What is collagen and why is it so important?
Collagen isn’t just another hyped up trending word in the world of beauty, it’s actually very important for our skin and overall health. As the main structural protein found in our skin and connective tissue, it is responsible for healthy bones, joints, soft tissue, gut, nails and hair. Yeah, it’s kind of a big deal!
Why do we need to boost our collagen?
As we age, our body’s collagen production begins to decline. Throw in some environmental stressors or poor diet choices and you’ll find your complexion on the way to thinner, drier skin that’s starting to form signs of premature ageing (aka wrinkles). Boosting collagen production helps to promote healthy moisture levels along with elasticity, keeping the skin looking plump and soft.
While there are a number of factors that can impact our collagen production, the good news is that there are also a myriad of ways to boost our collagen stores, naturally. Read on to discover 3 Holistic Ways you can naturally boost collagen for skin health.
DIET
Hydration
One of the key components of collagen is water, which is why it’s essential to stay well-hydrated in order to foster collagen production. Drinking plenty of filtered water each day will help to preserve collagen, as will hydrating fruits and vegetables like watermelon, strawberries and cucumber. The recommended daily water intake for adults is 8-10 cups, so keep your water bottle filled up at your desk if you find you’re not drinking enough throughout your work day.
Another key ingredient for hydrated skin is hyaluronic acid. Like collagen, hyaluronic acid declines with age, but research shows that it can also help to boost collagen production. Find Hyaluronic Acid in root vegetables, soy, nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits.
You can also introduce a Hyaluronic Acid Serum into your skincare routine, like LAMAV’s Hyaluronic Hydra-Max Serum. It provides skin with a powerful shield to lock in moisture, promoting plump and glowing skin.
Vitamin C
If you want to increase collagen production while simultaneously protecting your skin from free radical damage, Vitamin C is your go to! Essential for collagen synthesis while also supporting our immune system, look for Vitamin C in citrus fruits, green vegetables and your skincare to boost this vital nutrient from inside and out.
Consume collagen-rich foods
The amino acids contained in collagen-rich foods play an essential role in collagen synthesis. While there are countless collagen supplements on the market that can support your oral intake, it’s really important to reach for whole, protein rich foods as this is where you’ll find most naturally occurring collagen. Beef, Chicken, Pork, Salmon and Sardines are all packed full of collagen. If eating meat doesn’t whet your appetite you can also reach for bone broth, dairy and eggs.
LIFESTYLE
As ageing is a natural part of life, so is collagen decline. While this is all out of our control, we can take some steps to slow the decline of collagen by adopting healthy lifestyle choices. Avoiding excessive sun exposure, smoking and over-indulging in processed foods can slow collagen degradation, so being sun safe and focusing on a nutrient-dense and balanced diet is essential for our overall health and a glowing complexion.
SKINCARE
Now that we’ve taken care of ourselves from the inside, let’s look at how we can boost our collagen through our skincare products and rituals. From cleansing to skincare tools, read on for our collagen boosting skincare routine.
Cleanse
LAMAV’s Sweet Orange Balancing Cleanser
This award winning cleanser is a customer favourite for good reason. Suitable for all skin types, it contains naturally derived AHAs to deeply clean the skin while encouraging cellular turnover, which assists to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Both essential for smooth, plump skin! LAMAV’s Sweet Orange Balancing Cleanser also contains fruit enzymes from papaya, which is rich in enzymes that promote exfoliation and hydration to support collagen production.
Pro Tip: Always complete a double cleanse while massaging the face for 60 seconds to strengthen facial muscles and spur collagen production.
Exfoliate
If you haven’t picked up on it yet, cellular turnover is kind of important when it comes to boosting collagen production. We recommend LAMAV’s Jojoba Exfoliating Scrub thanks to its soft melting Jojoba Beads and Fruit Acids (AHA's) from Bilberry, Caviar Lime and Desert Lime to exfoliate whilst encouraging collagen production. You’ll achieve instantly smoother, brighter and plumper skin.
Treat
Boost collagen and elastin production safely (and pain free) at home with LAMAV’s Micro Dermal Roller. This clever little tool contains 540 micro needles to gently create tiny pathways, helping to enhance your skin’s healing process and increasing the rate at which collagen and elastin are produced. And if that wasn’t enough, it also enhances the absorption of any collagen boosting ingredients that your skincare contains post treatment.
How to use:
Gently glide the roller over the larger areas of your face using horizontal, vertical and diagonal strokes. Repeat 4-5 times over the larger areas of the face and immediately apply your toner, boosters, serums and moisturisers for optimal bio-active absorption.
Tone
Whilst a toner isn’t considered an essential skincare product, LAMAV’s Probiotic Toner will provide you with an additional burst of AHA’s to improve cellular turnover and stimulate collagen production prior to applying the rest of your leave on products. Your skin will also benefit from a unique blend of probiotics that helps to balance the skin’s microbiome while boosting skin's immune health for a vibrant, healthy complexion.
Boost
Containing 100% bio-actives to supercharge collagen synthesis, LAMAV’s Collagen Support is more than just a serum. Kakadu and Davidson Plum protect against elastin degradation while Finger Lime prevents environmental damage in addition to delivering a hit of hydration. Bursting with antioxidants and phytonutrients, you’ll enjoy instant hydration along with plump and smooth skin with regular use.
Serum
LAMAV’s Commiphora Plumping Serum is a potent collagen boosting serum specifically designed to plump the skin while delivering age-defying results. The real hero in this formulations is the scientifically proven Wakame.
Wakame (Maritech Reverse) has been shown to impede collagen breakdown, smooth wrinkles and fine lines and protect skin against UV radiation. Studies have also shown:
- Reduced wrinkle depth by 9% and skin roughness by 8%
- Increased skin elasticity by 17%
- Inhibition of collagenase and elastase by up to 99%
- Protected against free radical producing enzymes and glycation by 50%
- Increased the expression of the SIRT1 anti-ageing protein by 28%
- Reduced redness by up to 45% following UV exposure
- Increased moisture retention by up to 30% following UV exposure
- Soothed skin by inhibiting myeloperoxidase by up to 99%
Moisturise
If you weren’t aware, moisturiser is an essential skincare step when it comes to reducing the signs of premature ageing along with maintaining healthy skin barrier function. Lack of moisture in the skin can affect the integrity of collagen and elastin production, so it’s essential to keep your skin hydrated from inside and out.
The perfect moisturiser to follow on from LAMAV’s Commiphora Plumping Serum is LAMAV’s Wrinkle Smoothing Cream. Like our Commiphora Plumping Serum, this highly concentrated moisturiser also contains Wakame along with Chlorella Fulgaris to assist with maintaining elasticity and firmness. Derived from seaweed, Chlorella Vulgaris is a micro-algae rich in amino acids and supports the skin by stimulating collagen production while preserving elastin.
