Anti-ageing serums
Water-phase addition at low percentages, generally below pH 6.5 so the copper stays coordinated rather than dissociating.
Peptide · Cosmetic active
GHK-Cu (Copper Tripeptide-1)
The copper-binding tripeptide used in skin and hair-care formulations — a blue crystalline powder at ≥98%, with copper content documented rather than implied by colour.
Also known as GHK-Cu · copper tripeptide-1 · copper peptide · Gly-His-Lys:Cu(II)
Overview
What GHK-Cu is
GHK-Cu is the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine complexed with a copper(II) ion. The copper is not a contaminant or a trace mineral addition — it is part of the molecule, coordinated by the histidine imidazole and the peptide nitrogens, and it is what gives the powder its colour.
That matters analytically. A blue powder is not proof of a correct complex: unbound copper sulphate is also blue, and free GHK is colourless. The two numbers that establish the material are HPLC purity of the complex and copper content by ICP — colour is the least reliable indicator a formulator can use.
Eastling supplies GHK-Cu as a deep blue crystalline powder at ≥98% by HPLC, with copper content and MS identity on the batch COA, released against a written specification. Cosmetic grade, supplied to formulators rather than to consumers.
- ≥ 98% by HPLC, with the complex — not just the peptide — as the measured species
- Copper content by ICP-MS, reported per batch
- Identity confirmed by LC–MS
- From 1 g samples to commercial lots
Identity
The record.
The identifiers your specification sheet, customs paperwork and product label all have to agree on. Where a number depends on the salt form, both are given.
- Chemical name
- Copper(II) glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine complex
- Common name
- GHK-Cu; copper tripeptide-1; copper peptide
- CAS number
- 89030-95-5
- Molecular formula
- C₁₄H₂₂CuN₆O₄
- Molecular weight
- ≈ 401.9 g/mol (1:1 complex)
- INCI name
- Copper Tripeptide-1
- Appearance
- Deep blue crystalline powder
- Solubility
- Freely soluble in water, giving a blue solution
- HS code
- 2937.19 — indicative, confirm with your customs broker
- Storage
- 2–8 °C, sealed, protected from light
HS codes are indicative only. Final classification is confirmed per shipment with your customs broker.
Manufacture
How it is made.
Synthesis gives the peptide; complexation gives the product. The second step is where most quality variation originates.
- 01
Solid-phase synthesis
The GHK tripeptide is assembled on resin and cleaved — a short sequence, but the histidine requires careful protection to avoid racemisation.
- 02
HPLC purification
The free peptide is purified before complexation, so that copper is bound to clean starting material rather than to a mixture.
- 03
Copper complexation
Copper(II) is introduced under controlled pH and stoichiometry. Excess copper leaves unbound ions; insufficient copper leaves free peptide — both look like a blue powder in a photograph.
- 04
Crystallisation and drying
The complex is crystallised and dried to a defined water content; the crystalline form dissolves more predictably than an amorphous solid.
Applications
Where it is used.
Cosmetic use at low inclusion levels. Your formulator sets the percentage; we supply the specification and the compatibility data.
Creams & emulsions
Added to the cool-down phase. Heat and high shear both stress the complex, and an anionic thickener can strip the copper.
Hair care
Scalp and follicle formulations, where the peptide is usually combined with other actives and the pH window is tighter.
Specification
Release criteria.
The written limits we release against, with the method used to test each one. Batch results for the lot you receive are stated on its certificate of analysis.
| Parameter | Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Deep blue crystalline powder | Visual |
| Assay (as complex) | ≥ 98.0% | RP-HPLC-UV |
| Identity | Consistent with reference; mass matches complex | LC–MS |
| Copper content | Within 15.0–16.0% w/w (theory 15.8%) | ICP-MS / AAS |
| Free copper | Not detected above limit | ICP-MS after ultrafiltration |
| Water content | ≤ 5.0% | Karl Fischer |
| Heavy metals (non-copper) | ≤ 10 ppm | ICP-MS |
| Total plate count | ≤ 100 cfu/g | Plate count |
| Yeast & mould | ≤ 10 cfu/g | Plate count |
| Shelf life | 24 months from manufacture, unopened | Stability programme |
Tighter limits — for example a lower heavy-metal ceiling or a residual-solvent panel — can be quoted against your own specification wording.
Certificate
Reading the certificate.
Copper peptides are the category where a plausible-looking COA most often measures the wrong thing.
Is the assay for the complex or the peptide?
A method that detects the peptide backbone will report high purity for uncomplexed GHK too. The specification should say “as complex”, and the identity result should match the copper-containing mass.
Copper content is the load-bearing number
Theory is 15.8% w/w for the 1:1 complex. Material sitting at 13% has free peptide; material above 17% has loosely bound or excess copper. Both dissolve blue and both will fail a formulation trial in a way that looks like a formula problem.
Colour is not a specification
Blue means copper is present, not that it is coordinated correctly. Buy on the ICP result and the HPLC method, not on the photograph in the quotation.
Documentation & packaging
What ships with it.
The paperwork travels with the goods. If your QA team needs an extra declaration, ask before the order is released — some are issued per production lot and cannot be retrofitted.
Certificate of analysis
Assay as complex, copper content, water, heavy metals and microbiological results, per lot.
Analytical data
HPLC chromatogram and mass spectrum confirming the copper-containing species.
SDS & specification
Safety data sheet, plus the specification the batch was released against.
Cosmetic documentation
INCI name, CAS and a composition statement suitable for a PIF or CPSR submission; the safety assessment itself is your assessor's work, not ours.
| Pack size | Presentation | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 g | Amber vial, 10 mL | Evaluation and lab scale |
| 25–50 g | Amber vial, 50 mL | Pilot batches |
| 100 g | Amber vial, 100 mL | Small commercial |
| 1 kg+ | Foil bag on request | Bulk — quoted per order |
Questions
Before you order.
The questions buyers actually ask about GHK-Cu. Anything not covered here, ask directly — you will get an answer from someone technical, not a template.
Why is the powder blue?
The copper(II) ion is part of the molecule. Colour intensity varies slightly between lots, and a colourless powder would mean the copper is not bound. But colour alone proves nothing — ask for the ICP copper figure.
Is GHK-Cu the same as “copper peptide”?
In cosmetic marketing, yes — GHK-Cu, copper tripeptide-1 and copper peptide all refer to this material, CAS 89030-95-5, INCI Copper Tripeptide-1. In a supplier's catalogue, “copper peptide” can also mean a different sequence or a blend, so always match the CAS.
What use level should I formulate at?
We supply the ingredient, not the formulation. Use levels are set by your formulator, and in the EU by the cosmetic regulation's Annexes if the substance is restricted. We can share solubility and pH-compatibility data to support your trial.
Can the copper dissociate in my formula?
Yes — that is the main technical risk. Low pH, high ionic strength, phosphate buffers and anionic polymers can all pull the copper off the peptide. Keep the system mildly acidic to neutral, add late, and check colour and clarity over your accelerated stability window.
Is it water-soluble?
Freely soluble, giving a clear blue solution. In emulsions it is normally predissolved in the water phase rather than added as a powder, to avoid speckling.
Can I get a research-grade or higher-purity version?
This is cosmetic grade at ≥98%. A ≥99% specification with a defined impurity profile can be quoted as a custom line — tell us the purity target and the quantity. It is not a stock item.
How should it be stored?
Sealed at 2–8 °C, protected from light. Light and moisture both degrade the complex; a vial left on a bench in sunlight will change colour within days.
Do you supply the documentation a cosmetic safety assessor needs?
We supply the INCI name, CAS, composition statement and the analytical data. The Cosmetic Product Safety Report itself must be produced by a qualified assessor in your market — we cannot issue it, and any supplier who offers to should be treated with suspicion.
Related
Often quoted together.
Quotation
Ask for GHK-Cu, by the gram.
Send the quantity, the grade you need and the destination. You will get a written quotation with lead time, packaging options and the documentation set for this material.