Copper Peptides for Body: Neck, Hands & Crepey Skin

0.5%

In the balm stick

In a water-free base that stays put

9

Peptides

GHK-Cu with eight others

20 g

Twist-up stick

Lives in a pocket or a bag

4 to 12 weeks

Same as the face

Judge at 12 weeks, in the same light

Below the jaw

Why body skin needs the same attention

Same skin, different handling.

The neck, chest and hands get the same sun as the face, less of the sunscreen, and almost none of the serum. They also have thinner skin with fewer oil glands, which is why crepey texture and fine lines show there early.

What changes below the jaw is practical. A watery serum runs off a neck, and anything on the hands is gone at the next sink. A topical can only work where it stays, so format matters as much as concentration once you leave the face.

What the science says

What the science saysGHK-Cu / Copper Tripeptide-1

Do copper peptides work below the jaw?

The studies are on skin. None of them stops at the jawline, and none of them was run on a neck either.

The laboratory work is on skin cells and skin samples: dermal fibroblasts producing collagen and elastin in response to GHK-Cu³, and the copper tripeptide penetrating and staying in the layers of human skin samples². GHK is a naturally occurring peptide whose levels in the body decline with age¹, and the human studies the reviews gather are facial studies of topical products over weeks¹. Neck, chest and hand skin is built from the same layers and the same cells, with less thickness and fewer oil glands, so there is no biological reason to expect the peptide to behave differently there.

What there isn't is a published trial of GHK-Cu on the neck, chest or hands specifically. So the fair statement is: the mechanism is the same, the timeline is the same 4 to 12 weeks, and the evidence is borrowed from the face.

What's established

Collagen and elastin in skin cells³, penetration into skin layers on skin samples², facial studies over weeks¹.

What isn't

A body-specific trial. The evidence is face studies plus the biology of skin, which is the same skin.

What matters more here

Format and sunscreen. A topical only works where it stays, and chest and hands get more sun than any active can offset.

Shop now, $45 Or take all three as the Protocol, $175 Explore the science of GHK-Cu

A man's neck and jaw, skin bare — Same skin, different handling0.5% GHK-Cu balm stick · Face, neck, hands, body

Area by area

Where to use copper peptides on the body, and how

Area by area.

Neck and jaw

Balm stick, upwards from collarbone to jaw, morning and night. If you use the serum on your face, carry the last drops down the neck and seal with the balm.

Chest

Balm stick after showering, on dry skin. Sunscreen over it in the morning; chest skin is usually the most sun-damaged skin people never protect.

Hands

Balm stick after each wash where you can, at least at night. The backs of the hands are the one area where a water-free balm clearly beats a serum: it stays through the day.

Arms and crepey skin

Balm stick on the upper arms and elbows after showering. Crepey texture is a 12-week question here too, with sunscreen doing at least as much as any active.

Knees, elbows, dry patches

Wherever skin is rough and dry, the balm's water-free base does the moisturising while the peptide does its work.

Not for broken skin. Cosmetics are for intact skin; wait until anything open has closed.

Why we keep it topical

Real people, real skin, nothing you can't check.

Compare all four

We're real people too. We feel the pressure to look good everywhere the face doesn't end, and we know a serum that runs off a neck is not the answer. But our health is everything, and we want to be sure we're safe wherever we apply it.

That's why koppā only makes topical GHK-Cu: on the skin, where the human research was done, in formulas with the concentration and the full ingredient list on the label. Nothing you can't check, and nothing you can't stop.

Start with the 2% serum, the capsule cream or the balm stick, or take all three as the Protocol. The research behind them is on the Science page, and the questions people ask next are answered here: copper peptides before and after, are copper peptides safe and what 2% GHK-Cu means.

Koppā GHK-Cu serum — 2% copper peptide serum for face

Step 1, treat GHK-Cu 2% High Potency SerumConcentrated peptides for firmer, smoother-looking skin.$75Shop

Koppā Beauty copper peptide cream with GHK-Cu

Step 2, nourish GHK-Cu Advanced Capsule CreamCapsule-released peptides for deep, lasting hydration.$70Shop

Copper peptide balm stick by Koppā Beauty

Step 3, seal · For this question GHK-Cu Face + Body Balm StickTarget fine lines and dryness, from face to body.$45Shop

Koppā copper peptides skincare trio with GHK-Cu

All three, for less The GHK-Cu ProtocolYour complete peptide routine, for less.$175 ~~$190~~Shop

Post-shave, jaw and neck
Targeted care where skin is dry or freshly shaved.

The backs of the hands
Where a serum disappears and a balm stays put.

Solid, smooth, precise
The nine-peptide balm, water-free.

Lips and the dry corners
Small enough to carry, precise enough for the corners of the mouth.

Which format

Serum, cream or balm for the body?

Which koppā format goes where.

Compare	Serum (2% GHK-Cu)	Balm stick (0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free)
Neck	Works, if you'll seal it with a cream on top.	Stays put on its own. The simpler choice.
Chest	Fine on dry skin before moisturiser.	Better after showering; doubles as the moisturiser.
Hands	Washed off within the hour.	Lasts through the day.
Arms and elbows	Uses a lot of serum for the area.	Twenty grams goes a long way in a stick.
Concentration	The higher number.	The lower number, in a base that keeps it on the skin longer.

Neck

Serum (2% GHK-Cu): Works, if you'll seal it with a cream on top.
Balm stick (0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free): Stays put on its own. The simpler choice.

Chest

Serum (2% GHK-Cu): Fine on dry skin before moisturiser.
Balm stick (0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free): Better after showering; doubles as the moisturiser.

Hands

Serum (2% GHK-Cu): Washed off within the hour.
Balm stick (0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free): Lasts through the day.

Arms and elbows

Serum (2% GHK-Cu): Uses a lot of serum for the area.
Balm stick (0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free): Twenty grams goes a long way in a stick.

Concentration

Serum (2% GHK-Cu): The higher number.
Balm stick (0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free): The lower number, in a base that keeps it on the skin longer.

Ready to start? Shop now, $45 Or the Protocol, $175

The routine

How to build a body routine

It fits around a shower.

01
Patch test
Patch test on the inside of the arm for seven to ten days, the same as you would on the face⁴.
02
After the shower
After showering, on dry skin, glide the balm stick over neck, chest and the backs of the hands. Two or three passes per area.
03
Sunscreen over the top
In the morning, sunscreen over the top on anything the sun reaches. This is the step that does the most for crepey skin.
04
Hands, last thing
At night, reapply to hands after the last wash. Keep the stick by the bed or the sink.
05
Judge at 12 weeks
Judge at 12 weeks, in the same light, not at 12 days: weeks is the span the published facial studies ran over¹.

Ready to start? Shop now, $45 Or the Protocol, $175

For neck, hands and chest

Koppā GHK-Cu Face + Body Balm Stick, a 20 g copper peptide balm in a twist-up stick, on a dark navy background

For neck, hands and chest

The one built for below the jaw.

koppā's balm stick is 0.5% GHK-Cu with eight other peptides in a water-free balm that stays where you put it: neck, jaw, chest, the backs of the hands, and the dry patches a serum never reaches. Twenty grams, fragrance-free, and it lives in a pocket or a bag.

01

Stays where you put it

A water-free balm for neck, chest and hands.

02

Nine peptides

GHK-Cu with eight others, listed in full.

03

Twenty grams

Enough for arms and elbows too, and it travels.

Shop the balm stick, $45 The full Protocol, $175

0.5% GHK-Cu, water-free, stays put.

GHK-Cu Face + Body Balm Stick: Copper Peptide Balm

For neck, hands and chest

The one built for below the jaw.

koppā's balm stick is 0.5% GHK-Cu with eight other peptides in a water-free balm that stays where you put it: neck, jaw, chest, the backs of the hands, and the dry patches a serum never reaches. Twenty grams, fragrance-free, and it lives in a pocket or a bag.

Fragrance-free, silicone-free
Cruelty free
Full ingredient list and GHK-Cu concentration on every product page
Free shipping over $100

$45

GHK-Cu Face + Body Balm Stick

Shop now, $45

Or take all three as the Protocol, $175

Free shipping over $100. See all four products

Customer feedback

From koppā customers.

Customer feedback on koppā products.

9 customer reviews

Shop the balm stick

“Been using it about 6 weeks now. Didn't notice much the first couple weeks, but my skin looks noticeably smoother around my cheeks and my makeup sits better. Will repurchase.”

Sarah M.koppā customer

FAQ

Questions about copper peptides on the body

Can you use copper peptides on your body?

Yes. GHK-Cu acts on skin wherever it's applied, and the research is on skin, not specifically the face¹². The question is format: a balm stays on neck, chest and hands where a serum won't.

Do copper peptides help crepey skin on the arms?

The studies describe improvements in the appearance of firmness and smoothness over 4 to 12 weeks of consistent use¹. Crepey arm skin is mostly sun and age, so sunscreen alongside the balm does at least as much as the peptide.

Can I use the face serum on my neck?

Yes, and many people carry the last drops down. It runs, so seal it with the capsule cream or the balm. For hands, use the balm; a serum is washed off within the hour.

Why is the balm stick 0.5% and not 2%?

It's a water-free balm that stays on the skin for hours, so it delivers over a longer window than a serum that absorbs in minutes. The lower number in a base that stays put is the right tool for body skin.

Is the balm stick safe for hands that touch food or a baby?

It's a cosmetic for intact skin, fragrance-free, and it absorbs; wash hands before handling food as you normally would. For anything involving a baby's skin, ask your doctor or midwife first.

The formulas

Four formulas. Find your next step.

The balm stick is built for the body; the serum and cream carry the same peptide for the face. Together they are the Protocol.

Prices and stock update live.

Koppā GHK-Cu High Potency Serum, a 45 ml 2% copper peptide serum in a blue glass dropper bottle

Step 1, treat

GHK-Cu 2% High Potency Serum

Concentrated peptides for firmer, smoother-looking skin.

$75

In stock

Shop now

Step 2, nourish

GHK-Cu Advanced Capsule Cream

Capsule-released peptides for deep, lasting hydration.

$70

Preorder

Shop now

For this question

GHK-Cu Face + Body Balm Stick

Target fine lines and dryness, from face to body.

$45

In stock

Shop now

The Koppā GHK-Cu Protocol: copper peptide serum, capsule cream and balm stick together on a dark navy background

The Protocol

The GHK-Cu Protocol

Your complete peptide routine, for less.

$175$190 separately

Preorder

Shop now

Save $15 versus buying separately

Sources

References

Research on GHK-Cu the ingredient, not on koppā's finished formulas. Where a study was run in cells or on skin samples rather than on people, we say so in the text.

1.Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. BioMed Research International. 2015;2015:648108. Read the paper
2.Hostynek JJ, Dreher F, Maibach HI. Human skin penetration of a copper tripeptide in vitro as a function of skin layer. Inflammation Research. 2011;60(1):79-86. Read the paper
3.Badenhorst T, Svirskis D, Merrilees M, Bolke L, Wu Z. Effects of GHK-Cu on MMP and TIMP Expression, Collagen and Elastin Production, and Facial Wrinkle Parameters. Journal of Aging Science. 2016;4:166. Read the paper
4.American Academy of Dermatology Association. How to test skin care products. aad.org. Read the paper

Copper peptides for crepey skin and ageing hands, in the journal How to use GHK-Cu: the koppā 3-step routine, morning and night Copper peptides before and after: what changes, and when

Still not sure?

Ask us about an ingredient, a concentration or how to fit GHK-Cu into your routine. We're real people on the other end, and we'd rather you asked than guessed. If you're managing a diagnosed skin condition, a dermatologist is the right person to ask first.

Shop the Protocol, $175 Ask a question How our formulas are tested The research behind GHK-Cu

Page updated 29 September 2026