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Taking the skincare and wellness sphere by storm, collagen is currently beauty’s biggest buzzword. Seriously, what's the deal with collagen? From supplements to serums, it plays a starring role in so many new products and has caught the attention of myriad A-listers. Take Jennifer Aniston for instance, who drinks Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, £24.99, in her daily coffee and is now Chief Creative Officer for the brand. Then there’s Khloe Kardashian, business partner of collagen supplement brand Dose & Co and more recently, Mille Mackintosh who shared a video of her go-to skin smoothie containing JSHealth Vitality X + Collagen Glow Powder, £44.99.
Captioned ‘summer skin smoothie,’ Millie shared her ‘simple but delicious and refreshing smoothie recipe’ over on Instagram:
Step 1: Depending how thick you want it pour approx 200 ml of cold water into your blender
Step 2: Pour in 200ml coconut milk (getting you into the tropical spirit) you could also use almond or oat
Step 3: Add a handful of frozen tropical fruit (mango, kiwi and pineapple)
Step 4: Drop in a ball of frozen spinach or the equivalent from the fridge (about a large handful)
Step 5: Pop in 2 scoops ofJSHealth Vitamins Vitality X + Collagen(not an ad but I do work with them). Whizz up in your blender, take it outside, close your eyes and pretend you’re lying on the beach!
Watch: Millie Mackintosh Make Her Summer Skin Smoothie
What Is Collagen?
Clearly collagen is big business, but what does it actually do? Hailed as the ‘body’s scaffolding’, collagen is the glue that holds our body together and plays a key role in keeping our skin smooth and supple. ‘With time, our collagen production slows down,’ says nutritionist and co-founder of collagen supplement brand Dose & Co, Libby Matthews, ‘which is why we may start to notice fine-lines, dry hair and brittle nails.’
Do Collagen Supplements Work?
'Collagen supplements cannot be absorbed by the body as a complete structure,' says nutritional therapist and founder of Wild Nutrition, Henrietta Norton, 'rather, it needs to be broken down into its smaller counterparts, amino acids or peptides, in order to be absorbed through the gut.' Some collagen supplements do provide collagen in this form, but as Norton explains there is no evidence that it will directly increase collagen production specifically.
'There is some evidence that collagen supplements do beneficially impact skin elasticity and joint mobility but there is also some to suggest that it doesn’t work,' she adds. One study conducted in 2014 found that daily collagen supplementing over an 8-week period improved skin's elasticity when compared to a placebo group. Another study found that collagen peptides are beneficial in repairing UV-induced skin damage and ageing. Supporter of collagen supplements, Matthews adds that 'after supplementing for a prolonged period, you'll notice longer and stronger nails, more youthful looking skin, improvement of fine lines and wrinkles, and longer, thicker and glossier hair.'
The Best Collagen Supplements
'Look for those that are hydrolysed or produced in a way that has already broken down the smaller peptides to increase absorption,' advises Norton. For our edit of the best collagen supplements, scroll on down...
Best Collagen Supplements - Grazia
1 of 10Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen Original, £43
'I've been putting one non-flavoured sachet into my morning tea. You can't even taste that it's in there, it just dissolves straight away. After just two weeks of using it I had people saying how glowy and bouncy my skin looked!' - Charli Howard.
2 of 10Beauty Pie Concentrated Pure Marine Collagen W/ Biotin & Vitamin C, 21 Servings, £100 (£23.57 for members)
Beauty Pie have put a lot of research into their collagen supplement. In a randomized, double-blind placebo, controlled and ex vivo study, a 10g daily dose (one scoop) increased skin moisture by 28% after 8 weeks and decreased collagen fragmentation by 31% after 12 weeks. That's a lot to take in but think plumper, dewier skin in the long run. It's pricey for non-members but if you're a Beauty Pie member already it's a no-brainer. Oh and the flavour? A hint of strawberry.
3 of 10Vitality X + Collagen Glow Powder, £44.99
'Our collagen powder is made with Marine Collagen from deep sea cod skin, it's 1.5x more effective than other collagen sources,' says Jessica Sepel, nutritionist and founder of JSHealth. Loved by Millie Mackintosh, the formula also contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids to support collagen formation. Oh and an added bonus – it tastes like blueberry so makes a great addition to any smoothie.
4 of 10Vital Proteins, Collagen Peptides, Unflavoured, £24.99
This is the stuff Jennifer Aniston adds to her coffees and smoothies so it's got to be good right? She's so enthusastic about the brand that she's become their Chief Creative Officer. The powder is available at Boots and also at Cult Beauty.
5 of 10The Beauty Chef Collagen Inner Beauty Boost, £29
This is a vegan elixir that works to plump your skin whilst nourishing your gut too. It tastes like wild berries too, what's not to love?!
6 of 10One Ocean Beauty Marine Collagen, £38
There's more to this collagen supplement than insanely gorgeous packaging. The marine collagen used is sourced from deep water fish whilst preserving the environment and marine life (there's no harvesting or large scale extraction). You're getting the best of the best in the sure and certain knowledge that our planet is being cared for in the process. That and this packet is highly Instagram-able right?!
7 of 10Bare Biology Skinful Pure Marine Collagen Powder, £35
Bare Biology is considered one of the best producers of fish oil around, and it is stringent about avoiding any non-essential ingredients. In short, you know you're getting the good stuff.
8 of 10Puori Pure Collagen Peptides, £29.99
'I take collagen but I think of it more as an all-round body helper as opposed to a skin-specific supplement. I like powder forms of collagen best. If you're a bone broth person, which is a great source of collagen, then great but when it comes to taking collagen every day I prefer to use a powder supplement. I like Puori Pure Collagen Peptides, £29.99. I do believe with things like collagen, be careful where you get it from get a really good quality one. There are vegan forms of collagen out there too.' - Rose Ferguson, nutritionist.
9 of 10Dose & Co Collagen Peptides Unflavoured 200g, £26.99
The Dose & Co premium collagen collection is a supplement range founded by naturopath and nutritionist Libby Matthews and supported by business partner and spokesperson Khloé Kardashian. This unflavoured collagen powder is free from gluten, dairy, soy, preservatives, and artificial colours. Blend into coffees, tea, shakes, smoothies and other recipes.
10 of 10GemmaCollagen x The London Aesthetics Company Marine Collagen Capsules, £65
As part of her collaboration with the London Aesthetics Company Gemma Collins has launched her very own collagen supplement. These marine collagen capsules are gluten and dairy free. Take one capsule before bed each night with water.
READ MORE: Millie Mackintosh Talks Beauty And Reveals The £2.80 Product She Pinches From Baby Sienna