Collagen and the skin: what is collagen, and what can you do?

Collagen has become one of the most talked-about words when it comes to skin, from powder in smoothies to creams with collagen on the label. But what exactly is collagen, and what can you do to look after the collagen you have? Here are the answers, without big promises.

In brief

• Collagen is a protein that gives skin strength and firmness. As you age, your skin produces less of it.
• The sun is the biggest external cause of collagen breakdown. Daily sunscreen is therefore your best help.
• Retinol, vitamin C and peptides are the skincare ingredients most often used to support the skin’s own collagen.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a protein and one of the skin’s most important building blocks. It is found in the dermis, the layer beneath the skin’s surface, where it forms a network of fibres that gives skin strength and firmness. Together with elastin, which gives skin elasticity, collagen keeps skin smooth and firm¹.

Collagen is also found in bones, tendons and joints. That is why you come across the word in so many places, including in joint supplements. Here, we’re talking about collagen in the skin.

Why does collagen decrease with age?

Over the years, skin cells produce less new collagen, and the collagen that is there becomes thinner and weaker². It happens to all of us and is a natural part of life.

Many women notice the change most clearly in their 40s and 50s. Skin feels thinner and less firm, and fine lines become deeper. Menopause also plays a part because hormones change.

What breaks down collagen?

The sun is the biggest external cause of skin ageing. The sun’s UV rays break down collagen little by little, and the damage builds up year after year³. That is why skin in areas that rarely get sun often looks younger than skin on the face.

Smoking also wears down the skin’s collagen and causes skin to age earlier.

What can you do for your skin’s collagen?

You can’t stop time, but you can take good care of the collagen you have and give your skin the right conditions. Here is what works best.

Use sunscreen every day

This is the most important thing you can do. Daily sunscreen slows skin ageing, even when you’re just out and about in everyday life⁴. Use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 as the last step in the morning. See our sunscreens.

Let retinol work in the evening

Retinol is a form of vitamin A and one of the best-known ingredients for fine lines. It can help skin produce more collagen and make fine lines less visible⁵. Start slowly with a couple of evenings a week. Read more in our guide to retinol.

Give your skin vitamin C in the morning

The skin needs vitamin C to produce collagen, and vitamin C is also an antioxidant⁶. A vitamin C serum under sunscreen in the morning is a good combination. Read more about vitamin C and in our guide vitamin C for skin.

Consider peptides

Some peptides, known as signal peptides, are developed to support the skin’s own collagen production. They are gentle and can be used every day. Read more in our guide to peptides in skincare.

Look after your body

Don’t smoke, sleep well and eat a varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables. This gives your skin the building blocks and vitamins it needs.

Does collagen cream work?

Collagen is a very large molecule, much larger than the substances that can penetrate through the skin⁷. In a cream, it therefore stays on the surface. Here it can bind moisture and soften skin, but it does not become the skin’s own collagen.

If you want to support your skin’s own collagen, it is therefore better to choose sunscreen and ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C and peptides.

Does collagen in powder and supplements help?

Collagen in powder or tablet form is very popular, but the research points in different directions. It is not certain that it makes a noticeable difference to the skin⁸.

If you’re considering a supplement, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. What you can certainly do for your skin is protect it from the sun.

A routine that looks after your skin’s collagen

You don’t need many products. A simple routine that you stick to is what makes the difference.

And a few quiet minutes morning and evening are also a little moment for yourself. Unsure what your skin needs? Take the short test below.

Frequently asked questions

What is collagen good for?

Collagen gives skin strength and firmness. It is also found in bones, tendons and joints, where it helps hold the body together.

When does skin start to lose collagen?

It happens gradually throughout adulthood. Many people notice it most clearly in their 40s and 50s, when skin becomes thinner and less firm.

What is the connection between collagen and vitamin C?

The skin needs vitamin C to produce collagen. You get vitamin C from fruit and vegetables, and in skincare you can apply it directly to the skin.

What is the difference between collagen and hyaluronic acid?

Collagen is a protein that gives skin firmness. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that binds water and gives skin moisture. Read more in our guide to hyaluronic acid.

Can you get collagen from food?

The body builds its own collagen from the proteins you eat, and it needs vitamin C to do so. A varied diet with enough protein, fruit and vegetables gives the body what it needs.

Sources

1. Shin JW et al. Molecular Mechanisms of Dermal Aging and Antiaging Approaches. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2019. PubMed
2. Varani J et al. Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. American Journal of Pathology. 2006. PubMed
3. Fisher GJ et al. Mechanisms of photoaging and chronological skin aging. Archives of Dermatology. 2002. PubMed
4. Hughes MC et al. Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2013. PubMed
5. Kafi R et al. Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). Archives of Dermatology. 2007. PubMed
6. Pullar JM et al. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients. 2017. PubMed
7. Bos JD, Meinardi MM. The 500 Dalton rule for the skin penetration of chemical compounds and drugs. Experimental Dermatology. 2000. PubMed
8. Myung SK, Park Y. Effects of Collagen Supplements on Skin Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. American Journal of Medicine. 2025. PubMed