Whether you’re collagen-curious or a long-term advocate, there’s no denying that collagen is taking the beauty world by storm at the moment. You’d quite often find the team here at Amodrn sipping on collagen-infused water throughout the day and quite frankly, we’re obsessed.
Huge in the Asian market, one brand you can thank for making collagen supplements easily accessible globally is Vida Glow. Pioneers in ingestible collagen, the Australian brand has worked with both chemists and nutritionists to bring you a range of products that actually work. But before we get into that, let’s just start off with a quick refresher:
What exactly is collagen?
In its simplest terms, collagen is the most abundant protein present in the human body, and is responsible for ensuring healthy hair, skin and nails. As we age, our body’s ability to produce collagen starts to decrease, and as a result, the skin starts to lose its elasticity. Thus, the aim here is to top these levels up as best we can. That’s where Vida Glow comes in.
The inspiration behind Vida Glow:
“I discovered marine collagen whilst on holidays in Japan,” explains Anna Lahey, founder of Vida Glow. “Collagen supplements are readily available in Japan, in pharmacies and supermarkets. I noticed collagen drinks available at the gym, and was even asked at a restaurant if I wanted my soup infused with collagen. At the time I really didn’t understand what a collagen supplement was, and was very curious to find out more.”
Anna decided to speak to a qualified pharmacist who explained some of the benefits of collagen to her. “She explained that Japanese women have been using marine collagen for its health benefits for over 300 years.”
“They even thank the supplement for their extended life expectancy. Her skin was glowing, although Japanese women in general seemed to have amazing skin, so I took it with a grain of salt. But nevertheless, was intrigued enough to purchase some of this so called miracle collagen. After all, I felt that I had been taking every hair, skin and nail supplement on the market, with little results, so why not give this a go.”
How is collagen used in beauty products?
“Vida Glow’s Marine Collagen is a natural hydrolysed collagen peptide powder derived from the scales of fish,” explains Anna. “Marine Collagen works from within to promote optimal skin function, by delivering essential micronutrients to the collagen matrix below the dermis. Our low molecular hydrolysed collagen peptide powder is highly bioavailable, with an absorption rate above 90 per cent.”
Why marine collagen specifically?
Anna explains that collagen types 1 and 3 both contribute to support skin, muscles, bone health, hair and nail growth. “These can be found in cows (bovine), pigs (porcine) and fish (piscine). Over 90 per cent of collagen in the body is comprised of Type 1 & 3 collagen therefore it is essential to maintain these levels with supplementation.”
Bovine and Porcine collagen are some of the most popular collagens used in the market due to its high accessibility. Porcine is also quite similar to human collagen, Anna goes on to explain.
“Collagen from fish is absorbed more efficiently into the body as it has superior bioavailability over Bovine or Porcine types.” Marine collagen is also extremely stable, which means it’s able to be mixed into hot drinks such as tea and coffee and maintain its integrity.”
Health/beauty benefits of collagen:
- Combats the signs of ageing by reducing oxidative stress
- Plumps the skin
- Smoothes fine lines and wrinkles
- Improves skin tone and texture
- Promotes hair growth
- Strengthens hair follicles
- Improves the appearance of hair, volume and shine
- Maintains nail health
- Promotes nail growth and corrects damaged nails
Keen to give it a go?
If you’re brand new to the collagen game, Anna recommends starting with one 3g serving per day. “My favourite is the Original (unflavoured) in a glass of warm water every morning. If you have skin conditions, are suffering from very dry and brittle hair, weak nails or are over 35, then starting on two a day for the first month is a good way to boost collagen levels for accelerated results.”
Alongside collagen supplements, beauty powders, collagen-infused drinks and snack bars, Vida Glow has also just recently launched their very first collagen skincare range.
Be sure to check back into Amodrn as over the coming months we’ll be chatting more with Anna Lahey about her business model, product range and the endless beauty benefits of collagen.
