For the past three weeks, every morning I have been unscrewing a small glass vial with a gold lid and downing the contents. Now before you attempt to contact my parents with concerned whispers, yes, work is tough, but no, I haven’t quite hit rock bottom yet.
“What exactly is collagen? Well, it’s a protein found naturally in the skin (it makes up around 75 per cent of it) preserving its firmness and elasticity.”
I’ve actually been trialling a liquid beauty supplement – designed to help fight the early signs of ageing – called Pure Gold Collagen. The first question on my lips was this: what exactly is collagen? Well, it’s a protein found naturally in the skin (it makes up around 75 per cent of it) preserving its firmness and elasticity. Collagen is also found in joints, keeping them strong and healthy. However, with time (how predictable) collagen production gradually decreases. This causes visible signs of ageing, such as fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, as well as joint discomfort. Sob.
“Collagen is also broken down by stressors such as too much sun exposure, which is important to note for this region. Put simply, as the collagen vanishes, so does skin’s youthful appearance.”
I recall my mum telling me women stop producing collagen aged 25 and to get involved with collagen-rich face creams as soon as possible. After researching further (yes, I Googled), I discovered after the age of 20 we lose around 1.5 per cent of our collagen every year. Collagen is also broken down by stressors such as too much sun exposure, which is important to note for this region. Put simply, as the collagen vanishes, so does skin’s youthful appearance.
With this in mind, the idea of making skin healthier from within makes sense. It’s no secret that a good diet and lots of water are key to a healthy glow. The Pure Gold Collagen drinks contain hydrolysed collagen, which is easily absorbed and distributed throughout the body via the blood stream. It helps stimulate the production of new collagen and it also contains vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin and cartilage and zinc, which contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails.
“My requirements? Drink one bottle a day for three weeks to stimulate skin hydration, six weeks for skin smoothness and nine weeks for firmness.”
My requirements? Drink one bottle a day for three weeks to stimulate skin hydration, six weeks for skin smoothness and nine weeks for firmness. “Can a drink really make my skin look younger?” I mused, in-between gulps. And it turns out, yes. Honestly, I was sceptical, but my main area of ageing concerns are the fine lines under my eyes. By the end of the trial, I could beam without them giving my date of birth away.
But don’t just take my word for it. The team of clinical research experts for Gold Collagen products conducted independent clinics to test the efficiency of the product, and based on a study of 108 women drinking it daily for three weeks, 89 per cent would recommend to a friend and 81 per cent would continue to use. Interesting.
Alongside the drinks (these are just the start, by the way. On the market there are cereal bars and pills, powders and syrups to stir into drinks or sprinkle on food), I was advised to use the Gold Collagen Hydrogel face masks, which contain Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin Botanical Complex and pearl extract. The masks promised to release moisture to hydrate the skin and leave it supple and smooth – and they really did.
Collagen drinks are predicted to become a five billion dollar industry by 2020, and while scientific evidence can never be 100 per cent, after genuinely looking better after four weeks, I can see why this figure is expected. Looking and feeling good? I’ll drink to that.
- Gold Collagen PURE Dhs299 for a 10-day box, Gold Collagen Hydrogel Mask Dhs185 (x4 masks in a box). Available from myskindares.ae and various pharmacies
Photos: Supplied and Unsplash
