A Derm Says This Is One Of Her Favorite Collagen Powders For Firmer Skin

Ever since collagen supplements cannonballed onto the beauty scene, there has been some hot debate in terms of its efficacy. So when board-certified dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., appeared on the Healthier Together podcast, host and author Liz Moody was quick to ask: Does consuming collagen do anything for your skin? 

According to Bowe, collagen supplementation absolutely does work*—with a few specific callouts, of course. "You want to make sure it's coming from a really reputable source," she notes during the interview. "Sometimes collagen has an aftertaste, sometimes it's bitter, sometimes it doesn't mix well…there are a lot of caveats when it comes to collagen." 

Bowe certainly knows her way around a research study, and after looking into the available data, she would consider herself very much pro-collagen: "There are very compelling studies—clinical, placebo-controlled, randomized, the gold standard in terms of types of studies that can be done—showing that ingesting collagen [peptides] consistently over time can actually stimulate your own collagen production1 in your skin, increase hydration, and help with firmness, elasticity2, and fine lines and wrinkles3,*" she says. Collectively, "the science behind collagen would put some of these other trendy skin care ingredients everyone talks about all the time to shame." 

For example, this 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 clinical trials (the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled caliber of clinical trials, mind you) from the International Journal of Dermatology found that hydrolyzed collagen supplementation is effective for improving multiple dimensions (hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles) of skin aging after 90 days4.*

Of course, that all depends on the formula you have. mindbodygreen's beauty & gut collagen+ comes free of GMOs, dairy, soy, and gluten, and clearly breaks down the amino acid profile on its label. Not to mention, it's tested for precision, potency, and purity, including contaminants like microbes, heavy metals, and pesticides in ISO-certified labs.