Skinade is a collagen drink (founded in 2012) that’s developed by UK scientists and manufactured in the UK. And, judging by the posts (all of which are unsponsored, I checked) on Instagram, it’s loved by a whole roster of glowy-faced celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Millie Macintosh, Emma Louise Connolly, Jen Atkin and Frankie Gaff.
Could these pearly white bottles of peachy nectar be the key to a youthful Hollywood glow?
Here’s everything you need to know…
What is Skinade?
Each bottle of Skinade contains 7000mg of high grade collagen peptides, contains no artificial colours or flavouring (it's naturally flavoured with peach and mangosteen) and is less than 35 calories.
Skinade recommend you drink one bottle every day for 90 days to see the ‘optimum benefits’. These, according to the brand, include: boosted skin hydration and radiance, a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, increased skin suppleness and healthier looking hair and nails and even improvements in skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.
So how does it work?
Skinade comes in a liquid format that’s brimming with active ingredients and key nutrients that are essential to the healthy production of collagen. Each bottle not only adds 7000mg of hydrolysed marine collagen to your bloodstream but, more importantly, triggers the body’s own collagen production by firing up the fibroblasts, our own collagen factories.
By increasing collagen in the bloodstream, the solution also increases the body’s production of hyaluronic acid, the compound responsible for skin hydration.
Why a liquid?
It is scientifically proven that liquids are much more readily absorbed than solids. The body does not need hours to break down the solid consistency of a tablet or pill and a drink will be absorbed immediately.
“Liquid supplements tend not to get broken down in the stomach (as pills often do), and as a result, more of the product’s goodness can be directed into the skin and organs,” says 'Medical Director at Define Clinic Dr Benji Dillon.
In fact, according to Skinade, you would need to swallow around 20 large tablets daily in order to get the same nutritional benefits of one bottle.
Dr Rekha Tailor, a dermatologist, GP and Medical Director at Health & Aesthetics who has no affiliation with the Skinade brand, agrees: “One bottle of Skinade is the equivalent to 22 tablets of supplements and has a 90-95% absorption rate (vs a 10-15% absorption rate,” she says. “While many competitors in the market claim to have a wonderful collagen drink, the molecular size of the collagen is often too large to absorb, comes without the supporting ingredients to aid absorption or is a powder dissolved into liquid, which massively reduces the absorption rate.
Skinade has amazing clinical results and slews of scientific papers backing its efficacy.”
Why is it different to other collagen drinks?
The collagen peptides in Skinade have a molecular weight of only 2kDal (one of the lowest on the market), which means they can be absorbed easily.
“By breaking the collagen molecule down to become protein peptides, it can then be absorbed by the body,” Dr Tailor continues. “When these protein peptides enter your blood stream, it stimulates the production of collagen in your own skin. In a nutshell, by drinking these peptides, does not mean they are transferred to the skin, but they stimulate your body to create more collagen for your own skin.”
Belgravia-based facialist and skincare expert Lisa Franklin is also a Skinade fan for this reason: “I honestly believe that Skinade is the best quality drink supplement on the market,” she tells The Standard. “The collagen used is far superior to most other brands as it’s the same form found in our skin, whereas other brands tend to use the type that only benefits our joints and health. It also absorbs at a much higher rate than other brands meaning it’s absorbed before it would be digested.”
Is Skinade suitable for vegetarians?
Anyone vegan, or indeed vegetarian, should note that collagen supplements are made from collagen-rich animal tissues that might otherwise be tossed aside by meat processors, like the skin and bones of cattle and pigs, as well as fish scales and skin. The proteins are first denatured to form gelatin, and then further broken down into smaller fragments before being incorporated into products like powders, gummies, capsules and protein bars. (Supplements marketed as “plant-based collagen” don’t actually contain collagen; they claim to support collagen production with a mixture of amino acids, vitamins and minerals.)
The collagen in Skinade is sourced from freshwater fish, meaning its low in sodium and avoids mercury contamination, but is definitely not suitable for vegetarians.
What other benefits does Skinade have?
Many cosmetic surgeons we spoke to when researching the piece also said they recommend Skinade to their patients following cosmetic procudures. “We have seen huge benefits in the healing of our patients following surgery, says Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon Paul Banwell. “I now recommend the market leader Skinade to all my patients as part of their bespoke tailored skincare regime.”
Dr Rekha Tailor also recommends Skinade to “aid healing” for those undergoing treatments. “The liquid collagen drink is highly bioavailable and delivers a healthy dose of collagen directly into the blood stream,” she says. “Collagen contains glycine, an amino acid which has been shown to offer anti-inflammatory support for skin. It can therefore help to reduce swelling which often occurs following non-surgical treatments.”
Skinade also claims to help restore hydration and glossiness to hair, and help brittle nails.
My experience
I took a 30-day trial of Skinade in January of this year. After the indulgences of the Christmas period, my skin was most definitely in need of some TLC, with a few blemishes and some redness that needed clearing.
First up, Skinade has a strong taste. Somewhere between a Berocca and some sort of lemony Calpol, it’s not a taste that’s for everyone. I personally really liked it, but some of my colleagues were less convinced.
Over the course of the month I definitely noticed my skin beginning to look more hydrated, and much of the redness (and thankfully all of the booze-induced blemishes) clear. Admittedly the life I lead in January involved significantly more exercise, water consumption and less cigarette smoking than the previous month had, and given staying hydrated and avoiding pollution and smoke are the best ways to maintain your natural reserves of collagen, lifestyle was definitely on my side.
One thing I did notice however was that it made me look and feel more awake (which is probably due to the fact it’s loaded with vitamin B) and that my hair looked particularly glossy by the end of the month. Skinade is advertised as benefiting not only skin but also hair and nails, and while I can’t be sure it was that, something tells me the amino acids in Skinade were definitely a boost to my fine, limp hair.
Skinade is sold in professional distribution and is currently available in 1,000 stockists nationwide as well as on www.skinade.com
Original article can be found here.