There are so many lifestyle trends and fads on the market, and it feels like there’s a new one everyday. One of the biggest trends out there is how to rapidly slow down aging of the skin and hiding current signs of aging with ingredients like collagen.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a protein in your body, the most plentiful one to be exact. It accounts for one-third of your body’s total protein composition. Proteins are one of the major building blocks in the body, responsible for stimulating and monitoring all types of bodily processes. Collagen specifically aids in the processes of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and of course, your skin. Collagen acts like the glue that holds things together within the body, providing structure to different body parts. It also acts as a cushion between different joints. In your skin, it acts as a filtration system and helps to keep your skin plump and bouncy. Like with many things in our body, as we age, the amount of collagen we produce naturally decreases. While there’s nothing you can do to slow down aging, there are a few things you can nourish your body with to stimulate collagen production, including Vitamin C (the kind in fruit, not the kind you put on your skin,) Proline (found in egg whites, mushrooms, and dairy products,) Glycine (found in protein-containing foods,) and Copper (found in organ meats, lentils, and other grains.)
In addition to stimulating collagen internally, there are also skincare products out there that include collagen and other collagen-stimulating ingredients that can help to slow down signs of aging and promote softer, more supple skin. Adding collagen into your routine is shown to improve skin elasticity, help the skin hold onto moisture, diminish wrinkles and fine lines, improve the radiance of your skin, work to keep your skin firm, and more.
How can I add collagen into my routine?
Introducing a moisturizer like the PCA Skin Collagen Hydrator is great place to start when using collagen. This rich nighttime moisturizer uses a powerful combination of ingredients that work together to hydrate and firm dry and aging skin. There’s also the Soon Skincare Mermaid Collagen Serum, a highly concentrated serum with collagen. It’s made up of 46% marine collagen, helping to replenish diminishing collagen levels in the skin to deeply hydrate, firm, and soothe the skin. For some serious hydration, the Reviva Labs High Potency Collagen Serum is a great option, with soluble collagen and hyaluronic acid, absorbing deeply into the skin for maximum hydration and anti-aging benefits. You can also give the area under your eyes some love with the HydroPeptide PolyPeptide Collagel+ Eye Masks, infused with collagen, hyaluronic acid, aloe, and caviar extract to lock in moisture to this sensitive area and promote collagen production.
Not only can you help stimulate collagen in your body by using products that contain collagen, retinol is also shown to help increase collagen production. Nightly use of the Allies of Skin 1A Retinal + Peptides Overnight Mask is proven to increase collagen and elastic production with consistent use, as it’s formulated with a time-release retinol, a peptide complex, 9 antioxidants, 5 brighteners and other natural extracts to hydrate and firm your skin all at once. In addition, the Glowbiotics Advanced Retinol Renewal Treatment is formulated with retinol and peptides works to brighten your complexion, stimulate collagen production and cell turnover, and reveal more radiant and youthful looking skin.
When it comes to collagen and supplements, be sure to reach out to your doctor and dermatologist to find out the best routine for your body and skin.
