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There are a lot of things that come with getting older—you gain confidence with age, for instance, and stop sweating all of the small stuff. Your skin may also start to look a little bit different, namely an uptick in fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and even dullness due to decreased collagen production.

“Collagen is a family of proteins and the most abundant in our bodies,” explains dermatologist Dr. Marie Hayag. “It is also the main component of connective tissues throughout our body such as skin, bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments.” 

The more abundant the collagen, the healthier and stronger your skin looks and acts, notes Hayag—but collagen production in the skin slows down significantly starting at age 25. “With this decrease in collagen our skin loses its ability to ‘hold itself up,’ translating visually to increased skin laxity and fine lines and wrinkles,” says Hayag. “Along with aging, environmental factors such as sun exposure, smoking, and pollution can accelerate collagen breakdown.”

That’s where supplements like collagen powder come into use. “Collagen powder is made from animal tissue, primarily the skin and bones,” explains dermatologist Dr. Peterson Pierre. “The protein is processed into a gelatinous form, which is further hydrolyzed into peptides to make the protein easier for your body to absorb.” Pierre explains that “collagen peptides can potentially benefit the skin by increasing hydration and elasticity while reducing fine lines and wrinkle depth.”

Ready to try a collagen powder for yourself? Here, we’ve rounded up the best collagen powders for glowing, youthful-looking skin.