Collagen Supplements Are the Secret to Better Hair, Skin, and Nails
This magic will take your beauty game to the next level.
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We clearly love topical lotions, potions, and creams here at Best Products, but sometimes beauty issues need to be dealt with on an internal level to truly solve them. Enter our new holy grail: collagen supplements. We're living for the benefits and intense results we've seen from these wonder-pills and powders, from stronger nails to longer hair. But how is this possible? We chatted with two experts, Alex Caspero, registered dietitian of HUM Nutrition, and Cynthia Sass, registered dietitian and sports and performance nutritionist, to learn more about our favorite new addition to our diet.
"Collagen, the most abundant protein in our body, is the main building block of skin," Caspero says. "We are born with an ample supply of collagen; consider a baby’s plump, firm, and rosy skin, which is due in large part to generous amounts of collagen. Unfortunately, those levels drop 1 to 2% each year starting around age 30. As collagen levels decrease, skin loses structure and plumpness, with fine lines and wrinkles appearing."
But age isn't the only culprit in the robbery of our collagen. "Certain lifestyle factors also interfere with collagen production, including excess consumption of sugar and alcohol, too much sun exposure, and smoking," Sass says.
These health professionals agree that ingesting collagen can be helpful in improving the overall appearance of skin, in addition to other benefits, like reducing joint pain.
There are actually 28 known types of collagen, with types I, II, and III being the most prevalent in most collagen supplements on the market. Types I, II, and III are all beneficial for both beauty purposes and joint pain, primarily because all types contain amino acids. While all are recommended for use in collagen supplements, type I collagen is the most prevalent type in the body, making it the most highly recommended for hair, skin, and nails.
Forms of collagen include bovine (sourced from cow hides) or marine (from fish scales). "Bovine is mostly type I and type III collagen. Fish collagen is mostly type I, which is found to be more easily absorbed," Caspero says.
Scroll through to read up on our picks of the best collagen supplements to help boost your beauty from within.
Best Overall
Vital Proteins' collagen is both an editor and nutritionist favorite. "I personally use and like Vital Proteins marine collagen," Sass says. "I add it to my coffee or to a smoothie daily. "
The powder is tasteless, colorless, and odorless, so you can practically add it to anything you want. (Note: It mixes much more easily in hot liquid than in cold.)
With a supplement this effortless and effective, is it possible to take too much? Turns out, both Sass and Caspero agree that there isn't necessarily a recommended daily amount. With that said, it's best to go with the serving instructions on the collagen you purchased.
If you aren't sold that marine is the type of collagen that's right for you, Vital Proteins also offers a sampler pack to test out all types of the brand's collagen peptides.
More: You Don't Need the Fountain of Youth If You Have a Collagen Cream
Best Budget Buy
For a budget-friendly beauty boost, we love these Advanced Collagen Supplements from ForestLeaf. Featuring all three types of collagen, along with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, this is a great pick — especially for the price.
Best Splurge
The price tag may look steep, but this bottle provides enough beauty liquid for an entire month. Image's answer to collagen supplements goes down easy with a sweet citrus taste as it delivers essential elements to defend against collagen loss and support collagen synthesis.
Bet you didn’t know a supplement could be fun, did you? Not since our Flintstones gummies have we had such a blast nourishing our bodies. HUM's new Collagen Pop dissolves in water with an Alka-Seltzer-like effervescence, creating a bubbly, rose-tinted (and rose-flavored) cocktail that's both refreshing and great for you.
In addition to collagen, this one contains vitamin C. "Vitamin C is needed for collagen formation, which is why Collagen Pop contains not only type 1 collagen, but also vitamin C," Caspero says.
While we learned from our experts that there isn't a whole lot of evidence proving that one type of collagen is better than another, you might prefer bovine over marine collagen. If that's the case, we recommend the Sports Research Collagen Peptides, from the makers of our favorite Biotin supplements.
Another great option for collagen capsules, the Health Logics BioCell Collagen supplements promote joint comfort while reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and skin dryness. It's a great supplement for performance recovery as well, if you want to look and feel great after strenuous activity.
This tangy treat tastes like tangerines and offers all the benefits of traditional collagen supplements. Like a few others on our list, this also includes vitamin C for optimal skin-nourishing benefits.
Pills and powders not your thing? Opt for these chews, packed with bioactive collagen peptides, in addition to hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to offer the ultimate skincare trifecta. The mixed-fruit flavor is delicious, and the results are just as magical as the other forms of collagen supplements.
These darling heart-shaped supplements by Flamingo offer up the benefits of collagen in gummy form. Featuring all three types of collagen, these supplements are also completely gluten-free.
This liquid collagen supplement requires no great effort to mix or blend. Whether you take it as a shot or add it to your beverage of choice, it'll provide anti-aging benefits as it targets skin problems and supports overall skin, hair, and connective tissue function throughout the entire body.
Katie McBroom is an award-winning content creator and freelance writer. Prior to contributing to Biography, she served as Content Editor for Google and Beauty Editor for Best Products. Her work has also appeared in publications including CNN, WWD, Business Insider, Forbes, and Men's Health, among others.
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