Podcast: Episode 30, Collagen: its Benefits without its Cruelty

Listen to the audio episode to understand plant collagen

• Available on: Episode 30: Collagen: its Benefits without its Cruelty
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PLANT COLLAGEN...

Collagen is a well-known skin protein in the cosmetics industry and among consumers. Many cosmetic advertising campaigns mention collagen, but... do you know the sources of collagen? How do they work? Are some better than others?

WHAT IS COLLAGEN?

Collagens are very common proteins in the animal kingdom and represent on average 5% of their masses. They can be seen as a natural glue, moreover the name "collagen" comes from the Greek κόλλα meaning glue. They were also used for this purpose, several thousand years ago.

A protein is made up of amino acids , molecules containing a carboxylic acid -COOH and an amine -NH2.

💭 We can see collagens as a necklace made up of different pearls which are amino acids.

Collagens are proteins with 3 strands of amino acids, twisted on top of each other.

WHAT IS COLLAGEN USED FOR?

Collagens are structural proteins of the skin , they provide mechanical resistance to stretching . They are not stretchable: they cannot expand or lengthen, but they are very resistant to traction.

Unfortunately, collagen production decreases with age , and more specifically with menopause. From the age of 25/30, the production of collagen decreases by approximately 1% per year. The sun also participates in the reduction of collagen in the skin. This decrease partly results in less firm and looser skin .

WHAT IS A STRUCTURAL PROTEIN?

A protein is a biomolecule, a component that performs many functions within the body and is essential for life . Proteins can have a structural role , that is to say that they serve to shape matter , they serve as a structure, walls, … for the matter of our organs. They contribute to the fact that we can touch them.

A protein can have other role than a structural role. They can serve as messengers in the reactions of our body: they bring a message to initiate, end, multiply a biochemical process. They can ensure the transport of molecules in the body, they can protect the body against infectious agents, ...

WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT COLLAGENS ?

There are different types of collagen : they are different biomolecules with a common skeleton, tropocollagen. The different types of collagen are not found in the same places. Type I collagen is found particularly in bones, skin and tendons, while certain types of collagen make up cartilage, muscles, etc.

Collagens are, by far, the most abundant proteins in human skin, constituting over 90% of its dry weight.

• Type I collagen accounts for 60-80% of the collagens in the dermis and hypodermis
• Type III collagen accounts for 15-25%
• Type V collagen for 2 to 5%

Type I, III, and V collagens self-assemble into thicker fibers that form a three-dimensional network throughout the thickness of the dermis. Which gives, among other things, resistance to the skin and a youthful, plump appearance.

WHAT ARE THE APPLICATIONS OF COLLAGEN ?

Collagens are widely used in cosmetics , aesthetic medicine or in food supplements .

In food supplements, they are used to take care of the skin, hair, nails, and also tendons. They would reduce the risk of tendonitis during intensive sports practice. Most food supplements use pieces (= peptides) of collagen because the large size of collagen poses problems of assimilation by the intestine.

In aesthetic medicine, collagens are used by injection under the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles in particular.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COLLAGEN IN COSMETICS?

Collagens are widely used in cosmetic care. It is difficult to make generalizations about collagens because there are several types of collagen and collagen peptides are not the same from one manufacturer to another. But in general, collagens are:

• moisturizers. They bind water very easily and allow it to be retained in the skin. The skin contains better water content of the skin, leaving it soft and smooth.
• film- forming agents. By creating a light film on the surface of the skin, they reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and protect the skin.
• skin care agents. They keep the skin in good condition, in particular by helping the healing and regeneration of tissues (claims not authorized in cosmetics).
• hair conditioners. They improve the look and feel of hair leaving hair manageable, supple, soft and shiny and/or adding volume, lightness, shine, texture etc.

HOW COLLAGEN WORKS ON THE SKIN?

According to Alain HUC, who was in charge of a research structure devoted to collagen in Lyon, collagen degrades on application. The collagen peptides resulting from this degradation send a message to the fibroblasts which will thus synthesize a greater quantity of neo-collagen and thus contribute to the rejuvenation of the dermis.

HOW TO IDENTIFY COLLAGEN IN COSMETICS?

🔎 On the INCI list, collagen can be found under: hydrolized collagen , collagen amino acids , collagen extract , soluble collagen .

In cosmetics, it is often bits / fragments of collagen that are used, because collagen is a large molecule composed of three strands / chains of amino acids (see fig. 1).

The denaturation temperature, that is to say the temperature at which the collagen strands separate, is very low. This makes the addition of collagens difficult during the production of cosmetics.

Collagens are chains of amino acids. The fragments of collagen used in cosmetics are therefore smaller sequences of amino acids: they are called peptides . Peptides are smaller chains of amino acids than proteins. The reaction to cut proteins involves water and is called hydrolysis . This is why you can find them in the INCI list as "hydrolyzed collagen" or "collagen peptides".

💭 If amino acids are pearls, then a bracelet would be peptides and a necklace would be proteins like collagens.

HOW IS COLLAGEN MADE IN OUR SKINCARE?

Collagens can come from bovine, porcine, avian or even marine sources. That is to say that the initial biomass can be the skin of beef, pork, fish.

Depending on the sensitivity of each, this may or may not be disturbing.

IS THERE VEGAN COLLAGEN OR VEGETABLE COLLAGEN?

Yes ! There is "vegan collagen" but it's not really collagen because collagen is an animal protein. Vegan collagens are a combination of plant-derived amino acids that have comparable benefits to animal collagen.

According to the manufacturers, vegan collagens are not the same and do not have the same quality. From one supplier to another, the sequence of amino acids is not the same.

At Mastel, plant collagen is a protein isolated from corn , wheat , or soy that functions equivalently to animal collagen or its fragments.

We allow ourselves to call it collagen because the vegetable collagen of Mastel has a structure and functions similar to the most common amino acids of animal collagen (glycine, proline and hydroxyproline). It is made from chains of amino acids that are chemically identical to the amino acids found in animal collagen .

Mastel's plant collagen is also much smaller than animal collagen to improve its penetration into the skin. Vegetable collagen has been tested for effectiveness and has shown its effectiveness on hydration in particular. It binds really well to moisture.

IN WHAT PRODUCT CAN YOU BENEFIT FROM PLANT COLLAGEN?

Mastel's GINKGO SACRÉ Cream is your ally to moisturize and beautify age . It contains vegetable collagen and French Ginkgo biloba obtained by cell cultures to slow down the appearance of signs of aging.

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AVILA RODRIGUEZ MI, et al . Collagen: A review on its sources and potential cosmetic applications . 2018 . Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12450

FEBEA. Collagen . 2022. Available at:https://www.febea.fr/fr/baseingredient/collagen

EUROPEAN COMMISSION. Ingredient: Collagen . Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.details_v2&id=75462

HUC A. Collagen . Cosmetic Obs. 2016. Available at: https://cosmeticobs.com/fr/articles/ingredients-50/le-collagene-3267

GOOGLE TRANSLATE. Available at: https://translate.google.fr/?sl=el&tl=fr&text=κόλλα &op=translate

SIONKOWSKA A. et al. Collagen Based Materials in Cosmetic Applications: A Review . 2020. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/13/19/4217/pdf