A little in my coffee, a little on my face every day, religiously.
I'm in my 50s now but I have been a huge fan of collagen anything since my 30s. I have always made it part of my routine.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the scaffolding of the skin. It's the protein that keeps everything firm, bouncy and smooth, and the body makes lots of it right up until our mid 30s. Then production starts to slide, and that slow decline is what eventually shows up as fine lines, less firmness and a change in skin texture.
I like to tackle this from all directions: on the inside with a good quality marine collagen supplement, and on the outside with a collagen-boosting serum. The one I'm adding to my morning coffee now is The Age Hack LIV Marine Collagen Daily Formula for Inner Balance and Cellular Wellness, a pharmaceutical-grade NMN supplement with Verisol® Marine Collagen, NR, Trans-Resveratrol, TMG and PQQ to support cellular wellness and longevity, and it tastes like delicious berries. And on my face I'm using the Vanessa Megan Collagen Boosting Gel Hyaluronic Acid Serum which I've linked below, it's a fast-absorbing gel that I press into damp skin every morning under my face oil and cream, and then a collagen boosting cream at night, I've listed some great options at the end of this article.
How Does a Collagen Serum Work?
A collagen serum doesn't technically put collagen into the skin, it delivers active ingredients that prompt the skin to make more of its own. Vitamin C is the big one. Research shows it's a required co-factor for the enzymes that build and stabilise collagen, which is why you'll see Vitamin C rich native extracts like Kakadu Plum in so many of these formulas, along with plant peptides and amino acids, the raw materials collagen is made from.
How to Use a Collagen Serum
I press my serums into clean, slightly damp skin straight after cleansing and toning. During the day it's serum first, then a face oil once that absorbs, then day cream. At night I keep it simpler: collagen serum, then a night cream over the top.
7 of the Best Natural Collagen Serums to Try
1. Vanessa Megan Collagen Boosting Gel Hyaluronic Acid Serum
This is the one I'm using right now. It's a fast-absorbing gel made with pure hyaluronic acid and Australian natives like Kangaroo Paw and Banksia to support elasticity. The collagen-boosting work comes from its amino acids, the raw building blocks the skin needs to make its own collagen. Because it's a gel it layers really well under a face oil, which is exactly how I wear it during the day. It suits every skin type too.
2. Edible Beauty Plant Collagen Plumping Serum
This one feels so nice and light and plumping on the skin. The clinical results back that up too: wrinkle depth decreased by 19% in 30 minutes, skin visibly lifted by 2.54mm over 28 days, and brightness improved by 25%. The collagen boosters are wild-crafted Type I Plant Collagen, with Millet Seed and Oak extracts to strengthen the skin's collagen matrix. Then come the Australian natives: Kelp for firming, and Davidson Plum and Aniseed Myrtle for natural Vitamin C, the co-factor the skin needs to make collagen. Aniseed Myrtle alone is 100 times stronger than standard Vitamin C.
3. The Jojoba Company Ultimate Serum with Firming Collagen, HA & Ameliox
HumaColl21 is the collagen booster here, a human-identical vegan collagen made using biotechnology. In vitro testing shows it stimulates collagen type 1 by 197%, against 117% for retinol, and in clinical testing it increased skin firmness by 133% and skin collagen by 9%. Alongside it there's Ameliox, a firming peptide made from milk thistle and carnosine that decreased frown lines by 24% in clinical tests, plus dual-weight hyaluronic acid for deep hydration. Australian Jojoba and Kakadu Plum bring the antioxidant support.
4. Antipodes Hosanna Collagen-Plumping Water Serum
A great match to the Antipodes collagen night cream at the end of this article: both use Vinanza, the brand's antioxidant extract from New Zealand grape seeds. The collagen work comes from Mamaku Black Fern, which encourages collagen synthesis and cellular renewal, and in clinical testing it supported skin processes in human fibroblast skin cells by up to 72%. It's water-based, so it absorbs instantly and layers under anything.
5. LAMAV Collagen Support Booster
This booster is certified organic. It leans entirely on Australian natives: Kakadu Plum and Davidson Plum working together to support collagen synthesis, with Kakadu Plum bringing a high concentration of Vitamin C, the co-factor the skin needs to make collagen. Finger Lime adds hydration and antioxidants on top.
6. Metamorphosis Chrysalis Vital Collagen & Hydration Serum
During the first five years of menopause, skin can lose around 30% of its collagen as oestrogen declines. This serum was developed for exactly that stage, peri and menopausal skin, with amino acids vital to collagen synthesis, natural phytoestrogens and pure hyaluronic acid to support firmness and plumpness.
7. Biode Vitamin C Serum with Fingerlime and Kakadu Plum
Last on the list is a classic Vitamin C serum. It combines two of Australia's most Vitamin C-rich botanicals: Kakadu Plum, a rich natural source of Vitamin C, and Fingerlime Caviar for extra brightening and antioxidant support. It's a gentle formula, so sensitive skin is fine with it too.
The Best Collagen Boosting Night Creams to Pair With Your Serum
Adding a collagen boosting night cream is a great way to lock everything in for the night, when our skin does its most rejuvenating work. These are some of my favourites.
Antipodes Avocado Pear Collagen-Boosting Night Cream
This night cream is clinically shown to help stimulate Type I collagen production by up to 92%, reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 22% and reduce skin dryness by 85%. The formula is avocado oil, New Zealand Manuka Honey, macadamia oil and Vinanza Grape, an antioxidant-rich extract from Marlborough grape seeds, all working on collagen support overnight.
Vanessa Megan Marine Collagen Firming Night Cream
IBR-Dormin is the standout in this night cream, a natural extract taken from the bulb of the Narcissus Tazetta flower, part of the daffodil family. It works by slowing skin cell proliferation, which helps the skin regenerate overnight. Plant extracts encourage collagen activity, Australian Banksia and Tasmanian Kelp bring the marine minerals, and a blend of plant oils, butters and marine algae replenishes moisture and reduces overnight water loss.
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