Your independent comparison portal.

Is collagen powder a "pure rip-off" or does it actually make your skin feel firmer and more silky-smooth? (After a 90-day test)

Increasingly more TV shows and specialist magazines are reporting on collagen. Many women are also showing promising skin transformations on social media. Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston are promoters of collagen powder. However, is collagen really a skin-firming superfood or is the hype not all it is cracked up to be ? We tested it for 90 days…

The concept couldn’t be simpler: add a tablespoon of collagen to your coffee, muesli or smoothie and your body’s connective tissue should tighten almost automatically over a period of a few weeks.

The method is clear. However, it quite simply sounds too good to be true. It can hardly work better than an extensive diet, disciplined fitness exercises or even the odd beauty treatment…

or can it?

Well, let’s take a look at the facts:

Over 2,300 clinical studies have proven there truly is a firming effect 6 to 8 weeks after taking just one spoonful of collagen a day…
TV magazines such as Radar (Avrotros) speak of significant differences.
The internet and social media channels are also full of women testing out this product. Some of whom reveal blatant “before and after shots” and most of whom praise the rapid effects of collagen…

That was reason enough for us to ask the following question: is collagen worth a try or is it simply an excessive amount of hype and even a rip-off?

To find out the answer, we consulted a dermatologist to take a closer look at the current studies out there and we even carried out our own self-test.

What was the result? A little forewarning – the devil is in the details…

So, how does collagen actually work? Also, is it true people over 40 have a collagen deficiency?

Dermatologist Dr. Stephanie Martin has witnessed quite a few trends in her time.

She claims: “Collagen is not a trend. It is an ancient nutrient that keeps our skin firmer whilst supplying it with a greater level of elasticity. Think of it this way: collagen is like a corset within our connective tissue. It holds every skin fibre, tendon and piece of skin together. Without this major structural skin protein, we would all be unrecognisable.”

What makes it special? The body can actually produce collagen itself. However, this is precisely where the biggest obstacle arises and it is something we all suffer from at some point…

From the age of 25, the body increasingly loses the ability to produce collagen in sufficient quantities. Your connective tissue slackens and looks older in the mirror with every passing year.

In our mid-40s, the body only has half(!) of its original collagen level. Dr. Martin states: “You can actually experience a ‘collagen deficiency'”, especially after menopause.

The answer? Using a natural collagen powder. This is NOT absorbed directly by the skin. In fact, it stimulates the body’s own collagen production, which is demonstrably better than food.

Many women claim the connective tissue feels as strong as when they were younger. The skin tends to become firmer, nails more resistant to breakage and joints more stable.

At least so far, the accusation of collagen treatments being a “rip-off” can be ruled out. Over 2,300 scientific tests from recent years underline the fact this is NOT just hype. With a high-quality collagen powder, you can expect results similar to those from the following studies:

With high quality collagen powder, you can expect results similar to those of these studies :

Convincing before-and-after pictures of women are spreading on social media which is one downside!

However, when carrying out our research, these results did correspond to the reality of what many women experience. For example, on social media we found these public and verified before-and-after shots:

Criticisms:

It goes without saying that not every woman has the same experience after 2-3 months. For example, in some cases we read that nails quickly became stronger, but facial skin had still not benefited much even after 2 months. Other women reported that their bums were now firmer, but the bags under their eyes remained the same.

Dr. Martin says: “Of course collagen doesn’t always work the same way for every woman. However, initial improvements should become apparent after 2-3 months at the very latest. If no improvements are made, in my experience one of two mistakes has usually been made.”

Mistake no. 1: the collagen powder is not taken regularly and the trial is aborted after a few days. Regular intake over quantity, is much more important for the body’s natural stimulation. Just one heaped tablespoon a day (approx. 20g collagen) is sufficient.

Mistake no. 2: The quality of the powder is inadequate. If this healthy nutrient is not 100% natural, either the important collagen type 1 is missing or the source of collagen is cheap and not sustainable, hence why no results tend to materialise. If an inferior powder is also incredibly overpriced and contains questionable additives, you should steer clear.

We therefore set out in search of a high-quality and safe-to-use powder. Following on from that, we carried out a 90-day test ourselves. You should definitely read the report if you wish to try collagen yourself…

Our 90-day collagen test for firmer more silky-smooth skin

For our test, we opted to try the German brand Glow25’s product.

Why? This brand scored highest on test platforms such as Vergleich.org and Verbrauchervergleich.de. We found convincing testimonials among the online community made up of over 30,000 women. According to our research, this Berlin-based supplier is one of the most renowned in Germany. Payment can be made conveniently on account and there is also a 90-day money-back guarantee. With all of those convincing arguments, we ordered three packs lasting three months and kicked things off…

Day 1: how do I take collagen correctly?

The long-awaited parcel arrived the very next day. However, how was I meant to ingest the collagen?

The best-known “recipe” was simple: add 1-2 tablespoons to your coffee in the morning.

This is known as “Glow Coffee”. which celebrities like Jennifer Aniston have been known to introduce on their Instagram videos from time to time. As Glow Powder is neutral in taste, you can just as easily mix it into juice, water, muesli, smoothies or other drinks. Many people like to combine their morning anti-ageing routine with a shot of coffee to start the day.

First taste test results: creamy and a touch sweeter, but still like coffee. Delicious!

Our editor kept a detailed diary from then on. In order to keep things on track, she then reviewed the progress every month…

Day 32: not much happened for the first 20 days, but then...

To be honest, when I looked in the mirror for the first 3 weeks or so, I didn’t feel as though I could notice any major changes.

Looking back, I realise I was looking in the wrong place. This is because the effects first appear elsewhere: on your nails. The milky coating my nails used to have had turned into a really nice pink colour within 2 weeks. Furthermore, my physical energy was better than usual. I felt I could get out of bed easier in the mornings, I experienced fewer lows in the afternoon and my body felt more robust overall.

I actually put this energy boost down to the collagen powder as I had not changed anything else and experiencing a metabolism boost was actually supposed to be a “side effect” of collagen.

So, what actually happened to my skin? I noticed two things after 30 days. First of all, my skin felt like it was more moisturised after week 3 and it felt silkier to the touch. Moreover, some of my age spots had faded considerably. They had not disappeared completely, but they had faded in colour.

The conclusion: I was satisfied with my first month of using collagen! Of course, no overnight miracles happened to make me look 20 years younger. However, the changes over the 30 days were more dramatic than I had ever experienced before. As a result, I was looking forward to another 60 days of taking collagen and drinking my Glow Coffee; which, by the way, still tasted just as good after 30 days as it did on the first.

Day 63: my crow's feet were barely visible

For a good 2 months, I spent my mornings at the kitchen table with a warm collagen coffee instead of wasting time “getting ready” in front of the mirror. What a relief! Those 10 minutes in the morning had become a real ritual for me. By pausing for a moment, I could switch off from the outside world and somehow go back into the office feeling more upbeat and stress-free.

However, I am sure there is one question you are way more interested in: how did my skin change?

There are two things I would like to mention. One aspect had improved rather “subtly”. However, one major win

was that my thighs and my bum had become firmer. Not only did they feel firmer, but I could also notice a difference in the mirror thanks to the many before and after pictures I took each week. If this were to continue, I’d be ready for summer way sooner than normal…

However, the most noticeable thing was the wrinkles around my mouth and my crow’s feet had considerably reduced. I even felt as though some of my wrinkles had disappeared completely. Wow!

10 years younger in 90 days: that was the result of my collagen experience!

After three months, I’m sitting in front of this piece of paper for the last time today. 90 days of Glow Coffee are over and I would not have wanted to miss a single one. The effects have become even more pronounced in the last 30 days. My crow’s feet have visibly reduced even more and my skin feels way firmer and tighter. My skin tone is slightly more even and delicate. As I mentioned before, my energy levels no longer fluctuate as much during the day.

My overall view is the “devil is in the details” with collagen. Please don’t expect to have zero wrinkles after 14 days! However, I have found the positive effects have actually accumulated from week to week with REGULAR use.

When I look at my before and after pictures, my skin definitely looks more attractive, firmer and I have less wrinkles on my face.

As a result, I personally only recommend collagen if you have problems with wrinkles, sagging connective tissue and/or dry skin.

If you do opt for collagen, why not try it out for at least 3 months? However, always make sure you choose a product of impeccable quality. With Glow25 you are definitely going for a safer option when it comes to selecting a product.

If you too would like to try it out, we will show you a way that you can get it cheaper…

Our recommended collagen product: the VerbraucherVergleich.de and Vergleich.org test winner "Glow25"

Our favourite features of the product:

This collagen powder is very easy to use (e.g. added to your coffee in the mornings)

Effectiveness has been proven by several clinical studies and many testimonials

There were visible initial results after 3-4 weeks with firmer connective tissue and fewer wrinkles from our test

Qualité entièrement naturelle : 100% naturel, fabrication et mise en bouteille selon des normes de qualité strictes en Allemagne.

Completely natural: 100% natural, produced and bottled following strict quality standards in Germany. It is free from unnecessary additives.

When ordering from Glow25 you will encounter a modern online shopping system with a clear ordering process (payment is even possible on account)

Possible improvements:

It is currently only available online and in a few select pharmacies

Special offers can only be found through extensive research

Find the best collagen deals here

How can you get this great offer? Simply click on the offer page below this section.

Note: although the offer is available for a limited time according to the platform, you will also receive a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the product for any reason, you can simply send Glow25 a short message during that period and your order will be refunded in full. This means there is no risk of throwing money down the drain when ordering this product.

Excellent value offer:

Up to 23% discount on collagen powder from Glow25
60-day satisfaction guarantee
For a limited time only

Offre exclusive en ligne : poudre de collagène Glow25 pour une peau ferme & élastique

Now on offer | 23% discount

ConsumerCheck

Other topics

All topics from A to Z