January. It’s a pricey habit and I wanted to experiment with my skin care to see if anything could give me quite the same rush. The SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Serum could not have come at a more convenient time: I could see real results without the glowy aura of Botox to pad them. And if I liked it, I could save myself some minor bruising and at least $1,500 a year for four appointments.

Taking Dr. Westbay’s advice (full disclosure: she is my dermatologist), I applied about four or five drops of this serum twice a day, after cleansing and before moisturizing. Granted, I might be in a Botox-deprived delirium, but I loved the results of this serum. I have absolutely noticed the return of some texture and fine lines since stopping my injections in January and have been actively trying to emote less. (I’m super fun to be around, I swear.)

After just one night of use, I felt like my skin looked brighter in the morning. After about a week of religious application, it seemed like my worry lines (the lines along my forehead that form from raising my eyebrows) that were back since January were slightly less aggressive, without the constricting feeling of having 20 units of Botox weighing down my brows. I also have sensitive, rosacea-prone skin, and I had no flare-ups or sensitivity after using the serum.

With more time, Dr. Westbay estimates I could see even better results. “It is reasonable to expect the possibility of up to 30% improvement [in fine lines], based on existing data on these peptides,” she says. “But that’s all dependent on consistent use for a period of weeks at a minimum but, realistically, months.”

At $148 for one ounce of the product, the SkinCeuticals P-Tiox Serum is not cheap and will likely last only a few months before you have to re-up. But compared to how much I spend on Botox each year, it's a cheaper alternative. If I were to use it as the brand recommends—in conjunction with neuromodulator injections—it would feel kind of frivolous. But if you have the means, Dr. Ibrahim agrees the duo would be ideal: “For those looking to maximize their Botox results, this is a good product to add to their skin-care routine.”

Shop SkinCeuticals P-Tiox on the brand’s website and Dermstore now.

More on smoothing skin treatments:

Now, watch Sydney Sweeney's 10-minute routine for sensitive skin:

Originally Appeared on Allure

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