“Collagen is what gives our skin a tight and taut look, but as we age we begin to lose natural collagen,” board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine Jeannette Graf, M.D., once told mbg. But good news: Collagen supplements have been shown to help promote your body’s natural production of collagen1.

When shopping for these products, though, formula matters. “While there may be some truth to collagen supplements stimulating collagen production, it’s important to not skimp on quality when buying collagen supplements,” Graf emphasizes. 

She recommends looking for hydrolyzed collagen peptides (FYI: The aforementioned study also emphasizes hydrolyzed collagen peptides). While collagen research is still evolving, most of the promising results have been seen with this form.

More specifically, the research shows that these collagen peptides are able to support skin elasticity and dermal collagen density2. What’s more, “Amino acids in collagen supplements might increase hydration levels in the skin,” Graf adds.

Here’s a list of the very best collagen supplements, all backed by a nutrition Ph.D., if you want to start looking.