The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum

I bought this very blue, faintly penny-scented serum for one reason: to use under my NuFACE. Here’s how it ended up fitting into the rest of my already very crowded routine.

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What Is The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum?

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum is the electric blue, $32 upgrade to the serum formerly known as “Buffet” + Copper Peptides 1%. The water-based formula combines copper tripeptide-1 with several other peptides, amino acids, and multiple forms of hyaluronic acid. The Ordinary positions it as an advanced serum for fine lines, elasticity, firmness, and dryness.

Copper peptides are short chains of amino acids bound to copper ions. They are meant to support healthier-looking skin over time—not perform an overnight facelift. The formula is alcohol-free, oil-free, silicone-free, and suitable for all skin types. Despite the brand’s ingredient-first reputation, this is not a simple one-ingredient serum. There is an entire team inside that blue bottle.

My Thoughts on The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum

I bought this to use with my NuFACE. The brand recommends a treatment serum before its conductive gel, and the NuFACE Super Peptide Booster Serum contains copper gluconate. That is not copper tripeptide-1, and NuFACE does not endorse The Ordinary’s formula, but it sent me down the copper path.

I have always loved The Ordinary for making cosmetic ingredients understandable. Its simple formulas taught many of us what we were putting on our faces and how to layer it.

The serum is cobalt blue and has a faint metallic scent that reminds me of pennies. Thankfully, it spreads smoothly, stays workable long enough to create an even layer, and absorbs without sticky residue. It also layers cleanly beneath the conductive gel without pilling.

At $32, it is not cheap by The Ordinary standards, and peptide results are the long game. I cannot credit this bottle with one dramatic transformation. I keep using it because it fits into a routine I already maintain and behaves exactly as I need it to beneath my NuFACE.

The catch is compatibility. The Ordinary advises against pairing it with direct vitamin C, retinoids, acids, salicylic acid, and several strong antioxidants. You need to schedule it, not casually stack it with everything on the shelf.

What the Internet Thinks about The Ordinary Copper Peptides Serum

Online opinion is appropriately mixed. In this Reddit discussion, some users describe plumper skin and softened lines, while others report irritation, a blue film, or orange residue. In another long-term review thread, experiences range from visible plumping after roughly three months to no noticeable change.

The recurring theme is patience. Fans treat peptides as maintenance; detractors find the price, compatibility rules, or subtle results difficult to justify. The penny scent and blue color also come up often, so my senses are not being dramatic.

My Verdict

I will keep buying this as long as it layers this well under my NuFACE. It is not a universal must-have, and I would not choose it over sunscreen or a proven retinoid. For me, it is a well-behaved supporting player in a long-term routine. If you want immediate gratification or use many conflicting actives, the price and scheduling may test your patience.

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Alternatives and How They Differ

NuFACE Super Peptide Booster Serum costs $65 for 30ml. It combines copper gluconate, peptides, and NuFACE’s IonPlex mineral blend. It costs more than twice as much but was designed for the brand’s microcurrent routine.

Naturium Multi-Peptide Advanced Serum costs $25 for 30ml and combines encapsulated copper peptides with Argireline, ferulic acid, and moisturizers. It is creamier and not designed as a pre-microcurrent treatment.

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum costs $19.90 for 30ml. It keeps the peptide-and-hyaluronic-acid concept without copper. It still has conflicts, so check the brand’s directions before layering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use This Serum with NuFACE?

I let a few drops absorb, then apply a proper conductive gel. This serum is not an activator substitute, and NuFACE has not endorsed the pairing.

Why Is the Serum Blue and Why Does It Smell like Pennies?

The color and metallic scent are characteristic of its copper-peptide formula. Neither has lingered once the serum absorbs on my skin.

Can I Use It with Retinol or Vitamin C?

The Ordinary says not to use it in the same routine as retinoids or direct vitamin C, along with direct acids and several strong antioxidants. Alternate routines rather than layering them together.

Is The Ordinary Copper Peptides Serum Pregnancy Safe?

The Ordinary says its individual ingredients are considered safe for topical use, but its products have not been tested in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. I have therefore marked it as unverified rather than unsafe; ask your clinician whether it belongs in your routine.