Collagen is everywhere. From powders stirred into morning coffee to gummies, capsules and drinks promising firmer, smoother, younger-looking skin, it has become one of the beauty and wellness industry's most heavily marketed ingredients.

The promise is appealing, particularly as we get older and begin to notice changes in our skin. What if we could simply replenish the collagen we lose with age and restore our skin's youthful appearance from within?

But there is another side to this story, one that raises questions about sustainability, clever marketing and the quality of the scientific evidence behind the claims.

In Make Me Well, Dr Xand van Tulleken explores the business of wellness, including the commercial opportunities created by products that promise to improve our health. The idea of turning waste into gold offers a particularly interesting lens through which to examine the collagen industry: how materials that were once low-value by-products can become valuable ingredients, and how those ingredients are subsequently marketed to consumers.

So, what is collagen, where does it come from, and does taking it as a supplement really make a difference to our skin?

What is collagen, and why does our skin need it?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It provides structural support to our skin, bones, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues.

Think of it as part of the framework that helps keep our skin strong, resilient and supported.

Our bodies naturally produce collagen, but production and the organisation of the skin's supporting structures change as we age. Sun exposure, smoking and other environmental factors can also contribute to collagen breakdown.

Over time, these changes can affect skin firmness, elasticity and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

This is a normal part of being human. It is not a deficiency that everyone needs to correct.

The beauty industry, however, has turned this natural process into a substantial commercial opportunity. Rather than simply accepting that skin changes throughout life, we are increasingly encouraged to buy products that promise to reverse, replenish or prevent those changes.

And this is where the collagen conversation becomes more complicated.

Turning waste into gold: where does collagen come from?

Collagen supplements are commonly made from animal-derived materials, including bovine hides and bones, pigskin and fish-processing by-products such as skin, scales and bones.

These materials contain collagen that can be extracted and processed into ingredients for food, supplements, cosmetics and other products.

Through processes such as hydrolysis, collagen can be broken down into smaller peptides that are used in many oral supplements.

From a resource-efficiency perspective, there is a positive argument for this approach. Using materials that might otherwise go to waste can create additional value from existing resources and reduce the amount of usable material discarded.

Fish skin, for example, can be a source of collagen for the food and nutraceutical industries.

This is an example of what is often called by-product valorisation: taking a material with relatively little commercial value and transforming it into something more valuable.

But there is an important distinction between making better use of resources and proving that the resulting product delivers the benefits advertised.

A sustainable production story does not automatically make a supplement effective.

Nor does describing an ingredient as natural, marine-derived or upcycled tell us whether it will improve our skin.

Those are separate questions, and both deserve scrutiny.

How did collagen become a beauty must-have?

Collagen fits neatly into the modern wellness market because it promises something many people want: visible results without having to change much else.

A daily scoop of powder or a capsule seems like a straightforward way to invest in healthier-looking skin. The marketing often suggests that we can replenish what time has taken away, giving us a sense of control over the ageing process.

The language can be persuasive. We hear about collagen loss, declining elasticity and the need to support our skin from within.

There is genuine science behind the role collagen plays in the body. But understanding how collagen functions in human tissue is not the same as demonstrating that swallowing a collagen supplement will rebuild the collagen in your skin.

That distinction matters.

When we consume collagen, it is digested into smaller peptides and amino acids. These become part of the body's available building blocks. They do not simply travel directly to the face and rebuild wrinkles.

The body regulates how nutrients are used. What happens after consumption depends on several factors, and the results observed in clinical trials do not always justify the promises made in advertising.

This is why it is worth looking beyond the marketing and asking what well-designed human studies actually show.

Do collagen supplements really work for skin?

The honest answer is that the evidence is mixed, and the quality of the research matters enormously.

Some clinical trials and reviews have reported improvements in measures such as skin hydration and elasticity after people took hydrolysed collagen supplements. Other researchers have raised concerns about study design, small participant numbers, inconsistent methods and commercial funding.

One particularly relevant systematic review and meta-analysis, published in The American Journal of Medicine in 2025, examined 23 randomised controlled trials involving 1,474 participants.

The researchers found that the overall analysis suggested improvements in hydration, elasticity and wrinkles. However, when they examined the results according to study quality and funding source, the benefits were no longer evident in higher-quality studies or studies without pharmaceutical industry funding.

Their conclusion was that the available clinical evidence did not support using collagen supplements to prevent or treat skin ageing.

You can read the study here: Effects of Collagen Supplements on Skin Aging – PubMed.

This does not prove that every collagen supplement is ineffective or that no individual could benefit. Other reviews have reached more favourable conclusions, and research in this area continues to develop.

It does, however, demonstrate why we need to look beyond a headline claiming that collagen has been scientifically proven to make skin younger.

We should ask which studies support the claim, who funded them, how large the effects were and whether those effects translate into a meaningful difference in everyday life.

The existence of scientific studies is not the same as scientific consensus.

The problem with selling the promise of younger skin

There is a wider issue here that goes beyond collagen itself.

The beauty and wellness industries have built lucrative markets around our desire to look younger, feel better and remain healthy for as long as possible.

Ageing is a natural biological process, yet it is often presented as a problem that needs constant intervention.

Fine lines become something to correct. Changes in skin firmness become evidence of decline. And ordinary signs of getting older create opportunities to sell another product.

Collagen is particularly interesting because it sits at the intersection of nutrition, healthcare and beauty.

It is a genuine structural protein with important biological functions. But the marketing can move from explaining those functions to suggesting that a particular powder or drink will deliver a younger-looking face.

That leap deserves scrutiny.

We should also be mindful of the difference between improving skin health and attempting to reverse every visible sign of ageing. These are not necessarily the same goal.

At Ermana, we believe skincare should support the skin rather than encourage us to see ourselves as a series of flaws to fix.

Healthy skin can have texture, lines, pores and signs of a life well lived.

What actually supports healthy skin as we age?

Rather than assuming that one supplement holds the answer, it makes sense to look at the wider picture.

1. Eat enough protein

Collagen is made from amino acids, which the body obtains from dietary protein. Eating a varied diet that supplies adequate protein helps provide the building blocks needed for normal tissue maintenance.

For those following a plant-based diet, useful protein sources include lentils, beans, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, soya products, nuts and seeds.

Plant foods do not contain collagen themselves, but they can provide amino acids that the body uses to make its own proteins.

2. Eat a varied, nutrient-rich diet

Vitamin C is essential for normal collagen formation. Fruit and vegetables such as berries, citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli and kiwi are useful sources.

A varied diet also supplies other nutrients involved in normal physiological processes.

This does not mean that eating particular foods will erase wrinkles. It means giving the body the nutrients it needs to function normally, without assuming that more is always better.

3. Protect your skin from excessive sun exposure

Ultraviolet radiation contributes to the breakdown of collagen and other structural components in the skin.

Using broad-spectrum sunscreen, seeking shade and wearing protective clothing are practical ways to reduce UV damage.

Prevention may be less glamorous than a supplement promising transformation, but it is an important part of evidence-based skin care.

4. Support your skin barrier

Skin health is not solely about collagen. The outer skin barrier helps limit water loss and protects against environmental irritants.

Gentle cleansing, avoiding unnecessary irritation and using appropriate moisturising products can help maintain that barrier.

At Ermana, we formulate plant-oil-based skincare with the aim of supporting the skin's comfort and moisture balance. Oils and balms can help soften skin and reduce moisture loss, although they do not replace collagen within the dermis.

5. Look at the bigger picture

Sleep, smoking, nutrition, sun exposure and general health all matter. No single product can compensate for every factor affecting the skin.

And if you have persistent skin concerns, it is worth seeking advice from a qualified healthcare professional rather than relying solely on supplement marketing.

A more sustainable approach to beauty

The use of animal by-products to create collagen ingredients raises interesting questions about sustainability.

Using existing resources more efficiently can be preferable to allowing usable materials to go to waste. However, sustainability depends on the wider production process, including sourcing, processing, energy use, transport, packaging and the environmental impact of production.

It is also important to recognise that collagen supplements are generally animal-derived. They are therefore not suitable for vegans.

For anyone who prefers plant-based products, the alternative is not to search for a plant that contains collagen. Instead, it is to focus on providing the body with the nutrients it needs to produce collagen naturally and on caring for the skin we already have.

There is no need to purchase an animal-derived supplement simply because collagen has become fashionable.

And there is certainly no need to feel that healthy skin depends on an ever-growing collection of powders, capsules and specialist products.

Our Ermana philosophy: less hype, more skin health

At Ermana, we have always believed that skincare should be about nourishing and supporting the skin, not chasing an unrealistic ideal of permanent youth.

Our approach centres on simple, plant-based formulations using oils, butters and other botanical ingredients. We believe in understanding what ingredients can reasonably do, choosing products thoughtfully and avoiding the temptation to turn every natural change into another purchasing decision.

That does not mean rejecting science or dismissing every supplement. It means asking sensible questions, being honest about the limits of the evidence and recognising that good health is not something we can buy in a single jar or scoop.

Collagen is a fascinating example of how a genuine biological substance can become a major commercial trend. It also reminds us that an ingredient can have a legitimate use without every claim made about it being justified.

The next time you see a collagen powder promising youthful skin, pause before adding it to your basket.

Ask what the research actually demonstrates, whether the evidence is relevant to you and whether the product is worth the money.

You might decide to buy it. You might decide not to.

The important thing is that the decision is yours, informed by evidence rather than fear of ageing.

The bottom line

Turning a by-product into a valuable ingredient can be an example of more efficient resource use. Turning that ingredient into a beauty product with convincing claims is a different matter.

Collagen has an important role in our bodies, but the evidence for collagen supplements as a way to prevent or treat skin ageing remains contested.

We do not need to demonise the industry or dismiss every product. We simply need to distinguish what is biologically plausible from what has been demonstrated in good-quality research.

And perhaps we need to reconsider the idea that every change in our skin represents something we should try to reverse.

Healthy skin is not skin without wrinkles. It is skin that is cared for, protected and supported throughout life.

At Ermana, we believe in skin health over anti-ageing, thoughtful choices over beauty hype, and taking care of the skin you are in rather than constantly searching for something to fix.

Because sometimes, the most valuable thing we can do for our wellbeing is to stop buying into the idea that we are never quite enough as we are.

References and further reading

• Myung, S-K. and Park, Y. (2025). Effects of Collagen Supplements on Skin Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The American Journal of Medicine. Read the study.
• Van Tulleken, Xand. Make Me Well. For a broader discussion of the wellness industry and its claims, consult the book itself.

Photo by Emma-Jane Hobden on Unsplash