HOW TO USE COLLAGEN WITH OTHER SKINCARE INGREDIENTS

There’s a lot of confusion around collagen and how it works in skincare.

 

That’s where collagen skincare comes in. While you can’t simply replace collagen topically, certain ingredients can help support your skin’s ability to produce and maintain it¹.

 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to support collagen with hyaluronic acid, peptides, niacinamide, and more – and how to use these ingredients together for visible results.

 

The best ingredients to use with collagen

 

Different skincare ingredients support collagen in different ways: some help stimulate it, some protect it, and others help maintain the environment it needs to function. Below, we break down the key ingredients that support collagen and how they work in your skin.

 

Collagen and peptides

 

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that form part of collagen and act as signals. These signals prompt your skin to produce more collagen as levels naturally decline with age².

 

At Vichy, peptides are formulated into our skincare using Co-Bond Technology to support how collagen functions as it slows. Rhamnose and maitake extract help maintain and protect this process – targeting 16 visible signs of ageing.

 

Liftactiv Collagen Specialist Eye Cream

 

Our Liftactiv Collagen Specialist Eye Cream utilises peptides to target fine lines in the eye area, where the visible signs of collagen loss show up first. Using caffeine to target dark circles and crow’s feet, helping your eye area feel more awake and refreshed. Its lightweight texture is suitable for sensitive skin and absorbs quickly – with 84% of women reporting fewer visible wrinkles*.

 

* Results from clinical, instrumental, and consumer tests

 

Liftactiv Collagen Specialist 16 Bonding Serum

 

Liftactiv Collagen Specialist 16 Bonding Serum uses peptides to target multiple signs of collagen decline at once. In clinical testing, this translated to visible changes in how skin looks and behaves, with 77% reporting firmer-looking skin, 55% increased radiance, and fine lines appearing 33% less visible^*.

 

*In vitro test

 

Liftactiv Collagen Specialist 16 Day Cream

 

Liftactiv Collagen Specialist 16 Day Cream uses peptides daily to help maintain collagen levels while hydrating your skin. It supports visible smoothness and firmness throughout the day, with 84% of women noticing reduced wrinkles*. Its lightweight cream texture is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

 

* Results from clinical, instrumental, and consumer tests.

 

Collagen with niacinamide

 

When collagen levels drop, your skin becomes thinner, making dark spots and uneven tone more visible. Niacinamide – also known as vitamin B3 – helps support collagen by strengthening your skin’s moisture barrier and improving how it retains hydration³.

 

Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Anti-Dark Spots Serum

 

Our Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Anti-Dark Spots Serum combines 5% niacinamide with Melasyl, which targets excess pigmentation before it appears on the surface. Used daily, this leads to visible improvements in both tone and texture, reducing dark spots by up to 86% and wrinkles by up to 38%* while helping skin appear more even.

 

^* Helps reduce dark spots by up to 86%, wrinkles by up to 38% and evens out skin tone and radiance.

 

Liftactiv B3 Tone Correcting Retinol Night Cream

 

Liftactiv B3 Tone Correcting Retinol Night Cream pairs retinol with niacinamide to work overnight. Niacinamide helps maintain hydration and balance, while retinol supports your skin renewal cycle. Together, this formula helps support collagen with niacinamide, improving the appearance of dark spots by up to 45%^*.

 

^* Clinical results show up to 45% improvement in the appearance of dark spots.

 

Collagen with hyaluronic acid

 

Collagen production depends on water being present in your skin. When hydration levels drop, your skin can’t support this process as effectively. This is where hyaluronic acid comes in: it’s a humectant (water-absorbing ingredient), which binds water within your skin – helping maintain the hydration needed for this process⁴.

 

Our Liftactiv Hyaluronic range supports collagen with hyaluronic acid by maintaining optimal hydration across your entire routine.

 

Liftactiv Hyaluronic Acid Serum

 

Liftactiv Hyaluronic Acid Serum contains 1.5% pure hyaluronic acid – a higher concentration than most anti-wrinkle serums. It draws water into your skin to support elasticity and maintain volume. As hydration levels stabilise, your skin looks smoother, with wrinkles reduced by 47% and fine lines by 60% in just six weeks^*.

 

*Clinically proven: -47% wrinkles, -60% fine lines, and +13% elasticity in just 6 weeks across 53 women.

 

Liftactiv Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream

 

With 0.5% pure hyaluronic acid our  helps maintain hydration throughout the day, supporting skin against external stressors – such as pollution, hard water, and extreme weather – that can accelerate collagen decline. On application, 38% immediately noticed improved elasticity, while 83% reported brighter-looking skin^*.

 

^*Clinically proven: +38% immediate elasticity and 83% reduction in skin dullness.

 

Liftactiv Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream

 

The under-eye area loses water faster due to the thinner skin there, which makes collagen loss more visible. Our Liftactiv Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream restores hydration in this area, helping smooth the look of fine lines. Within four weeks, crow’s feet appeared reduced by 30%, and wrinkles by 24%^*.

 

^*Clinically proven to reduce the look of crow's feet by 30% and under-eye wrinkles by 24% in just 4 weeks, across a self-assessment of 75 women

 

Collagen and vitamin C

 

Collagen can be broken down by daily exposure to UV, pollution, and other environmental stressors. Collagen and antioxidants are closely linked here, as antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E help protect your skin from this damage, wliftactiv-pure-retinol-serum-for-anti-ageinghich supports collagen maintenance⁵.

 

Liftactiv 16% Vitamin C Serum

 

Our Liftactiv 16% Vitamin C Serum uses a high concentration of pure vitamin C to deliver 83% antioxidant defence against daily damage* – and, with just 11 ingredients, it’s suitable for all skin types (including sensitive). Among the benefits of pairing collagen and vitamin C[RB2.1] is their ability to limit melanin production, which can lead to dark spots and uneven tone. By supporting this process, they help fade visible pigmentation and improve overall clarity. With daily use, users noticed skin appeared 51% more even* and 40% brighter*.

*Clinical study, 52 women, 1 month
*Clinical study, skin homogeneity calculated on spot area versus adjacent area, 40 women, 3 months
*Clinical study, results on sebum photo-peroxidation test in vivo, 21 women

 

Collagen and retinol

 

Collagen and retinol support each other because retinol works below the skin’s surface, in the dermis where collagen is made. It signals your skin to produce more collagen in areas where it’s declining, helping rebuild support from within.

 

Liftactiv 0.2% Pure Retinol Serum for Anti-Ageing

 

With 100% of users seeing a reduction in wrinkles^*, Liftactiv 0.2% Pure Retinol Serum for Anti-Ageing targets the loss of firmness that naturally comes with age. Working overnight, it stimulates collagen production, while probiotic fractions help support your skin’s moisture barrier to minimise discomfort without compromising performance.

 

*Clinical study, 27 women, 46 to 65 years old.

 

What to be aware of when pairing other skincare ingredients with collagen

 

There’s no shortage of ingredients that support collagen, but how you combine them matters. Using too many other products and ingredients – or layering them incorrectly – can limit results in the short-term and make your skin harder to manage in the long-term.

 

When pairing collagen with other ingredients, keep the following tips in mind:

 

• Avoid over-exfoliation: Using too many chemical exfoliants or scrubs can thin your skin, making collagen loss more visible.
• Space out strong actives: Ingredients such as retinol and vitamin C are strong – use them at different times to avoid stressing your skin.
• Layer in hydration: Collagen production relies on well-hydrated skin, so start with lightweight hydration and finish with a moisturiser to help maintain it.
• Always wear sunscreen: A broad-spectrum SPF protects your skin from UVB and UVA rays, which can trigger oxidative stress in your skin.

 

Now you understand how collagen and peptides work, take it one step further and explore hydrolysed collagen and how it benefits the skin.

 

 

^{1 https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/3/132}

^{2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40935395/}

^{3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32272541/}

^{4 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12452154/}

^{5 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/9/1663}

^{6 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38002296/}