Plump Up Your Skin With Collagen Cream

We all know that healthy collagen is essential for bouncy, firm, glowing skin—and that we naturally begin losing about 1 percent of it every year after the age of 20. Studies have shown that ingestible collagen (now available in everything from powders to gummies) can have some effect on bolstering our natural supply. But can applying it topically rev up the fibroblasts that maintain collagen production in the skin? The answer isn't as cut-and-dried as you might think. "Since collagen is the backbone of the skin and provides structure and support, many people believe that applying collagen topically to the skin will help," says New York dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. "Collagen is an extremely large molecule. In fact it is too large to penetrate through the outer skin layer." But that's not so day it won't do you any good. "While it will not strengthen the skin or increase collagen production, it does have moisturizing properties," Zeichner says. "It can form a protective seal over the skin to improve skin hydration." That makes it a valuable ingredient to have in your skincare arsenal, but it will be especially impactful when combined with ingredients that have been proven to stimulate collagen production, such as retinol. Here are some of the top collagen creams you can buy.