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Drinking collagen every day is said to ensure firmer, more hydrated skin, so naturally I was intrigued as to whether it actually worked. As a beauty editor and supplement lover, I often get to try capsules, potions and powders, and I love beauty products that work both inside and out. But up until recently, I hadn't tried collagen supplements.
Although I’m in my mid-twenties and don’t have many wrinkles, the promise of plumper, radiant and more hydrated skin caught my attention. I researched the best collagen products and decided to test some from the German beauty company Elasten. “Thanks to its remarkable swelling capacity, collagen is excellent at storing moisture, which in turn plumps, smoothes and firms the skin from the inside,” the notes on the Elasten website explained about the benefits of drinking collagen. “Sunlight, smoking, hormonal changes, and diet can all affect the body’s collagen balance. In addition, collagen production slows down from the age of 25 and continues to decline over the course of life.” Okay, sold—sign me up!
Here’s what I discovered about the benefits of drinking collagen after three months.
Collagen every morning
Because the skin renews itself approximately every 28 days, don’t expect to see first results before then. The collagen blend I chose is based on bovine collagen and is meant to be taken daily with or after breakfast. Since I usually have breakfast at the office, I found the individually-packaged shots practical—I always had one on me and never missed a morning collagen shot.
The shots contain a cocktail of collagen peptides, vitamins, zinc and acerola fruit extract. Contrary to my expectations, the flavor was not at all gamey or animal-like, but actually rather sweet and fruity.
Radiant skin after three months
After one month, I actually felt that my otherwise-very-dry skin needed less topical moisture than usual. While I normally use a toner, hyaluronic acid serum, and moisturizer, I found that I only needed the serum and started applying my sunscreen alone – no need for moisturizer before it. After the full three months, I actually found that my skin looked a little plumper and I noticed that my fingernails were breaking less – another supposed benefit of collagen supplementation.
I generally have a healthy lifestyle; I try to eat well, exercise, and drink at least two liters of water a day—all of which naturally contributes to healthy blood circulation in the skin and boosts collagen synthesis. Still, I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin’s radiance since I’ve been taking the supplement.
Of note? While the exact collagen I tried is not yet available in the U.S., there are many similar options Glamour editors love, such as the options below.
Marine collagen or bovine collagen?
The collagen drink that I tested is based on the brand’s [HC]-Collagen Complex, which has been tested in clinical studies.. It is a bovine collagen, which is similar to human collagen and is subsequently more bioavailable. However, if you don’t eat meat and want to avoid consuming mammal-derived collagen, there are marine blends available. Marine collagen contains an amino acid that essentially helps promote your natural collagen synthesis at night, but generally there is not as much research into its efficacy as there are other forms of collagen. Nonetheless, it’s promising: some science suggests that marine collagen could even be more beneficial for skin than bovine.
“It is clear that sources of marine collagen are significantly more advantageous than land animal sources,” one recent scientific review found after analyzing several studies. “We have demonstrated marine collagen’s ability to promote skin re-epithelialization, vascularization, fibroblast migration, and promote faster wound healing rates. Furthermore, the anti-aging effects of marine collagen, related to greater skin elasticity and wrinkle reduction, are highly promising for the cosmetic industry… Therefore, we should continue to investigate and seek out new marine collagen sources, as thus far they have proven extremely beneficial.”
If my initial three month self-test is any proof, it seems that the benefits of drinking collagen—bovine or otherwise—should not be ignored.
A version of this article first appeared on Vogue Germany.
