The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Copper Tripeptide-1
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Sodium Hyaluronate
Lactococcus Lysate Ferment
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate benefits for your oily skin with multiple peptides like Copper Tripeptide-1 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 supporting skin regeneration and collagen stimulation without being overly occlusive.
- While providing general hydration and soothing effects, the formula lacks targeted ingredients to effectively address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 3.2k+ reviewsA notable number of reviews mention a metallic scent and some users report experiencing irritation or stickiness, particularly those with sensitive skin.
Highlights
Improves firmness Often Mentioned
- “Nature's botox”
- “snatched my skin”
- “bouncy and plump”
- “defined jawline”
- “restored elasticity”
Lightweight absorption Often Mentioned
- “Sinks in immediately”
- “not greasy”
- “layers well”
- “watery texture”
- “no residue”
Smooths texture Often Mentioned
- “Glass skin effect”
- “pores look smaller”
- “texture is gone”
- “smoother than usual”
- “softens rough patches”
Unpleasant scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells like vinegar”
- “metallic penny smell”
- “weird rusty scent”
- “stinks upon application”
- “chemical odor”
Accelerates healing Sometimes Noted
- “healed acne scars”
- “reduced redness”
- “repaired skin barrier”
Value for money Sometimes Noted
- “Cheaper than NIOD”
- “affordable copper peptide”
- “great price point”
- “worth every penny”
- “accessible anti-aging”
Initial stickiness Sometimes Noted
- “Tacky at first”
- “sticky finish”
- “feels like glue”
- “needs time to dry”
- “slightly tacky”
Product conflicts Sometimes Noted
- “Hard to layer”
- “pills with Vitamin C”
- “can't use with acids”
- “complicated routine”
- “oxidizes with other serums”
Pricey for brand Rarely Noted
- “Expensive for Ordinary”
- “small bottle size”
- “price went up”
- “priciest item they sell”
- “runs out fast”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “Caused breakouts”
- “stung my face”
- “redness and burning”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
- “sensitized my skin”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, theordinary.com, skinsort.com, lookfantastic.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, offering hydration and soothing effects without feeling heavy, but it lacks ingredients to target breakouts. To work best for this skin, a treatment needs effective ingredients like niacinamide or Vitamin C that help control excess oil and clear blemishes without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Copper Tripeptide-1 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 make this serum a fit by supporting skin regeneration without feeling heavy on oily skin. This type of product needs ingredients like niacinamide and propolis or Vitamin C to effectively target breakouts and excess oil.
What does Copper Tripeptide-1 do for oily acne-prone skin?
Copper Tripeptide-1 helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing inflammation and protecting against damage, while also improving overall skin barrier health. This ingredient supports tissue repair and helps smooth out skin texture, making it a useful addition for managing breakouts.
Skin Research and Technology, 2026Journal of Biomaterials Science. Polymer Edition, 2008
What does Argireline do for oily acne-prone skin?
Argireline is unlikely to treat acne or oiliness directly, as it focuses on reducing fine lines and making skin smooth. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that clear pores and calm breakouts.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening step of your routine, after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing. While it offers moderate benefits for oily skin through multiple peptides, an oily acne-prone skin type also needs targeted acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively address breakouts and blemishes.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first and following it with your retinol product. This lightweight peptide formula is unlikely to cause irritation or heavy buildup on your skin while you use your retinoid. Oily acne-prone skin typically benefits from incorporating targeted acne-fighting ingredients alongside your routine to help clear blemishes and prevent breakouts.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is used in the evening routine, applied once a day or a few times a week as your skin tolerates it. It is safe for oily skin and unlikely to cause irritation.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin because it avoids harsh ingredients and is not overly heavy. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients to clear blemishes, oily acne-prone skin needs a product with acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019Topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin caused no significant reduction in erythema or objective improvement in wrinkles compared to controls, but significantly increased patient satisfaction regarding overall skin quality.
Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, 2006A novel regimen combining a hydroxy acid-based scrub and copper tripeptide serum significantly reduced adherent scalp flaking by 61.24%, increased hair density by 12.48%, increased hair thickness by 25.36%, and improved scalp skin hydration by 76.24% in adults with mild to moderate dandruff over 15 days.
Cureus, 2024The combination of Thermus thermophilus and Bacillus subtilis mixed-culture ferment extract and copper tripeptide-1 GHK-Cu reduced inflammatory cytokines, protected skin explants from UV-induced damage, and improved wrinkles and skin barrier conditions compared to individual components or controls.
Skin Research and Technology, 2026Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.
European Journal of Neurology, 2013Argireline applied twice daily for 4 weeks achieved a total anti-wrinkle efficiency of 48.9% and notably reduced wrinkle depth compared to placebo in Chinese subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013A multi-modal methodology combining MALDI-MSI, in vivo RCM, echography, and histology revealed age-related decreases in extracellular matrix and epidermal-dermal junction proteins and undulation depth, while a blend of palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 improved subepidermal low-echogenic band thickness, density, and extracellular matrix structure compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-10 significantly increased type III collagen levels in human dermal fibroblasts following UV exposure, with their combination demonstrating a greater effect in vitro and enhancing type I, III, and IV collagen levels in ex vivo skin tissues compared to individual components.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019
Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better
A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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