The anti wrinkle octapeptide SNAP-8 is an elongation of the famous hexapeptide Argireline®. SNAP-8 reduces the depth of wrinkles on the face caused by the contraction of muscles of facial expression, especially in the forehead and around the eyes.SNAP-8 is a mimic of the N-terminal end of SNAP-25 which competes with SNAP-25 for a position in the SNARE complex, thereby modulating its formation. If the SNARE complex is slightly destabilized, the vesicle can not release neurotransmitters efficiently and therefore muscle contraction is attenuated, preventing the formation of lines and wrinkles. Like Argireline, inhibits SNARE complex formation and catecholamine release, resulting in the reduction of the degree of existing facial wrinkles and demonstrated effectiveness against their development with regular use. In clinical studies, the severity of wrinkles around the eyes decreased up to 63.13%. Both in vivo and in vitro efficacy testing suggests that SNAP-8 is approximately 30% more active than its parent peptide Argireline. As supplied by the manufacturer, this product contains 0.05% SNAP-8 powder aka Acetyl Octapeptide-3.

SNAP-8 is a safer, cheaper, and milder alternative to Botulinum Toxin, topically targeting the same wrinkle-formation mechanism in a very different way. SNAP-8 can be incorporated in cosmetic formulations such as emulsions, gels, and serums where attenuation of the deep lines or wrinkles in the forehead or around the eye are is desired.

SNAP-8 can be incorporated at the final stage of the manufacturing process, provided the temperature is below 40°C (104°F). For storage it is recommended to store at 4°C (39°F). In rare cases, refrigerated storage of SNAP-8 Solution can cause precipitation of the preservative. This does not affect the integrity of the product.

Note, the correct INCI name for SNAP-8 aka Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide-1 is Acetyl Octapeptide-3.