In a world, where the pursuit of youthful skin is never-ending, women are always trying to find the perfect remedy for fine lines and wrinkles.

For many women in their 30s, facing the early signs of ageing can be challenging. You've probably started noticing changes on your beautiful face that show your life story. Seeing a few lines on your face is completely normal and natural. When searching for the best anti-ageing skincare to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, we can give you a hand.

Adding collagen to your routine might be the sprinkle of magic you’re looking for, as it helps with nourishing your skin from within and maintaining a youthful look.

The first skin changes in your 30's

As far as you can remember, your skin was always plump and firm, and it had that shiny glow. Slowly, you started noticing some dryness and fine lines around your eyes and mouth, and maybe even some brown spots. 

In your twenties, your skin was packed with collagen and elastin making that plump skin happen. Right now, your natural oil production and cell renewal are slowing down, and as years pass, the skin will not retain as much moisture as it did before.

Which signs will you spot when adding a few extra birthday candles?

• Wrinkles and fine lines are the most talked about because you usually see them right away. They can be seen on your face and neck. The difference between fine lines and wrinkles is that fine lines appear on the surface of your skin and are superficial, but wrinkles go deeper in your skin.
• Pigmentation is the consequence of all those sun-kissed looks and holiday glows. Dark spots on the skin appear around your 50's if you’ve spent too much time in the sun without proper SPF (sun protection factor).
• Dryness and dullness (of the skin, not the personality, of course) come hand in hand with ageing. As we age, our skin can't produce as much oil and struggles to retain moisture, so it looks tired and dry. 
• Sagging appears mostly around the jawline and is the result of elasticity loss. Gravity is also to blame for sagging skin, which, sadly, you can’t control with skincare.

The science behind collagen

Collagen is a protein made of long chains of amino acids. In fact, 30% of your body’s total protein is collagen. 

The name of this protein comes from the Greek word kolla, meaning glue – and to be fair, collagen acts like glue in your body. It's the primary building block of your skin, muscles, bones, and other connective tissue.

There are five widely popular collagen types:

• Type I represents 90% of all the collagen in the body. It’s mainly found in connective tissues, like skin, tendons, ligaments, and bone. 
• Type II is a protein found in the cartilage, bones, and other connective tissues, providing joint support.

• Type III forms an elastic network in your lungs, intestine, blood vessels, and skin and it's strictly connected to type I collagen.
• Type IV functions as a barrier between tissue compartments and can be considered as the membrane backbone.
• Type V is found within dermo-epidermal junctions, the placenta, and tissues containing type I collagen. It helps with arranging and organising collagen fibre in your body.

And then there’s the type X, the most overlooked one. It has a major role in bone development and cartilage (connective tissue to protect joints and bones).

The saddest thing about collagen production is that it decreases with age. Having plump, tight, and naturally moisturised skin in your youth is a luxury you usually cherish once it's gone. By the age of 25, your collagen production starts dropping by a whopping 1% per year.

5 benefits of collagen for women and their skin

If you’re wondering if collagen supplements actually help, it’s time to say farewell to any doubts. A review of 26 studies confirmed positive skin elasticity and hydration results*! And the best part – the studies were focused mostly on women who took 1 to 12 grams of collagen per day for 4 to 12 weeks.

Collagen is a protein that your body makes naturally, but as you age, you start losing it. The loss of collagen can be seen as the first signs of ageing skin, such as loss of elasticity, or joint pain and stiffness.

So, what are the key benefits of collagen supplementation for the skin?

1. Slows down skin-ageing

The supplementation of collagen boosts fibroblasts (a type of cell that promotes the formation of connective tissue) in your skin. These fibroblasts then strengthen the structure of cells and tissue to boost your skin health and finally slow down ageing.

2. Boosts skin hydration

A collagen particle called prolyl-hydroxyproline motivates your skin to boost the production of hyaluronic acid (HA). As you probably already know, HA is the key to moisturising the skin, as it promotes water content and gives it a plump and hydrated look.

3. Boosts skin elasticity

Being the main protein that sums up a third of your body’s protein content, collagen supports the connective tissue, which allows the skin to keep its elasticity and not look saggy and lifeless. A meta-analysis of studies on the effect of oral collagen proved a skin elasticity boost.

4. Increases blood flow to the skin

Collagen is the building protein of blood vessel walls. If those vessels are strong and flexible, collagen ensures good blood flow to the skin.

5. Promotes wound healing

Do you remember fibroblasts? They boost the formation of new connective tissue, and collagen is the one who wakes them up! Collagen stimulates the formation of new blood vessels and attracts the fibroblasts to the wound site.

How to spot the best collagen for skin?

When facing the first signs of ageing and knowing that you’re losing a percent of precious collagen a year, the only right thing to do is to supplement it. But with all those varieties on the market and everyone promising the best results, what are some standard rules you should follow?

Here's what you should look for:

• Hydrolysed collagen supplement: The collagen molecules are broken down into way smaller (and more easily absorbed) particles.
• Hydrolysed collagen peptides: To get the most out of the supplement, look for collagen peptides, as they have a high bioavailability and can be easily absorbed by your body.
• Registered and patented ingredients: To ensure the best quality, look for supplements with registered ingredients. You can spot these ingredients by trademarks added to their names.
• Added vitamin C: Imagine a laptop working without electricity. Impossible, right? The same goes for collagen and vitamin C. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation and normal function of blood vessels, cartilage, and skin.
• Including various sources of collagen: This strategy offers a more comprehensive approach to filling the gaps of the lost collagen. As mentioned before, different types of collagen work synergistically, and there is not just one type that benefits the skin. The more, the merrier!

Is there a collagen for women that has it all?

If you know where to look – wink, wink.

Formulated with hydrolysed collagen peptides and infused with vitamin C and biotin, Miss Collagen from TummyTox is much more than your average anti-age supplement.

It's designed with 2 powerful sources of collagen: bovine hydrolysed collagen and ESM® eggshell membrane collagen to fully support different tissues in your beautiful body.

Not only does Miss Collagen have two sources of this superstar protein, but it's also a premium blend of four different collagen types: I, III, V, and X!

With this 4-in-1 action, it can offer support for your skin, hair, blood vessels, and joints – and boost your collagen production by up to 69%!

Due to its hydrolysed form, it can reach the deepest layers of the skin, which need the most nourishment.

We combined collagen peptides with superstar ingredients, such as biotin (also called the “beauty vitamin”) and vitamin C to give your skin the care it needs and help you prevent premature ageing.

If you’re wondering about the taste, we assure you it’s going to become the best part of your day with its delicious blackberry flavour. And if you’re feeling adventurous, this powder is perfect to mix into smoothies, shakes, or yoghurt bowls.

No longer wishing to turn back time, modern girlies take matters into our own hands and nourish skin from within – by ensuring proper food to prevent premature ageing.

Sources

Marshall, C. D., Hu, M. S., Leavitt, T., Barnes, L. A., Lorenz, H. P., & Longaker, M. T. (2018). Cutaneous scarring: basic science, current treatments, and future directions. Advances in Wound Care, 7(2), 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2016.0696

Pu SY, Huang YL, Pu CM, Kang YN, Hoang KD, Chen KH, Chen C. Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 26;15(9):2080. doi: 10.3390/nu15092080. PMID: 37432180; PMCID: PMC10180699.