I drank this popular collagen drink every morning for a month, and I swear my skin is firmer
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- The new supplemental collagen drink Skinade, which was formulated by scientists in the UK, has developed an effective delivery system for bioavailable collagen.
- In addition to collagen peptides, the supplement contains vitamins and minerals that kick-start the body's own collagen production, resulting in firmer, younger-looking skin over time.
- In clinical trials, 100% of participants said their skin felt better after 100 days of Skinade, and you may see improvements in as little as three weeks.
A week after moving to the Joshua Tree desert in Southern California, just outside of the festival-famous Coachella Valley, I knew my skin was in serious trouble. I had relaxed into the peace and quiet of desert living, the dry heat like a constant hug - but my face, to put it mildly, was freaking out.
The moisture-starved air was pulling hydration directly from my skin, it seemed. I looked dry and dull, with wrinkles and fine lines suddenly sketched into my forehead and around my eyes. I guess I should've expected it: Moisture is part of what keeps skin plump and firm, and in the dry air of the desert, signs of aging are all the more obvious. I took it as a sign when an email from Skinade showed up in my inbox: Try a 30 day supply of our new collagen drink and sip your way to younger-looking skin! Yes, please.
For those not in the know, collagen is the protein that gives our skin the firm, plump bounciness of youth.
"Collagen is a vital component of the skin because it provides structural support and elasticity, resulting in youthful and healthy appearing skin," Dr. Aanand Geria of Geria Dermatology in New Jersey tells INSIDER. After age 20, though, we lose roughly 1% of our body's collagen supply every year. Cue the wrinkles, lines, and sagging skin.
A few years back, supplemental collagen pills and powders were all the rage - and as a certified skincare junkie, of course I tried them all. I didn't really notice a difference in my skin at the time, and stopped stirring collagen powder into my morning coffee as soon as I learned that the body can't actually absorb the substance in its usual form.
"Taking collagen supplements has marginal effects on the skin, as these supplements, like food, are primarily broken down in the GI tract," Dr. Geria explains. "Once broken down, the body is left with amino acids, which may make it into the bloodstream and hopefully to the skin as well to help build collagen - but we don't know how much of the amino acids, if any at all, make it to the skin to have a sizable impact."
Skinade acknowledges this - in fact, it's their raison d'être.
"We needed very specific types of ingredients to create a product that actually works," Louise Marchesin, Skinade's global head of marketing, tells me. "Skinade's main ingredient, collagen peptides, are the smallest on the market today, which is essential to their absorption and bioavailability, and therefore the efficacy and results." In other words, by sourcing collagen peptides instead of standard-issue collagen, Skinade (which was developed by scientists, by the way) makes it possible for the body to absorb these molecules and reap the benefits.
Not only is this collagen supplement more effective than powder or pill versions, it also looks and feels significantly more luxurious. A 30-day supply of the peach-flavored drink arrived on my doorstep in a chic, minimalist white box, and the individual black-and-white bottles added a level of sophistication to my pantry that I never knew was possible. The package also included a handful of travel sachets, perfect for gulping collagen on the go.
It's important to note that this isn't the kind of drink you can reach for every once in a while and expect to see results - you need to be consistent, and consistent I was. I guzzled down the fruity-but-not-too-sweet collagen drink every morning for a month, and began to notice a distinct difference about three weeks in. My skin didn't look as dry; in fact, it looked pretty plump and firm, if I did say so myself. Dr. Geria notes that typical results take a little longer to register. "I presume it could take several months to see any sort of minor improvements in the skin," he speculates.
Perhaps the reason why Skinade's collagen cocktail works so well is because it doesn't rely on collagen alone. It actually helps your body create its own collagen, thanks to MSM (a naturally occurring form of organic sulphur that supports the formation of collagen), B vitamins (to promote healthier skin from the inside out), L-lysine (an essential amino acid that aids in rebuilding collagen on the cellular level), and Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids (to keep skin adequately moisturized).
To be honest, I can't say if my experience is typical. I loved my 30-day run of Skinade, but most of the company's clinical trials are based on a significantly longer three-month timeline. Within that time frame, though, participants noticed 26% less brow furrows and 19% more "suppleness" - and 100% of the study's subjects claimed their skin "felt better" after 100 days.
For all the skeptics out there, Marchesin has a few choice words: "We get it." She knows that many consumers have been put off by previous collagen supplements that promised major results but didn't deliver. "Of course they would be skeptical - a drink for your skin?" she admits. "So I say, try it. And most people say, 'Ok, that makes sense, I will give it a go!'"
I'm with Marchesin: give it a go. If Skinade can revive my dry, dull, desert-dwelling skin, it can probably give you a boost, too.