The Truth About Collagen in Skincare

What’s the hype with collagen being in skincare (when really no hype is necessary)? 

For some time now, collagen has been championed as a ‘hero ingredient’ in skincare. Like vitamin C and niacinamide, it’s become a buzzword. Whilst the latter two deserve it, collagen in skincare doesn’t. (Ingestible collagen supplements are also having a moment, which we are all here for – marine collagen is a huge staple in the MOTHER SPF diet.) With all this buzz around collagen, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction and science from marketing claims. But just because it’s hardworking when ingested, doesn’t mean it’s hardworking when applied topically. 

Collagen is a protein that serves as one of the primary building blocks for your bones, skin, hair and muscles. It makes up one third of the protein in our bodies. As we age, we produce less collagen, causing our skin’s structure to deteriorate through loss of skin elasticity and a decrease in muscle mass. By understanding how important this protein is, we understand why every skincare SPF brand is jumping on the ‘contains collagen’ bandwagon.

Let’s get to the facts. It’s simple: topically applied collagen cannot penetrate the skin, which makes it ineffective as an anti-ageing treatment. Collagen is produced in the deeper level of the skin (the dermis), and creams formulated with collagen have big, braided molecules that are too large to penetrate your epidermis (the outermost layer of your skin). This means that those molecules won’t be able to penetrate the dermis of your skin where collagen is actually produced. It is well known in the skincare formulation space that collagen molecules are too big to penetrate the skin, so any brand that is using ‘collagen skincare’ in their marketing are trying to play you (and your wallet!). To increase collagen, save your money for ingestible versions only. 

Fortunately, the only skincare item you need when it comes to collagen protection is SPF. 

Wearing sunscreen is an evidence-based way to prevent the breakdown of collagen. UVA rays cause collagen to break down more quickly, causing damage to collagen fibres. This process causes skin to rebuild incorrectly, resulting in wrinkles. Simply wearing SPF daily can help prevent this damage. 

Collagen case: officially closed.