With picks from Kosas, Elemis and HigherDose.
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While ingredients often come in and out of favor, none are quite as contested as collagen. Found naturally all over the body, collagen is involved in many important functions, such as tissue repair and regeneration. But as we get older, our natural collagen supplies start to dip, and retaining the skin’s plump, pillowy feel becomes more challenging. The research is still unclear if topically applied collagen can penetrate the skin to offer the benefits brands claim. However, hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides are smaller molecules that have the best chance of penetrating the skin. Collagen also has hydrating benefits and, when combined with other actives like retinol, can stimulate the production of more collagen.
To help save you time and money on unsuitable products, we’ve tested a wide range of the best collagen serums available. We took into consideration how they felt on the skin, the short- and long-term results, and innovative ways they boosted collagen in the skin. We also considered each serum’s price, potency, and additional benefits. Read on to find out which collagen serums made it onto our hotlist.
Best Overall
Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Dry, combo or normal skin | Size: 1 oz
Don’t be fooled by the fact that this skin-plumping serum doesn’t have the word “collagen” in its name—it’s packed full of collagen-boosting peptides, which made a noticeable difference to our skin when testing (alongside hyaluronic acid and squalene). This is a great all-around choice that is gentle enough to be used on even very sensitive skin and delivers big on hydration and radiance.
Best on Amazon
Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir
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Cruelty-Free: No | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Size: 0.5 oz
Rather than introducing collagen directly to the skin, this super serum uses African Birch Bark to help restore and maintain collagen synthesis in the skin. Its powerful combination of tripeptides, red seaweed, and hyaluronic acid also make it a great alternative to retinol if you’ve previously found it too irritating but want those line-smoothing benefits.
Best Drugstore
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 Day Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Size: 1.3 oz
There’s a reason that Olay has been used for generations, and that’s because the brand’s gentle formulas really work. Olay’s Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Day Serum is no exception and leaves the skin feeling soft, supple, and hydrated with a high concentration of collagen peptides and Vitamin B3 (otherwise known as niacinamide). What it lacks in luxurious packaging, it totally makes up for in efficacy—so if you want great skin without totally breaking the bank, this is a serious contender.
Best Brightening
Kosas Collagen Spray-On Serum
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A beauty editor and TikTok favorite, we’re happy to confirm that Kosas’ Plump and Juicy Vegan Collagen Spray is all that we hoped it would be. A brand-new innovation, this lightweight serum comes in a mist format that penetrates deeply into the skin while leaving an oil-free finish. This is particularly ideal if you don’t like the feeling of heavy formulas on your skin or want to create a dewy makeup look by using it as a primer. The secret to that raved-about glow? Its jam-packed formula of skin-loving ingredients includes hyaluronic acid, peptides, probiotics, and vegan collagen.
Best Retinol Alternative
Higher Dose Glow Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Size: 1 oz
HigherDose’s Glow serum is a work of science fiction, formulated with vegan collagen, bioidentical collagen, and the collagen-boosting protein sepilift. There’s a whole host of other skin-plumping ingredients in there, too —including hyaluronic acid, copper tripeptide-1, and niacinamide that help to boost the skin’s natural glow, target signs of aging, and plump the texture of the skin.
Best Budget
The Inkey List Collagen Booster Firming Peptide Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily | Size: 1 oz
There’s no actual collagen in this pick from The Inkey List, but it cleverly draws on the power of two different peptides to help boost the skin’s natural production process. It’s super lightweight and leaves the skin feeling soft and dewy, thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid and glycerin. It’s also suitable for firming, plumping, and smoothing the skin. The Inkey List always gets extra points for its purse-friendly prices that don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients, and this remains a firm fixture in our everyday routine.
Best Multitasker
Farmacy Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Normal and dry | Size: 1 oz
If you have a drier skin type and want a serum that helps to boost collagen and tackle hydration levels, then this is a great option. It contains full-spectrum hyaluronic acid (designed to penetrate the skin quicker) and vegan collagen peptides to visibly plump and micro-fill the skin while hydrating and smoothing the appearance of lines and wrinkles and an uneven skin texture. Use it when your complexion is feeling a little grey and dull and in need of a pick-me-up.
Best for Eyes
Cell Shock Anti-Wrinkle Eye Zone Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Fatigued skin, dark circles | Size: 0.5 oz
Swiss Line’s award-winning eye serum is designed to counteract the signs of fatigue—such as lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. It works by taking a three-pronged approach to collagen production: First, it helps the skin produce more of its own collagen with a type of soluble collagen, strengthens skin with a collagen-boosting peptide, and by helping the skin preserve its existing collagen reservoir. Clever? Certainly. But most importantly, it’s silky smooth and leaves the under-eye area feeling supple and hydrated.
Best for Lips
BeautyBio Lip Serum
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Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination and oily | Size: 0.5 oz
Collagen is present all over the body, including the lips, so it can be beneficial to top up the levels here for an irresistible pout. BeautyBio’s lip serum uses hyaluronic acid spheres, collagen, and sunflower seed oil to hydrate, plump, and visibly increase elasticity in the lips. We also love its tingly sensation and vanilla-mint flavor. It also makes a great gift idea, too, if you want to start dropping hints.
What to Look for in a Collagen Serum
- Hydrolyzed Collagen and Collagen Peptides: As collagen is such a large molecule, it’s believed that hydrolyzed collagen—with a smaller molecular size—is more effective at penetrating the skin. Many of the products mentioned above also contain collagen peptides which are another variation of collagen created when whole collagen proteins are broken into smaller pieces.
- Additional Ingredients: Collagen is a great ingredient, but its powers have their limits. Look to boost your results by finding formulations containing other collagen-stimulating ingredients such as retinoids, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.
- Vegan Collagen: The collagen used in skincare and supplements generally comes from animal products such as bone broth from pigs, cows, and fish. (You may see this labeled as bovine or marine collagen.) Vegan collagen, on the other hand, is made from genetically modified yeast and bacteria.
FAQ
How often should I use a collagen serum?
“Many would opt to use a collagen serum once a day, but I would recommend using it twice a day for quicker results,” advises Dr. Hasan Benar, M.D., a dermatologist and aesthetic doctor. “To get maximum absorption, you can also apply it after exfoliating.”
Which is better for your face: collagen or retinol?
Retinol is better understood and more supported in the dermatologist community when it comes to anti-aging (it even stimulates collagen)—but not everyone can use retinol.
“Topical retinol in serums and face creams is great for kickstarting collagen by not only increasing cell turnover and improving skin tone but also protecting the skin from future external damage,” Dr. Benar says. But as retinol can irritate sensitive skin and isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it isn’t suitable for everyone. If you fall into any of these camps, a collagen serum or collagen cream may be a better option.
Dr. Benar goes on to explain that while collagen is mostly responsible for keeping skin supple, smooth, and firm, other benefits include restoring hydration, brightening the skin tone, and improving skin texture.