Collagen is an essential part of skincare.
If your skincare goals are healthy and firmer skin, Collagen is involved.
And surprise!
Some popular skincare ingredients works by affecting Collagen in the skin!
For example:
Even sunscreen has an important effect on Collagen.
However, there are a few things to note before applying Collagen to your skin and including Collagen in your skincare routine.
But first, lets go over what Collagen does and if Collagen in skincare products really works!
What is Collagen and how does it affect skin health?
Simply put, Collagen is an incredibly tough and flexible protein.[1]
Our body uses Collagen as a “building block” to provide support to the skin, nails, joints and hair.[4]
Collagen is packed into the skins extracellular matrix[1], which is an important barrier that keeps out bacteria, regulates body temperature and moisture.[1]
The collagen content of young and healthy skin has been demonstrated to exceed 75%
Bolke, Schlippe, Gerb & Voss, 2019
rejuvenation of the biomatrix…
SKINCARE INGREDIENTS:
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), youthful skin and Collagen. How are these related?
Unfortunately, Collagen levels decrease over time due to aging and sun damage.
And what happens when the skin doesn’t have enough Collagen?
The skin loses it’s strength, becoming thin and dry![1]
Ultimately, this leads to “dermal damage and undesirable skin wrinkles.”[2]
In order to slow down Collagen loss, some skincare products use active ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid to help stimulate Collagen production.
Other products, however, add Collagen directly to help rejuvenate the skin.
But, does Collagen infused skincare products really work?
SKINCARE INGREDIENTS:
Do you know how Niacinamide affects the Collagen in your skin?
Collagen Skincare: Size matters actives.
In order for active skincare ingredients to be effective, it needs to absorb into the lower layers of the skin.
The deeper layers of skin is where active ingredients can actually stimulate living skin cells.
And this is the issue with applying Collagen on the skin.
High molecular weight and hydrophilic nature hinder its effective topical delivery.
Ahmad, Akhter, Ahmad, Shamim, Rizvi, Khar & Ahmad, 2014
In other words, Collagen is too big!
Unlike skincare actives like Niacinamide, the skin can’t easily absorb Collagen.
Well, if applying Collagen to the skin isn’t effective, how can we get more Collagen to the skin?
SKINCARE PRODUCT REVIEW:
Does AHA in Olehenriksen Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner help rejuvenate the skin? See our 30 day test results!
Collagen and skincare: Change comes from within!
A proper and balanced diet is one aspect of maintaining healthy skin.
Our body turns meats and gelatin into amino acids, which is then used to create Collagen.[1]
Fortunately, Collagen doesn’t only come from animal products.
Collagen can be extracted from both animal and vegetable sources, algae and marine organisms, including fish.
Lupu, Pircalabioru, Chifiriuc, Albulescu & Tanase, 2020
Unlike collagen of animal origin, collagen obtained from marine sources is more easily absorbed, has low molecular weight and is preferable to industry due to low inflammatory reactions and low number of contaminants.
Since the early 2000’s, various tests confirmed Collagen supplements as an effective nutrient supply[1][2] and the resulting skin was:[1]
- Smoother
- More elastic
- Better hydrated
More importantly:
Studies have shown that age-dependent reduction in collagen synthesis can be reversed by oral administration of specific bioactive collagen peptides.
Bolke, Schlippe, Gerb & Voss, 2019
Future of Collagen and Skincare Products
While Collagen in skincare products might not be the most effective yet, there is a bit of hope.
Currently, scientists are working on different delivery methods called nano-surfactant dispersion (NSD)[3] to make Collagen absorption more effective when applied to the skin.
Until then, take care of your Collagen supply, whether it’s from food or supplements.
Collagen is key in keeping skin youthful and healthy.
SKINCARE BASICS:
Getting overwhelmed by your skincare routine?
Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated!
Sources:
- Bolke, L., Schlippe, G., Gerb, J., Voss, W. (2019). A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study
- Vollmer, D., West, V., Lephart, E. (2018). Enhancing Skin Health: By Oral Administration of Natural Compounds and Minerals with Implications to the Dermal Microbiome
- Ahmad, I., Akhter, S., Ahmad, M., Shamim, M., Rizvi, M., Khar, R., Ahmad, F. (2014).Collagen Loaded Nano-Sized Surfactant Based Dispersion for Topical Application: Formulation Development, Characterization and Safety Study
- Lupu, M., Pircalabioru, G., Chifiriuc, M., Albulescu, R., Tanase, C. (2020). Beneficial effects of food supplements based on hydrolyzed collagen for skin care (Review).