The Role of Collagen in Skin Health
Collagen is one of the most common and important proteins in the body, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy skin. As the most abundant protein in the human body, collagen provides structure, strength, and elasticity to the skin, helping it to look firmer and smoother. In recent years, the noise around collagen in health and wellness spaces has become a major focus, with growing interest in how it can support skin health from within.
There are many benefits of collagen for the skin that go beyond appearance alone. It plays a key role in maintaining the skin’s structure and supporting its ability to retain moisture, repair itself, and act as a protective barrier against daily environmental stressors. When collagen levels are supported, your skin is better equipped to stay strong and supple over time. In this blog we will discuss what collagen is and uncover the many benefits it has for skin, to help you make informed choices about how to incorporate it into your daily routine.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a structural protein, built from twisted strands of amino acids, that provides strength, firmness, and elasticity to the skin. It is found in the dermis, the layer of skin responsible for maintaining smooth texture and resilience. Alongside elastin and hyaluronic acid, collagen helps to keep skin plump and well-supported.
As we age, our body’s natural collagen production begins to slow, typically starting in our mid-20s. Over time, this gradual decline can contribute to visible signs of ageing, such as fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, and reduced skin elasticity. External factors like sun exposure, environmental pollution, and poor dietary choices can further accelerate the breakdown of collagen, making it even more important to understand how to protect and support this vital protein.
For a more in-depth look at what collagen is, the different types there are, and the various supplements available, head over to our guide to collagen types and benefits for more information.
What are the signs of collagen loss in the skin?
As collagen levels decline, there are a few visible signs that may appear that indicate this loss. Collagen decline happens gradually, but it often shows up through a combination of visible and textural changes in the skin. Below are a few of the most common signs to look out for.
Fine lines and wrinkles
As collagen levels decline, your skin loses some of its structural support, which can lead to fine lines becoming more noticeable, particularly around the eyes, mouth, and forehead, where the skin is thinner and more expressive.
Loss of firmness and elasticity
Collagen helps your skin stay firm and elastic, giving it that plump, bouncy appearance. When collagen levels drop, your skin may start to feel thinner or looser, leading to sagging around areas like the cheeks, jawline, and neck.
Uneven skin texture and slower healing
Collagen plays a vital role in skin renewal and repair. When it declines, your skin may appear dull or uneven in texture, with a loss of that natural, healthy glow. You may also notice that any blemishes or irritation take longer to heal.
All of these signs are a natural part of ageing, but they can also be influenced by sun exposure, lifestyle, and overall skin care habits. Remember that there is nothing wrong with embracing these skin changes, and learning to love your skin for what it is. However, if you do wish to try to promote collagen in your skin, there are a number of ways you can do so.
How to support collagen naturally
Supporting collagen production naturally is one of the most effective ways to keep your skin firm, smooth, and resilient as you age. Although production slows down over time, your body is capable of making collagen on its own when it has the right support. There are a number of simple ways you can encourage collagen production, which we will dive into.
Pay attention to your nutrition
Nutrition plays a central role in collagen production. Ensuring you consume a balanced diet of whole foods, especially protein, fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, will help your body naturally build collagen. Collagen is built from amino acids found in protein-rich foods like fish, chicken, eggs, and legumes, and uses vitamin C for collagen synthesis. Including vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, and bell peppers alongside a good protein source will help your skin make collagen more efficiently.
Assess your lifestyle
There are many lifestyle factors that can contribute to loss of collagen, such as consuming a lot of alcohol, excess sugar, and smoking, which all have the potential to damage collagen fibres, leading to sagging and loss of elasticity. This means it is important to assess your lifestyle to ensure you are doing as much as possible to eliminate these stressors. Other factors like getting enough sleep, reducing stress, exercising and staying hydrated can all help to signal the body to produce collagen to repair and maintain skin structure.
Reduce sun exposure
Sun exposure is one of the leading causes of premature ageing, and a big contributor to collagen breakdown. Therefore, limiting the amount of time you spend in direct sunlight and ensuring you regularly apply SPF will help to protect the existing collagen and make a noticeable difference in skin ageing.
Take a collagen supplement
Collagen supplements can be a helpful addition to your daily routine if you’re looking to promote natural collagen production. There are many different types of collagen supplements, including bovine collagen, marine collagen, and vegan collagen, which come in different forms like powders, capsules, and broths.
Planet Paleo Bone Broth Collagen Protein
Bone broth is one of the most commonly used collagen supplements due to its rich, natural source of Type I, II, and III collagen and amino acids. This Planet Paleo Bone Broth Collagen provides you with a quick and delicious way to obtain collagen through this ancient healing food designed to support skin, joint, and gut health. Made from the highest quality organic grass-fed cattle in Scandinavia, this bone broth has been slowly simmered to release all of its powerful nutrients and dehydrated into a convenient, easy-to-use powder to mix into soups and sauces.
This Zooki Mango Collagen contains high-strength, hydrolysed marine collagen made to provide targeted support for your skin, muscles and bones. Made with natural lipids for maximum impact, this collagen protectively wraps nutrients in the same lipids that are naturally found in the walls of your cells to help deliver them directly into your system. This delicious mango flavour comes in a convenient individual liquid sachet so you can ensure you have your collagen everyday no matter where you are.
Ancient + Brave Radiant Collagyn
This vegan Ancient + Brave Radiant Collagyn is formulated with collagen-specific amino acids, plant proteins and botanical extracts, with added vitamin C to support collagen formation and renewal. With a delicious taste of raspberry, haskap and beetroot that work with vitamin C to protect cells from oxidative stress, this supplement is made to deeply nourish your skin from within. In addition to its collagen benefits, this supplement is also rich in prebiotic fibre which helps support digestive function and your gut microbiome.
Keep in mind that supplements work best when layered on top of a nutrient-dense diet and healthy habits. If you’re interested to see what other collagen supplements we have on offer here at Planet Organic, head over to our full collagen collection.
Do collagen face products actually work?
A common misconception about collagen is that applying it topically in the form of skincare will increase collagen production. This is not true, as the molecular weight of collagen is too large to penetrate through the skin; collagen production can only be increased from within through supplements and diet. Alternative skincare ingredients that can help support your skin’s natural collagen synthesis are vitamin C, retinoids, and peptides.
Vitamin C acts as a mandatory cofactor for enzymes to stabilise and structure collagen molecules. Topical application of vitamin C in the form of serums or gels can help to stimulate fibroblasts to produce collagen, reducing wrinkles and enhancing skin firmness. Choose serums that have a high concentration of vitamin C, of 3-10% or higher, for the most effective results.
Retinoids, including retinol and retinal, are pure forms of vitamin A and are highly effective at stimulating collagen production in the skin when topically applied. These retinoids work by accelerating cell turnover and prompting the body to produce new collagen and elastin. Consistent use of retinoids will give you the best results, with a visible change in skin texture and elasticity over 3-12 months. It’s important to start with a low strength retinol like 0.02-0.05%, as retinoids are powerful and may cause irritation if you use a high concentration too soon or too frequently.
However, all of this is not to say that skincare products that include collagen are not effective at improving the overall appearance of your skin. Topically applied collagen in skincare will still effectively moisturise your skin and work towards helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles through intense hydration. When used in addition to vitamin C, retinol, and peptides, you will be able to achieve that “glass skin” effect we all desire.
Green People Age Defy+ Collagen Boost Vitamin C Serum and Antipodes Lime Caviar Collagen-Rich Firming Cream
This Green People Age Defy+ Collagen Boost Vitamin C Serum is designed as a collagen-supporting serum that focuses on firming and brightening the complexion. Using ascorbyl glucoside, a stable form of vitamin C that gradually releases into the skin, it works to encourage the skin’s natural collagen-synthesising processes. This formula also includes hyaluronic acid that deeply hydrates the skin by attracting and holding moisture, giving you that plump, radiant complexion.
When used regularly, this serum can be a valuable part of an anti-ageing routine by combining collagen-supportive vitamin C, hydration, and antioxidant protection in one simple step. If you’re applying this during the day, make sure to pair it with a broad-spectrum SPF for sun protection.
While no topical moisturiser can magically inject collagen into skin, this Antipodes Lime Caviar Collagen-Rich Firming Cream helps to create an environment where your skin’s own collagen production and renewal processes are supported. Used regularly, as part of your skincare routine, this moisturiser is enriched with lipid-rich avocado, jojoba and macadamia oils, shea butter and aloe vera to help deeply moisturise and strengthen the skin’s barrier.
Combined with its natural peptide compound, Sepilift™ DPHP, which has been shown to stimulate Type I collagen synthesis, this cream can help to encourage your fibroblasts to make more of the collagen your skin needs. Its natural and certified organic formulation makes it gentle and suitable for many skin types, and with the lime caviar extract, rich in AHAs and vitamin C, this moisturiser will help to gently exfoliate dull surface cells and promote renewal to reveal fresher, brighter skin.
Support your skin with Planet Organic
Collagen is a fundamental component of healthy skin, but supporting it requires a consistent, holistic approach that takes into account nutrition, lifestyle, and skincare. With a combination of focusing on consuming nourishing foods, adopting mindful lifestyle habits, and using effective skincare, it’s possible to protect existing collagen and encourage natural production over time.
If you’re curious about what other skincare products we have on offer, browse through our full collection of beauty and skincare products to discover natural, organic, nourishing products designed to help you maintain a radiant complexion.
