#1

they seem cheaper

this is what gpt5-thinking suggests:

Love this question. If you’re shopping in Japan or Korea and want peptide options that go beyond OneSkin’s OS-01 (Decapeptide-52 / “Peptide-14”), here are some less-common, high-variety peptide paths to play with—plus where you can actually find them there.

Korea: the fun lab

  • Aquatide 5000 (Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12) – a Korean-developed peptide that activates SIRT1 and autophagy (not just “collagen peptide” fluff). Shows UV-senescence reduction in papers; sold in K-beauty like Logically Skin Aquatide serums. (PMC, PubMed , Knowde, Coréelle)

  • Brightening signal peptides –

    • Oligopeptide-68 (MITF/tyrosinase pathway) and Nonapeptide-1 (Melanostatine-5) show up in K-formulas targeting tone. A super easy get is COSRX 6-Peptide Skin Booster (it literally lists Oligopeptide-68 + Nonapeptide-1’s cousin actives). (INCIDecoder, COSRX Official)
    • Tetrapeptide-30 (PKEK) and Oligopeptide-34 are other K-side brighteners you’ll see in pro/clinic-leaning formulas. (INCIDecoder, medchemexpress.com)

  • Neuropeptides for expression lines – Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate (Syn-Ake) shows up in K-skincare (again, you’ll spot it in that COSRX 6-Peptide). It’s the “micro-relaxer” category, not a true toxin. (INCIDecoder)

  • Recombinant collagen & GFs – sh-Polypeptide-121 (recombinant human collagen-21) pops up in K products (COSRX uses it); EGF (sh-Oligopeptide-1) and bFGF (sh-Polypeptide-1) are widely sold in Korea—note the ongoing debate about topical bioactivity. (INCIDecoder, PubMed )

  • Volumizing peptide – Acetyl Hexapeptide-38 (Voluform) for “lip/cheek plump” claims; more niche, but you’ll see it in some KR SKUs and lip ampoules. (INCIDecoder)

Japan: quiet heavy-hitters

  • Carnosine (β-Ala-His) / “Carnosine DP™” – Shiseido has long leaned on this dipeptide for anti-glycation protection (AGEs = stiffness, yellowing). Look at Benefiance lines/older NutriPerfect launches in JP drugstores & department counters. (PMC, PubMed , directcosmetics.com)
  • Shiseido “Aqua Peptide” – listed on their global pages for Benefiance Eye; JP counters often stock variants with proprietary peptide complexes, even when they don’t trumpet the INCI loudly. (SHISEIDO)
  • Clinic-style brighteners – Japan carries pro stock with Decapeptide-12 (Lumixyl) for melasma/PIH (tyrosinase-targeting). You’ll mostly find it via derm clinics or authorized retailers in Asia rather than drugstores. (PubMed )
  • Bonus, Japan-only elastase story (not a peptide but peptide-inspired): Pola Wrinkle Shot NEI-L1—a uniquely Japanese, MHLW-approved active derived from amino-acid chemistry for elastase inhibition; it’s a very JP thing even if it’s not literally a peptide.

A quick “buy map”

  • Korea (easy mode): Olive Young / A-by-Bom / StyleKorean / Soko Glam (US-ship) for Logically Skin Aquatide and COSRX 6-Peptide (has Copper Tripeptide-1, sh-Polypeptide-121, Oligopeptide-68, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Argireline, etc.).
  • Japan (counter mode): Department stores (Isetan, Takashimaya) and drugstores for Shiseido peptide SKUs; dermatology clinics/authorized shops for Decapeptide-12 systems.

Reality checks (useful caveats)

  • OS-01 context: OneSkin’s peptide is Decapeptide-52 / “Pep-14,” with senotherapeutic data in npj Aging. The KR/JP picks above hit different mechanisms (autophagy/SIRT1, melanogenesis, neuropeptide modulation, anti-glycation). That’s how you diversify beyond OS-01.
  • Growth-factor peptides: “sh-EGF”/“sh-bFGF” are allowed as cosmetics but remain controversial for true bioactivity through the stratum corneum; just be aware of the nuance.

If you tell me your priority stack (pigment vs. laxity vs. barrier vs. pores/oil), I’ll assemble a minimal, peptide-centric routine using JP/KR products only.

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