Count back 8 weeks from your date and begin a daily portion that day. Eight weeks is the length of our own user trial.
- Week 4. In a trial of 114 women aged 45 to 65, eye-wrinkle volume was significantly lower than placebo after 4 weeks on 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day.
- Week 8. At the 8-week reading of that trial, eye-wrinkle volume was about 20% lower than placebo.
- 12 weeks or more. A meta-analysis of 26 randomised controlled trials found a larger hydration effect when collagen was taken for more than 8 weeks.
of 106 women felt the appearance of their skin improved after 8 weeks on our liquid marine collagen.
- 89%reported more moisture and glow
- 87%noticed fewer fine lines and wrinkles
- 81%reported firmer skin
When should you start collagen before a wedding or event?
Count back 8 weeks and pour the first portion then. Eight weeks is how long our own user trial lasted: 106 women drank our liquid marine collagen every day for 8 weeks, then said what they had noticed.1
With a fixed date in the diary, the useful thing to know is which study readings fall between today and the day itself. Count the weeks from today to the date and find your line.
- Around 4 weeks to go. Week 4 is the earliest reading in the studies gathered here, and women in our trial reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks.1
- Around 8 weeks to go. Your calendar matches the schedule the 106 women in our user trial kept, first day to last.
- 12 weeks or more to go. Your course also passes the 12-week readings of a longer trial, described below.
Whichever line is yours, the plan is the same one portion of Core™ a day, beginning today. Everything below is a record of when each study took its readings. Each published study had its own participants, collagen and dose, as stated.
assets/img/blog/wd-diary.webpWhat did studies record by week 4?
By week 4, three published trials recorded lower eye-wrinkle volume, better cheek elasticity and increased collagen density in the dermis in their collagen groups compared with placebo, and women in our user trial reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks. That is the half-way mark of an 8-week plan, and each card names its study.
Eye-wrinkle volume significantly lower than placebo
Women took 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day or a placebo. At the 4-week reading, eye-wrinkle volume in the collagen group was significantly lower than in the placebo group.2
Proksch 2014 · trial of 114 women aged 45 to 65 · randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Cheek skin elasticity improved compared with placebo
The collagen group took 5 g of marine collagen hydrolysate a day for 4 weeks. Their cheek skin elasticity improved compared with placebo.3
Sangsuwan 2021 · trial of 36 postmenopausal women · randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Collagen density in the dermis significantly increased
This paper reports two placebo-controlled trials. In one of them, daily collagen peptides significantly increased collagen density in the dermis after 4 weeks.4
Asserin 2015 · one placebo-controlled trial
Visible results reported in as little as 4 weeks
Women taking our liquid marine collagen daily reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks, with further improvement by week 8.1
8-week user trial of our liquid marine collagen · 106 women
What did women report by week 8?
Of the 106 women who drank our liquid marine collagen daily for 8 weeks, 95% felt the appearance of their skin improved, 89% reported more moisture and glow and 87% noticed a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. Begin on time and week 8 is the week of your date, which is also where our user trial closed. Every figure here is a share of those women.1
felt that the appearance of their skin improved.
reported more moisture and glow.
noticed a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
A further 81% reported firmer skin, 86% reported healthier hair and 76% reported stronger nails.1 The two photo pairs show participants in that trial, and what it looked like for these women in our study.
Participants in the 8-week user trial of our liquid marine collagen, photographed before and after. Figures are the share of the 106 women in that trial who gave each answer.
What published trials recorded at 8 weeks
- Eye wrinkles. In the Proksch trial of 114 women aged 45 to 65, eye-wrinkle volume in the collagen peptide group was about 20% lower than placebo after 8 weeks.2
- Hydration. In the other placebo-controlled trial in the Asserin paper, daily collagen peptides significantly improved skin hydration after 8 weeks.4
- Elasticity. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 69 women aged 35 to 55 took 2.5 g or 5.0 g of collagen hydrolysate, or a placebo, once daily for 8 weeks. Skin elasticity improved significantly in both collagen groups compared with placebo.5
At 8 weeks, the published trials above recorded lower eye-wrinkle volume, better skin hydration and better skin elasticity in their collagen groups than with placebo. More photo pairs from our studies, including the skin imaging, are on our page of collagen before and after photos.
What if you have 12 weeks or more?
Start the daily portion now: with 12 weeks or more, your course also passes the 12-week readings of a longer trial, in which skin hydration, crow's-feet wrinkling and skin elasticity in the collagen group were significantly better than placebo. Longer research has readings for those weeks.
- Hydration, crow's feet and elasticity. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 64 women aged 40 to 60, the collagen group took 1,000 mg a day of low-molecular-weight fish collagen peptide. Skin hydration was significantly higher than placebo at 6 weeks and again at 12 weeks. Crow's-feet wrinkling and skin elasticity were significantly better than placebo at 12 weeks.6
- Hydration past 8 weeks. A meta-analysis of 26 randomised controlled trials with 1,721 participants found that oral collagen significantly improved skin hydration and elasticity compared with placebo. The hydration effect was larger when collagen was taken for more than 8 weeks.7
A longer run-up simply means more days of the same portion. For hair and nail readings, see our week-by-week collagen timeline.
What does the countdown look like?
Start the daily portion 8 weeks before your date, reach the half-way mark at 4 weeks, and keep going through the week of the date, taking the portion on the day too. The whole plan fits in one table, where the left column counts down to your date, the middle column is your part, and the right column is the record.
Your countdown to the date
Weeks before the date, what to do, and the reading a named study or our own trial took after that many weeks of daily collagen. Doses are given in the sections above.
| Weeks before the date | What to do | What named studies recorded at that point |
|---|---|---|
| 12 weeks or more | Start the daily portion now. Same portion, every day. | Kim 2018, a trial of 64 women aged 40 to 60 on 1,000 mg a day of fish collagen peptide: skin hydration significantly higher than placebo at 6 weeks and at 12 weeks.6 |
| 8 weeks | Day one. Shake, pour into the cap, drink. The opened pack goes in the fridge. | The schedule of our user trial starts here: 106 women took our liquid marine collagen daily for 8 weeks.1 |
| 4 weeks | Half-way. Same portion, same moment of the day. | Our user trial: visible results reported in as little as 4 weeks.1 Proksch 2014, a trial of collagen peptides in 114 women aged 45 to 65: eye-wrinkle volume significantly lower than placebo after 4 weeks.2 Sangsuwan 2021, a trial of marine collagen hydrolysate in 36 postmenopausal women: cheek skin elasticity improved compared with placebo after 4 weeks.3 Asserin 2015, one placebo-controlled trial of collagen peptides: collagen density in the dermis significantly increased after 4 weeks.4 |
| The week of your date | Take the portion as usual, on the day too. | Our user trial: after 8 weeks on our liquid marine collagen, 95% of 106 women felt the appearance of their skin improved.1 Proksch 2014, the trial of collagen peptides in 114 women aged 45 to 65: eye-wrinkle volume about 20% lower than placebo after 8 weeks.2 Asserin 2015, the other placebo-controlled trial of collagen peptides in that paper: skin hydration significantly improved after 8 weeks.4 Proksch and colleagues' elasticity trial (2014) of 2.5 g or 5.0 g of collagen hydrolysate, or a placebo, in 69 women aged 35 to 55, after 8 weeks: skin elasticity improved significantly in both collagen groups compared with placebo.5 |
| After the date | Carry on if you like the routine. | Pu 2023, a meta-analysis of 26 randomised controlled trials: the hydration effect was larger when collagen was taken for more than 8 weeks.7 |
How do you take it?
Take one portion of Core™ a day: shake the pack, pour the portion into the cap, drink it straight or stirred into water or a smoothie, and keep the opened pack in the fridge.1
- One portion a day. A serving holds 11,000 mg of hydrolysed marine collagen, types I and III.
- Shake, pour, drink. Shake the pack, pour the portion into the cap, then drink it straight or stir it into water or a smoothie.
- Fridge once opened. An open pack lives in the fridge until it is empty.
- Pick your moment on day one. Tie the portion to something you already do every day, and the countdown runs without gaps.
Core™ comes with free delivery from €60, as a one-off purchase with no subscription.1 It has a natural berry flavour and is sugar free and fat free. For busy weeks, see how to stay consistent with collagen.
Questions about collagen before a wedding or event
How long before my wedding should I start collagen?
Eight weeks before is the plan on this page, because that is how long our user trial ran: after 8 weeks on our liquid marine collagen, 95% of 106 women felt the appearance of their skin improved.
My event is 4 weeks away. Is it worth starting now?
Yes: week 4 is the earliest reading in the studies on this page. In a trial of 114 women aged 45 to 65, eye-wrinkle volume was significantly lower than placebo after 4 weeks of collagen peptides, and women in our own trial reported visible results in as little as 4 weeks. Start today and keep the course going after the event.
Should I keep taking collagen after the event?
Yes, if you like the routine: a meta-analysis of 26 randomised controlled trials with 1,721 participants found the effect on skin hydration was larger when collagen was taken for more than 8 weeks.
