Collagen Supplements for Better Skin
A quick look at the best collagen supplements for better skin
- Best subscription collagen supplements: Persona Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, Care/of Collagen
- Best flavored collagen powders: Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen, Garden of Life Grass-Fed Collagen Beauty
- Best unflavored collagen powders: Sports Research Collagen Peptides, Further Food Collagen Peptides
- Best collagen capsules: Dr. Emil Nutrition Multi Collagen Plus, Youtheory Collagen
Collagen is a type of protein found throughout your body, including in your skin, bones, joints, and ligaments (1).
Because collagen production starts to decline with age, many people use supplements to help increase collagen levels naturally (2).
Collagen supplements are also often used to promote skin health, as the protein has been shown to improve skin elasticity, hydration, and texture (3, 4, 5).
However, not all collagen supplements are created equal.
How we chose
The products featured in this article were selected based on the following criteria:
- type of supplement, such as powder or capsule
- ingredients
- third-party testing or certifications
- dosage
ishonest’s picks of the best collagen supplements for better skin
Here are 8 of the best collagen supplements for better skin.
Best subscription collagen supplements
Care/of Collagen
Price: $$$
Care/of is a personalized subscription vitamin and supplement service that allows you to take a quiz to personalize the products you receive.
Their collagen supplement is designed to support elasticity and hydration in the skin and help nails become stronger.
The supplement is made to be able to easily blend in your favorite drinks, such as coffee, tea, and smoothies.
The bovine collagen in this supplement comes from grass-fed cows. Other ingredients include organic lemon and vanilla, and there are no fillers or artificial sweeteners in this product. It’s also gluten- and dairy-free.
Persona Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
Price: $$$
Persona is another personalized subscription service that allows users to take an assesment about their health and sends out vitamins and supplements catered to their individual needs.
They offer a collagen supplement that supports joints that have been overworked from exercise, injuries, and regular wear and tear. It also supports healthy skin and nails.
The collagen in this supplement comes from grass-fed cows. The product contains vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, and it’s also gluten- and dairy-free.
Best flavored collagen powders
Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen Peptides Powder
Price: $$$
Vital Proteins produces many of the most popular collagen supplements on the market.
Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen, in particular, is specifically formulated to enhance skin elasticity and hydration.
In addition to collagen, it features probiotics and hyaluronic acid, a compound that plays a key role in skin repair, wound healing, and tissue regeneration (6).
Plus, with 15 grams of collagen per serving and flavors like lavender lemon, watermelon mint, tropical hibiscus, and strawberry lemon, this product is designed to make it easy to boost your collagen consumption to support better skin.
Vital Proteins is produced in an NSF-certified, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility and free of gluten, dairy, fillers, sweeteners, and additives.
NSF is an organization that tests products to ensure they meet strict standards for quality and potency. Meanwhile, GMP is a quality standard set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Garden of Life Grass Fed Collagen Beauty
Price: $$$
Featuring a sweet strawberry lemonade flavor, this supplement is a tasty way to get your daily collagen fix.
In addition to bovine collagen, it contains an array of ingredients like probiotics, vitamin C, biotin, and silica.
Silica, in particular, is a trace element that boosts collagen synthesis and improves skin strength and elasticity (7).
One scoop of Garden of Life Grass-Fed Collagen Beauty contains a whopping 12 grams of collagen to help promote better skin health.
It’s also certified gluten-free, free of genetically modified organisms (GMO), and certified paleo- and keto-friendly.
Best unflavored collagen powders
Collagen Peptides Powder
Price: $$
This product from Sports Research is a great option for those seeking a simple yet versatile collagen supplement.
It contains 11 grams of collagen peptides per serving and is unflavored, making it ideal for mixing into smoothies, shakes, and hot drinks.
It’s also sourced from bovine collagen peptides that have been hydrolyzed, or broken into smaller compounds, which can help increase digestion and absorption in the body (2).
This product is non-GMO-verified and keto- and paleo-certified by the Paleo Foundation, a third-party organization that evaluates products for their adherence to these dietary restrictions.
Further Food Collagen Peptides
Price: $$
This hydrolyzed collagen powder is unflavored and designed to easily dissolve in your favorite drinks, shakes, and smoothies.
With just one simple ingredient, Further Food Collagen Peptides is free of additives, sweeteners, fillers, and preservatives.
Each serving contains 8 grams of collagen, which is sourced from grass-fed and pasture-raised hydrolyzed bovine hide.
Furthermore, Food Collagen Peptides is certified kosher, non-GMO, sugar-free, and produced in a GMP-certified facility.
Best collagen capsules
Dr. Emil Nutrition Multi Collagen Plus Pills
Price: $$$
Featuring five types of collagen in every dose, this product is a good choice for those who prefer collagen capsules instead of powders.
Each serving contains 1,735 mg of the multi-collagen complex, which is sourced from grass-fed bovine, chicken, fish, and eggshells.
It also contains black pepper extract, which can help naturally increase the body’s absorption of certain compounds (8).
Multi-Collagen Plus is non-GMO and free of gluten and dairy. It’s also manufactured in a GMP-certified facility to ensure safety and quality.
Youtheory Collagen with Vitamin C
Price: $
Available in a convenient capsule form, adding Youtheory Collagen to your routine is a simple way to squeeze more collagen into your diet.
Each serving contains 6 grams of collagen, along with 90 mg of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is an important water-soluble vitamin that stimulates collagen synthesis, promotes wound healing, and protects against skin damage (9, 10).
This product is also NSF-certified.
How to choose
When selecting a collagen supplement, there are several factors to consider.
First, it’s important to consider the type of supplement.
While some prefer the ease and convenience of capsules, others enjoy the versatility of collagen powders, which can easily be mixed into beverages and baked goods.
You should also check the label to determine the dosage.
Although there are no established guidelines regarding how much collagen you should take, studies show that dosages between 2.5–15 grams of collagen peptides per day are considered safe and effective (11).
You may also want to read the ingredients label, as some products may contain additional ingredients to support skin health, including silica, hyaluronic acid, or vitamin C.
Finally, be sure to opt for high quality supplements purchased from a reputable retailer, and look for products that have undergone third-party testing to ensure quality and safety.
The bottom line
Taking a collagen supplement can be an easy and effective way to help support better skin.
There are plenty of options available, containing a range of dosages and variety of ingredients.
When picking the supplement that’s right for you, consider the type of supplement, additional ingredients, dosage, and whether it has undergone third- party testing.
As with any supplement, speak with a healthcare professional before adding collagen to your treatment regimen, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
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