If you follow Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Aniston or Amanda Holden on Instagram, chances are you'll have seen them singing the praises of collagen supplements.
Collagen sales have been steadily on the rise. Last year, collagen was one of the top-selling products on Amazon among HELLO! readers - and according to the Boots Beauty Trend Report 2021, the retailer saw a 1,570 per cent increase in searches for collagen on their website that year, and for good reason.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a protein found in the body. It strengthens the skin and promotes elasticity and hydration. It also acts as the glue that holds ligaments, joints and bones together.
Collagen is the building block of healthy skin, keeping it looking plump and youthful, but as we age our collagen supplies decline sharply. From the age of 20, we produce about 1 per cent less collagen per year and by the time we turn 50, most of us will have lost about 50 per cent of the collagen in our skin – yikes!
What are the benefits of taking collagen supplements?
Luckily, help is at hand in the form of collagen supplements. Be it in powder, pill or gel form, collagen supplements reduce the rate at which our own collagen breaks down and help support our own production for plumper, juicier skin.
Studies have shown that collagen supplements can support collagen production, to keep skin looking glowing and plump. But you have to be consistent, it usually takes around 12 weeks to see results.
© Photo: iStockCollagen comes in bovine and marine formulations, as well as a vegan option. Our vote goes for marine collagen, as Jessica Sepel of supplement brand JS Health explains: "Marine collagen is absorbed up to 1.5 times more efficiently into the body, which means that it is more bioavailable than bovine collagen.
"As it is absorbed more efficiently and enters the bloodstream faster, it is considered a superior form of collagen," Jessica continues. Look for marine collagen that is wild and deep-sea sourced rather than farmed.
The best collagen supplements to take in 2023
Looking to invest in collagen supplements? We've found the best options available to shop online now.
Jennifer Aniston & Kourtney Kardashian's favourite collagen
Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
- 20g of bovine collagen per serving
- Also available as marine collagen and collagen creamer
Jennifer Aniston is a huge fan of collagen – and after using the Vital Proteins collagen powder for years, she even teamed up with the brand as the Chief Creative Officer. Poosh lifestyle guru Kourtney Kardashian is another celebrity who backs the popular collagen supplements. This particular one is bovine collagen, but they also offer marine collagen and a collagen creamer to add to your coffee.
Khloe Kardashian's collagen powder of choice
Dose & Co Collagen Protein Powder
- 10g of bovine collagen per serving (plus 20g of protein)
- Also available as collagen creamer and dairy-free collagen creamer
Already use a protein powder to boost your levels before or after a workout? This one has added collagen to support your skin, hair and nails, too. Each serving contains 20g of protein and 10g of collagen in a tasty vanilla flavour to get you glowing from within. It's another one to add to your coffee to pimp your caffeine.
The nutritionist-backed collagen powder
Collagen Nourish + Glow Powder
- 3g of concentrated marine collagen per serving
- Also available as collagen creamer and greens + collagen
What JS Health founder nutritionist Jessica Sepel doesn't know about supplements isn't worth knowing. She's an oracle when it comes to health and wellbeing, and it shows in the positive reviews of her stellar supplement range.
Sweeping the board with nothing but five stars, JS Health's collagen powder is made from marine collagen and 10-science-backed ingredients, blended together to help with fine lines, hydration and that coveted glow we all crave. This year JS Health launched in Boots in the UK, so hotfoot it to your local store to see the whole impressive range.
The collagen brand Amanda Holden loves
Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus
- 10g of marine collagen per serving
- Also available as vegan collagen
Amanda Holden takes her Revive Collagen sachets every day, and often shares snaps with fans on Instagram.
Of her partnership with the brand, she said: "Collagen products have been a go-to beauty essential for many years. When I discovered Revive Collagen I was blown away by the quality of their product and their sustainability credentials."
The 'Enhanced Plus' range contains 10,000mg of marine collagen per serving, as well as keratin, retinol and a number of health-boosting vitamins.
The collagen drink loved by TV stars
Absolute Collagen Liquid Sachets
- 8g of concentrated marine collagen per serving
Made from marine collagen and brightening Vitamin C, it's no wonder that Absolute Collagen sachets are a go-to morning ritual for Nadia Sawalha. The Loose Women star revealed she adds it to her homemade bone broth at least three times a week to help her skin, nails and hair. Plus, it comes in tasty lemon, raspberry or mango and mandarin flavours.
The best collagen supplement to add to food
Bare Biology Skinful Collagen Powder
- 5g of marine collagen per serving
- Also available as marine collagen powder with Vitamin C
Bare Biology's collagen powder is made from ethically-sourced hydrolysed wild codfish skin. It's ideal for adding to your cooking because unlike others collagens, the peptides can withstand high heat. Bare Biology also do this powder in a tasty strawberry flavour to jazz up water.
Amazon's top-rated collagen powder
Wellguard Collagen Powder
- 10g of bovine collagen per serving
Wellgard's collagen offering has close to 10k positive ratings on Amazon, where it's listed as a bestseller. It contains high levels of the eight essential amino acids featuring small bioavailable collagen peptides which are easily absorbed. It dissolves very easily in cold water, with no lumps and bumps and is virtually tasteless and odourless.
Reverse Life Collagen MSM
- 7g of bovine collagen and 1g of marine collagen per serving (plus 1g of MSM)
Reverse Life's new MSM collagen contains 1,000mg of MSM (Methyl-Sulphonyl-Methane) which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, along with Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin D3. The sugar-free daily collagen works to advance the health of skin, hair, nails, and bones to help you feel good from the inside out.
The plant-based collagen capsules
Ingenious Vegan Collagen Capsules
- 4g of Astrion (vegan collagen) per serving
- Also available as marine collagen in Beauty and Active formulas
Ingenious collagen works to strengthen hair and nails, supple joints, and reduce fine lines, with 30-day to 90-day subscriptions available. There are three options to choose - Beauty, Active or Vegan supplements - with the vegan collagen being 100% naturally derived and made from entirely natural ingredients.
The insider's favourite collagen supplements
Advanced Nutrition Skin Collagen Support
- Includes no collagen. Instead it's formulated with Vitamin C, Zinc, MSM, Grapeseed Extract and Melon Concentrate.
Beauty insiders sing the praises of Advanced Nutrition's supplements for delivering what they promise - and more. The brand's collagen support capsules include a clever cocktail of Vitamin C, zinc, grapeseed extract, MSM and melon concentrate to activate your skin's collagen.
The probiotic collagen drink
The Beauty Chef Collagen Inner Beauty Boost
- Includes no collagen. Instead it's formulated with a Flora Culture™ bio-fermented blend, maqui berry, acai, papaya, blueberry, goji berry and pomegranate powders with grape seed extract, zinc and Vitamin C.
Created by Bondi-based stylist-turned-Beauty Chef founder Carla Oates, this bio-fermented probiotic drink is packed full of collagen. Like 'skincare in a bottle' it works to support your skin’s moisture levels and elasticity from the inside out. It's sugar-free, gluten-free and suitable for vegans.
