Matrixyl 3000

What Is Matrixyl 3000 in Skincare?

Matrixyl 3000 is Sederma's amino acid complex of two palmitoylated sequences, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (pal-GHK) and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (pal-GQPR), supplied in a glycerin and water gel. Sederma calls them matrikines: messenger sequences that tell skin cells to renew the support matrix. Cosmetic formulators use it for the look of firmer skin, smoother texture, and softer fine lines and wrinkles.

EWG Skin Deep rating for Matrixyl 3000

Matrixyl 3000 Quick Facts

The percentage always refers to the whole supplied gel, not the pure amino acids. That is how every brand that lists a Matrixyl percentage is counting.

How Matrixyl 3000 Works on the Skin

The two sequences are modeled on small fragments of natural proteins. Sederma describes such fragments as messengers that interact with skin cell receptors and switch on genes involved in matrix renewal, a process that weakens with age. Matrixyl 3000 supplies those signals in a form, palmitoylated for better skin compatibility, that can be added to a serum or cream.

What Sederma measured

Sederma's technical document reports several studies (supplier data):

• Wrinkles, tone, elasticity: 23 women with a mean age of 56.1 applied a cream with 3% Matrixyl 3000 twice daily for 2 months to one half of the face, with placebo on the other half. Compared with the start, the surface covered by deep wrinkles fell 39.4%, main wrinkle density 32.9%, wrinkle depth 19.9%, wrinkle volume 23.3%, and roughness 16.0%, while elasticity rose 5.5% and skin tone 15.5%. The placebo side showed no significant change in most measures. A second group of 39 men used 4% with similar results.
• Dermal density: In 28 volunteers with a mean age of 59, a 3% cream used twice daily for 2 months improved ultrasound measures of the upper dermis by about 15% compared with placebo.
• Lab work: In fibroblasts, Matrixyl 3000 at 1%, 3%, and 5% increased collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid synthesis. On skin explants it raised collagen I, IV, VII, and XVII and nidogen.

In his 2017 review of topical peptides, Schagen describes a separate blinded, randomized study of 28 volunteers using Matrixyl 3000 twice daily that reported less wrinkle depth, volume, and roughness, and notes that the original single-sequence Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4) has its own placebo-controlled studies. Most Matrixyl data come from the supplier, so read the percentages as the best-case results of well-designed formulas.

What new research says (2026)

A 2026 review in the journal Life looked across peptide skincare research and found that controlled human studies report improvements in the look of fine lines, skin hydration, and elasticity for some formulas.

The same review is refreshingly honest. Many studies were small or short, and results depend on the specific formula, so no single peptide is a miracle ingredient.

How to Use Matrixyl 3000: Formulating Notes

• Rate: Use 8% for DIY blends. At the Skin Perfection house rate of 9 drops = 1% per fluid ounce, that is 72 drops per 1 oz. Because Matrixyl 3000 is a thick gel, weighing is more exact: 2.4 g into a 30 g (1 oz) base, or 4.8 g into 60 g (2 oz).
• Formula: base weight in grams x percentage / 100 = grams of Matrixyl 3000.
• Base: Use a water-based serum, gel, lotion, or cream. The standard grade will not blend into a pure face oil.
• Phase: Add at cool-down below 40°C (104°F) and stir in gently.
• Pairing: Works well with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, Argireline, Syn-Coll, Syn-Tacks, and Matrixyl Synthe'6.
• Storage: Refrigerate after opening and use within 8 months. Keep finished blends in blue or amber glass in the refrigerator.

8% Matrixyl 3000 Booster Serum (1 oz)

1. Pour 1 fl oz (about 30 g) of a hyaluronic acid serum into a clean bottle.
2. Add 72 drops, or weigh 2.4 g, of Matrixyl 3000.
3. Cap and shake well.
4. Apply to clean face and neck morning and night, then moisturizer, then sunscreen in the morning.

Matrixyl 3000 Compared With Related Peptides

Who Matrixyl 3000 Suits

Matrixyl 3000 suits anyone who wants the look of firmer skin and fewer visible lines without the dryness that retinoids can bring. It fits mature skin best, which is the group Sederma tested, and it can be used morning and night.

Sensitive skin: Patch test on the inner arm for 24 hours first. Start at the lowest rate, 3% (27 drops or 0.9 g per oz), and work up to 8% if your skin stays comfortable. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a dermatologist's care, ask your provider before adding a new active.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Matrixyl 3000 do for skin?

Matrixyl 3000 helps skin look firmer and smoother with fewer visible wrinkles. In Sederma's 2-month half-face study, a 3% cream reduced the surface covered by deep wrinkles by 39.4% compared with the start.

How much Matrixyl 3000 should I use?

Skin Perfection uses 8% for DIY blends, which is 72 drops or 2.4 g per fluid ounce. Sederma's own studies used 3-4%, so 3% is a good starting rate for sensitive skin.

Can I use Matrixyl 3000 with retinol?

Yes. Many people use Matrixyl 3000 in the morning and retinol at night, which splits up the actives and is gentler on dry or reactive skin.

Can I use Matrixyl 3000 with vitamin C?

Yes. Matrixyl 3000 blends into water-based vitamin C serums, and both can sit in the same morning routine under sunscreen.

What is the difference between Matrixyl 3000 and Argireline?

Matrixyl 3000 supports the look of firmness and matrix renewal, while Argireline softens the look of expression lines. They do different jobs, so they layer well together.

How long does Matrixyl 3000 take to work?

Plan on about 2 months of twice-daily use. Sederma's clinical measurements were taken at 1 and 2 months, and many people notice smoother, more hydrated-looking skin sooner.

Can I add Matrixyl 3000 to a face oil?

No, the standard grade is water soluble and will not blend into oils such as jojoba or rosehip. Use a water-based serum or cream, or choose the oil-soluble Matrixyl 3000 OS grade.

Shop Matrixyl 3000

Blend your own with the Matrixyl 3000 Serum Booster, or use the ready-made 20% Matrixyl 3000 Collagen Serum. For the full story on every Matrixyl version, read Matrixyl peptides explained.

Sources

• Sederma (Croda), Matrixyl 3000 technical document: INCI, recommended use level, clinical studies (23 women at 3%, 39 men at 4%, 28 volunteers for dermal density), fibroblast and explant data (supplier data)
• Schagen SK. Topical Peptide Treatments with Effective Anti-Aging Results. Cosmetics. 2017;4(2):16. doi:10.3390/cosmetics4020016 (review)
• Skin Perfection, Matrixyl 3000 Serum Booster product page and serum booster chart: 9 drops = 1% per fl oz
• Yi, K.-H., Kim, H. S., Lee, H. E., Choi, W. S., & Kim, J.-H. (2026). Peptides in aesthetic dermatology: Classification, fibroblast-centered mechanisms, delivery technologies, and clinical evidence. Life, 16(10), 1660. https://doi.org/10.3390/life16101660

This page has been reviewed by Dr. Jen Haley, a board-certified dermatologist.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.