I can’t be the only one confused by collagen in beauty products. It’s in creams, tablets, liquids and even powders, often at a high cost. But do any of them actually work? The short answer, from interviewing many experts and trying them myself, is yes. But no two are the same. And you don’t necessarily need them to maintain healthy levels of collagen.
Firstly, the basics: collagen is a protein made up of a chain of amino acids. By itself, it’s a large molecule that cannot pass through the walls of the gut (or withstand digestive acids) and get into the bloodstream to actually work. This is why you’ll find lots of the focus on collagen is around making it ‘bioavailable’, which means it actually does what you want it to do.
‘Collagen needs to be broken down into smaller chains of amino acids called collagen peptides to be effective,’ explains Shabir Daya, a pharmacist and co-founder of lifestyle website Victoria Health. ‘The process of breaking collagen down into these peptides is called hydrolysation – the smaller the molecule size, the easier for the collagen to pass into the bloodstream.’
Daya recommends Ingenious Beauty (£60 a month), a supplement containing hydrolysed marine collagen peptides. I noticed a difference after taking them for around three months: my nails were in better condition and my skin appeared clearer. You do need to take three biggish capsules a day, which can be a lot for some people. (I don’t enjoy taking supplements but if they work, they work.)
Ingenious Beauty, £60 a month, Ingenious
The plant-based capsule cover protects the collagen peptides from the acid in the stomach, and the casing dissolves in the small intestine. It’s been pharmaceutical-level tested, undergoing a double-blind placebo-controlled trial for 12 weeks on 116 women between 30 and 60 years old. The results were great, with 77 per cent of users experiencing a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, while 62 per cent found a significant boost in skin hydration, too.
Another misconception is that there’s an infinite amount of collagen you can gain with supplements, but really what they are doing, if effective, is simply maintaining good levels to keep your skin looking great.
If capsules aren’t your thing, try a powder in water or your coffee instead. I’ve been taking Collagen Creamer+ by JS Health (£34.99) every morning for the past two months. You mix a scoop of the hydrolysed marine collagen into your coffee or tea and it adds a really subtle sweetness and vanilla flavour. It’s so delicious I’ve signed up to a repeat subscription for around £30 a month. This Australian brand JS Health has excellent clinical trials that stack up and it’s a product I look forward to using every morning.
Collagen Creamer+ by JS Health, £34.99, Amazon
Another powder I’ve been impressed by is Pro Collagen+ by Vida Glow (£55). Their marine collagen tripeptides are the smallest collagen molecules around and the clinical trials are very good.
Pro Collagen+ by Vida Glow, £55, Vida Glow
But there are, of course, ways to stop collagen depletion ourselves, with no supplementation whatsoever. Consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto is seeing more patients in her clinic asking about boosting collagen, but she suggests focusing on protein-rich foods like fish, chicken and eggs that provide amino acids necessary for collagen production. ‘A diet that is good for you generally will also be good for your skin,’ she tells me – a brilliantly simple beauty rule to follow.
Ultimately, a balanced diet, sun protection and avoiding smoking are the most reliable ways to maintain healthy collagen levels. And if you are having problems with your skin or hair, don’t automatically reach for a collagen supplement. As the nutritionist Rhian Stephenson explains, there are ‘co-factors’ that we need to assist collagen production, such as vitamin C, zinc and copper. If you’re deficient in any of these elements, it would make sense to supplement these before approaching collagen at all.
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