What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in our body.1 Alongside elastin, hyaluronic acid, and a few other proteins and minerals, collagen makes up the structuring beneath our skin known as the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM is a scaffolding within the dermis that provides not only skin structuring and strength, but it also regulates hydration through the dermal layers. Type I collagen is the most common form in our body, making up 90% of the skin’s structure, although there are 28 types overall. 2 Beyond providing structure to our skin, collagen is found within connective tissue, tendons, bones, and cartilage and can play a part in a variety of cellular processes.3
What happens as we age/ destroy our skin?
As we age, collagen production naturally declines. As early as 30 years old and onward, production begins to drop, even just by 1-2%/year.4 Beyond chronological aging, external aggressors can halt natural collagen production or encourage internal collagen break-down pathways to ramp up, like overexposure to UV rays; there is a coinciding decrease of collagen production in photo-damaged skin, which often means that lost collagen will not be replaced. Thus, both aged and photo-aged skin can suffer collagen loss that the body cannot innately replenish.
But what does collagen loss mean for you?
As collagen is the main structural protein within our skin, the loss thereof means that your skin is not fully supported and will begin to sag; this directly correlates to wrinkles and fine lines beginning to appear, exaggerating the look of aging even when you may otherwise be relatively young. While this expresses the importance of UV protection and antioxidant supplementation to protect against photoaging, it has become a recent interest and trend to attempt collagen supplementation orally and topically. While new in its science, oral and topical collagen supplementation may be a beneficial route to achieving youthful skin once again.
How can we supplement it?
There are a couple of different forms of collagen that one may supplement with. The biggest reason why foreign collagen supplementation may not be effective is due to the collagen size; collagen in its native shape and form is much too large of a molecule to penetrate the skin, so typical collagen topicals need to be composed of either collagen peptides or even amino acid building blocks. Orally, there are a variety of different options for collagen consumption. Collagen can be found in the foods we eat, such as bone broth, salmon, and shrimp, and other foods, such as citrus and tropical fruits, can provide the necessary vitamins and building blocks for your body to hopefully make more of its own collagen. 5
Collagen supplements offer a variety of different collagens with variable sources and forms, such as fish, bovine, or chicken derived peptides, powders, and drink mixes; if you can’t sit down to eat a whole salmon filet, supplements are a great way to get in necessary collagen. With the abundance of options on the market, you must be a smart shopper to find a collagen offering that works for you and that will be bioavailable (absorbed by your body) enough to actually make a difference. With our collagen ampoule, you don’t have to look very hard.
RIMAN’s Lifening line offers a collagen ampoule packed not only with bioavailable collagen, but with ceramides and hyaluronic acid to ensure healthy skin can be achieved from the inside out.
- Our hydrolyzed fish collagen peptides offer a uniquely low molecular weight, which ensures proper bodily absorption.
- Ceramides are an integral part of skin barrier makeup and function and are often topically replenished. Oral supplementation of wheat ceramides has been found to not only increase skin hydration, but elasticity and smoothness as well.6
- While hyaluronic acid is often touted for its topical benefits and immediate hydration, oral hyaluronic acid is a concept itself. Hyaluronic acid is of low molecular weight and binds very well to water, maintaining skin hydration and evenly dispersing it throughout the layers of the skin. Much like its topical effects, Ingested hyaluronan (Hyaluronic acid) has shown to moisturize dry skin.7
Much like how a skincare ampoule is filled with a concentrated solution of actives and beneficial ingredients, our collagen ampoule is filled with a powerful dose of nutrients and proteins that not only affect your internal health, but your skin health as well. And the best part is, it has a sweet pomegranate flavor that is sure to please. Take your first sip towards a more radiant you; shop here!
