Ingestible Beauty and Collagen Supplements

Ingestible beauty has become one of the hottest terms on the lips of beauty editors and wellness advocates worldwide. And in particular within the category there has been a keen focus on Collagen as a hero supplement to incorporate into our daily routines. But what is behind the trend and is it worth paying attention to? 

With our belief that beauty starts from within, we wanted to find out more. 

So what is Ingestible Beauty and why Collagen? 
Ingestible beauty refers to beauty supplements in all their forms taken orally – whether powder or pills, formulated with beneficial ingredients for skin, hair, nails and beyond. These can be designed to support naturally occurring processes in our bodies or to target specific concerns such as wrinkles or dryness. 

Collagen has become an incredibly popular beauty supplement due to the belief that it can help keep our skin looking youthful. It is the most abundant protein in the human body but has been proven to diminish as we age. And that’s not great as it plays important functions from providing skin with structure and suppleness to strengthening bones and more. 

There are many studies that support the benefits of taking collagen as a supplement, showing enhanced skin hydration and decreases in wrinkle depth (source 1). 

While healthy diet and exercise is critical, advances in supplements and wellness have shown we can do more to help us achieve optimal results. Topical skincare application reaches 3% of skin, ingestible supplements can potentially help us reach and affect the rest. 

What factors should you consider in selecting an ingestible supplement? 

1. Potency of ingredients – ensure the ingredients are high quality and at recommended peak potency levels

2. Transparency of supply chain – look for brands that are clear on the source of the ingredients. If possible, ensure no unnecessary added ingredients such as ethylcellulose (a binder to keep food together) and hydrozypropylcellulose (a food additive)

3. Maintain healthy diet and lifestyle – supplements are for fine tuning, not for making up for a lack of a healthy lifestyle overall

4. Enhancing absorption – In the case of Collagen, Vitamin C rich foods help your body to absorb better – so consider adding citrus fruits or vegetables such as broccoli and bell pepper to your diet

5. Vegan’s be aware – some supplements such as Collagen are not vegan or vegan friendly. They are generally made from the bones and proteins of animals

    How to have your Collagen Supplements

    1. Mix into plain water and enjoy quickly and easily
    2. Add to your juices and smoothies for additional impact
    3. Consider adding antioxidant drops for flavour and added benefits
    4. Add to your morning coffee ritual 

      Final Thoughts
      The endless introspection of the global COVID pandemic and lockdowns have taught us the importance of self care and brought a new consciousness to our wellness regimes. The idea of being able to complement our diets and skincare with supplements designed to improve the look of everything from our skin, to our hair and nails, as well as our overall wellbeing, has become increasingly appealing. A way to lean into our nuanced personal needs and fine tune our approach to holistic health. 

      A great Collagen supplement certainly makes sense and continues to be a foundational product of our beauty and wellness routines.

      OUR CURATORS RECOMMEND:   

       

       

      Source: Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Roseane B de Miranda, Patricia Weimer, Rochele C Rossi March 2021. Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.gov.