0.2% Raw vs 1% Diluted: The GHK-Cu Number Nobody Explains

Why a bigger percentage on the label doesn't always mean a stronger serum.

Scroll through enough copper peptide serums and you'll start seeing the same headline number everywhere: "1% GHK-Cu." Some go higher — 2%, even 5%. On paper, it looks like a straightforward comparison: bigger number, stronger serum, better result. It isn't, and understanding why is the difference between paying for peptide or paying for marketing.

Where the confusion starts

Here's the industry mechanic almost no one explains on-label: raw GHK-Cu (Copper Tripeptide-1) essentially doesn't get sold to formulators on its own. It arrives at the factory as a pre-mixed carrier solution, usually landing around the 1% mark before a single other ingredient gets added to the batch.