You’re roaming down the skincare aisle and see a product label with collagen in it. It’s such a buzzword in the skincare industry, you’ve even heard claims that topical collagen increases the amount of collagen in our skin. I mean, it’s clearly buzzworthy so there must be some truth to those claims, right? Well, not exactly but that’s not to say collagen products won’t benefit your skin. Let’s talk about what collagen products will do for your skin and what ingredients to look for if you’re wanting to support your skin’s collagen production.
What is collagen?
It’s in everything these days. From serums to moisturizers to drink powders, but what is it? Collagen is a naturally occurring protein in the body and a primary building block for skin, hair, bones, and muscles. 80-90% of our natural collagen helps strengthen skin and improve skin’s elasticity and firmness. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen which results in sagging skin, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity, basically all the very normal and beautiful signs of aging.
What are the benefits of collagen in skincare?
Collagen creams and serums are commonly advertised as a miracle “anti-aging” product with claims that it can create firmer skin and smooth out wrinkles. It may seem like the solution to loss of collagen is to feed your skin more collagen, but the truth is that topical collagen isn’t readily absorbed by the skin. The collagen molecules in topical collagen are just too large to penetrate the layer of skin where it’s naturally produced.
This means it can't deliver these miracle claims of boosting collagen production. However, there are still benefits to topical collagen! It does have moisturizing properties, so while you shouldn't expect the 'anti-aging' benefits that topical collagen claims to have, it's still a good moisturizer.
Which ingredients will support collagen?
This is where peptides play a crucial role! Peptides, which are short-chain amino acids, act as messengers to the skin when applied through skincare, directing it to perform specific functions, such as (you guessed it) stimulating collagen production.
Using products that contain peptides is a great way to target fine lines and skin plumpness… enter the Resurrection Polypeptide Cream. RPC includes a plant-based polypeptide complex which, by supporting collagen, can improve skin integrity, firmness, and help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It’s also formulated with a mix of ingredients that target dryness, skin barrier support, and resilience.
If you want to step it up a notch, pairing the Ceramide Barrier Serum with RPC is a great way to pull in hydration and lock it in. Ceramides play a critical role in maintaining a strong barrier to protect skin against dehydration, irritation, and signs of aging. Ceramides also help prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL) by helping skin retain moisture. Together, Resurrection Cream and Ceramide Serum are a rich moisture and barrier duo that you can easily work into your routine to instantly restore skin’s moisture levels, soothe the appearance of irritation, and give skin a plump look and feel.
The final verdict
While no product can completely erase wrinkles like magic, it's worth considering products that include peptides, such as Resurrection Polypeptide Cream, to help enhance the skin's natural collagen production. Peptides are a fantastic ingredient to incorporate into your skincare routine if you’re looking to maintain skin's firmness and minimize the appearance of fine lines.