GHK-Cu and peptides for skin aging: separating TikTok hype from real data

What did @mayaya.kimmm actually say?

The creator claims that dark circles, wrinkles, and puffiness under your eyes are "a sign of aging" rather than just fatigue, then positions NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) as the ingredient that "actually targets those aging cells" while dismissing hyaluronic acid and peptides as ingredients that "only target the surface." She promotes a specific product line called Ciori, demonstrating a lymphatic drainage-style massage technique around the orbital area.

The cultural framing here is doing a lot of work. Presenting NMN as a uniquely Korean anti-aging secret is mostly marketing. Korean skincare is genuinely well-regarded, but NMN in topical cosmetics is not a distinctly Korean innovation, and the video does not distinguish between oral NMN supplementation (where research exists) and NMN in a face wash (where it does not).

Does the science back this up?

The science on NMN is real, but it is almost entirely about oral supplementation and cellular metabolism, not topical absorption through facial skin. Applying NMN in a wash-off product is unlikely to do what the video implies.

NMN is a precursor to NAD+, a coenzyme involved in cellular energy metabolism and DNA repair. Oral NMN supplementation has shown some promising results in humans. Yoshino et al. (2021, Science) found that oral NMN increased muscle insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women with prediabetes. Igarashi et al. (2022, NPJ Aging) showed NMN improved some age-related biomarkers in older adults. These are interesting findings, but they involved ingested doses, not face cream.

Topical delivery of NMN faces a significant barrier: the molecule must penetrate the stratum corneum, reach viable skin cells, and then be converted intracellularly. There are no published peer-reviewed trials confirming that NMN in a topical formulation meaningfully raises skin NAD+ levels or reduces periorbital aging signs. Dismissing peptides as "only targeting the surface" while promoting topical NMN is, frankly, a contradiction the video does not acknowledge.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

Let's be fair. The creator got one thing right: under-eye changes like puffiness and fine lines do have an aging component. Volume loss, reduced collagen density, and changes in lymphatic drainage all contribute. That is accurate.

What she got wrong is more significant. Calling peptides and hyaluronic acid surface-only while elevating NMN is misleading. Certain peptides, particularly GHK-Cu (copper peptide), have published evidence for stimulating collagen synthesis and acting on fibroblasts at a deeper level. Pickart and Margolina (2018, Biomolecules) reviewed GHK-Cu's role in skin remodeling with reasonable supporting data. Hyaluronic acid, depending on molecular weight, can also interact with dermal tissue. The claim that these "only target the surface" is reductive and not well-supported.

More importantly, the video never clarifies that NMN research exists almost entirely in the context of oral supplementation. A wash-off product containing NMN has minimal plausible dwell time for absorption, making the mechanism she describes speculative at best.

What should you actually know?

If you are interested in NAD+ precursors for longevity or cellular health, the relevant research is on oral supplementation, not face wash. The human trials that exist, including Yoshino et al. (2021) and Igarashi et al. (2022), used oral doses studied in clinical settings, not cosmetic products.

For the periorbital area specifically, the topical ingredients with the most clinical evidence include retinoids, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), caffeine for transient puffiness reduction, and certain peptides. A 2022 review by Farris in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology confirmed that peptide-containing eye creams can produce modest but measurable improvements in skin texture and elasticity.

The massage technique shown is not useless. Gentle lymphatic drainage around the orbital rim can temporarily reduce puffiness by moving interstitial fluid. That part of the video has more practical support than the ingredient claims.

• NMN is not approved or regulated as a drug by the FDA in the U.S., and its topical use is largely unregulated and unstudied.
• "Targeting aging cells" is a loosely defined claim with no clinical benchmark in this context.
• If you want to explore NAD+ precursors for health reasons, that conversation belongs with a qualified clinician, not a product brand's TikTok campaign.