Part of the skin and hair peptide hub: every topical and cosmetic peptide we cover, with its evidence grade.
Argireline
The 'topical Botox' hexapeptide: built to damp nerve signals to facial muscles, tested in small trials of creams
Argireline, acetyl hexapeptide-8 (Ac-EEMQRR-NH2), was designed to inhibit neurotransmitter release the way botulinum toxin does, far more weakly. It is a cosmetic ingredient, not a drug: its human evidence is a few small trials of creams, and the US safety panel cleared it only at concentrations far below those studied.
What is it?
The peptide came out of a 2002 rational-design programme aimed at SNAP-25, one of the proteins botulinum toxin cleaves. In laboratory tests it inhibited neurotransmitter release with a potency similar to botulinum toxin A but much lower efficacy. How much reaches muscle through intact skin is the open question; the trials measured wrinkles, not muscle activity.
The evidence in people is thin: a 30-day volunteer study, a four-week randomised trial in 60 adults and a 24-patient pilot in blepharospasm. In 2025 the US Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel concluded it is safe in cosmetics at up to 0.005% and that the data are insufficient to judge it safe above that, while the 2002 study used a 10% emulsion.
Injecting it is not a cosmetic use, and no form of it is an approved drug. A 2021 case report describes a mycobacterial infection after argireline was injected into the face.
Injecting it does not appear to do more than applying it: in a 2026 rat study, argireline injected under the skin produced no measurable change in dermal collagen, unlike botulinum toxin given the same way.
At a Glance
Every value in this table is printed from the Grey Peptides dataset, the same record the compound explorer and comparison tool read, so the three can never disagree.
Published Research
Studies read from their PubMed abstracts: one design paper, two small trials, a case report and the 2025 safety review.
The design paper
Ac-EEMQRR-NH2 came from a rational design programme; a 10% emulsion reduced wrinkle depth by up to 30% over 30 days in healthy women, and in the laboratory it inhibited neurotransmitter release like botulinum toxin A, with much lower efficacy.
Randomised trial in 60 adults
In 60 Chinese adults randomised 3:1 to argireline or placebo twice daily for four weeks, assessors rated 48.9% improved against none on placebo, and skin-replica roughness fell only with argireline.
Blepharospasm pilot
In 24 patients receiving botulinum toxin, daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 trended toward longer symptom control than placebo (3.7 against 3.0 months), without significant adverse events; a third of the active group gained a considerable extension.
Infection after injection
A 45-year-old woman developed Mycobacterium abscessus abscesses a week after argireline injections into the forehead and temples; five months of clarithromycin and moxifloxacin cleared them.
Multi-ingredient serum
Over 12 weeks in two clinical studies (50 and 42 people), a serum combining acetyl hexapeptide-8 with four other actives improved clinician-scored static wrinkles by 35% to 69% and dynamic wrinkles by 10% to 13%. The study came from the maker, had no placebo arm, and cannot separate the peptide's share from the other ingredients.
US safety assessment
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel concluded acetyl hexapeptide-8 amide is safe in cosmetics at concentrations up to 0.005%, and that the data are insufficient to judge it safe at higher concentrations.
Injected into rat skin
In 40 rats given subdermal injections before a skin-flap operation, argireline alone left collagen type I/III indistinguishable from saline and did not improve flap survival, while botulinum toxin shifted the collagen profile. The authors found no detectable tissue-level effect from the injected peptide.
Side Effects & Contraindications
Reported Side Effects
From the studies.
Contraindications & Cautions
No drug label exists; from the 2025 safety review.
Legal Status
A cosmetic ingredient, never approved as a drug.
Frequently Asked Questions
?Is Argireline 'Botox in a jar'?
No. In the laboratory it is far less effective than botulinum toxin, and the trials in people measured modest changes in wrinkles over about a month.
?What concentration is safe?
The US Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel found it safe at up to 0.005% and could not judge higher concentrations; the 2002 study used 10%.
?Can it be injected?
It is not a drug and no injectable form is approved; a 2021 case report describes a serious skin infection after facial injections.
?Is it the same as SNAP-8?
No. SNAP-8 extends the same sequence by two amino acids, Ac-EEMQRRAD-NH2, and has its own entry; neither is an approved drug.
References
- [pubmed] Blanes-Mira C, et al. "A synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) with antiwrinkle activity." Int J Cosmet Sci, 2002;24(5):303-10. PMID: 18498523.
- [clinical-trial] Wang Y, et al. "The anti-wrinkle efficacy of argireline, a synthetic hexapeptide, in Chinese subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study." Am J Clin Dermatol, 2013;14(2):147-53. PMID: 23417317.
- [clinical-trial] Lungu C, et al. "Pilot study of topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 in the treatment for blepharospasm in patients receiving botulinum toxin therapy." Eur J Neurol, 2013;20(3):515-518. PMID: 23146065.
- [pubmed] Chen CF, et al. "Mycobacterium abscessus infection after facial injection of argireline: A case report." World J Clin Cases, 2021;9(8):1996-2000. PMID: 33748252.
- [review] Johnson W Jr, et al. "Safety Assessment of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Amide as Used in Cosmetics." Int J Toxicol, 2025;44(2_suppl):54S-63S. PMID: 40673537.
- [pubmed] Zhu M, et al. "The effect of a serum containing acetyl hexapeptide-8, dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate and gluconolactone on skin biomarkers, wrinkles and skin texture: Ex vivo and clinical studies." Int J Cosmet Sci, 2026. PMID: 41668671.
- [pubmed] Acuner B, et al. "Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A and Argireline on Dermal Collagen Remodeling and Skin Biology in a Flap Model." Aesthetic Plast Surg, 2026. PMID: 42675285.
Sources & Citations
Studies from their PubMed abstracts; safety conclusions from the Cosmetic Ingredient Review assessment (Int J Toxicol, 2025); drug status from Drugs@FDA (searched October 1, 2026).
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and nothing here is an instruction to obtain or use any compound. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions.