Whether whizzed into a morning smoothie or brewed in a Bullet Proof Coffee, celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry and Kate Hudson have fed our hunger for collagen powders, pills and potions. Here we lift the lid on the super supplement de jour and disclose its' benefits.
Originating from the Greek word for ‘glue’. Collagen is part of the protein scaffolding that holds the body together. Found in skin, muscles and connective tissue, it’s the secret to a supple, youthful complexion and has many other benefits to boot.
Going, going, gone
Essential for keeping our skin supple and resilient, collagen is found in the dermis and created by fibroblast cells, suspended in a ‘gel’ which consists of hyaluronic acid and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The bad news is collagen production slows as we age, in fact by the time you hit your mid 40’s, levels have plummeted by a jaw slackening 30%, cue wrinkles, sagging and fine lines. Lifestyle factors such as poor diet, smoking and pollution, will expedite the drag of the natural intrinsic ageing process but the good news is that you as a skincare professional can help your clients slow this decline by providing the tools they need to ramp up their collagen production.
Restore & Replenish
So what’s the best way to reverse plummeting collagen levels? Religiously applying collagen creams could be a waste of time and money as collagen molecules in topical products are usually too large to penetrate the skin and they can’t reach the ‘manufacturing site’ much lower down in the dermis. Far better then to advise your clients to apply creams containing the nutrients skin needs to manufacture its own supply - vitamin A, vitamin C and peptides are all pivotal to collagen production and cosmetic needling at home will enhance penetration for better results.
Advising clients to replenish levels from the inside is also essential. “Your clients may consume pills, powders or drinks containing collagen, but this may not be necessary”, says Lorraine Perretta, Head of Nutrition for Advanced Nutrition Programme. “Collagen is made from amino acids found in protein foods. Most of us have enough of these in our diet, so the body already has the building blocks it needs to make its own collagen. What your clients need are the synergistic nutrients to make this process of converting amino acids into collagen more efficient, and to protect the fibres once they’ve been created. There’s little point consuming products containing collagen if you haven’t got the co-factors to assimilate it into the skin.”
Your NEW collagen building tool
Enter NEW Skin Collagen Support “The Advanced Nutrition Programme™ are pioneering aesthetic nutrition by reformulating Skin Collagen Support with a unique combination of skin supporting ingredients” states Lorraine. “A review of the latest advances in research underpins our complex of powerful nutrients to build and protect collagen. The new formula fuses proven ingredients which are backed by over 150 scientific studies confirming their positive effects on skin. The exclusive new Skin Collagen Support includes a clever cocktail of Zinc, MSM, Grapeseed extract, vitamin C, and Melon concentrate rich in Superoxide Dismutase (a powerful free radical fighter) to activate collagen synthesis for a younger looking complexion.”
Collagen makes up about 75% of the weight of your skin
Gram for gram collagen fibres are stronger than steel