Can you use vitamin C and copper peptides together?
Best used at different times
Use them at different times of day. Copper can speed up the breakdown of vitamin C, so the cautious approach is to keep them apart.
Why
Copper is well known in chemistry for speeding up the oxidation of ascorbic acid. How much this matters on the skin isn't well studied, but separating them costs nothing.
This applies to copper peptides (often listed as copper tripeptide-1). Other peptides, such as signal peptides like palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, can generally be used alongside vitamin C.
How to use them
- Vitamin C in the morning, copper peptides in the evening.
- Keep copper peptides away from strong exfoliating acids on the same night too.
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Other combinations
- Can you use retinol and vitamin C together? — use at different times
- Can you use vitamin C and niacinamide together? — works well together
- Can you use vitamin C with AHAs or BHA? — yes, with care
- Can you use vitamin C and benzoyl peroxide together? — use at different times
- Can you use vitamin C with vitamin E and ferulic acid? — works well together
Last reviewed 20 Oct 2026.
This is educational information, not medical advice. Introduce one new active at a time and patch test. If you use prescription skincare, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your GP, pharmacist or dermatologist first.