Bottle
15 mL US variant
Unit price
$4.13/mL before additional charges
Disclosure
1% GHK-Cu plus 1% GHK

Make the size and country part of the name

NIOD’s Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1, abbreviated CAIS3, is offered in multiple bottle sizes. The verified US selected variant for this review is 15 mL at $62. Search results from other regional storefronts showed different US-dollar figures, which is why we checked the actual US product selection rather than treating every dollar sign as a US offer.

The format is a water-based serum. It is distinct from NIOD’s richer Copper Amino Isolate Lipid treatment, despite both products using the copper-amino terminology. Their texture, application position and price-per-volume calculations belong in separate records.

Understanding the two one-percent disclosures

NIOD identifies 1% GHK-Cu and an additional 1% GHK peptide. GHK and its copper complex are related but not identical ingredient forms. Adding the two numbers and calling the result 2% copper peptide would misrepresent the disclosure. The 1:1 wording should remain attached to what the brand actually says.

The list includes additional peptide ingredients and a glycerin-containing aqueous base. That complete formulation is the product being purchased. A concentration disclosure makes comparison more transparent, but it still cannot establish a particular degree of skin penetration or a guaranteed visible effect for each user.

What the public testing describes

The current page reports appearance and feel assessments over four, eight and twelve weeks, with groups of 31 or 32 people. Those are manufacturer-presented results tied to the specific use schedules in the footnotes. They should not be pooled into an invented larger trial or described as independent evidence of superiority over other brands.

A change in perceived smoothness, an investigator’s wrinkle assessment and an underlying tissue measurement are different endpoints. The public summary is not enough to equate them. We have not replicated the testing or verified a direct comparison between CAIS3 and the other products in this guide.

Where a thin serum belongs

NIOD places CAIS3 early after cleansing, before thicker products, and tells users to avoid contact with the eyes. This ordering is different from the late-evening role assigned to CAIL. Copying a routine from the wrong NIOD acronym could therefore change how the product is used.

If your skincare already contains a prescription, use its directions and clinician advice to resolve uncertainty. A technically detailed product page does not replace an individual assessment of irritated skin. The serum is an optional cosmetic step, not permission to discontinue a treatment prescribed for a diagnosed condition.

The cost of a small premium bottle

At $62 for 15 mL, the listed unit price is about $4.13 per milliliter. A 30 mL bottle appears as another option, but our comparison does not assign it the smaller bottle’s price. Nor do we assume a fixed number of applications from volume alone.

CAIS3 is most relevant to a buyer who values the explicit ingredient identity and wants this particular lightweight format. The purchasing question is whether those features justify the premium relative to alternatives you can use comfortably. Detailed molecular language is useful information, but it is not itself evidence that your results will be larger.

Useful distinctions

  • Specific GHK-Cu and GHK disclosures
  • US price and selected size verified together
  • Clear distinction from the richer CAIL format

Limitations to weigh

  • 15 mL bottle has a relatively high unit price
  • Manufacturer-presented testing is not a comparative ranking
  • Regional storefront prices differ

Sources & further reading

Official pages and evidence consulted for this article. Checked October 11, 2026. Provider pages establish advertised terms; they do not independently establish effectiveness.

  1. NIOD: Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1, US Manufacturer
  2. American Academy of Dermatology: Product application order Clinical guidance