Compounds / SNAP-8
SNAP-8
Also known as: Acetyl Octapeptide-3; Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide-1; SNAP-8; Ac-EEMQRRAD-NH2; CAS 868844-74-0
Primary research focus: Topical cosmetic use (softening the appearance of expression lines and wrinkles)
Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed against FDA labeling and published research.
What is SNAP-8?
SNAP-8 (INCI: Acetyl Octapeptide-3) is a synthetic eight-amino-acid cosmetic peptide developed by Lipotec (now part of Lubrizol Life Science) as an extended analog of the hexapeptide Argireline, with two additional residues. It is marketed as a topical alternative to botulinum toxin for expression lines, and is often called Botox in a bottle. It is a cosmetic ingredient, not an FDA-approved drug, it is not injected, and the effect size is modest.
SNAP-8 mimics the N-terminal end of SNAP-25, a component of the SNARE complex that mediates synaptic vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction. By competing with native SNAP-25 for a position in the complex, it destabilizes SNARE assembly and partially reduces the acetylcholine release that drives facial muscle contraction, softening the appearance of expression lines. Unlike botulinum toxin, which enzymatically cleaves SNAP-25, SNAP-8 acts by reversible competitive inhibition, which makes it far less potent but also non-toxic and suitable for topical use. A significant practical caveat: it is a hydrophilic molecule of roughly 1,073 Da applied to a skin barrier that largely excludes molecules above about 500 Da, so meaningful delivery to the neuromuscular junction is mechanistically questionable.
How it’s supplied
Brand / trade names: SNAP-8 (Lipotec / Lubrizol)
Supplied as a cosmetic raw material for formulators (typically as a dilute aqueous solution, commonly 0.05 percent active) and as finished topical serums, creams, and gels. Typical in-use concentrations in finished products are roughly 0.0015 to 0.005 percent active. It is a topical cosmetic ingredient; it is not an injectable, ingestible, or FDA-approved drug product.
Potential Benefits and Side Effects
Effects reported in published research. Not a promise of results, and not medical advice.
- Reported mainly in manufacturer-sponsored cosmetic studies; independent confirmation is limited and effect sizes are modest.
- Reported reduction in the depth and severity of expression wrinkles around the eyes and forehead with regular topical use.
- Reported approximately 30 percent greater activity than its parent peptide Argireline in manufacturer testing.
- Reversible, needle-free, and non-toxic compared with botulinum toxin injection.
- Well tolerated in topical cosmetic formulations.
- As a topical cosmetic, generally well tolerated when formulated appropriately.
- Possible local skin irritation, redness, or dryness.
- Rare contact sensitization.
- No systemic adverse-effect profile is established for this use; no injection safety data exist.
Warnings and contraindications
Important safety information. This is not exhaustive — read the full prescribing information and consult your prescriber or pharmacist.
- This is a topical cosmetic ingredient, not an FDA-approved drug; the following are cosmetic-use cautions and evidence caveats, not drug label warnings.
- SNAP-8 is not intended for injection and there is no human injection data of any kind; research vials marketed with injection dosing protocols should be treated as a warning sign.
- The headline efficacy figures (commonly cited as up to 63 percent reduction in wrinkle severity, or roughly 30 percent greater activity than Argireline) come from manufacturer-sponsored studies; independent replication is limited, and one independent trial of its parent peptide Argireline found no effect.
- Skin-barrier penetration is a genuine mechanistic obstacle for a 1,073 Da hydrophilic peptide, so the real-world effect size is likely small.
- For external use only; avoid the eyes and broken skin.
- Patch testing is advisable; not evaluated for safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding for this use.
- Not established as a drug; the following are precautionary for topical cosmetic use: known hypersensitivity to the peptide or formulation components, and application to broken, inflamed, or infected skin.
Reconstitution Steps
How to prepare the lyophilized vial. Confirm specifics with your pharmacist or prescriber.
- This is a topical cosmetic ingredient; the steps below describe incorporating it into a formulation, not preparing an injection. SNAP-8 is not for injection.
- Confirm the target use level (typically around 0.0015 to 0.005 percent active in a finished product) before starting.
- If starting from a supplier solution, note its stated active percentage, since most SNAP-8 raw material is supplied pre-diluted rather than as neat powder.
- Weigh or measure accurately on a calibrated scale or pipette.
- Add to the water phase of the formulation, not to oils or anhydrous phases.
- Keep the formulation temperature below about 40 degrees C to protect the peptide; add in the cool-down phase.
- Stir gently until fully incorporated.
- Note the resulting concentration so it matches the calculator on this page.
- Add an appropriate preservative system, complete the formulation, and store as directed.
US regulatory status
Classifications are public record but can change. For reference only, not legal advice.
Development: SNAP-8 was developed by the Spanish biotechnology company Lipotec (now Lubrizol Life Science) as a successor to Argireline, the first commercially successful anti-wrinkle peptide based on SNARE-complex inhibition, extending that hexapeptide by two amino acids. The supporting literature is largely cosmetic-industry work: manufacturer in vivo and in vitro testing reports approximately 30 percent greater activity than Argireline and up to roughly 63 percent reduction in wrinkle severity around the eyes, and a cosmetics trade publication (Ruiz et al., Cosmetics and Toiletries, 2012) described its use in anti-aging formulations. It is regulated and marketed as a cosmetic ingredient rather than developed as a drug: there is no FDA drug program, no IND, and no registered clinical trial. Independent replication of the efficacy claims is limited, and the best-known independent evaluation of its parent peptide Argireline found no significant effect.
Notes: SNAP-8 is regulated as a cosmetic ingredient (INCI: Acetyl Octapeptide-3), not as a drug, and has no FDA drug approval. Cosmetic claims are limited to appearance; claims of relaxing muscles or treating a condition would place a product into unapproved-drug territory. As a cosmetic active it is outside the 503A and 503B drug-compounding pathways. It is not a controlled substance.
International status
Pharmacokinetics
Storage and handling
Important Notes
Practical considerations for consistency and safety.
- SNAP-8 is a topical cosmetic ingredient and is NOT for injection; no human injection data exists.
- The mechanism is real (SNARE competitive inhibition) but the effect size is small, and a 1,073 Da hydrophilic peptide faces a skin barrier that largely excludes molecules above about 500 Da.
- The headline efficacy numbers come from the manufacturer; independent replication is limited, and an independent trial of its parent Argireline found no effect.
- It is not comparable to botulinum toxin: it acts by reversible competition, not enzymatic cleavage, and is far less potent.
- Buying a finished, properly formulated serum and reading the INCI list is more sensible than sourcing research-grade vials.
Lifestyle Factors
- Applied topically, typically twice daily; effects depend on continued use and are reversible on stopping.
- Commonly layered with other topical actives such as peptides, retinoids, or moisturizers in cosmetic routines.
References
Related compounds
Important disclaimer
This page is an educational reference, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and not a substitute for your prescriber or pharmacist. Approval and regulatory status varies by compound and can change. Always confirm against current prescribing information and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decision about a medication.