Collagen is a simple protein that can be found in almost all skin, hair, and nails. Simply put, it’s what holds your skin up and keeps it healthy. It works alongside its partner protein, elastin, which helps the skin stretch and bounce back in place.
Together, collagen and elastin keep your skin tight, plump, and youthful-looking. Collagen also keeps your joints functioning well!
The only problem is that our body starts producing less collagen as we age. This is evident in the aging process, as our skin begins to sag and wrinkles first start developing.
Taking collagen supplements has become one of the hottest new trends, as many believe it has anti-aging benefits and can help your skin keep its youthful appearance.
In today’s post, I’m going to talk a bit about collagen, explain why it’s not vegan, and show you some of the best plant-based collagen-building supplements that you can try. With the right supplements, you can give your skin all of the tools it needs to increase your collagen count!
Are Collagen Supplements Vegan?
Collagen is a protein that’s found in the skin, bones, and joints of almost all animals, even sea creatures. Unfortunately, it’s not found in many plants, roots, legumes, or other natural sources. This means that the only way to obtain it is by sourcing it from animals.
Since collagen is an animal-derived protein, it is NOT vegan.
Consuming a true collagen supplement is pretty much the same as drinking whey protein, which is a direct by-product of dairy. This means you should avoid all collagen products, including:
- Collagen capsules
- Hair, skin, and nail supplements with added collagen
- Cosmetics and skin creams with collagen
- Collagen shots from plastic surgeons
- Collagen protein powder
Is There A Collagen That Is Plant-Based?
You may be wondering if there is a plant-based collagen supplement that you can use instead of animal-derived collagen. While the intention is good, the product simply doesn’t exist.
Unfortunately, there are no plant-based collagen supplements on the market today.
If you see any product with collagen in it, then it’s a non-vegan product that uses animal-derived collagen.
Here’s where things can get tricky, though, because skincare marketers often try to disguise their products as plant-based. Some of the most common deceptive labels that I’ve seen use phrases like:
- “Grass-fed collagen”
- “Plant-based collagen”
- “Plant-fed collagen”
- “All-natural collagen”
- “Organic collagen”
These misleading labels are often paired with images of plants, vegetables, and other green settings that would lead most shoppers into thinking that the product was actually vegan.
Do Vegans Need To Take Collagen Supplements?
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking at this point, “But Emma, how are vegans supposed to get their collagen?”
Well, the simple answer is we don’t. Vegans (or anybody else, for that matter) don’t need collagen. Our body produces all of the collagen that we will ever need for survival. By taking a collagen supplement, you’re just fueling your body with extra collagen.
Collagen supplements are often touted as the modern “fountain of youth” or other eye-catching names. However, the science on that is still very much up for debate.
In fact, most of the clinical studies they’ve performed on collagen supplements show that the results don’t exactly match the marketing.
Don’t get me wrong, the tests show that collagen can work, for some things. However, it’s not some miracle cure or magical supplement.
It can reduce joint pain, improve skin hydration, improve elasticity, and can even reduce the depth of wrinkles. Don’t expect it to reverse the aging process, though.
The Vegan Collagen Alternative: Plant-Based Collagen Builders
Although vegans don’t take collagen, by itself, they do take something similar – collagen-building supplements.
As I said, your body makes plenty of its own collagen. However, our body starts to produce less of it over time.
The same goes for lots of other natural proteins and hormones, which is why it’s important to supplement with vitamins, trace minerals, and superfoods that our body needs to keep producing high amounts of what it needs.
Plant-based collagen builders are daily supplements that stimulate your body to produce more of its own collagen. I’d argue that this is even better than taking a pure collagen supplement.
Allowing your body to adjust its own levels always produces longer-lasting results than forcing your body to consume more of what it
Plant-Based Collagen Builders vs. Regular Collagen
Here’s a quick breakdown of what makes plant-based collagen builders different from pure collagen supplements:
| Pure Collagen | Plant-Based Collagen Builder |
| A single, simple protein that’s found in most humans and animals’ skin and bones. | A daily supplement that contains vitamins, minerals, plant-based extracts, and plant-based proteins. |
| Collagen can support strong joints, skin hydration, and flexibility. | Collagen builder supplements can aid in skin and bone health. |
| Consuming collagen gives your body more collagen to digest and use. | Collagen builders encourage your body to produce more of its own collagen. |
| Can be eaten, applied topically, or injected under the skin. | Is eaten or consumed as a daily supplement. |
Here’s a good visual showing what collagen cells do under the surface of your skin:
Do I Need To Take A Plant-Based Collagen Builder?
You don’t need to take a plant-based collagen builder. However, taking a plant-based collagen supplement every day can have some great effects on your skin and overall health.
By encouraging your body to produce more of its own collagen, you can experience the same benefits of taking a pure collagen supplement, such as:
- Healthier skin with a more radiant glow
- Reduced frequency and appearance of wrinkles
- Tighter, younger-looking skin
- Reduced joint pain and more athletic endurance
- Healthier, faster-growing hair
If you’re still in your early twenties, then you probably don’t need to worry about collagen yet.
Your body is still producing plenty of its own collagen. However, once you get into your late twenties and early thirties, I’d definitely recommend adding a plant-based collagen-building supplement to your diet!
Plant-Based Collagen Side Effects: Are There Any?
As long as you’re taking your collagen builder supplement correctly, you shouldn’t have to worry about any unwanted side effects. Most plant-based collagen builders have simple ingredients, such as:
- Vitamin C and other plant-derived vitamins
- Essential and non-essential amino acids
- Herbal and plant-based extracts
- Calcium and other natural minerals
- Plant-based protein
Most of these supplements have clearly outlined dosage instructions. Just follow those and don’t take more than the daily recommendation.
The Best Plant-Based Collagen In The U.S.
By now, you should have a good idea of what to expect out of your vegan collagen supplement. After noticing the first few unsightly wrinkles on my face two years ago, I decided that it was time to do something about it.
I figured that starting while I was still young was the best way to prevent premature aging.
So, here are some of the best plant-based collagen builders that I’ve been experimenting and supplementing with over the past couple of years!
1) Sunwarrior Vegan Collagen Building Protein Peptides (link)
Type: Powder, vanilla-flavored
SunWarrior Vegan Collagen Building Protein Peptides is an excellent all-around supplement. It’s loaded with healthy, plant-based collagen builders like biotin, vitamin C, and copper. It’s designed to be taken as a daily supplement with food or in a shake.
It has a light natural vanilla flavor that actually tastes pretty good once you mix it down with some oat milk!
If you’re feeling creative, you can also use it as part of a complete green smoothie with all of your favorite fruits and veggies. Or, if you prefer to eat it, you can mix it in with a bit of oatmeal or applesauce.
In addition to vitamin C and biotin, this plant-based collagen supplement includes a blend of all-natural herbs and extracts.
They include fermented pea protein, fermented brown rice peptides, kale, spinach, buckthorn berries, spirulina, holy basil, sunflower seed, bamboo extract, and several others.
Oh, and all of the herbs and plants used in this vegan collagen supplement are certified organic, making it one of the most wholesome collagen boosters on the market!
SunWarrior Vegan Collagen Building Protein Supplement also features added Hyaluronic Acid. Don’t worry, it’s 100% vegan and plant-based too (unlike many of the low-quality HA supplements out there).
Each container has twenty servings, so you’ll have enough to last you for about three weeks if you’re taking it daily. Overall, it’s a solid, affordable, decent-tasting plant-based collagen builder with great ingredients. What’s not to like?
What I Like About It:
- It features vegan biotin and vegan hyaluronic acid.
- It has plenty of vitamin C, a collagen-boosting vitamin.
- The vanilla flavor actually tastes good.
- It has a proprietary blend of organic herbal collagen boosters.
What’s Not-So-Great About It:
- It’s not as easy as taking a capsule every day, so it may be harder to keep up with.
2) Garden of Life Vegan Collagen Builder (link)
Type: Daily tablet supplement
Garden of Life by myKind Organics is a line of all-natural vegan supplements co-created by actress and author Alicia Silverstone.
Alicia credits much of the newfound happiness and success in her recent life to switching to a vegan diet. In her own words, going vegan helped her discover her own form of self-of.
Point is, Garden of Life Vegan Collagen Builder isn’t just some random Chinese supplement sold on Amazon. It’s a well-known, reputable brand created by somebody who really cares about the quality of their product and ingredients.
It has many of the same ingredients contained in the SunWarrior supplement that I just reviewed above. However, it’s packed down into a small tablet, which makes it easy to keep up with for daily use.
In addition to the herbal blend, which consists of over twenty different herbs and superfoods, it also features an organic beauty blend.
This includes green tea extract, pomegranate extract, citrus bioflavonoids, rooibos tea extract, and bamboo shoot extract. All of the herbs and superfoods in this supplement are 100% organic.
While most of the ingredients are herbal, this plant-based collagen builder supplement also includes vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, and B6. It’s also rich in zinc, selenium, manganese, chromium, and biotin, all of which are incredibly healthy and help maintain our body’s natural processes.
What I Like About It:
- It’s a daily tablet that’s easy to keep up with.
- Co-created by vegan author Alicia Silverstone.
- Includes over twenty herbs and superfoods.
- Rich source of essential and trace minerals.
- Includes lots of vitamins.
- Uses all-organic ingredients.
- Very affordable.
What’s Not-So-Great About It:
- Capsules taken by mouth aren’t absorbed as efficiently as a liquid.
3) Rae Vegan Collagen Boost Capsules (link)
Type: Daily capsule with plant-based extracts
If you’re looking for a super-simple plant-based collagen builder, then Rae Vegan Collagen Boost Pills are a very affordable option. Each capsule includes a proprietary mix of acerola fruit extract, l-lysine, l-proline, glycine, gynostemma, bamboo stem extract, and magnesium.
Clearly, it’s nowhere near as complex as either of the two supplements I mentioned above. Those contain long lists of herbal and plant extracts, along with added vitamins and minerals. This simply contains a few key amino acids, bamboo, and magnesium.
The key advantage of this supplement is that it’s a lot cheaper. So, if you’re looking for an entry-level product that won’t burn a hole in your wallet, this is a good start.
Although you won’t get quite as much benefit from this product, bamboo stem extract is high in natural silica, which is a well-known collagen booster.
What I Like About It:
- It’s very affordable.
- It contains lots of bamboo stem extract, an excellent collagen booster.
- It contains simple, all-natural ingredients.
What’s Not-So-Great About It:
- It doesn’t contain any added vitamins and minerals.
- It doesn’t contain any superfoods.
4) Vegan Vitality Vegan Collagen Supplement (link)
Type: Daily capsule with plant-based herbs and minerals
Vegan Vitality’s Vegan Collagen Supplement is another affordable daily capsule that contains all-natural plant-based collagen boosters. Each supplement contains a blend of vitamin C, silica, l-lysine, biotin, manganese, zinc, copper, rice flour, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
All of these vitamins and minerals are proven collagen boosters and are incredible for your skin, hair, nails, and your joints.
Like the Rae supplement I mentioned above, this is another affordable daily supplement. Each bag contains a sixty-day supply, so you won’t have to worry about ordering more every few weeks.
What I Like About It:
- Each bag contains enough capsules for sixty days.
- Contains collagen-boosting vitamins and minerals.
- 100% plant-based and vegan.
- Very affordable.
What’s Not-So-Great About It:
- The ingredients aren’t organic.
5) Wild Fuel Maximum Potency Vegan Collagen Builder (link)
Type: Daily tablet
Wild Fuel is a daily plant-based collagen builder that’s made using a balanced blend of all-natural amino acids, plant-based peptides, vitamins, and superfood extract.
Each tablet includes 333% percent of your daily required vitamin C intake and 1,000% daily value of your required biotin intake. Both of these are potent collagen-boosting compounds.
The other ingredients are similar to some of what you’ve seen in the previous plant-based collagen builders above.
Wild Fuel Max Potency Vegan Collagen Builder also includes glycine, grape seed extract, l-lysine, l-proline, blueberry fruit powder, broccoli powder, strawberry powder, and cranberry powder. It also contains lutein and vegan hyaluronic acid.
Overall, this is a potent, high-quality plant-based collagen builder supplement that has everything you need to kick your body’s collagen production into high gear. Plus, it’s pretty affordable too, so you can’t go wrong.
What I Like About It:
- It’s affordable.
- Contains vegan hyaluronic acid and biotin.
- Contains lots of vitamin C.
- Contains a good blend of superfood and superfruit.
What’s Not-So-Great About It:
- It doesn’t contain as many herbal extracts as other tablets.
6) Amazing Grass GLOW Vegan Collagen Support (link)
Type: Vegan collagen building protein powder
Amazing Grass GLOW Vegan Collagen Support Powder is one of the best-tasting collagen powders that I’ve ever had.
It has a unique honeysuckle flavor that I’ve never seen in any other supplement in my life. Now, if only they’d make my vegan post-workout protein in this flavor…
Each one-scoop serving contains 15 grams of high-quality vegan protein in addition to the collagen-building vitamins, minerals, and plant-based extracts.
Protein is one of the key ingredients for producing collagen in your body, so by adding it to a plant-based collagen builder, you’re getting a complete one-stop-shop supplement.
GLOW Vegan Powder also contains acacia gum, acerola cherry, guava, holy basil, lemon peel, wheatgrass, kale, rose petal and added organic biotin from sesbania leaf! Plus, there are a few vitamins and minerals, making for a truly powerful supplement.
Plus, it tastes great! This is the latest supplement I’ve tried and I think that it’s going to become my new favorite.
What I Like About It:
- Amazing honeysuckle flavor.
- Contains 15 grams of high-quality vegan protein per serving.
- Contains a blend of herbal, organic extracts.
- Sweetened with zero-calorie stevia extract.
What’s Not-So-Great About It:
- It’s a little expensive.
- Each container only has fifteen servings.
In Conclusion – What’s The Best Plant-Based Collagen Builder?
Your body absorbs liquids more efficiently than it absorbs tablets and capsules. So, going with the Amazing Grass GLOW powder or the SunWarrior Vegan Peptide Powder is going to be your best bet if you’re looking for the most potent effects.
Consuming enough protein is essential if you want to ramp up your collagen production. To see a list of the best sources of high-quality vegan protein, keep on reading my guide to the best vegan protein sources next!
