Skin, Hair & Cosmetic Research
Copper, tanning and cosmetic peptides studied for skin and hair.
GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide): What the Evidence Actually Shows
A clear-eyed look at GHK-Cu: strong lab and animal mechanism data, thin human evidence, and why much of the glowing skincare literature comes with a conflict of interest.
SNAP-8 (Acetyl Octapeptide-3): The Evidence Behind the "Needle-Free Botox" Peptide
A clear-eyed look at SNAP-8: a plausible SNARE-targeting cosmetic peptide whose standalone human efficacy data are essentially absent.
Melanotan 2: The Tanning and Libido Peptide, Examined
A clear-eyed look at Melanotan 2: real but dated proof-of-concept evidence for tanning and erections, set against a thin safety record dominated by harm reports.
Melanotan 1 (Afamelanotide): The Approved MC1R Peptide, Honestly Assessed
Afamelanotide is a regulator-approved alpha-MSH analogue with strong evidence for EPP phototoxicity — and is not the grey-market tanning peptide it is often confused with.
Glutathione: What the Evidence Actually Shows for Skin Lightening
Oral glutathione has modest, reversible skin-lightening evidence from small trials; IV use has essentially no proof of benefit and real safety risks.