GHK-Cu / Copper Tripeptide-1 supplier route for skin-care formulators
Nutrition BioTech supplies GHK-Cu, also known in cosmetic formulation as Copper Tripeptide-1, for B2B skin-care and topical cosmetic formulation review. This page is for brand, R&D, procurement and regulatory teams comparing GHK-Cu suppliers, checking identity documents, and preparing a sample or pilot-batch review.
| Buyer question | GHK-Cu review point |
|---|---|
| Ingredient identity | GHK-Cu / Copper Tripeptide-1 should be qualified by the supplied specification, COA, assay method, copper content and lot documents. |
| Best-fit use lane | Skin-care, leave-on topical formats, rinse-off topical formats and broader copper-peptide cosmetic systems. |
| Formulation review | Check pH, processing temperature, water phase handling, color impact, compatibility and storage before finalizing the formula route. |
| Supplier documents | Request COA, specification sheet, SDS, HPLC assay, copper content, heavy metals, microbiology and sample support for the exact grade under review. |
For the commercial page, see GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu copper peptide supplier. For category and selection context, see copper peptides for formulators, GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu and the AHK-Cu scalp-care guide.
Next step: request the GHK-Cu / Copper Tripeptide-1 COA, specification sheet or sample review for your skin-care or topical cosmetic formulation route.
GHK-Cu is a copper-chelated tripeptide made of glycine, histidine and lysine. Its cosmetic INCI name is Copper Tripeptide-1 and its CAS number is 49557-75-7. Nutrition BioTech supplies it as a cosmetic-grade, water-soluble blue powder for leave-on and rinse-off topical formats, with COA, specification and third-party laboratory test reports available for review before you sample.
This page is written for brand owners, formulators, sourcing and regulatory teams evaluating GHK-Cu as a raw material. It covers identity, purity, use level, pH, compatibility, handling and documentation. It is part of our copper peptides for formulators guide; if you are deciding between the two copper peptides, start with GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu.
Identity at a glance
| Common name | GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide, Gly-His-Lys copper) |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic INCI name | Copper Tripeptide-1 |
| CAS number | 49557-75-7 |
| Backbone | Glycine-histidine-lysine tripeptide, copper(II) chelated |
| Grade | Cosmetic grade, topical use |
| Appearance | Blue to blue-green water-soluble powder |
| Typical assay | Not less than 98% by HPLC (commonly 98-99%) |
| Typical use level | About 0.2%-1.2% depending on format |
| Formulation pH | Near-neutral, about 5.0-6.5 |
| Processing | Avoid prolonged exposure above about 40 degrees Celsius |
What is GHK-Cu, and what is its INCI name and CAS number?
GHK-Cu is a copper-chelated tripeptide made of glycine, histidine and lysine. Its cosmetic INCI name is Copper Tripeptide-1 and its CAS number is 49557-75-7. For cosmetic use it is produced synthetically: the tripeptide is synthesized first, then copper ions are chelated into the peptide structure. It supplies as a water-soluble blue powder for leave-on and rinse-off topical formats. Request our spec sheet and COA for the full identity and assay profile.
What purity should I expect, and does a deeper blue mean a stronger product?
Cosmetic-grade GHK-Cu is typically supplied at not less than 98% (commonly 98-99%) by HPLC assay. The characteristic blue to blue-green colour comes from the copper(II)-peptide chelate itself, which is a strong chromophore: it absorbs in the orange-red region (roughly 600-630 nm) and therefore reads as an intense blue even at low concentrations.
That point has a commercial consequence worth flagging: colour intensity is not a reliable indicator of how much GHK-Cu is in a finished product. How deep a blue looks to the eye is driven by the optical path length you are viewing through (bottle thickness, fill level), the packaging and background, any other coloured ingredients or added colourants, and any other copper species in the system. None of those is a peptide assay. Since typical cosmetic use levels sit around 0.2%-2%, and high headline percentages on finished products usually refer to a stock solution or liposomal dispersion rather than pure peptide, a product that looks dramatically deeper blue than its peers is not evidence of dramatically higher peptide content. Read a striking colour as a visual impression, not a specification.
Where colour is genuinely useful is the opposite direction: loss of colour signals degradation or copper dissociation, so it works as a practical qualitative integrity check for your QC team. It is a go/no-go signal, never a quantitative measure.
The only reliable answers to “how much is actually in here” are the declared content on the specification, the HPLC assay on that specific batch COA, and independent third-party verification. We provide our COA and third-party test reports for review, and we support buyers who want to run their own third-party assay.
At what concentration and pH is GHK-Cu used in cosmetic formulas?
Typical cosmetic use levels sit in the 0.2%-1.2% range depending on the format and the rest of the system, with many serums built around 1%. Keep the system at a near-neutral pH of about 5.0-6.5 to maintain the copper-peptide chelate. Higher-percentage figures seen on finished-product labels often refer to a percentage of a stock solution or liposomal dispersion rather than pure peptide, which is worth clarifying when you benchmark competitors.
Can GHK-Cu be combined with vitamin C, niacinamide, retinol or hyaluronic acid?
GHK-Cu pairs cleanly with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and panthenol at near-neutral pH. The main caution is strong oxidisers and low-pH, high-concentration L-ascorbic acid, which can destabilise the copper chelate. If you need both, use a stable vitamin C derivative, or separate them into AM/PM or into different SKUs. Always run your own compatibility and stability testing on the finished base. We can supply a sample and specification to support that work.
How should GHK-Cu be stored and handled?
Store the raw material cool, dry, sealed and protected from light. In processing, avoid prolonged exposure above about 40 degrees Celsius, so cold-process or controlled-temperature blending is preferred. For finished formats, amber glass or opaque airless packaging is recommended, since UV exposure accelerates degradation. Colour change is your first visual indicator of a handling problem. Full handling and stability guidance ships with our specification.
Will GHK-Cu discolour my formula or stain packaging?
Copper peptides are intensely coloured actives, so colour behaviour is a real formulation consideration rather than an afterthought. At typical cosmetic use levels they tint a formula blue to blue-green. The practical questions are how that reads against your base (a white emulsion will shift noticeably more than a clear serum), how it looks through your chosen packaging, and whether it interacts visually with other pigments or actives in the system. On skin, at normal leave-on use levels a well-formulated product should absorb without lasting colour, but light-coloured textiles and porous surfaces are the sensible thing to check. Build a colour-matching and staining check into your bench trials early: it is much cheaper to solve at bench stage than after a pilot batch.
Documentation we provide with GHK-Cu
- Certificate of analysis (COA) for the specific batch
- Specification sheet
- HPLC identity and assay
- Copper-chelation ratio
- Appearance and moisture
- Heavy metals
- Microbiology
- Allergen and GMO statements
- Stability data
- Third-party laboratory test reports, so your QA and regulatory teams are not working from supplier-generated data alone
Certificates are available on request. Tell us the material, grade and target format and we will send what applies to the specific material you are evaluating. Our manufacturing and quality position is summarised on our quality and certifications page.
Where the claim boundary sits for a finished product
For copper peptides in cosmetics, defensible language in the United States stays in appearance territory, for example “supports the look of firmer, smoother skin”. Language that describes changing skin biology moves a topical product into drug territory. We deliberately supply claim-boundary guidance alongside our materials rather than marketing copy. A fuller discussion sits on the copper peptide pillar guide. General information, not legal advice. Confirm your specific product, claims and market with your regulatory counsel.
Frequently asked questions about GHK-Cu
What is the typical use level and pH window for GHK-Cu in a cosmetic formula?
Typical cosmetic use levels sit in the roughly 0.2%-1.2% range depending on the format and the rest of the system, with many serums built around 1%. Keep the system at a near-neutral pH of about 5.0-6.5 to maintain the copper-peptide chelate. Higher-percentage figures seen on finished-product labels often refer to a percentage of a stock solution or liposomal dispersion rather than pure peptide, which is worth clarifying when you benchmark competitors.
Does a deeper blue colour mean a stronger GHK-Cu product?
No. The blue to blue-green colour comes from the copper(II)-peptide chelate itself, which is a strong chromophore and reads as an intense blue even at low concentrations. Perceived colour depth is driven by optical path length, packaging, background and any other coloured ingredients, none of which are a peptide assay. Read a striking colour as a visual impression, not a specification. Colour loss, by contrast, is a useful qualitative signal of degradation or copper dissociation.
How should GHK-Cu raw material be stored and handled?
Store the raw material cool, dry, sealed and protected from light. In processing, avoid prolonged exposure above about 40 degrees Celsius, so cold-process or controlled-temperature blending is preferred. For finished formats, amber glass or opaque airless packaging is recommended, since UV exposure accelerates degradation. Colour change is your first visual indicator of a handling problem. Full handling and stability guidance ships with our specification.
How do I qualify a GHK-Cu supplier and can I run my own third-party testing?
Yes, and we expect serious buyers to verify. A practical qualification path: request the specification and current COA and check that the assay method and batch are stated; review our third-party laboratory test reports, then run your own independent identity and assay testing on a sample; review handling, stability and documentation against your formulation and regulatory requirements; and confirm lot-to-lot consistency across more than one batch before you scale.
Request a GHK-Cu sample, COA or specification
Tell us the grade, target format and the volume you are planning, and we will come back with the applicable documentation, MOQ, lead time and pricing for that specific case. These vary by material and grade, so a quoted figure is only meaningful against a real brief. Contact our team to start.
Related copper-peptide guides: AHK-Cu copper peptide for formulators · Formulating with copper peptides: concentration, pH and compatibility · How to qualify a copper-peptide supplier.
Nutrition BioTech
1601 W. Mission Blvd, Suite 103 (DL#29), Pomona, CA 91766, United States
Phone: (909) 745-1357
Email: [email protected]