Collagen-Boosting Skincare Ingredients

If you’re interested in skincare, you’ve likely heard of collagen — a protein that’s part of the connective tissue in the skin and is produced in the dermis layer. It’s responsible for providing the skin with strength and elasticity and is essential for maintaining a smooth and youthful appearance. Produced in the dermis, collagen is a key factor in the firmness and suppleness of the skin.

Fading collagen is, of course, natural! As decades pass, our bodies produce less and lower-quality collagen. This drop-off can start as early as our mid-twenties and inevitably causes our skin to lose its elasticity, resulting in sagging in areas like the jawline and wrinkles. While numerous beauty products are promoted as enhancing collagen production, the reality is that nurturing collagen and stimulating its development can be complex.

Learn how collagen-boosting skincare ingredients can help in this guide!

Factors that Damage Collagen

One of the primary factors that damage collagen in the skin is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light activates enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases, which break down collagen and damage the skin's support structure. This can lead to sagging, wrinkles, and thin, inelastic skin, which are commonly associated with aging.

Age-Related Changes in Collagen Production

Collagen production peaks during puberty and the early twenties, with levels gradually decreasing as a person enters early middle age. In women, the decline in collagen production accelerates after menopause, leading to a significant loss of collagen in the skin. This decrease in collagen production can result in thinner and weaker collagen fibres, contributing to the visible signs of aging.

Protecting and Supporting Collagen in the Skin

To begin with, collagen can’t just be put back into the skin. As an ingredient, collagen doesn’t help us when applied topically because the molecules that it’s made of are too large to effectively penetrate the skin barrier. So if you apply a ‘collagen cream,’ you may get some benefits from the other ingredients, but the collagen itself will just sit on top of the dermis.

Focusing on ingredients that can help minimize the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin firmness, and protect against oxidative stress will ultimately support a more youthful and radiant complexion overall.

The Best Ingredients to Protect and Boost Collagen

Retinol

Retinol is the clear front-runner in the collagen-boosting race. This form of Vitamin A is something of a superhero in the skin-care universe.

It’s been proven to increase cell turnover, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, treat acne, and more. Stimulating collagen production is among its many powers, making it one of my top choices.

In general, retinol and retinoids are some of the most extensively studied and science-backed skincare ingredients that support collagen production and smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles — and they can even prevent future collagen loss!

That said, retinol takes a commitment to add to your routine. Building up the application slowly over a few weeks can help the skin become acclimated without drying out or developing redness. But you can see retinol’s benefits by applying it just three times a week regularly.

Retinoids (a stronger relative of retinol) are available by prescription only and can be effective for boosting collagen if your dermatologist deems you a candidate based on skin sensitivity. The good news? There’s no shortage of over-the-counter skin-care products boasting powerful doses of retinol.

One of my favourite retinol products I have curated for Event SkinStore is Advanced Retinol by Melanie Jane SkinCare.

Peptides

Peptides have been in products for years — and for good reasons. Peptides function as tiny couriers to our skin cells, sending messages that enable them to communicate more efficiently. They’re short chains of amino acids, with amino acids being the smallest unit of a protein. And protein in the form of elastin, keratin, or collagen is what gives skin its structure and resilience.

Peptides in skincare are often made artificially and combined with fatty acids to improve how well they work on the skin. They are one of the gentler skin-care ingredients geared towards stimulating collagen production. While they are not as extensively studied as retinoids, they are a great option for those with sensitive skin who may not be able to reach for something like retinol. Ultra Benefits Moisturizer contains firming peptides.

Sunscreen

Your daily sunscreen won’t necessarily kick your collagen production into high gear, but UV exposure has been proven to damage the skin’s proteins, including collagen, and using sun protection can help maintain your healthy, existing supply of collagen. To prevent the breakdown of collagen, always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen.

That said, sunscreen only works if applied correctly, which means reapplying every two hours and using enough to cover your pointer and middle fingers for your face and neck. I’m a big fan of Amarte’s Ultra Veil and MJP’s Radiant Sheild SPF 40.

Antioxidants

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to work well with sunscreen to protect the skin from UV and free-radical damage. Collagen occurs naturally in the human body and it's an important substance for maintaining the skin's firm and bouncy appearance, but it decreases as you age.

So using a daily Vitamin C serum is a great way to not only protect your skin from UV-related collagen loss but also to help stimulate collagen production. Looking for recommendations? I suggest Noon’s Vit C Serum.

Resveratrol

These polyphenols act as key antioxidants, which serve on the front line as the generals that gather the troops to protect the cells against damage that leads to cellular aging. Resveratrol works at the cellular level to combat the aging process by encouraging healthy cell growth.

It forms complex molecules with certain metal ions and inactivates their ability to form free radicals, improving cellular function, supporting fibroblasts, and creating healthy collagen. This one-two-punch combination makes resveratrol highly effective in combating the damaging effects of free radicals that contribute to skin aging.

Final Takeaway

Collagen plays a critical role in maintaining the health and appearance of the skin, providing strength, elasticity, and support. Protecting and supporting collagen production is essential for preserving youthful skin and minimizing the visible signs of aging. By understanding the importance of collagen and implementing ingredients to maintain collagen levels, individuals can promote healthy, vibrant skin for years to come.