Post Updated: 28/05/2026
"Collagen" is always a buzzword in the beauty industry. From keeping your skin healthy and firm, to glowing and elastic, it's an ingredient we should be including in our daily routines to keep our own natural production levels high.
What is collagen?
A protein naturally found in the skin, collagen is one of the important protein structures for keeping your skin healthy and plumped-up. In fact, it actually makes up 75% of your skin's natural structure, but as we age this figure decreases, and our skin can become less elastic, less radiant and fine lines and wrinkles can appear.
When we start our skincare routines from our 20's, it's so important to include collagen creams and skin treatments that work in harmony with your skin's collagen production to keep it elastic and firm. Our edit below details our favourite collagen creams and treatments, which can easily be added into any regime.
Why do we need collagen?
Though most talked about in relation to skin, collagen is the most prominent protein in our bodies (around 25 to 30%), and it does more than help give skin its bounce. It also supports many of our connective tissues, including muscles, which is why it is widely discussed in both wellbeing and beauty.
In skincare terms, collagen matters because it helps skin look firmer, smoother, and more resilient. Our bodies naturally produce it, but for most of us, production begins to slow around age 20, with a 1% decrease each year. As natural collagen levels drop, skin can feel drier, look less plump, and fine lines can become more noticeable. This is where collagen-focused routines come in, including skincare and supplements designed to support skin as collagen levels change over time.
Can collagen be found in skincare?
Collagen is found in the deeper layers of the skin, known as the dermis, so topical collagen can struggle to penetrate far enough to make a noticeable difference on its own. However, this is not game over. While we cannot directly absorb collagen from most skincare products, there are ingredients that support the skin’s natural ability to produce more collagen, plus daily habits that help protect what we already have.
Key collagen-supporting skincare ingredients include:- Peptides: help support collagen production.
- SPF: too much time in the sun can speed up the appearance of ageing by reducing collagen production, so wearing a high-factor SPF helps protect against UV damage.
- Retinol: helps promote cell renewal and supports collagen production.
- Antioxidant ingredients: help defend against free radicals and environmental stressors that can contribute to collagen breakdown.
If you want collagen skincare to feel more effective, think of it as a support system: ingredients that encourage the skin’s own collagen pathways, paired with daily protection that helps prevent unnecessary loss.What are Collagen Creams and How do They Work?
Collagen creams are powerful anti-ageing skin treatments which either contain collagen or boost the skin's own natural collagen production. They also usually contain other potent ingredients which keep the skin healthy and youthful-looking such as peptides and botanical extracts.
Our Top 10 Picks of the Best Collagen Creams
1. Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 50ml
One of the most well-known collagen creams is the ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Made with powerful marine extract Padina Pavonica, the cream fights against damaging free radicals which can cause accelerated skin ageing. As a result, the cream helps to keep the skin firm, healthy and youthful-looking, whilst also increasing moisture for gorgeously luminous skin.
If you like your daily moisturiser to have an added SPF benefit, try the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream with SPF 30, or for a night-time luxury, the Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream.
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ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Collection.
2. Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti-Cream 240ml
This addition to the best-selling body cream range from
Sol de Janeiro, this rich formula is designed to increase skin's elasticity and bounce. Formulated with plant-based collagen and cacay oil (a plant-derived alternative to retinol), this smooth butter leaves you feeling soft and supple from head to toe.
3. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Stem Cell Collagen Duo
This 28-day collagen treatment programme from celebrity facialisit Sarah Chapman is perfect for renewing the complexion, enhancing luminosity and keeping the skin healthy and hydrated. The innovative anti-ageing system contains collagen-boosting peptides to plump and firm-up the skin, while stem cells help to strengthen the skin's natural barrier and keep it protected against accelerated ageing from damaging external aggressors.
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Sarah Chapman for Mature Skin Collection.
4. Lancôme Renergie Collagen Lift-Xtend Cream 50ml
Backed by 36 years of scientific research, Lancôme’s Rénergie Collagen Lift-Xtend Cream is designed to support firmer-looking skin with an advanced collagen complex. Featuring a unique thread-like texture, the cream works to lift and smooth the appearance of fine lines while helping to minimise the look of lost volume. Powered by a blend of collagen fractions, collagen peptides, and copper tripeptides, it leaves skin feeling plumper and more moisture-rich, making it a strong option for mature skin or anyone looking to keep their routine focused on visible firmness and bounce.
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Lancôme Rénergie Range.
5. Medicube Triple Collagen Cream 4.0 50ml
Medicube’s Triple Collagen Cream is a rich, nourishing moisturiser designed to support that bouncy, supple look you associate with well-rested skin. Powered by the brand’s Triple Collagen complex, it helps improve the appearance of elasticity while smoothing the look of fine lines for a more refined finish. Niacinamide adds a brightening, tone-balancing touch, making it a great option if your skin is looking a little dull, alongside feeling dry. The creamy texture delivers long-lasting hydration without feeling fussy, working comfortably across skin types, especially dry and mature.
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Medicube Collagen Moisturisers.
6. VICHY LiftActiv Collagen Vitamin C Specialist Night 50ml
For a supercharged beauty sleep, try the VICHY LiftActiv Collagen Vitamin C Specialist Night. Infused with a potent Green bio-peptide, the cream supports the skin’s natural production of Collagen to reduce the appearance of fine lines. What's more? Suspended in the brand's signature mineralising water, the cream is enriched with 15 nourishing minerals.
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VICHY LiftActiv Range.
7. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Advanced (90 Capsules)
A powerful anti-ageing treatment, the Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules contain concentrated dosages of ceramides, which repair the skin's natural lipid barrier and support natural collagen renewal to keep the complexion youthful-looking and healthy. Rich in botanical extracts, the capsules help to keep the skin soft, hydrated and plumped-up.
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Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Collection.
8. L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Re-Hydrating Retightening Day Cream 50ml
Designed with mature skin in mind, L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Re-Hydrating Retightening Day Cream is a daily moisturiser that helps skin look smoother, firmer, and more refreshed, without any greasy feel. The comfortable cream texture delivers lasting hydration, while micro-collagen peptides support a plumper-looking finish, and niacinamide helps soften the appearance of age spots for a more even-looking tone. It’s an easy morning step when skin feels a little tired or less resilient, leaving the complexion looking revitalised and well cared for.
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L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Range.
9. IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Hydrating Moisturiser 60ml
IT Cosmetics’ Confidence in a Cream is a rich, comforting moisturiser designed to leave skin looking smoother, brighter, and more supple, without overcomplicating your routine. The ultra-nourishing formula is suitable for all skin types and works to minimise the look of fine lines while supporting a plumper-looking finish. Infused with ceramides, peptides, and collagen, it helps promote a firmer-looking complexion and a more even tone, while hyaluronic acid draws in moisture to keep skin feeling hydrated and comfortable from morning to night.
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IT Cosmetics Skincare.
10. Dermalogica Age Smart Super Rich Repair 50g
Dermalogica's Age Smart Super Rich Repair is a treatment for ageing and mature skin types, which helps to stimulate collagen production while minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles thanks to its powerful peptide blend. Other powerful extracts work together to combat dry skin by locking in moisture, and address the visible signs of ageing for a renewed complexion.
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Dermalogica Age Smart Range.
