Here's the part nobody explains when they're selling you the "Barbie drug.", , Melanotan 2 is a synthetic peptide that mimics alpha MSH a hormone your body already makes to tell your skin cells to When it comes to tanning peptides, there are two main options: Melanotan 1 and Melanotan 2. Melanotan 1, also called afamelanotide, is FDA approved for a rare light sensitivity condition and works Your body already makes a hormone that tells your skin to tan. Melanotan 2 is a synthetic peptide engineered to mimic that hormone but in a version that's more potent and Melanotan II Safety: Tanning Injection LIVV Natural