The science

The Science

Or: what we actually built and why.

Most skincare brands won’t tell you what they’re really doing. They’ll tell you the product is “advanced” or “clinically formulated” without saying which compound at which percentage targeting which appearance concern. We’re going the other way. This page is everything you’d want to know if you were the kind of person who reads ingredient lists.

Peptides — the short version

A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, including the proteins your skin makes itself: collagen, elastin, keratin. Different peptide chains do different things — some carry signals between cells, some inhibit specific enzymes, some bind to copper or zinc and shuttle them around.

Topical peptides are the most-studied category of appearance-supporting active ingredients in modern skincare. The research goes back to the early 1990s. They’re popular for a reason — when formulated and stored correctly, they perform.

The peptides in the Aperture Skin range:

Matrixyl 3000 (in Peptide Serum 01)

A combination of two palmitoylated peptides — Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7. Developed by Sederma in the early 2000s. The “matrix” name refers to the extracellular matrix of the skin. Topical Matrixyl 3000 is one of the most published-on cosmetic peptides. We use it at a concentration in line with the published research, which our manufacturer’s Certificate of Analysis confirms on every batch. Longer breakdown in the journal →

Argireline / Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (in Peptide Serum 01)

A hexapeptide developed in the late 1990s. Sometimes called “topical Botox” in marketing copy by other brands — we won’t call it that because it’s misleading and probably not legal in Australia. What it actually does: targets the appearance of expression-related fine lines around the eyes and mouth. Best used consistently over weeks, not as a one-shot fix. More on Argireline →

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (in Peptide Serum 01 and Copper Peptide Cream)

A signal peptide. Used in formulation alongside Matrixyl 3000 and Argireline because the three perform better as a stack than any one of them alone. The science behind this is straightforward — different peptides interact with different appearance-related pathways in the skin, so layering them gives a more complete effect than chasing a single hero.

GHK-Cu / Copper Tripeptide-1 (in Copper Peptide Cream)

The hero of the cream and possibly the most-researched peptide in cosmetic chemistry. Discovered in 1973 by Dr Loren Pickart, who isolated it from human plasma. It’s a tripeptide — glycyl-histidyl-lysine — that binds to a single copper ion. The combination is naturally present in human plasma at higher concentrations in younger people and lower concentrations as we age, which is why topical GHK-Cu is studied so heavily for the appearance of ageing skin.

Important formulation note: GHK-Cu is sensitive. It can degrade in the wrong base, and it doesn’t play well with strong acids (vitamin C, AHAs) in the same routine. Our cream is formulated to keep the GHK-Cu stable, and the routine is designed so the GHK-Cu cream goes on at night, in its own moment, away from anything that would compete with it. The 50-year research story →

Light therapy — the short version

Visible light is electromagnetic radiation in the range of approximately 380 nm to 700 nm. Light at different wavelengths penetrates the skin to different depths and is absorbed by different chromophores (light-absorbing molecules) in the skin’s tissue.

The two wavelengths in the Aperture Skin LED mask:

Red light at 660 nm

Red light at 660 nm penetrates the skin to a moderate depth — typically described in the literature as around 2–3 mm. At this depth, it’s absorbed by chromophores in the upper dermis. The most-studied effect of 660 nm light is on the appearance of skin tone and the visual signs of the everyday wear of skin. Used consistently, the most common reported observation is a more even, more luminous-looking skin surface.

Near-infrared at 830 nm

Near-infrared light at 830 nm penetrates further than visible red — typically into deeper layers of the dermis. Outside of being visible to the eye (it’s not — your phone camera will see it as a faint pink-purple glow), it acts on chromophores deeper in the skin tissue. In published cosmetic research it’s most associated with the appearance of firmer-looking skin over consistent use.

The Aperture Skin LED mask emits both wavelengths simultaneously. Why both: because the published research on cosmetic light therapy generally favours dual-wavelength devices over single-wavelength devices for the appearance benefits people are looking for. Single-wavelength devices exist, are cheaper, and we’ve seen them on the market — we don’t sell them because the research is more compelling for the combination. Wavelength deep-dive →

The routine — why peptides go first and light goes second

A common question we get: does the order of application actually matter? Yes. It matters enough that we built the routine around it.

Peptides are large molecules. They need direct contact with skin to do their thing. The first application — clean skin, dry, four to five drops of serum — is the moment they have the best chance to interact with the skin’s surface and reach the upper layers.

If you put the LED mask on first and then apply the serum afterwards, the peptides are landing on already-exposed skin. They’ll still work. Just not as effectively as they would if they were the first thing on.

Conversely, light therapy works through skin no matter what’s on the surface. If your skin has a peptide serum applied and a light mask sitting on top, the light still penetrates fine. The peptides aren’t blocking it.

So the order is:

Cleanse
Peptide Serum 01 — four to five drops, pat in
Copper Peptide Cream — pea-sized amount, full face and neck
LED Mask — ten minutes

Three to four products, ten minutes total, every night. That’s the brand. The full step-by-step is at /the-routine →

Why we keep it short

A lot of skincare lines try to sell you ten products. We sell three plus a device. There’s a reason.

The published research on most skincare actives — including peptides and light — concludes that consistency over weeks matters far more than any individual product or any layered combination. Most people who don’t see results from skincare aren’t using the wrong products; they’re using too many products inconsistently.

A short routine is a routine you actually do. Three products beats nine. Ten minutes a night beats forty minutes whenever you remember.

So we made the products to be done. We won’t be expanding the line to include another fourteen SKUs to chase trends. The routine is the routine. More on the minimal-routine philosophy →

What we don’t claim

We’re an Australian company, regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and the Industrial Chemicals Act. There are specific things we are not allowed to claim, and beyond what’s not allowed, there are things we choose not to claim because they overstate what skincare can actually do.

What we don’t say

We don’t say “clinically proven” — because we haven’t run a clinical trial on our specific products. Generic ingredient research isn’t the same as proof of our formulations.
We don’t say “treats” anything — acne, eczema, wrinkles, dark spots, anything else. Our products are cosmetics, not therapeutic goods.
We don’t say “stimulates collagen production.” We say “supports the appearance of plumper, smoother skin.” There’s a difference, and the difference matters legally and honestly.
We don’t say “FDA-cleared,” “TGA-approved,” or “medical grade.” If we earn any of those certifications later, we’ll say so. Until then, we won’t.

What we do say

The peptides in our products are widely-researched topical actives.
Used consistently, in the order we recommend, most people report visible improvements in skin tone, texture, and the appearance of fine lines.
The routine takes ten minutes a night.
We have a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it doesn’t work for you, full refund.

That’s our deal. Honest about what we do, honest about what we don’t, and a guarantee on the back end if it turns out not to be for you. More on the “clinically proven” problem →

A note on individual results

Not everyone responds to peptides or light at the same rate. Skin is variable, ages variably, lives in variable conditions. Most published research on these actives reports the average response across hundreds or thousands of subjects. Your skin is one data point.

If after 30 days you haven’t seen a change, two things to consider:

Are you doing the routine consistently? Daily. Every night. The routine works on accumulation; gaps reset the clock.
Have you stacked anything that might compete? Strong AHAs / BHAs / vitamin C in the same routine can compete with the peptides. If you’re using those, alternate nights — peptides one night, actives the next.

If after consistent use the routine isn’t working for you, the 30-day guarantee is exactly for this. Email admin@topendpeptides.com.au and we’ll refund you in full.

Where the research lives

Public, peer-reviewed research on the actives in this routine:

Matrixyl 3000 — search PubMed for “Palmitoyl Oligopeptide cosmetic”
Argireline / Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 — search “Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 wrinkle appearance”
GHK-Cu — Pickart, L. (2008). The human tri-peptide GHK and tissue remodeling. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition.
Red light at 660 nm — search “660nm light therapy skin appearance review”
Near-infrared at 830 nm — search “830nm near-infrared photobiomodulation skin”

We point you at the research instead of cherry-picking quotes from it. If you read it and decide our routine isn’t compelling, that’s fair. If you read it and decide it is, you’ll come at the products with informed consent and realistic expectations — and that’s the kind of customer we’re trying to earn.

We’ll keep this page updated as the research evolves. If anything we’ve written here goes out of date, email us and we’ll fix it. Honest pages stay honest because the people reading them keep us honest.

— Josiah, co-founder, Aperture Skin