The Power Protein

From delaying wrinkles to healing the gut—collagen plays a huge role in the health of your skin. Bazaar brings five proven ways to add it into your lifestyle.

- Kelsey Kissane

We all know that collagen is a key factor in making us look young. Perhaps, it is most celebrated for giving skin its soft, supple bounce. But its production slows down with each passing year, and, unfortunately, applying a serum won’t do the trick. So how exactly can you stimulate this age-delaying protein for an improved complexion? These five methods replenish lost collagen to different degrees and promise to help bring your skin back to life.

SUPPLEMENTS

Nutrients from healthy food boost collagen, but it’s not nearly as effective as taking a good quality supplement. Dermatologist Dr Rashmi Shetty recommends taking a hydrolysed collagen supplement, which is processed to allow your body to absorb it—“It is a great peptide that provides hydration to the skin, making it look young and plump”. Choose a supplement that also contains sodium hyaluronate, the edible form of hyaluronic acid that lends the skin much more moisture.