Collagen keeps our skin young and fresh, so makes sense why it’s brought up whenever the conversation veers towards anti-aging. There are quite a few ingredients that claim they stimulate collagen production, but only a few have shown evidence of consistent collagen stimulation for the skin. So let’s take a look with skincare expert @skinchemy at three ingredients that can help boost collagen production!

Retinoids

Retinoids are amazing when it comes to synthesizing collagen fibers thanks to their ability to stimulate fibroblasts. In short, retinoids accelerate old skin cells being replaced, helping to improve skin elasticity! Take note that these effects are more visible with tretinoin, retinol and retinaldehyde. As for retinyl esters, the studies are still limited when it comes to collagen stimulation.

If you’re a bit lost on when or where to start with retinoids, check out our article here. Or take a peek at our cheat sheet on retinoids. Want to see which retinoid products to start off with, see our top “Picks” here!

AHAs

When we say AHAs, we’re mainly talking about glycolic, lactic and mandelic acid (see the differences here). AHAs help exfoliate the epidermal cells, which results in brushing off those dull and rougher skin cells to promote cellular removal. They can also help strengthen the skin barrier, restore hydration through an increase in hyaluronic acid and this means plumper skin and fading the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Not sure the difference between AHA and BHA? Click here to see our comparison! Check out more on glycolic acid, product “Picks” included! If exfoliation is what you’re after, then you can skip here for our article all about exfoliators.
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Vitamin C

We all know vitamin C is a powerhouse for antioxidants, but also for collagen production! Vitamin C, aka L-ascorbic acid, is necessary for prolyl hydroxylase -an enzyme essential for producing stable collagen molecules- and helps cross-link collagen molecules! L-ascorbic acid is key for signaling collagen genes to start synthesizing, a reaction that’s also important for wound healing.

Need some more background on all these active ingredients? Head here to see our Crash Course on Actives article. More on L-ascorbic acid? We have our top “Picks” right here!

Bounce Back Time on Picky

Whether you want to boost collagen or try anti-aging in general, if you’re looking for more anti-aging skincare content, start right here. And see which products we “Picked” for anti-aging here. Or head to the Picky app and use our “Anti-Aging” filter in the Mega Search Filter under “Concerns” to find which anti-aging product is fit for your skin! Don’t forget to follow us on instagram for more fun skincare content.

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