The Ultimate Guide to Collagen

From skincare to supplements, it's the must-have ingredient at the moment, but why is collagen important? Here we'll explain everything you need to know, including why collagen is good for skin, how it helps with sagging and answering the question we all want to know: do collagen supplements actually work?

Shop Collagen

What is collagen?

Collagen is the most plentiful protein we have within our body. It's the main part of the tissues that make up our body parts including tendons and muscles, but most notably - our skin. Collagen is a pretty key player in the make-up of our skin. It helps strengthen it as well as maintain elasticity and hydration.

When should I start taking collagen?

Unfortunately, as we age our bodies start to produce less collagen, which is what causes that (perfectly normal) sagging in older skin. With that in mind, there isn't really a set time to start taking collagen, but some experts suggest late 20s is a good time to start if you want to see optimum results as your skin starts ageing.

How does taking collagen work?

Collagen supplements are meant to help our bodies stimulate collagen production or promote other proteins that can help form the structure of healthy, more elastic skin. You can get collagen from certain food types, but these mostly include animal fats like chicken, beef or fish. Supplements can therefore provide an easier daily source of collagen and their efficacy has been proven by scientific study.

Can I take collagen if I'm vegan?

Yes! Although the most common type of collagen is animal-derived (as gelatin is often the most direct source of collagen), vegan alternatives do exist. We recommend this one from the inner beauty experts, The Beauty Chef.

Collagen Supplements

For promoting collagen production long term

A collagen supplement has been shown to have positive results in helping to stimulate our body's natural production of collagen. For optimum long term results, opting for a collagen supplement is your best bet.

Collagen Skincare

For hydrating and plumping skin short term

Collagen skincare works very differently to a supplement in that it doesn't deliver collagen to skin, but instead works to protect the skin barrier and deliver moisture-rich ingredients that help to create immediate soft, plump results.