In July 2023, Spate reported that copper peptides were among the skin care ingredients experiencing the largest monthly gains in search volume. Among the products on the market featuring the increasingly popular technology is The Ordinary’s "Buffet" + Copper Peptides 1%. No wonder, then, that copper peptides are at the center of The Ordinary's parent company's first patent.
Titled "Skin care formulation with lipophilic peptides," Deciem's patent concerns a skin care composition ideally featuring palmitoyl-GHK-Cu (GHK-Cu being a copper peptide) at levels of 0.2-1.1%.
GHK-Cu is generally associated with collagen synthesis stimulation, enhanced wound healing/tissue regeneration, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects, and more.
In the present patent, the formulation featuring palmitoyl-GHK-Cu would render the composition "substantially free of alcohols or preservatives," ideal for consumers seeking minimalistic and free-from products. (That said, Deciem is historically science-forward, often eschewing the free-from focus of conventional "clean" beauty brands.)
Furthermore, the formulation concept would allow for "a high concentration of the peptide in the final composition," maximizing anti-aging and other related benefits.