Do Trendy Collagen Serums Actually Work? Here's What You Need To Know

There are plenty of things you can do to encourage graceful skin aging, but is investing in a "collagen-boosting serum," one of them? According to a market report published by Spate, there are 14.6K searches every month in the U.S. for "collagen serum," which means beauty fans are growing more and more curious about these trendy topicals. However, it's time we separate fact from fiction: Here, we looked to advice from board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D., about topical vs. oral collagen to get to the bottom of this claim.

So to achieve younger-looking skin, you'll want to restore that natural reserve of collagen the best you can—makes sense, no? The question remains: Do topical collagen serums actually boost collagen production?

Of course, not all collagen supplements are created equal. Make sure the formula you choose comes with a clinically useful dose, clean ingredients, and ideally includes vitamin C, as the antioxidant is required in collagen formation in the body.* For what it's worth: mindbodygreen's beauty & gut collagen+ contains 17.7 grams of grass-fed collagen peptides (types I and III), as well as hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E, biotin, L-glutamine, turmeric, and sulforaphane from broccoli to support skin health from multiple angles.*

At the end of the day, the term "collagen-boosting serum" is a marketing tactic that lacks scientific support. If you want to support your own collagen production through the use of topical products, stick to retinol, retinoids, or chemical exfoliants. And if you want to improve collagen from the inside out, consider investing in hydrolyzed collagen supplements—you can learn more about their benefits here.*