Jennifer Aniston Wants You to Start Taking Collagen
Vital Proteins
Jennifer Aniston may be an A-lister with access to the most expensive and high-tech skin-care treatments, but she's always reminded us of the importance of sticking to the basics: moisturizing and drinking water. (Thanks, Aveeno and Smartwater!) But there's yet another 'inside-out' component to her beauty regimen that's been kept somewhat under the radar all these years: collagen.
"There’s a collagen peptide that I’ve been loving — I’ve been seeing a difference! My nails are stronger and there’s a healthier… how do you explain it? A glow. It’s sort of that working from the inside-out thing," she told Well + Good in 2018 about adding Vital Proteins collagen peptides to her smoothies.
So it's only natural that Aniston has officially partnered with Vital Proteins, the celeb-loved brand that put collagen powder — which also comes in the form of collagen creamer and flavored collagen water — on the map. “Collagen is the glue that holds everything together. I’ve always been an advocate for nourishing your wellness from within, which is why I started using Vital Proteins so many years ago,” Aniston said in a statement. “Now to have the opportunity to be a part of the brand in a bigger way, as Chief Creative Officer, is very exciting to me."
As part of her new role, Aniston stars in a campaign for the brand highlighting how she uses collagen (and her seriously impressive yoga skills). "I have had a passion for health and wellness for years. I know that this topic can be overwhelming so through this campaign, I want to show simple ways to incorporate collagen into your daily life," Aniston says. "For me, it's adding it to my morning coffee and replenishing after a workout, but there is truly an option for everyone."
Aniston will also be "putting her spin on new product innovations and overall brand strategy" and using her "own experiences with collagen to help build greater awareness around its benefits."
So what are those benefits, according to science? For the uninitiated, collagen is the body’s most abundant protein and helps to support hair, skin, nail, bone, and joint health. When it comes to healthy, plumper skin, in particular, it's crucial.
“Collagen is a protein that makes up 70 to 80% of the skin. It plays an important role in strengthening the skin, and also helps with elasticity and hydration,” Sapna Palep, M.D., a dermatologist at Spring Street Dermatology in New York City previously told InStyle.
As we age, collagen production slows down and external factors — exposure to sun, smoking, stress — can contribute to the increased and faster breakdown of collagen. And less collagen equals more wrinkles, dryness, and sagging. That's where collagen peptides — short chains of amino acids — come into play by acting as building blocks to increase your body's own natural collagen production.
Shop now: $35; amazon.com
So, while collagen certainly can't replace a good SPF (or the importance of keeping stress under control for that matter), when you're thinking about your 2021 wellness routine, collagen is certainly worth giving a try — if not for your skin, then for your overall health. And with Jen's stamp of approval, we have a feeling this stuff will be flying off the shelves.
