The Beauty Benefits of Collagen for Healthy, Vibrant Skin
Collagen is a protein produced naturally by the body that serves as one of the main structural building blocks for your muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, skin, and hair. Collagen serves a variety of important functions for your health. On top of relieving joint pain, preventing bone loss, adding muscle mass, and providing many other significant health benefits, collagen has been found to promote and improve skin health in a variety of ways.
As we age past our early 20s, our collagen levels gradually decline, leading to the formation of wrinkles as well as a loss of skin elasticity, firmness, and brightness. Because of this, seeking out new ways to increase collagen intake has become a popular anti-aging skincare practice in recent years.
The Benefits of Collagen for Skin Health
Collagen has a number of key benefits for the look, feel, and overall health of our skin. These benefits include:
- Smoothing and softening skin
- Helping to slow the signs of aging - reducing wrinkles, roughness, and dryness
- Maintaining skin elasticity - keeping skin tight and firm
- Increasing skin durability - making skin stronger and firmer
- Promoting skin hydration - helping skin to look dewy and luminous
- Smoothing cellulite
- Combatting skin damage resulting from too much sun exposure
Ways to Boost Collagen for Vibrant Skin
Preserving Your Natural Collagen
The best way to preserve and maintain your existing collagen levels is by avoiding collagen-depleting behaviors. These behaviors include:
- Too much sun-exposure without SPF protection - this is because the sun’s ultraviolet radiation can slow collagen production and breakdown collagen that helps maintain the skin’s structure.
- Smoking - this can decrease collagen synthesis rates, slowing the body’s overall rate of collagen production.
- Eating excessive amounts of sugar - sugar has been found to hinder collagen’s ability to naturally repair itself.
- A lack of sleep - this can impact your immune system, which can slow the body’s rate of collagen production and contribute to noticeable signs of aging.
Collagen Creams
The collagen craze has ushered in a variety of collagen-based creams that promise healthy, glowing skin. Certain formulas can enhance the appearance of the skin’s surface, helping it to appear softer, plumper, and brighter. However, collagen’s large molecular size makes it difficult for creams to penetrate past the skin barrier. This means that collagen creams can still enhance the appearance of your skin, but they likely won’t have the same long-term impacts on collagen production as something that penetrates internally, like a supplement.
Consuming Collagen-Rich Foods
Eating foods high in collagen is a great way to naturally increase your body’s collagen levels. Some collagen-rich foods include:
- Fish
- Chicken
- Garlic
- Leafy greens
- Beans
- Avocado
- Citrus fruits
- Egg Whites
Collagen Supplements
For faster, more long-term benefits for your skin, collagen supplements are the way to go. Powdered collagen is easily broken down and absorbed by the body, hydrating and nourishing your skin from the inside out. In fact, collagen is a central ingredient in our Lilium hydration supplements. Lilium is designed to hydrate and rejuvenate skin at the cell level - and collagen is a key ingredient when it comes to keeping your skin smooth, youthful, and luminous.
Incorporating a collagen supplement, like Lilium, into your daily routine can also help to prevent signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines. Packed with collagen, and many more powerful nutrients, Lilium is the perfect skin-loving supplement!
Sources:
Cedars Sinai: Collagen for Your Skin - Healthy or Hype? | Healthline: Top 6 Benefits of Taking Collagen Supplements | Everyday Health: 8 Potential Health Benefits of Collagen - and 1 Thing It Can’t Do | Nourish by WebMD: Health Benefits of Collagen | Medical News Today: Ways to Get Healthier Looking Skin by Boosting Collagen Levels | Healthline: Collagen - What is it and What is it Good For? | MedicineNet: Facts You Should Know About the Collagen Diet