PepRank

SNAP-8 (acetyl octapeptide-3)

45%positive12 reports

Also: acetyl glutamyl heptapeptide-3 · Ac-EEMQRRAD-NH2 · SNAP-8 (Lipotec trade name; argireline extended by two amino acids)

CautionTopical

Argireline's longer sibling, mostly DIY-mixed from peptide vials; users rarely see more than argireline.

EEMQRRAD · N-acetyl, C-amide (acetyl octapeptide-3) (8 residues)

EEMQRRAD N-acetyl, C-amide (acetyl octapeptide-3)

#20 of 61 research peptides · updated
Onset
Weeks; a few feel tingling on the first application
Lasts
Hours per application; nothing persists after stopping
Access
Grey market
Cost / month
≈ €9–22
researchers' estimate; no listing to price
12 user reports
Positive 5Mixed 1Nothing 5Negative 1

  • r/BodyHackGuide· · 4 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I reconstituted a vile and added to face serum. I also take 2mg of GHK-cu daily and use a red light for my face. Absolutely happy with results. Really helped with wrinkles. Not a miracle worker, but well worth the effort and money for me.

    Positiveone vial reconstituted into face serum · Topical · wrinkles

    also injects 2 mg GHK-Cu daily and uses facial red light, so heavily confounded

  • r/45PlusSkincare· · 3 upvotesOriginal ↗

    It definitely works. My forehead felt tingly and hard to move for a while my first time LOL. I only recently developed some fine lines (thanks to recent events), so I am trying to let those relax away.

    Positiveone vial from a peptide vendor · Topical · new fine lines

    45+; also GHK-Cu, RF device, Volufiline and Adifyline

  • r/Peptidesource· · 4 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I really saw an improvement in my skin quality with topical GHKCu but didnt see any "botox" like effect with Snap8 and been using for a couple of months daily now

    NothingTopical · expression lines

    a couple of months daily; topical GHK-Cu did help skin quality

Users report
Almost all Reddit use is DIY: a 10 mg grey-market vial reconstituted and stirred into hyaluronic-acid serum or a moisturiser, usually alongside topical or injected GHK-Cu. About 40% report smoother, plumper skin and softer lines, one a tingly 'hard to move' forehead on first use, but nearly every positive report is stacked with GHK-Cu, red light or other peptides. Nearly half used it daily for two months or more and saw no Botox-like effect, often concluding the GHK-Cu did the work and that they won't reorder. Dryness from the bacteriostatic-water mix is the main complaint. Felt nothing: ~40% of reports (5/12).
Best effects
Smoother texture, plumper skin · softer fine lines · transient tingly, 'frozen' forehead in a few
Downsides
No visible effect for about half of users even after months · dryness (often blamed on bacteriostatic water/alcohol in DIY mixes) · DIY concentration guesswork; little guidance on dose · grey-market vial identity uncertain (formulators say some 'SNAP-8' vials are argireline)
Evidence
Small human studies — manufacturer (Lipotec) claims of more wrinkle reduction than argireline; the only peer-reviewed human trial is a 24-person split-face study of a microneedle patch combining SNAP-8 with vitamin C and other actives, so SNAP-8's own effect is untested
Caveat
The topical route has the same clean profile as argireline: a cosmetic SNARE-mimic peptide with negligible skin penetration and no harm signal. This verdict covers topical use only. The same grey-market vials are sometimes microneedled deep or injected (one report here), which brings vial sterility and endotoxin risks that are not part of this entry, and some forum users mix it with DMSO to push penetration, which is untested. Identity of 'research' vials is unverified.
Typical use
Community practice: 10 mg vial reconstituted in about 0.4-1 ml sterile water and mixed into 30 ml of a fragrance-free serum or cream (about 0.03%), applied once or twice daily; Lipotec's cosmetic grade is a 0.05% solution used at 3-10% of a formula.
Getting it
Sold mainly as 10-20 mg lyophilised 'research' vials by injectable-peptide vendors and mixed at home; a few finished cosmetic serums list acetyl octapeptide-3, and cosmetic-grade raw material is sold to DIY formulators.
Stacked with
GHK-Cu (topical): The near-universal pairing; several users conclude the GHK-Cu did the visible work. · hyaluronic acid serum: Usual carrier for the reconstituted vial. · Argireline: Same mechanism; no reason to expect an additive effect.

User reports 12

  • r/BodyHackGuide· · 4 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I reconstituted a vile and added to face serum. I also take 2mg of GHK-cu daily and use a red light for my face. Absolutely happy with results. Really helped with wrinkles. Not a miracle worker, but well worth the effort and money for me.

    Positiveone vial reconstituted into face serum · Topical · wrinkles

    also injects 2 mg GHK-Cu daily and uses facial red light, so heavily confounded

  • r/45PlusSkincare· · 3 upvotesOriginal ↗

    It definitely works. My forehead felt tingly and hard to move for a while my first time LOL. I only recently developed some fine lines (thanks to recent events), so I am trying to let those relax away.

    Positiveone vial from a peptide vendor · Topical · new fine lines

    45+; also GHK-Cu, RF device, Volufiline and Adifyline

  • r/45PlusSkincare· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I mix mine with hyaluronic acid in collagen cream and I love it, its not drastic or immediate and it takes a while before you can see the difference but with continuous twice a day usage you can see differences in smoothness, texture and plumpness

    Positivevial in 1 ml bacteriostatic water + 2 tbsp HA, into a collagen cream, twice daily · Topical · texture, fine lines

    45+; slow, cumulative effect

  • r/45PlusSkincare· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    Tried it liked it better than airgirline but my hg is Apothe 11 peptide essence toner

    PositiveTopical · fine lines

    preferred it to argireline, though a peptide toner is her holy grail

  • r/DIYaesthetics· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    Yes I do this either I microneedle or inject the leftovers and still great results

    Positivewrinkles

    microneedles it in or injects leftover vial solution (off-label, outside this entry's topical verdict)

  • r/DIYaesthetics· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I just started using for the first time topically about a week ago and maybe I’m overthinking but I think it’s already helping with some of the fine lines. My face is definitely softer after using.

    MixedTopical · fine lines

    one week in, unsure

  • r/Peptidesource· · 4 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I really saw an improvement in my skin quality with topical GHKCu but didnt see any "botox" like effect with Snap8 and been using for a couple of months daily now

    NothingTopical · expression lines

    a couple of months daily; topical GHK-Cu did help skin quality

  • r/Peptidesource· · 2 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I started adding Snap 8 to the same serum at 30mg to 30ml of serum with 1g of GHK cosmetic. After two vials of this, I notice no difference with the added Snap and personally won’t order it again, but will stick with the GHK

    Nothing30 mg in 30 ml serum with 1 g cosmetic GHK-Cu · Topical · anti-aging

    two vials added to an existing GHK-Cu serum

  • r/45PlusSkincare· · 2 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I haven’t seen any improvements after 2 months on GLOW and snap8. I’m actually very disappointed

    NothingTopical · anti-aging

    2 months, alongside the GLOW peptide blend

  • r/Peptidesource· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I’ve been using snap 8 for many months and let’s just say once the bottle is empty I won’t be refilling it. I’ll still with reg HA and GHKCu.

    NothingTopical · anti-aging

    many months of use

  • r/BodyHackGuide· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I tried snap 8 as a botox alternative. I used it twice a day for 2 months after dermarolling and it did nothing. I don't recommend it.

    Nothingtwice daily after dermarolling · Topical · Botox alternative

    2 months

  • r/45PlusSkincare· · 1 upvotesOriginal ↗

    I purchased the vials and mixed them with hyaluronic acid, but my face has been very dry since I started.

    Negativevials mixed into hyaluronic acid · Topical · anti-aging

    also using an injectable 'SubQ Glow' blend five times a week

Safety

Tier by safety barStrict CautionBalanced CleanEvidence only Clean

Seen harmMechanismData gapSilent harmProduct

Seen harm 0/3
No adverse events in the two small published studies and none serious among first-hand reports; exposure is modest. Shin et al. 2024: microneedle patch with acetyl octapeptide-3 and other actives, n=24 (PubMed 39082657) ↗
Mechanism 0/3
A longer argireline analogue with the same weak SNARE mimicry and negligible skin penetration; no pathway to serious harm is known for topical use. Lipotec SNAP-8 product information (0.05% acetyl octapeptide-3 solution) ↗
Data gap 2/3
No CIR assessment; the only human data are two small microneedle-patch studies in which it was one of several actives. Shin et al. 2024: microneedle patch with acetyl octapeptide-3 and other actives, n=24 (PubMed 39082657) ↗
Silent harm 0/3
Dryness or irritation shows within days and clears on stopping.
Product 2/3
Mostly grey-market 'research' vials mixed at home and applied to skin, of unverified identity (some reportedly argireline); injecting or microneedling it deep is outside this score.

Where to buy 4 in Europe · 4 total

ShopFormPricePer mgTesting
CertaPeptidesEU · ROpowder · 10 mg€25€2.55/mgThird-party tested
Europa-PeptideEU · PLpowder · 10 mg€37€3.69/mgOwn COAout of stock
Modern Peptides EUEU · DEpowder · 10 mg€40€4.00/mgOwn COA
Amazon.frEU · FRserum+hyaluronic acidcontents not stated€24—No public tests

Studies 2

Sources 2

More in Skin & hair all 17 →

  1. 1EGF serum (sh-oligopeptide-1) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €13–81 / month59%positive24 reportsRecombinant human growth factor in serums; users like the glow, but keep it off broken or microneedled skin.
  2. 2GHK-Cu (topical) GHK (3 residues) CautionSupplement ≈ €9–36 / month59%positive44 reportsDecades-old cosmetic copper peptide; gentle skin firmness/texture and possibly hair benefits.
  3. 3SYN-AKE (dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €4–27 / month57%positive18 reportsSynthetic 'snake venom' peptide for expression lines; mostly a K-beauty sheet-mask ingredient, mild at best.
  4. 4AHK-Cu (topical) AHK (3 residues) CautionSupplement ≈ €13–90 / month46%positive20 reportsGHK-Cu's hair-targeted sibling; scalp serum users report baby hairs, but data stop at a dish.
  5. 5Leuphasyl (pentapeptide-18) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €4–27 / month55%positive1 reportsEnkephalin-mimic expression-line peptide, sold as argireline's partner; hard to find alone, barely reviewed.
  6. 6Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8) EEMQRR (6 residues) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €4–13 / month48%positive25 reportsSNAP-25-mimic 'topical Botox' for expression lines; real but mild softening for about half of users.
  7. 7Collagen peptides (oral) CleanSupplement ≈ €11–16 / month49%positive47 reportsFood-grade protein; modest, slow, inconsistent benefits for skin, nails and joints.
  8. 8Tricomin CautionSupplement Topical≈ €27–63 / month43%positive1 reports1990s ProCyte copper-peptide hair spray, now an AHK-Cu cosmetic; one unpublished small trial, users shrug.
  9. 9Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4) KTTKS (5 residues) CleanSupplement Topical≈ €4–13 / month45%positive21 reportsThe classic 'collagen-signal' cosmetic peptide; slow, soft smoothing, more hydration than lift.
  10. 10Biotinoyl tripeptide-1 (Procapil) & Capixyl hair serums GHK (3 residues) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €10–20 / month42%positive25 reportsCosmetic anti-shedding peptides in cheap leave-on scalp serums; a minority see baby hairs.
  11. 11Nonapeptide-1 (Melanostatine 5) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €4–13 / month45%positive12 reportsAlpha-MSH blocker for dark spots, always sold beside stronger lighteners; its own effect is untested.
  12. 12Hexapeptide-9 (Collaxyl) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €4–27 / month3/10estimateCollagen-sequence 'signal' peptide in firming serums; tested in people only as a modified or enhanced version.
  13. 13Tripeptide-10 citrulline (Decorinyl) CautionSupplement Topical≈ €4–27 / month3/10estimateDecorin-mimic peptide meant to tidy collagen fibres; one tiny randomised trial, no user reports.
  14. 14Melanotan II DHFRWK (6 residues) Excluded Nasal / Injection≈ €27–54 / month51%positive51 reportsNon-selective melanocortin agonist for tanning; works, but has documented serious harms.Documented serious harms (melanoma reports, PRES, priapism) from non-selective melanocortin activation.
  15. 15GHK-Cu (injectable) GHK (3 residues) Excluded Injection≈ €20–40 / month50%positive30 reportsHugely popular for skin tightening and hair; supraphysiologic systemic dosing with no human data.Borderline: theoretical growth-factor/angiogenic signalling at supraphysiological systemic doses with no human injectable safety data. Topical GHK-Cu gives much of the skin benefit without this.
  16. 16PTD-DBM Excluded Topical≈ €36–90 / month42%positive6 reportsWnt-activating hair-regrowth peptide from mouse studies; DIY users report little.It works by switching on Wnt/beta-catenin signalling in skin, and sustained beta-catenin activation causes hair-follicle tumours in mice and pilomatricoma in humans. It has no human safety data, and users pair it with valproic acid, a teratogen.

Sequence beads

Each bead is one amino acid in the peptide's chain, coloured by its side chain: grey for non-polar, cyan for polar, blue for positively charged and fuchsia for negatively charged. Length and mix tell related peptides apart at a glance, from a two-residue dipeptide like carnosine to a 43-residue protein like thymosin beta-4. The colours describe chemistry only and predict neither effect nor safety.

non-polarpolarpositivenegative

Report grades

Every first-hand Reddit or X report is graded on its own, from glowing through positive, mixed, nothing and negative to bad reaction, and the bar shows how those grades split. Posts that look vendor-adjacent stay on the peptide's page but are left out of the counts.

GlowingPositiveMixedNothingNegativeBad reaction

% positive

The share of a peptide's graded Reddit and X reports that are glowing or positive, vendor-adjacent posts left out. A peptide with few reports is pulled toward the average of all reports, as if it had eight average ones besides its own, so two glowing posts cannot top the list. Kept peptides rank by the same reports' mean grade, shrunk the same way, and excluded ones follow in that order.

Researcher estimate

No first-hand report of this peptide has been graded yet, so the figure is the researchers' own rating out of 10 from what they read about it. It ranks alongside the computed scores until reports arrive.

Safety tier

Each peptide is tiered clean, caution or excluded from its five risk axes under the chosen safety bar. An excluded peptide has a plausible route to serious harm, so it stays listed with the reason but ranks behind every other entry, however good its reviews.

Safety bar

The safety bar sets how much risk it takes to exclude a peptide. Strict: out on any serious mechanism with little human data, or any documented serious harm. Balanced: out on documented serious harm (unless it is obvious, reversible and from a regulated product), or a serious mechanism whose harm would be silent with no human data at all. Evidence only: out only on documented serious harm in humans that is lasting, delayed or from grey-market product.

Seen harm

Documented serious adverse events in humans, from 0 for none despite real exposure to 3 for deaths or several well-documented serious harms. Serious means a hospital or emergency visit or harm lasting weeks, so a headache or a bad night does not count.

Mechanism

A plausible biological route to serious harm at the doses people use, such as growth-factor signalling, hormone-axis suppression, heart or blood-pressure effects or immune activation. It runs from 0 when none is known to 3 when a dangerous pathway has been shown in living animals.

Data gap

How little human safety data exists for the molecule actually sold, from 0 for an approved drug with large trials and years of use to 3 for no human safety data at all. A modified analogue does not inherit its parent's trials.

Silent harm

Whether the feared harm would show quickly or stay hidden, from 0 when it is obvious and goes on stopping to 3 when it is silent and delayed, like tumour promotion or slow organ damage. User reports cannot reveal a harm that takes years to appear, so a high score here limits what good reviews can tell you.

Product

The risk of what people actually buy, from 0 for a regulated pharmacy or supplement product taken by mouth or on the skin to 3 for a grey-market injectable. In one dataset of 6,441 grey-market samples, 42–71% failed basic quality criteria and 15% carried endotoxin.

Evidence

The strongest kind of study behind the peptide's effects, from an approved drug through human controlled trials and small human studies to animal work or nothing of its own. Animal results often fail to carry over to people.

Access

How people get it: as an approved drug, a compounded prescription, an over-the-counter supplement or from the grey market, where nobody checks the vial. The channel decides both the legal position and the risk of a bad batch.

Price per month

Thirty days of the typical dose, from its low end to its high end, priced at the listing a careful buyer would choose: in stock, from a shop scoring 4 of 5 on trust (third-party tested where no score is set), failing that 3, a pure pack before a blend, a European shop first, then the cheapest per mg. The range is the dose's, not the shops'. A per-dose amount counts once a day unless the dose says otherwise. Prices are in euros at ECB rates of 2026-10-29, before shipping; the shop table keeps each listing's price per mg, per gram for bulk supplements. Where no listing can be priced the researchers' own estimate stands in, and says so.

Dose users report

The middle half of the daily doses stated in at least five first-hand reports, vendor posts left out. Where its middle sits more than twice above or below the declared dose, the month is priced at it as well, since what people take is what they pay for.

Testing

Whether the shop publishes lab results: third-party tested means an independent lab checks each batch, own COA means the shop's own certificate of analysis, and no public tests means neither. A certificate shows purity, not safety.

Added peptide

Some packs sold under one peptide's name hold a second one, such as 5 mg GHK-Cu in a nasal kit, stated only in the description. Sprayed in the nose or injected it reaches the blood like an injection, so it carries the risk of that route and is tiered as the injectable form, whatever its tier on the skin. A pack whose page gives no contents list may hold more than its name.