The Great Collagen Myth (and why I am officially fed up with the marketing)

If you have found yourself Googling the "best collagen supplements for women over 50" recently, I honestly don't blame you. We all know the drill: we hit 25, our natural collagen starts packing its bags, and by the time we hit menopause, we are looking in the mirror wondering why everything is suddenly sagging and thinning.

But I have to be honest, the marketing around collagen right now is one of my biggest pet peeves. I am so tired of seeing celebrities reading the exact same script about their "amazing collagen discovery" for brands that are frankly being a bit shady about what is actually in the tub.

What are you swallowing? Because the supplement industry isn't as strictly regulated as skincare, reading the back of a label is a minefield. There are basically four types of collagens out there, and they are definitely not equal:

• Bovine (Cow) and Chicken: This is the cheapest stuff on the market, which is why it is everywhere. But here are the two massive problems: first, provenance. It is incredibly hard to trace exactly where these bones are coming from, and if I don't know where it was sourced, I don't want it in my body. Second, it is simply not as easily absorbed by the body as fish collagen.
• Marine (Fish): This is 100% the better option. It is easier to trace (a lot of the good stuff is sourced right here in the UK), it provides a much higher concentration of what we need, and your body absorbs it significantly better than cow or chicken bones.
• Hydrolysed Marine: This is the absolute holy grail. "Hydrolysed" just means the massive collagen molecules have been broken down into tiny fragments. Because they are tiny, they absorb.

The big blending trick True hydrolysed marine collagen is ridiculously expensive. So what do the big brands do to keep costs down while offering massive milligrams on the label? They blend a tiny bit of the good stuff with a load of the cheap cow or chicken collagen and tell you it is for "multiple benefits." It is not. It is to save them money.

Why you need an inside-out approach This whole mess is exactly why I stopped selling my own supplement range to focus entirely on my skincare. But let me be completely clear: I haven't stopped taking supplements! You 100% need to take collagen for your internal health—it is brilliant for your bones, your joints, and your brain.

But if you want to sort out your face? If you are bothered by the sagging and the dryness? Supplements alone simply won't give you the results you want in the mirror. You need a two-pronged approach. You need a proper cream.

You hear people say, "Collagen creams are rubbish because they just sit on the skin." If you buy a cheap one, yes, they are absolutely right! The molecules are too big. But if you use hydrolysed collagen, it actually sinks in.

When I was formulating my own hydrolysed collagen cream, I was ruthless. I didn't want to use five different products, so I needed it to moisturize deeply while the collagen did its job. That is why I ended up putting raw Welsh honey in it—it is a brilliant natural humectant that drags the moisture right down into the skin and sorts out the redness.

I had to stop using my own cream a few weeks ago when I was poorly. Within a week, the sagging and the dryness were right back.

So yes, 100% take your supplements to keep your body healthy. But if you want to sort out your face, you need a proper hydrolysed cream to work from the outside in. Just promise me you will read the labels first!