Collagen for Skin: Top 7 Benefits
Between green smoothies, opens in a new tab, red light therapy, and 12-step beauty routines, there are many methods social media provides to get that “woke up like this” glow. And, while these are all well and good, there’s a secret to beautiful, bouncy skin that’s as easy as it is effective.
That’s right — we’re talking about collagen supplements. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of collagen for skin, as well as how to get more collagen in your daily routine (spoiler alert: it’s as easy as drinking a cup of coffee).
7 Benefits of Collagen for Skin
First, let’s go over exactly how collagen can support your skin. Read on for the top seven benefits and a breakdown on how they work to encourage not just a vibrant appearance, but also overall skin health.
1. Supports Skin Elasticity
When we’re young, the structure of our skin is tight and bouncy, making our skin look firm and smooth. But as we age (usually starting in our mid-20s), collagen production begins to decline. This means a weaker structure, leading to sagging and a loss of elasticity, opens in a new tab.
Luckily, taking hydrolyzed collagen supplements can actually support skin elasticity, opens in a new tab by giving our bodies the materials they need to crank out more collagen. It's not a miracle, but consistent collagen intake may give your skin a better chance at staying snappy, not saggy.
2. Minimizes the Appearance of Wrinkles
Each smile and laugh line might tell a story, but not everyone wants theirs told at 32.
That’s where collagen comes in. Clinical trials suggest that collagen supplements can minimize the depth and number of wrinkles. In one study, women who took hydrolyzed collagen daily for 12 weeks saw a 35% reduction in wrinkle depth, opens in a new tab.
But how does this work? Collagen might support dermal fibroblast activity, which are the cells that keep your skin feeling plump and bouncy.
3. Supports Skin Hydration
If your skin feels like it’s always one step away from becoming one with the desert, collagen might help. Several studies have shown that collagen peptides can support the skin’s water retention and help the skin reduce transepidermal water loss, opens in a new tab. This is a big word that basically just refers to the water that evaporates off the skin every day.
One study found that daily collagen peptide supplementation supported huge differences in hydration levels after just eight weeks, opens in a new tab. By helping maintain the skin’s barrier function, collagen encourages a dewy, fresh look that no highlighter can fake. Plus, hydrated skin also tends to look plumper and healthier.
4. Encourages Skin Firmness
Firm skin isn’t just about avoiding wrinkles, it’s about keeping everything where it belongs. Collagen is the structural protein responsible for your skin’s firmness and density. As your collagen levels drop, your skin starts to lose its snap, and you’ll start to see the effects of gravity as your skin starts to sag.
However, collagen supplements can help. This happens because collagen supports the dermal matrix, basically acting like scaffolding for your skin cells.
5. Promotes Skin Repair
Your skin is constantly under siege from UV rays, pollution, harsh cleansers, and that one night you forgot to take off your makeup (we all do it). However, collagen plays a key role in your skin’s repair toolbox. Your skin makes collagen to help form new tissue and close wounds.
Because of this, collagen peptides can support wound healing and tissue regeneration, opens in a new tab. This can have effects on beauty, especially when we’re talking about acne scars. However, it can also support the overall health of your skin when it comes to cuts, scrapes, and even sunburns.
6. Provides Antioxidant Support
Certain collagen peptides, opens in a new tab contain amino acids like glycine and proline, which have antioxidant properties. This means they can neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that damage your skin cells and speed up aging.
One study confirmed that collagen peptides can scavenge hydroxyl radicals, opens in a new tab and other reactive oxygen species, protecting the skin from oxidative stress (PubMed). While it’s not a replacement for sunscreen or a balanced diet, collagen can add an extra layer of defense to your skincare arsenal.
7. Encourages Even Skin Tone
We’re not talking about a Photoshop-level blur here, but collagen can support a more balanced, even complexion over time. Uneven skin tone often results from irritation in the skin, dehydration, or sun damage, all of which collagen can help indirectly address.
Some of the areas where collagen really shines include scars from breakouts, sunburns, and the dullness that tends to come along with dry skin. That being said, you should probably still use a vitamin C serum or breakout treatment alongside your collagen peptides for the best results.
Best Sources of Collagen for Skin
If you’ve gotten this far and you’re ready to click “add to cart,” we don’t blame you. However, before you jump into the world of collagen, you should probably analyze your options and pick a format that will work best for you.
Food
While your body produces collagen naturally, certain foods can support this process. For instance, bone broth is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue. This process draws all of the skin-loving collagen out of the bones and delivers it in a ready-to-eat, highly delicious form.
Chicken, particularly the skin and cartilage, is another good source of collagen. Fish, especially the skin, provides marine collagen. Also, foods rich in vitamin C, like citrus fruits and berries, can help give your body the supplies it needs to kickstart the collagen production process. Lastly, don’t forget sources of zinc like oysters, eggs, nuts, and pumpkin seeds.
Coffee?
Yes, you heard us right. Sure, you could add a scoop or two of collagen to your coffee every day, but why add another step to your daily routine when we’ve already done it for you?
Our Mushroom Coffee+ combines coffee extract for flavor and focus, functional mushrooms like lion's mane and chaga for mental clarity and immunity, 4g of grass-fed bovine collagen, and L-theanine to support healthy sleep. Together, these ingredients can support stable energy, focus, and relaxation all day long.
Supplements
Collagen supplements are available in powders, capsules, and gummies, and they probably have an entire wall in the supplement aisle at your local superstore. Powders are the easiest to take — simply toss a scoop into your smoothie, some overnight oats, or even a glass of juice. Plus, collagen powders are often hydrolyzed, which makes them easier to digest and absorb.
Capsules are good for people who prefer a no-fuss, on-the-go solution, but the downside is that our bodies might not use them as efficiently. Gummies are definitely one of the most delicious options out there, but they have a similar problem as capsules — our bodies just can’t break down all of that collagen at once.
Topicals
Topical collagen products like creams and serums are another option. However, collagen molecules are generally too large to penetrate the skin deeply. This means that, while the products might look nice, they aren’t doing as much for your skin as oral collagen could.
That being said, these products can still provide moisturizing benefits and may improve the skin's appearance thanks to other active ingredients. Combining oral collagen with ingredients like retinoids and vitamin C can be a great way to see some results.
The Bottom Line
Collagen plays a key role when it comes to skin health — in fact, it plays about seven main roles. From natural food sources and supplements to topical products and our delicious mushroom coffee, there are plenty of collagen options available based on your preferences.
Of course, there are plenty more benefits of collagen than just skin health and appearance. If you want to see the benefits for yourself, visit our collection of mushroom drinks, opens in a new tab to find a flavor that vibes with you!
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