Marine collagen for skin: what people who actually took it say

Updated on 12 November 2026 with 1,100 reviews from people who took British Supplements’ marine collagen, written between September 2019 and September 2026, and 2 studies published between 2018 and 2023.

Has anyone who takes collagen actually seen a difference? One Mumsnet member asked exactly that. Fine lines, a saggy jawline, crepey arms or skin that felt dry are what brought people in the reviews to it. Here’s what marine collagen for skin was actually like for the people who took it.

We went through every review of British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. Of those, 1,100 mention skin, written between September 2019 and September 2026 by people in the UK. Skin that felt softer, smoother and less dry comes up most, and others wrote about a glow, fine lines and firmer skin.

If marine collagen itself is new to you, start with what marine collagen is and where it comes from.

Here’s what the 1,100 reviews that mention skin talk about:

What they wrote about	People
A change, with a time	255
No side effects	41
A side effect	28
No change yet, with a time	27
No difference	25
Rosacea, eczema, psoriasis or sensitive skin	25
Spots that cleared	10
Wrinkles that didn’t change	5
Spots from it	2

Is collagen good for skin?

Yes, collagen is good for skin, according to Linda R., 65 and nearly a year in, whose skin is the best it’s been for a long, long time. Linda R. is one of 1,100 people who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen and wrote about their skin, and 25 of them wrote that it made no difference, 13 of those that it’s early days.

These are collagen supplements for skin, the kind you swallow, not the kind you rub in. Here’s what three of them wrote:

Can collagen make my skin glow?

Yes, collagen can make your skin glow, according to four people who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen and wrote that theirs is glowing. Nobody wrote the opposite. Here’s what three of the four wrote:

What does the research say about collagen for skin?

Collagen for skin elasticity came out higher than a placebo in 19 trials, and skin hydration did too in 18. That’s according to a review from Taipei Medical University, published in Nutrients in April 2023. It pooled 26 trials and 1,721 people, and 14 of those trials used fish collagen.

Does collagen help with wrinkles?

Yes, collagen helped with wrinkles, according to Christine M., Carol O. and Glenys R., who wrote that their fine lines or wrinkles softened after a few months on British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. Five people wrote that their wrinkles didn’t change, though other things did. Here’s what four people taking collagen for wrinkles wrote about their fine lines:

What does the research say about collagen and wrinkles?

Collagen improved wrinkles more than a placebo did at 12 weeks, on the dermatologists’ wrinkle score and three of the skin-replica measures. That’s according to the 12-week trial of fish collagen peptides published in Nutrients in June 2018, in 64 women aged 40 to 60. At six weeks, there was no difference yet.

Can collagen reverse sagging skin?

Yes, collagen can reverse sagging skin, according to Mary-Anne R., whose face shape came back while taking British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. Richard W., Joanna K. and Bernie M. wrote that their skin is firmer or sags less, Richard W.’s upper arms after two weeks. One person wrote that their skin’s elasticity didn’t change.

Hardly anyone writes elasticity. They write saggy jawline, turkey neck or crepey arms. Loose skin after losing weight is on the page about collagen for weight loss. Here’s what four of them wrote about loose skin:

What does the research say about collagen for skin elasticity?

Collagen for skin elasticity came out ahead of a placebo in 19 of 26 trials, and in two of three elasticity measures by 12 weeks. That’s according to the Taipei Medical University review and the June 2018 trial in Nutrients. The research on collagen for sagging skin measured elasticity, not sagging.

How long does collagen take to work on skin?

Collagen took two days to four months to work on skin, according to the 255 people who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen and gave a time alongside a change in their skin. Another 27 gave a time and no change yet. Here’s how long it took, quickest first:

• Two days, for someone whose face somebody else noticed had changed
• About a week, for someone whose face felt smoother under their face cream
• Two weeks, for someone whose arms felt more supple
• Three weeks, for someone with fine lines on their neck and chest
• About two and a half months, for someone who’s 65 and nearly a year in
• Four months, for someone whose skin looks brighter and less wrinkled

What does the research say about how long collagen takes?

Hydration pulled ahead of the placebo by six weeks, and wrinkling and elasticity by 12. That’s according to the June 2018 trial in Nutrients. The trials in the Taipei Medical University review ran anywhere from two to 12 weeks, and the ones past eight weeks found bigger differences than the shorter ones.

Is marine collagen safe to take for skin?

Whether marine collagen is safe for you to take for your skin depends on what your GP or a pharmacist says. Forty-one people who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen wrote that they had no side effects, and 28 wrote about one, two of them spots and three a rash or an allergic reaction. Here’s what three of the 41 wrote:

If you’re prone to spots or acne and wondering whether collagen can cause acne, two people who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen wrote that it gave them spots, and 10 wrote that theirs cleared. Here’s what four of the 10 wrote:

If you have rosacea, eczema, psoriasis or sensitive skin, so do 25 people who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen, and none of them wrote about a side effect from the capsule. Two more wrote about someone else’s skin.

If you’re over 60, the trials in the Taipei Medical University review took in women from 21 right up to 70, and one was in people over 65. Here’s what six people over 60 wrote, and none of the six wrote about a side effect:

What does the research say about safety?

The research on safety found no side effects from collagen in 12 weeks. That’s according to the June 2018 trial in Nutrients, where blood tests, urine tests and blood pressure also stayed in the normal range.

Ask your GP or a pharmacist about what to avoid while taking marine collagen if you:

• take anything for your skin, or any other medication or supplement
• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• have a kidney or liver condition

Anyone with a fish allergy should not take it.

The pack adds three lines of its own: not to be taken by under 18s, do not exceed the recommended daily dosage, and keep out of reach of children.

Which collagen is best for skin?

The best collagen for skin is the one with reviews from people who actually took it and wrote what changed in their skin. That’s people with names and dates, not what’s printed on the pack. Here’s what three of the 1,100 who wrote about their skin on British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen wrote:

FAQ

What are the 5 signs that collagen is working?

Softer, smoother skin, less dryness, a glow, firmer skin and fewer fine lines are the 5 signs collagen is working, according to Wendy R., Ess k., Joanna K. and Christine M., who took British Supplements’ Clean Genuine Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen. That’s how to tell if collagen is working, from what they noticed. Nails and hairdressers come into it too, on the page about whether collagen supplements work.

What is collagen in skin?

Collagen makes up 80 per cent of your skin’s dry weight, according to the Taipei Medical University review, and the cells that make it slow down as you get older. The review puts what causes lack of collagen in the face down to ageing.