Can you use copper peptides with salicylic acid (BHA)?
It's better to use them at different times. Acidic exfoliants may reduce the stability of copper peptides, though the evidence is limited.
Why
The way the GHK peptide holds onto copper depends on pH, and lab testing confirmed the complex as stable only between pH 4.5 and 7.4, with some breakdown under acidic stress. Salicylic acid is itself an acid, so layering it with a copper peptide could make the peptide less effective. There are no studies of the two used together on skin.
How to use them
Use copper peptides in the morning and salicylic acid at night. Salicylic acid is an OTC drug ingredient in the US in some products, so if yours has a Drug Facts label, follow its directions first.
BHA is regulated as an OTC drug active in some products in the US. The directions on the product's label come first, and Dermo doesn't recommend specific drug products.
Sources
- 1GHK-Cu as a Bioactive Metallopeptide and Drug-Delivery Cargo: Coordination Chemistry, Formulation Science, Therapeutic Evidence, and a Translational Roadmap · Pharmaceutics, 2026
- 2Physicochemical characterization of native glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine tripeptide for wound healing and anti-aging: a preformulation study for dermal delivery · Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2016
- 321 CFR 333.310 Acne active ingredients · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 2010
General cosmetic information, not medical advice. Written with AI assistance from the sources above; updated October 2026.