How often should I use a collagen serum?

“Many would opt to use a collagen serum once a day, but I would recommend using it twice a day for quicker results,” advises Hasan Benar, MD , a dermatologist and aesthetic doctor. “To get maximum absorption, you can also apply it after exfoliating.”

Which is better for your face: collagen or retinol?

Retinol is better understood and more supported in the dermatologist community when it comes to anti-aging (it even stimulates collagen)—but not everyone can use retinol. “Topical retinol in serums and face creams is great for kickstarting collagen by not only increasing cell turnover and improving skin tone but also protecting the skin from future external damage,” Dr. Benar says. But as retinol can irritate sensitive skin and isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it isn’t suitable for everyone. If you fall into any of these camps, a collagen serum may be a better option. Dr. Benar goes on to explain that while collagen is mostly responsible for keeping skin supple, smooth, and firm, other benefits include restoring hydration, brightening the skin tone, and improving skin texture.

The 10 Best Collagen Serums of 2023

While ingredients often come in and out of favor, none are quite as contested as collagen. Found naturally all over the body, collagen is involved in many important functions, such as tissue repair and regeneration.

But as we get older, our natural collagen supplies start to dip and retaining the skin’s plump, pillowy feel becomes more challenging. But is a collagen serum effective at restoring your natural levels? The research is unclear if applied topically collagen can penetrate the skin to offer the benefits brands claim. However, hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides are smaller molecules and have the best chance of penetrating the skin. Collagen has also hydrating benefits and, when combined with other actives like retinol, can stimulate the production of more collagen.

To help save you time and money on unsuitable products, we’ve tested a wide range of the best collagen serums available. We took into consideration how they felt on the skin, the short- and long-term results, and innovative ways they boosted collagen in the skin. We also considered each serum’s price, potency, and additional benefits.

Read on to find out which of the other collagen serums we tested made it into our hotlist.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum at Amazon

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Best on Amazon:

Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir at Amazon

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Best Drugstore:

Olay Collagen Peptide 24 Day Serum at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best Brightening:

Kosas Collagen Spray-On Serum at Nordstrom

Jump to Review

Best Retinol Alternative:

Higher Dose Glow Serum at Bluemercury.com

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Best Budget:

The Inkey List Collagen Booster Firming Peptide Serum at Sephora

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Best Multi-Tasker:

Farmacy Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum at Sephora

Jump to Review

Best for Eyes:

Cell Shock Anti-Wrinkle Eye Zone Serum at Swissline-cosmetics.com

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Best for Lips:

BeautyBio Lip Serum at Nordstrom

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Best Ingestible:

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Capsules at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
What To Look for
FAQ
Why Trust Byrdie

Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum

Sephora

View On Amazon View On Sephora View On Biossance.com

What We Like

Super gentle
Very hydrating
Vegan and eco-conscious

What We Don't Like

Pump can become clogged

Don’t be fooled by the fact that this skin-plumping serum doesn’t have the word “collagen” in its name—it’s packed full of collagen-boosting peptides, which made a noticeable difference to our skin when testing (alongside hyaluronic acid and squalene). This is a great all-around choice that is gentle enough to be used on even very sensitive skin and delivers big on hydration and radiance.

Price at time of publish: $68

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Dry, combo or normal skin | Size: 30 milliliters

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Bloomingdales View On Elemis.com

What We Like

Gentle enough to use every day
Contains hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid

What We Don't Like

Not cruelty-free
Fragrance is strong

Rather than introducing collagen directly to the skin, this super serum uses African Birch Bark to help restore and maintain collagen synthesis in the skin. Its powerful combination of tripeptides, red seaweed, and hyaluronic acid also make it a great alternative to retinol if you’ve previously found it too irritating but want those line-smoothing benefits.

Price at time of publish: $65

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: No | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Size: 15 milliliters

Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Day Serum

Amazon

View On Amazon

What We Like

It leaves the skin feeling instantly soft
It’s unscented
Free from artificial dyes and perfumes

What We Don't Like

Packaging feels a bit fragile

There’s a reason that Olay has been used for generations, and that’s because the brand’s gentle formulas really work. Olay’s Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Day Serum is no exception and leaves the skin feeling soft, supple, and hydrated with a high concentration of collagen peptides and Vitamin B3 (otherwise known as niacinamide). What it lacks in luxurious packaging, it totally makes up for in efficacy—so if you want great skin without totally breaking the bank, this is a serious contender.

Price at time of publish: $20

Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Size: 1.3 ounces

Kosas Plump + Juicy Vegan Collagen Spray-On Serum

Nordstrom

View On Nordstrom View On Credo Beauty View On Kosas.com

What We Like

Very hydrating and brightening
Great for refreshing and priming the skin

What We Don't Like

It’s not an essential—just a nice, added extra

A beauty editor and TikTok favorite, we’re happy to confirm that Kosas’ Plump and Juicy Vegan Collagen Spray is all that we hoped it would be. A brand-new innovation, this lightweight serum comes in a mist format that penetrates deeply into the skin while leaving an oil-free finish. This is particularly ideal if you don’t like the feeling of heavy formulas on your skin or want to create a dewy makeup look by using it as a primer. The secret to that raved-about glow? Its jam-packed formula of skin-loving ingredients includes hyaluronic acid, peptides, probiotics, and vegan collagen.

Price at time of publish: $45

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Suitable for all including sensitive | Size: 1.3 ounces

Higher Dose

View On Bluemercury.com View On Saks Fifth Avenue View On Todaystot.com

What We Like

Serum can be used alone or with a HigherDose LED mask
Creates a relaxing ritual
Offers an extra collagen boost with the mask

What We Don't Like

High price point

HigherDose’s Glow serum is a work of science fiction, formulated with vegan collagen, bio-identical collagen, and the collagen-boosting protein sepilift. There’s a whole host of other skin-plumping ingredients in there, too—including hyaluronic acid, copper tripeptide-1, and niacinamide that help to boost the skin’s natural glow, target signs of aging, and plump the texture of the skin.

Price at time of publish: $79

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Size: 1 ounce

The Inkey List Collagen Booster Firming Peptide Serum

Sephora

View On Sephora View On Theinkeylist.com

What We Like

Formulated with two collagen-boosting peptides
Lightweight
Accessible price point
Contains hyaluronic acid

What We Don't Like

Plastic packaging

There’s no actual collagen in this pick from The Inkey List, but it cleverly draws on the power of two different peptides to help boost the skin’s natural production process. It’s super lightweight and leaves the skin feeling soft and dewy, thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid and glycerin. It’s also suitable for firming, plumping, and smoothing the skin. The Inkey List always gets extra points for its purse-friendly prices that don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients, and this remains a firm fixture in our everyday routine.

Price at time of publish: $13

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily | Size: 30 milliliters

4.9

Farmacy Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum

Sephora

View On Sephora View On Farmacybeauty.com View On Hsn.com

What We Like

Contains hyaluronic acid and collagen
Brightens dull skin
Improves an uneven skin texture

What We Don't Like

Tingly feeling upon application that may not be desirable

If you have a drier skin type and want a serum that helps to boost collagen and tackle hydration levels, then this is a great option. It contains full-spectrum hyaluronic acid (designed to penetrate the skin quicker) and vegan collagen peptides to visibly plump and micro-fill the skin while hydrating and smoothing the appearance of lines and wrinkles and an uneven skin texture. Use it when your complexion is feeling a little grey and dull and in need of a pick-me-up.

Price at time of publish: $48

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Normal and dry | Size: 30 milliliters

Cell Shock 360 Anti-Wrinkle Eye Zone Serum

Swissline Cosmetics

View On Swissline-cosmetics.com

What We Like

Luxurious, spa-like quality
Hydrating but not oily
Doesn’t pill under makeup

What We Don't Like

Expensive price point

Swiss Line’s award-winning eye serum is designed to counteract the signs of fatigue—such as lines, wrinkles, and dark circles. It works by taking a three-pronged approach to collagen production: First, it helps the skin produce more of its own collagen with a type of soluble collagen, strengthens skin with a collagen-boosting peptide, and by helping the skin preserve its existing collagen reservoir. Clever? Certainly. But most importantly, it's silky smooth and leaves the under-eye area feeling supple and hydrated.

Price at time of publish: $195

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Fatigued skin, dark circles | Size: 15 milliliters

BeautyBio The Pout Sparkling RosÃ© Lip Serum

Sephora

View On Nordstrom View On Sephora View On Ulta

What We Like

Tingly sensation
Helps the lips appear fuller
Hydrating

What We Don't Like

Mint flavor might not be for everyone

Collagen is present all over the body, including the lips, so it can be beneficial to top up the levels here for an irresistible pout. BeautyBio’s lip serum uses hyaluronic acid spheres, collagen, and sunflower seed oil to hydrate, plump, and visibly increase elasticity in the lips. We also love its tingly sensation and vanilla-mint flavor. It also makes a great gift idea, too, if you want to start dropping hints.

Price at time of publish: $40

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination and oily | Size: 15 milliliters

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Capsules

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Everyhealth.com View On Gnc.com

What We Like

Targets hair, skin, and nails at once
Flavorless, so can be added to virtually anything

What We Don't Like

Remembering to add it to your drinks is a habit that takes time to form
Results are not as instant as skincare

A topical serum isn’t the only way that you can top up your collagen levels, and a supplement is an effective way of targeting your skin, hair, and nails at all once. This supplement from Vital Proteins comes in flavorless powder form and can be mixed into your morning coffee, smoothie, or even a cake for a collagen-packed boost. Each serving contains 20 grams of collagen in addition to hyaluronic acid and probiotics that, according to the brand, "help to support healthy hair, skin and nails, bone and joint health, and digestion."

Price at time of publish: $30

Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Skin Type: Suitable for all | Sizes: 20 grams or 567 grams

Final Verdict

Biossance’s Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum was our overall favorite due to its lovely feel on the skin and noticeable results. The Inkey List’s Collagen Booster Firming Peptide Serum also works well at an affordable price point. We also want to give a special mention to HigherDOSE Glow Serum purely for its impressive formulation that’s supercharged by the red LED mask. It is an expensive purchase but, if used often, far cheaper than a course of in-salon treatments.

What to Look For in a Collagen Serum

Hydrolyzed Collagen and Collagen Peptides

As collagen is such a large molecule, it’s believed that hydrolyzed collagen—with a smaller molecular size—is more effective at penetrating the skin. Many of the products mentioned above also contain collagen peptides which are another variation of collagen created when whole collagen proteins are broken into smaller pieces.

Additional Ingredients

Collagen is a great ingredient, but its powers have their limits. Look to boost your results by finding formulations containing other collagen-stimulating ingredients such as retinoids, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.

Vegan Collagen

The collagen used in skincare and supplements generally comes from animal products such as bone broth from pigs, cows, and fish. (You may see this labeled as bovine or marine collagen.) Vegan collagen, on the other hand, is made from genetically modified yeast and bacteria and is found in products such as Kosas Plump and Juicy Vegan Collagen Spray.

FAQ

How often should I use a collagen serum?

“Many would opt to use a collagen serum once a day, but I would recommend using it twice a day for quicker results,” advises Hasan Benar, MD, a dermatologist and aesthetic doctor. “To get maximum absorption, you can also apply it after exfoliating.”
Which is better for your face: collagen or retinol?

Retinol is better understood and more supported in the dermatologist community when it comes to anti-aging (it even stimulates collagen)—but not everyone can use retinol.
“Topical retinol in serums and face creams is great for kickstarting collagen by not only increasing cell turnover and improving skin tone but also protecting the skin from future external damage,” Dr. Benar says. But as retinol can irritate sensitive skin and isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it isn’t suitable for everyone. If you fall into any of these camps, a collagen serum may be a better option.
Dr. Benar goes on to explain that while collagen is mostly responsible for keeping skin supple, smooth, and firm, other benefits include restoring hydration, brightening the skin tone, and improving skin texture.

Why Trust Byrdie?

Catherine Hufton has been a contributing writer for Byrdie since 2022. She digs deep into all things fashion and beauty to find the very best shopping must-haves—from the most effective collagen serums to the best maternity stores.

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