Fountain of Youth: 4 Ways You Can Boost Collagen in Your Body
by: Zoe EvansGet Exclusive DEALS TO YOUR INBOX
Look fresh and glowing as always by having a boost of this protein in your system
Whether you’re a beauty newbie or a self-confessed connoisseur, you’ve probably heard of collagen being discussed as a hot topic in beauty and wellness as the holy grail to your ultimate glowing self.
Collagen is an amino acid that makes up about a third of our body's overall protein size
Just one Google search about it and you’ll read about the many ways this natural protein can do a “touch of magic” to your skin and hair. Think reduced fine lines and wrinkles and supple glowing skin.
Those are just some of the effects that a boost of collagen can do. You name it—this power protein, according to experts, can do it. But what is collagen exactly and why is there so much hype around it?
All about collagen
Collagen is a vital protein structure that binds our connective tissues together. It’s about a third of our body’s overall protein size and is the most abundant kind there is.
As we have plenty of it, especially at a young age, collagen provides strength and elasticity to your skin. A major reason why a youthful glow is super coveted. It also supports cell turnover so that your dead skin cells bid you adieu naturally, making way for a new and healthy one to replace it.
Even if collagen is present in our bodies, an abundance of it isn’t guaranteed. Our body’s ability to produce more of this mighty protein is affected by three factors: ageing, sun damage, and lifestyle choices.
Thankfully, there are a lot of preventative products that can target the signs of premature ageing and corrective methods for mature skin.
Look for collagen-boosting skin products
One of the most popular and sought-after sources to achieve fresh-looking skin is through skincare products infused with collagen. However, topical collagens won’t just do the trick as they won’t fully penetrate into your skin. What you need instead are skincare ingredients that can boost collagen production and formation to get that supple skin worthy to be called #skingoals.
Read more: A Salon Style Special: A Skincare Glossary to Ace Your Beauty Regimen
These are the top skincare ingredients you need to be on the lookout for some good collagen boosting: antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E, and zinc, hyaluronic acid, and retinoids.
For the face:
View this post on Instagram
If you’re on a mission to reduce your wrinkles, the gel-serum Thalgo Intensive Wrinkle-Correcting Serum is the answer to your premature or mature skin woes.
With an ultra-high concentration of hyaluronic acids and pre-marine collagen called New Hyalu-ProCollagene, the serum penetrates into three levels of your skin to target your wrinkles and smoothen your skin. It’s recommended for the ladies who are already showing visible signs of ageing in their 30s.
View this post on Instagram
When skin is dull, a power combo of retinol and antioxidants will charge through your skin layers and kickstart clearing your face. The Dermalogica MultiVitamin Thermafoliant is formulated with skin-clearing ingredients like Salicylic Acid and retinol and exfoliating properties like Prickly Pear Extract, Vitamins C and E, liquorice and white tea extracts.
The thermafoliant is a great post-cleanse polisher and exfoliant for all skin types, ages, and genders. But it’s an absolute gem for those with uneven skin tone or texture and hyperpigmentation.
For the under eyes:
View this post on Instagram
They say that our eyes are the first of our body parts that reveal the signs of ageing. It’s easy to see fine lines, puffiness in our under eyes, and darkening, too. Optimising the power of microencapsulated retinol, Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex is a potent age-fighting cream that’s focused on giving your peepers a new kind of glow.
This Dermalogica eye cream combines Vitamin C, Niacinamide, an Age-Reversal Firming Complex, Ash Tree Bark, natural botanical extracts, and of course, a quintessential anti-ageing amino acid, peptides. In an instant, you’ll get back those glimmering eyes with renewed skin for the area around it.
For the body:
View this post on Instagram
A lightweight formula with an intensive moisturiser, the Davroe Body Firming Lotion contains hyaluronic acid and an array of natural ingredients such as Green Bean Coffee Extract, Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, and Flame Tree Extract.
It can boost skin hydration and restore the skin’s suppleness so your face isn’t just the one that’s glowing but your body as well. Through its hyaluronic acid-infused formula, it improves skin circulation and collagen production to support skin structure.
Get healthy and lustrous hair from antioxidants
It has been automatic that when people talk about collagen, it’s usually the skin that becomes the primary focus. But let’s not overlook the hair. A boost in collagen will have your scalp, follicles and your ends jumping for joy.
To cleanse hair:
View this post on Instagram
As we go through the natural cycle of ageing, it’s not just our skin that’s affected. Even our hair can take a hit with follicles being affected along with its power to produce more strands. The cleansing and moisturising duo from Alterna Caviar Clinical Densifying Shampoo and Alterna Caviar Clinical Densifying Conditioner gently eliminates impurities and build-up and nourishes delicate thinning hair and protects it from harsh elements we face each day.
The duo is formulated with an abundance of vitamins particularly the Densifying Conditioner. It contains a luxurious formula of caviar extract that is rich in Omega fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, and hydrolysed vegetable protein a.k.a. collagen, that can strengthen and protect hair from external factors that can make it look older.
For your daily hair needs:
View this post on Instagram
Rejuvenate your mane in the form of a daily treatment for thinning hair with the ORI Lab by NAK Ends Remedy. Dedicate a part of your day with an organic leave-in that’s formulated with collagen-boosting ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
If you’re on the lookout for a leave-in moisturiser that can smoothen and detangle fragile thinning strands, this should be in your haircare arsenal. It has natural proteins and oils like Quinoa Protein, Snowflower oil, Camellia Oil, and Avocado Oil, which can help seal hair cuticle layers and those delicate ends. Plus, it also provides protection from those harmful UV Rays.
Ingest hydrolysed proteins
The ingestible collagen has pretty much taken over the market from beauty stores, drugstores, and even groceries, they’re everywhere! However, when it comes to supplements, experts say that you have to take note of the ingredients that come with ingestibles.
It is recommended that you only take high-grade hydrolysed protein as this type of collagen has a better chance of making it through the digestive process and you’ll come out with remarkable effects on your skin and hair.
View this post on Instagram
Formulated with a multitude of peptides and 18 amino acids, just a scoop of VANI-T Lumiere Collagen Beauty Peptides mixed into your drink has been scientifically proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, rejuvenate brittle nails, improve skin elasticity, firmness, and tone, and bring back lustre to your hair.
If you’re on the go, just pop an AÉDE Hair Activist tablet twice daily with food. This food supplement contains an abundance of those collagen-boosting vitamins and minerals like Niacin, Vitamin C, Marine Complex, and Zinc.
Go natural by eating healthy proteins
View this post on Instagram
Definitely, when you want to fight the signs of premature ageing or intrinsic ageing, a healthy diet packed with essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals is the way to go. For experts, eating collagen-rich food like bone broth is a total must-eat when you want to boost collagen production.
Other foods you can incorporate into your diet are eggs, chicken, red meat, fish, and fruits rich in Vitamin C, Glycine, and Zinc can support collagen function.
Ageing is a natural thing we all go through. We can always go for a preventative or corrective route—everything counts.
No one is too old or too young when it comes to taking care of skin and hair and one’s total well-being. Just be on the lookout for products that you know can boost collagen production to maximise and enjoy its wonderful effects.