Collagen supplements are a huge market at the moment, but I've been a bit skeptical of many of them as much of the time the collagen gets broken down by your stomach acid before it has the chance to do any good. Collagen keeps our skin resilient, our joints working smoothing and provides structure within our cells - it also gives it that lovely youthful plumpness. The natural levels in your body start dropping off from the age of 30 (*cries*), so supplements can help to boost natural levels once again, and potentially have a positive impact on the signs of ageing.
Ingenious Beauty's Ultimate Collagen+ has been one of the few that for me has really shown a noticeable difference during a full month's course. These little capsules are packed full of naturally derived collagen and are encased in a plant cellulose shell, which has special powers (yes, really - full science bit here) to ensure the collagen isn't released until it gets to your small intestine where it can be properly absorbed. You take three pills about 45 minutes before bedtime, preferably on as empty a stomach as possible. Although I don't have any deep-set wrinkles at the moment, I have noticed a more 'bouncy' look to my face. My nails also seemed to grow much quicker than normal and flake a lot less, so I suspect that my body has been using it in these areas.
Fountain are another skin targeting range - they offer a collagen supplement as well as a hyaluronic acid one, all of which come in liquid format. I've been trying the 10x Hyaluronic Molecule supplement - you take two teaspoons per day, either neat or added in to a juice or smoothie if you don't like the taste. They advise you not to mix it with dairy products as this can stop the absorption. Hyaluronic Acid helps the skin to stay plump and hydrated (it can hold 1000 times its own weight in water) and is often applied externally, so an internal product is quite an interesting concept. I can't say that I've noticed a huge difference, but my skin has felt less dehydrated over the last few weeks, so I'm hoping it's down to this!
Probiotics are amazing if you have any sort of tummy troubles or bloating and I absolutely love Optibac's Daily Immunity blend. It combines a boost of vitamin C with all the good bacteria, giving the immune system a boost at the same time as your gut. My mum suffers with IBS, so I'm going to get her some of these to see if it can help - I've noticed a big difference in bloating since taking these and I'll be buying another pot very soon.
Sond's Energising Mineral Supplements are part of their wider skincare range, which is all targeted at those who have very sensitive skin, I've asked a friend to test these out for me as she has been struggling with her skin for a while now and although it's early days, it seems to be having a good, calming effect. Their whole range is aimed at very sensitive skin and features silica as a key ingredient. The supplements target collagen production, hydration and are a natural anti-inflammatory. I'll be doing a full review on the skincare range very soon, so I'll link up to that once it goes live.
No matter how much I change up the rest of my routine, an omega oil supplement is part of my daily routine. I love Udo's Choice as you have the choice of capsule's or the raw oil, which can be added into salad dressings or swallowed neat if you're braver than me (it's not that strong a taste, just feels odd swallowing up oil!). It's also one of the few that isn't fish based, so is suitable for vegetarians (the capsules aren't, but the loose oil is).
Are you a fan of supplements? What do you take as part of your daily routine?
*contains PR samples
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