Peptides in cosmetics
Cosmetic peptides are short chains of amino acids that act on the skin through four distinct mechanisms: signaling to the fibroblast, transporting copper, inhibiting a neurotransmitter or slowing an enzyme. Which of the four explains what an ingredient does depends entirely on its sequence.
The four families of cosmetic peptides
Cosmetic chemistry classifies them by mechanism of action, not by the outcome attributed to them. That is the useful way to read an ingredient list: the INCI name tells you which family it belongs to and, therefore, what it is being researched to do.
- Signaling — They signal the fibroblast to increase matrix synthesis (collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans). Examples: palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, GHK.
- Transportadores — They stabilize and carry a metal ion —typically copper— to the enzyme that needs it as a cofactor. Examples: GHK-Cu, AHK-Cu.
- Neurotransmitter inhibitors — They interfere with the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, reducing contraction of the facial muscle. Examples: acetyl hexapeptide-8 (SNAP-8), pentapeptide-18.
- Inhibidores enzimáticos — They slow enzymes that degrade the matrix, such as metalloproteinases, or that take part in pigmentation. Examples: soy and rice peptides, silk oligopeptides.
What copper peptides are
A copper peptide is a complex between a short chain of amino acids and a copper (II) ion. The canonical case is GHK-Cu: glycine, histidine and lysine —hence the initials— coordinated to copper. In INCI nomenclature it appears as copper tripeptide-1. They belong to the transporter family. Copper is a cofactor of lysyl oxidase, the enzyme that cross-links collagen and elastin; the peptide stabilizes it and keeps it available. That is the chemical reason copper appears bound to a peptide and not on its own. GHK was isolated from human plasma, where it is present naturally. Its plasma concentration declines with age, and that fact is the starting point for most of the literature on the compound.
Available for research
Isolated raw material, with identity and purity verified per batch.
- GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1, CAS 89030-95-5). The most studied copper peptide. Present naturally in human plasma, where its concentration decreases with age.
- AHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-3, CAS 682809-81-0). A variant with alanine in place of glycine. It is researched mainly in the context of the hair follicle.
- SNAP-8 (acetyl octapeptide-3, CAS 868844-74-0). An extension of the hexapeptide argireline. It is studied for its action on the SNARE complex.
Materia prima frente a cosmético terminado
If what you are looking for is a ready-to-use cream or serum, this is not the page —and EXOMA does not sell that product. The distinction matters enough to state it plainly.
- A serum with peptides — A finished product regulated as a cosmetic. The peptide is at a low concentration within a base with preservatives, vehicles and pH adjustment. It is formulated to be applied to the skin.
- Research raw material — The isolated compound, lyophilized, unformulated and without preservatives. It is intended for laboratory work. It is not a cosmetic, it is not formulated for topical use and it does not replace a finished product.
FAQ
What are peptides in cosmetics?
They are short chains of amino acids incorporated into topical formulations to act on the skin. They fall into four functional families: signaling, transporters, neurotransmitter inhibitors and enzyme inhibitors. Each family acts through a distinct mechanism.
What are copper peptides?
They are complexes between a short peptide and a copper (II) ion. The best known is GHK-Cu, or copper tripeptide-1, formed by glycine, histidine and lysine bound to copper. They belong to the transporter family of peptides: their function is to carry copper, which acts as a cofactor of enzymes involved in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix.
Are a research peptide and the one in my serum the same thing?
No. A cosmetic serum is a finished product, formulated, preserved and regulated as a cosmetic, with the peptide at a low concentration within a base. What EXOMA supplies is the isolated compound as a raw material for research, unformulated. It is not a cosmetic and does not replace one.
What does it mean for a peptide to be biomimetic?
That its sequence reproduces —wholly or partially— that of a peptide the body produces naturally. GHK is biomimetic in the strict sense: it is a fragment that exists in human plasma. The term is used to distinguish them from sequences designed from scratch that have no natural equivalent.
How is the identity of a cosmetic peptide verified?
By two complementary analyses: mass spectrometry to confirm that the molecule is the expected one, and HPLC to quantify what proportion of the content corresponds to that compound. Both results are reported in the batch's certificate of analysis (COA).