Yes, collagen helps wrinkles. In clinical trials in women, a daily collagen drink reduced wrinkle depth and eye-wrinkle volume within 8 to 12 weeks.
- Eye wrinkles 20% smaller than placebo after 8 weeks, in a trial of 114 women aged 45 to 65.
- Wrinkle score down 35% after 12 weeks of fish collagen, in women aged 45 to 60.
- Wrinkle depth down 26.8% after 12 weeks, against 6.4% with placebo.
of 106 women noticed a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles after 8 weeks on our liquid marine collagen.
- 95%said their skin looked better
- 81%firmer skin
- 89%more moisture and glow
Why do wrinkles form?
Collagen is the scaffolding under your skin. When there is plenty of it, skin springs back after every smile and frown. From early adulthood the skin makes about 1.0% to 1.5% less collagen each year,1 and as much as 30% of skin collagen goes in the first five years after menopause.2
Less scaffolding means the lines that used to disappear start to stay: first around the eyes, then across the forehead and beside the mouth. A daily collagen drink is built to feed exactly this layer.
How does collagen you drink reach a wrinkle?
Hydrolysed collagen is absorbed as small peptides that travel in the blood to the skin. There, the evidence shows they do more than arrive. In a trial of 114 women, those taking collagen peptides for 8 weeks had 65% more procollagen type I and 18% more elastin in their skin than the placebo group.3 Procollagen is what your skin turns into new collagen.
So the collagen you drink prompts your skin to build more of its own. Core's peptides are hydrolysed to about 1,500 daltons, small enough to be absorbed readily, and every portion includes vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.9
assets/img/blog/wr-skin.webpDoes collagen reduce wrinkles? The trials
In placebo-controlled trials in women, daily collagen peptides reduced wrinkles within 8 to 12 weeks, and the trials agree with each other. Wrinkles are one of the best-studied outcomes for collagen supplements, and a 2023 pooled analysis of 26 trials with 1,721 participants points the same way.8
Eye-wrinkle volume about 20% lower than placebo
Women taking 2.5 g of collagen peptides a day had significantly smaller eye wrinkles than the placebo group after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks, a difference of about 20%. The effect was still there four weeks after they stopped.3
114 women aged 45 to 65 · randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Wrinkle score down 35% on one side of the face
After 12 weeks on 10 g of hydrolysed fish collagen daily, the wrinkle score on the right side of the face had dropped 35% from where it started. That was a 24% greater reduction than the placebo group managed.5
Women aged 45 to 60 · randomised, triple-blind, placebo-controlled
Crow's feet visibly improved
On 1,000 mg a day of low-molecular-weight fish collagen peptide, crow's-feet scores and skin-wrinkling measurements were significantly better than placebo by week 12, and so was elasticity.4
64 women aged 40 to 60 · randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
90 days: fewer wrinkles across 1,125 people
Pooling 19 double-blind trials, in which roughly 95% of participants were women, researchers concluded that taking hydrolysed collagen for 90 days reduces wrinkles and improves both elasticity and hydration.7
19 randomised controlled trials · 1,125 participants aged 20 to 70
Wrinkle depth after 12 weeks of daily collagen peptides
Change from the start of the study, collagen drink compared with placebo. 72 women aged 35 and over.
View as a table
| Measure | Collagen drink | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle depth (roughness) | −26.8% | −6.4% |
| Skin density | +24.8% | +6.8% |
| Skin hydration | +28.0% | +9.0% |
How long does collagen take to work on wrinkles?
Plan on 8 weeks to see it and 12 weeks for the full effect. Put the trials and our own results on one timeline and the pattern is consistent.
- Week 4
First measurable change
Eye-wrinkle volume is already significantly lower than placebo.3 In our own trial, women began reporting visible results.9
- Week 6
Hydration catches up
Skin hydration is significantly higher than placebo, which plumps the surface and softens fine lines.4
- Week 8
Lines visibly reduced
Eye wrinkles are about 20% smaller than placebo.3 87% of women in our trial noticed fewer fine lines and wrinkles.9
- Week 12
The full effect
Wrinkle score down 35%,5 wrinkle depth down 26.8%,6 and crow's feet and elasticity both improved.4
Before and after: 8 weeks under skin imaging
Our liquid marine collagen went through an 8-week clinical study in which ten women had their skin analysed with imaging before and after. The software marks every wrinkle line it detects in green, so the change can be counted.9
Clinical study of 10 women after daily intake of our liquid marine collagen for 8 weeks. Detected wrinkle lines are marked in green.
What 106 women saw in the mirror
Alongside the clinical study, 106 women took our liquid marine collagen every day for 8 weeks and reported what changed.9
noticed a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
reported firmer skin.
felt that the appearance of their skin improved.
Participants in the 8-week user trial of our liquid marine collagen, photographed before and after.
What women say about collagen and fine lines
Fine lines come up again and again when women write about taking marine collagen.
“The fine lines have definitely softened.”
After three months of daily marine collagen her skin felt softer and smoother from the first month, then plumper and glowier as the weeks added up.
Eleanor VousdenBeauty editor, writing in Who What Wear UK10
“My skin looks great, with no fine lines. I'm 45 and will definitely keep using it.”
★★★★★
FrédériqueVerified purchase · Amazon, France · 18 May 2024
Fine lines almost faded by month three.
Turning 40 was her cue to begin. Within a month her skin looked more hydrated, and by month five it was plumper, with compliments to match.
Charlotte DormonWriting in Hip & Healthy11
Independent first-person accounts of marine collagen published by the outlets named, and a verified buyer review of our liquid marine collagen as sold under our manufacturer's own label.
How to take collagen for wrinkles
- Every day. Every trial above used a daily dose. Skin builds collagen continuously, so the habit matters more than the hour.
- Enough of it. The wrinkle trials used between 1 g and 10 g of collagen peptides a day. One portion of Core™ gives you 11,000 mg.
- With vitamin C. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. Core™ carries 120 mg in the same portion.
- For at least 8 weeks. By then eye wrinkles measured about 20% smaller in the trial and 87% of women in ours saw the difference.
For the full picture of what marine collagen does for skin, hair and nails, read our guide to marine collagen for women.
Questions about collagen and wrinkles
Does collagen really help wrinkles?
Yes. In placebo-controlled trials in women, daily collagen peptides reduced eye-wrinkle volume by about 20% in 8 weeks and wrinkle depth by 26.8% in 12 weeks. In our own 8-week trial, 87% of 106 women noticed fewer fine lines and wrinkles.
How long does collagen take to reduce wrinkles?
The first measurable change in eye wrinkles appeared at 4 weeks in a clinical trial. In our trial, 87% of women saw the difference by 8 weeks, and the trials that ran to 12 weeks reported reductions of up to 35%.
Which collagen is best for wrinkles?
Hydrolysed collagen rich in type I, the type that makes up 80% to 90% of skin collagen. Marine collagen is type I and III. Look for a full daily dose with vitamin C: Core™ has 11,000 mg of marine collagen and 120 mg of vitamin C per portion.
Does collagen work on forehead lines and crow's feet?
Yes. Crow's feet improved significantly in a 12-week trial of fish collagen peptides. In our clinical study, skin imaging showed fewer lines around the eyes and across the forehead after 8 weeks.
Is drinking collagen better than a collagen cream for wrinkles?
They work in different places. A cream sits on the surface, while collagen peptides you drink reach the deeper layer where collagen is made, and a trial found 65% more procollagen in the skin than with placebo after 8 weeks.
What age should I start taking collagen for wrinkles?
Collagen production starts to slow from early adulthood, so many women begin in their thirties. The trials above were in women aged 35 to 65.
