Which peptide serum or cream is right for you?

Our face range has two serums, two creams and a Duo, and their names look alike. This page sets them side by side so you can pick the one that suits your routine. All of them are topical cosmetics built around GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1). They're designed to help skin look smoother and feel soft and hydrated.

At a glance

Product	Key peptides	Texture	When to use	Size	Price
2% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Face Serum	2% GHK-Cu	Lightweight, water-based serum with a non-greasy finish	Once daily, preferably at night	30ml	R772
1% GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Peptide Face Serum	1% GHK-Cu and 0.1% SNAP-8	Lightweight, water-based serum with a non-greasy finish	Once daily, preferably at night	30ml	R850
GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Copper Peptide Renewal Face Cream	GHK-Cu and SNAP-8 (percentages not stated)	Cream with shea butter and squalane. Light “Ocean” fragrance	Once or twice daily, morning or night. Sunscreen by day. Leave vitamin C out of the routine you use it in	50 g	R861
1% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Face Cream, Fragrance-Free	1% GHK-Cu, plus niacinamide	Rich but absorbable cream with botanical oils. No added fragrance	Once daily, preferably in the evening	100 g	R788
Copper Peptide Serum & Cream Duo	The 2% serum plus the Renewal Cream	Serum plus cream	Serum at night. Cream once or twice daily. Leave vitamin C out of the routine you use them in	30ml + 50 g	R1,500

Prices as listed on 9 October 2026. Check the product page for the current price.

The products in more detail

2% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Face Serum

2% GHK-Cu with 1% hyaluronic acid, glycerine and vitamin E in a water-based serum that absorbs easily. It's made for skin that looks dry, dull, tired or uneven, and it layers under moisturisers and creams. Ingredients: Aqua, GHK-Cu Copper Peptide 2%, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerine, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol.

1% GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Peptide Face Serum

The same lightweight base with 1% GHK-Cu and 0.1% SNAP-8 (acetyl octapeptide-3), a cosmetic peptide used to help soften the look of expression lines around the forehead and eyes. Read what SNAP-8 is.

GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Copper Peptide Renewal Face Cream

GHK-Cu and SNAP-8 in a cream with shea butter, squalane, panthenol, allantoin and glycerin, for a soft, nourished feel. It helps improve the look of fine lines and expression lines. It contains a light “Ocean” fragrance, so it isn't fragrance-free.

1% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Face Cream, Fragrance-Free

1% GHK-Cu with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, liquorice extract, panthenol, squalane and a blend of botanical oils including marula and baobab. It's made without added fragrance or essential oils. It suits skin that looks dry, dull or uneven in tone, and anyone who prefers skincare without added fragrance.

Copper Peptide Serum & Cream Duo

The 2% GHK-Cu serum and the Renewal Cream together, for R1,500 rather than R1,633 bought separately.

If you're new to peptides

Start simple. Choose one serum or one cream, use it in the evening, and use it consistently before you decide whether it suits you. A higher percentage doesn't automatically mean better results for your skin. If you prefer a single step, a cream on its own is enough. If you like a light layer under your usual moisturiser, choose a serum. Patch test any new product on a small area of skin, and stop if irritation occurs.

If you want SNAP-8

Choose the 1% GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 serum, the Renewal Cream, or the Duo (which includes the Renewal Cream). If you want SNAP-8 without added fragrance, pair the SNAP-8 serum with the fragrance-free 1% face cream.

Serum, cream or both?

Serum only: a light, fast-absorbing evening step under your usual moisturiser.
Cream only: one step that adds GHK-Cu and moisture together.
Both: in the evening, apply the serum, then the cream over it. The Duo is the easiest way to buy both.

Whatever you choose, never layer these products with vitamin C. Morning or night, just leave vitamin C out of the routine you use them in. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning. See how to use copper peptides for a full routine.

Body and hair

For body care, see our 1% GHK-Cu Copper Peptide Body Lotion. For hair and scalp, browse our peptide hair and scalp care.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose the 1% or the 2% GHK-Cu serum?

Choose by routine rather than by number. A higher percentage doesn't automatically mean better results for your skin. The 2% serum is a straightforward GHK-Cu and hyaluronic acid serum. The 1% serum adds 0.1% SNAP-8 for people who'd also like help softening the look of expression lines.

Can I use a serum and a cream together?

Yes. Our serums are designed to layer under moisturisers and creams. In the evening, apply the serum to clean, dry skin, let it absorb, then apply your cream over it.

Which products are fragrance-free?

The 1% GHK-Cu Face Cream is made without added fragrance or essential oils, though a mild natural scent from the raw ingredients may still be present. The Renewal Cream contains a light “Ocean” fragrance (listed as Parfum) and isn't fragrance-free. Neither serum lists Parfum in its ingredients.

Which products contain SNAP-8?

The 1% GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Serum, the GHK-Cu + SNAP-8 Renewal Cream and the Serum & Cream Duo, which includes the Renewal Cream.

Should I use these in the morning or at night?

Both serums and the 1% face cream are designed for once-daily use, preferably in the evening. The Renewal Cream can be used once or twice daily. If you use it in the morning, follow with sunscreen and leave vitamin C out of that routine.

Can I use these with vitamin C?

Don't layer them together. Every product on this page contains GHK-Cu, so morning or night, just leave vitamin C out of the routine you use them in. In solution, copper speeds up the breakdown (oxidation) of ascorbic acid (Shen et al., 2021), so we keep them in separate routines.

Is the Duo better value?

The Duo contains the 2% serum (30ml) and the Renewal Cream (50 g) for R1,500. Bought separately they cost R1,633, so you save R133. At R1,500, the Duo also qualifies for free standard delivery in South Africa.

Sources

Shen J, Griffiths PT, Campbell SJ, et al. (2021). Scientific Reports, 11:7417. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-86477-8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86477-8