Collagen’s contribution to anti-aging and animal-free skin care

The beauty industry is increasingly developing anti-aging solutions that incorporate collagen because it helps improve skin elasticity and hydration while reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Anti-aging solutions are gaining popularity due to consumers demanding youthful, glossy, and hydrated finishes from their products.

According to Innova Market Insights’ Beauty & Personal Care 2025 Survey, 50% of consumers globally are interested in collagen for its anti-aging properties. Moreover the market researcher finds that 31% of consumers want collagen in their functional food and beverages to enhance skin, hair, and nails. 

Major beauty brands like Estée Lauder, Givaudan, and Beiersdorf have developed creams and serums using collagen that boast reduced wrinkles and skin barrier decay.

In collagen development, brands like Maypharm and Fullwell have recently launched products that hydrate, repair and regenerate damaged or affected skin. Collagen is traditionally sourced from animals, yet consumers are increasingly demanding the protein be animal-free and ethically sourced. 

Personal Care Insights speaks to Anke Alexandra Langen, industry market manager at Brenntag Specialties Personal Care EMEA about collagen’s benefits, vegan alternatives, and comparisons with other anti-aging products on the market. Recently, Brenntag Specialties partnered with the biotechnology company Cambrium to develop a vegan, “skin-identical” collagen. 

Benefits of collagen

According to a study in Dermatology, Research, and Practice, collagen supplements reduce skin roughness and improve skin hydration and elasticity. In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the effects of a supplement containing hydrolyzed collagen and vitamin C on skin, scalp, and hair were proven to reduce collagen fragmentation by 44.6%. 

Langen says collagen plays a critical role in supporting the skin’s extracellular matrix, thereby enhancing elasticity and firmness.

“When incorporated into personal care products, collagen peptides help stimulate fibroblast activity and improve moisture retention, reducing wrinkle appearance. This results in a dual-action benefit that reinforces the skin’s natural resilience while promoting a smoother, more youthful look.” 

Consumers are also increasingly turning to collagen because it is considered a “quick-fix,” easy solution to reducing signs of aging. Collagen supplements can be incorporated into daily beauty routines as they are often digested as a supplement or drink. 

Collagen helps improve skin elasticity and hydration while reducing the appearance of wrinkles.Recently, British supplement brand Revive Collagen launched in over 100 Supercare stores and online across the UAE. The international move coincided with growth in the collagen market alongside health and natural ingredient awareness, particularly in the UK, US, and Asia. 

The body’s natural collagen production starts to decline at a rate of 1.5% a year in a woman’s early 20s. By 60, most women have lost 80% of their collagen levels, resulting in wrinkles, skin sagging, and, in some cases, hair loss.

Revive’s collagen drink does not contain artificial flavorings, colors, or sugars, indicating the consumer demand for natural, sustainable ingredients. 

Vegan collagen 

While traditional, animal-based collagen still has a considerable market presence, there is an increasing shift to vegan and bio-based solutions that offer the same anti-aging benefits.

Vegan collagen surges in demand as consumers increasingly move away from animal-based options and toward ethically sourced, environmentally aware personal care products. 

Langen explains that “current trends in collagen innovation emphasize sustainability, enhanced bioavailability, and the integration of synergistic active ingredients. There is a marked shift toward vegan and bio-fermented collagen alternatives that meet ethical and environmental demands.” 

The cosmetics industry is witnessing a surge in cruelty-free products in general, particularly in Europe, where consumer demand for ethical beauty options is rising. Recently, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers reintroduced the Humane Cosmetics Act to prohibit cosmetic animal testing. Supporters of the bill emphasized that alternative testing methods — such as in vitro models, computational toxicology, and human cell-based assays — are already proving effective 

Skin care formulations often use bovine, porcine, and marine collagen, which offer specific characteristics respectively. “Animal-sourced collagens are typically avoided in beauty products due to ethical, sustainability, odor, and purity concerns and their non-skin-identical, high-molecular-weight structure that limits absorption,” says Langen.

To address this growing consumer need and meet efficacy standards, Brenntag Specialties has partnered with biotechnology company, Cambrium, to develop a vegan, “skin-identical” collagen. 

“Cambrium’s vegan collagen provides a sustainable, cruelty-free, and low-molecular-weight alternative with high effectiveness in supporting the skin collagen matrix, aligning with modern consumer well-aging expectations.”

Matching the market

Vegan collagen caters to the demand for animal-free and bio-generated personal care products.Vegan collagen innovation is essential in the market, catering to the demand for animal-free and bio-generated personal care products. Yet, vegan collagen products must meet the same standards that animal-based collagen offers consumers. 

In a recent study, vegan collagen and its animal-based counterpart were tested alongside one another for their anti-aging benefits. During the 60-day study period, 66 subjects aged 30-50 were evaluated in terms of skin elasticity, hydration, wrinkles, and fine lines. A 2.5-gram dose of vegan collagen results in a 33.03% increase in skin smoothness and a nearly 50% decrease in crow’s feet area wrinkles. The results indicated the vegan ingredient provided the same anti-aging benefits as animal-based collagen. 

Langen explains that NovaColl SK caters to this market demand for vegan collagen due to its similarity to animal-based collagen, such as its skin-identical structure and low molecular weight.

“Unlike other bio-manufactured collagens that use non-skin-identical components, NovaColl SK is skin-identical collagen, leading to stronger anti-aging benefits. It is the first active ingredient to target the three phases of the collagen cycle — boosting production, enhancing integration into the skin matrix, and protecting against breakdown. This comprehensive approach results in visibly reduced signs of aging and improved skin resilience.”

Recently, Personal Care Insights reported on the launch of Skincolla from South Korean medical and dermatological solution provider Maypharm. The product combines Demulcent Type I recombinant collagen with hyaluronic acid, offering a non-animal solution for those looking to aid skin rejuvenation and combat signs of aging. 

The recombinant human collagen mimics the body’s natural collagen, restoring firmness and addressing wrinkles and skin sagging, while hyaluronic acid helps to enhance skin hydration.  

As the demand for anti-aging solutions continues, collagen — sourced from animals or created through vegan alternatives — is essential in personal care products. Consumers demand an effective way to enhance skin elasticity, hydration, and reduce signs of aging.