Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 vs Snap-8
Side-by-side comparison of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Snap-8: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Snap-8
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 in older nomenclature, commercially known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide designed as a competitive inhibitor of the SNARE complex at the neuromuscular junction.…
Lowest listed price: $129.00 across 1 listing
Full Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 profileSnap-8
Snap-8 (INCI: Acetyl Octapeptide-3) is a synthetic octapeptide designed as an analog of the N-terminal fragment of synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25), which is the molecular target of botulinum toxin A…
Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 4 listings
Full Snap-8 profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 | Snap-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Skin & Hair | Skin & Hair |
| Research Stage | Marketed topical cosmetic ingredient (INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 / Argireline). Supported by small human anti-wrinkle studies, including one randomized, placebo-controlled trial; no systemic or injectable clinical development. Not an FDA-approved drug. | Preclinical |
| Mechanism of Action | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) is patterned after the N-terminal domain of SNAP-25 and behaves as a competitive mimic of that protein during SNARE complex assembly. The SNARE complex (SNAP-25 + Syntaxin-1 + VAMP/synaptobrevin) is required for… | Snap-8 (INCI Acetyl Octapeptide-3; CAS 868844-74-0) is a synthetic octapeptide, Ac-Glu-Glu-Met-Gln-Arg-Arg-Ala-Asp-NH2, whose sequence mimics the N-terminal domain of SNAP-25. SNAP-25, together with Syntaxin-1 and VAMP/synaptobrevin, forms the SNARE complex… |
| Half-Life | Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses) | Not characterized (topical peptide) |
| Typical Dose Range | — | — |
| Dosing Frequency | twice_daily | twice_daily |
| Administration | Topical | Topical |
| Side Effects | — | Topical use at cosmetic concentrations is generally well tolerated. The most commonly reported effects are mild, transient local reactions such as erythema, tightness, dryness, or stinging, usually at higher concentrations or on sensitive/periocular skin.… |
| Molecular Weight | 888.99 g/mol (average); molecular formula C34H60N14O12S | 1075.16 g/mol |
| Common Vial Sizes | — | 10 |
Price tracking
Price History
3 data points- Ion Peptide
- OF
- Disguised Alpha
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: potential benefits
- Targets dynamic expression wrinkles - forehead, glabellar, and periorbital (crow's feet) lines
- Proposed to reduce facial neuromuscular signaling by destabilizing the ternary SNARE complex (acts as a SNAP-25 N-terminal mimic)
- A randomized, placebo-controlled human study reported ~49% subjective improvement in periorbital wrinkles vs 0% for placebo over 4 weeks (small evidence base) [PMID: 23417317]
- Marketed as a topical 'Botox alternative' - reversible mechanism, not a neurotoxin, with no botulinum-type systemic risk
- Supplied as a raw cosmetic-compounding powder for research/formulation use (verify purity via HPLC COA)
- Commonly combined with related peptides (e.g., Acetyl Octapeptide-3 / Snap-8) in anti-wrinkle formulations
Snap-8: potential benefits
- Reduction of dynamic expression wrinkles (forehead, crow's feet, glabellar lines)
- SNARE complex interference — partial, reversible neuromuscular inhibition
- Topical alternative research model for neuromuscular relaxation without injected toxin
- Cosmetic peptide compounding research — high-purity raw powder applications
- Synergy with Argireline (Acetyl Hexapeptide-3) in SNARE-targeting formulations
Frequently asked
What's the difference between Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Snap-8?
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a skin & hair that acetyl hexapeptide-8 (argireline) is patterned after the n-terminal domain of snap-25 and behaves as a competitive mimic of that protein during snare complex assembly. the snare…. Snap-8 is a skin & hair that snap-8 (inci acetyl octapeptide-3; cas 868844-74-0) is a synthetic octapeptide, ac-glu-glu-met-gln-arg-arg-ala-asp-nh2, whose sequence mimics the n-terminal domain of snap-25.…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses) vs Not characterized (topical peptide)), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 or Snap-8?
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a half-life of Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses). Snap-8 has a half-life of Not characterized (topical peptide). Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 or Snap-8?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 from $129.00, Snap-8 from $34.99. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.
Can you stack Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Snap-8?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Snap-8 should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.
See current vendor prices
Listings from the vendors we track. Prices change often, so check the vendor before you buy.
Before you buy Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 or Snap-8
Check the vendor trust score. Every supplier we track is rated 0-100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and listings: one published, reproducible methodology, applied to every vendor.
Related comparisons
Research use only. BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. Every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.