Want to be your own #SkinGoals? A consistent skincare routine is super important! But, being diligent about removing your makeup every night and protecting your skin with SPF is just the beginning. When it comes to putting your best face forward, beauty is both an outside and inside job.

Everything we eat and drink shows up on our skin. Drinking too much coffee or too many cocktails can make us feel dry and bloated, while drinking tons of water and consuming beauty-full ingredients provides glow moments left and right. Eating a diet heavy in fried foods can cause breakouts while eating clean can result in a flawless complexion.

We have the power to adjust our routines from the inside out and the results can really change the game! Right now, one ingredient in particular has our attention... Hey collagen, we’re looking at you!

What is collagen?

Collagen is the protein in the skin that’s responsible for muscle mass, protecting joints and keeping your skin plump, firm and fabulous. When we’re younger, our skin produces more collagen and can repair itself more quickly. As we age, we produce less and the skin can appear hollow and less vibrant. If that weren’t enough, things like overexposure to the sun, smoking and pollution make our collagen layer even weaker and can make it almost impossible to regain the full, youthful looks of our past.

How do I keep my collagen?

Step up the SPF

Ultraviolet rays introduce free radicals that supercharge “collagen-degrading” enzymes. This makes it even harder for your skin to produce the collagen you need. Using an SPF 30 or higher can help to keep this attack at bay. SPF should be part of everybody's daily routine for many purposes, but collagen depletion being another reason to add to your list!

Sip a Supplement

Thanks to skincare science, we’re able to add collagen to our diets in a few different ways. Powders, like those from Vital Proteins, can be added to your morning coffee or smoothie, or supplements in pill form can be taken with your daily vitamins. This helps to increase collagen production from the inside out and supports all of our topical efforts. Collagen supplements can help slow the aging process by reducing dryness and wrinkles, while also stimulating your body to produce more of its own collagen.

Grab Onto Your Glow

Like, we mentioned, as we age, our collagen begins to break down as we age. Choosing skincare products with ingredients that slow this process is key. Look for ingredients like raspberry seed oil - the antioxidants in this oil slow collagen degradation. You can find this miracle oil in Glow Ahead Face Oil, amongst a cocktail of oils that are cocktailed to give you your glowiest skin yet.<product>1</product>

How do you incorporate collagen into your routine? Tell us in the comments!