Do collagen creams actually work? Our beauty editor puts one to the test

I recently celebrated my 26th trip around the sun and honestly, I considered making ‘a top up of collagen’ my birthday wish. They say the dreaded decrease process kicks in around your quarter century, after all, and I for one have been missing my youthful skin ever since.

So let’s just say when the chance to sample Olay’s newest red jar – the Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturiser ($59.99 at Chemist Warehouse) – came up, my deteriorating face and I jumped at the chance.

As someone with a seemingly eternally dehydrated skin type and now decreasing collagen levels, lines and creases are both common and prevalent for me. But while I’m not going to stop emoting solely for my skin’s sake (Seinfeld demands to be laughed at), I would like said lines to move along nonetheless.

So, I added the aforementioned red jar to my arsenal instead and crossed my fingers that there would be plump skies/skin ahead…

The breakdown

Now that you know more than you ever asked to know about me, allow me to give some intel about the product.

The Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturiser is a clever combo of collagen peptide (shocker, we know) and niacinamide that works to hydrate the skin while also plumping, firming and bringing back the bounciness we all knew, loved, and now dearly miss.

I know the whole ‘topically topping up collagen’ thing is confusing, so let me try and break it down. Basically, Olay has created a fancy ‘Bioavailable Delivery System’ that helps the collagen peptide 24 to dive 40 per cent deeper into the skin. And because Olay’s collagen peptide is a smaller molecule than most other types, it’s able to actually penetrate rather than just sitting on the skin’s surface. Tiny molecule, huge win.

Once it gets in there, it’s able to help to counteract the pesky concerns that come with loss of collagen, working to fight back against wrinkles and fine lines as well as loss of elasticity and firmness. What an impressive little jar.

The cream

I’m not going to be as cliché as to say ‘love at first swatch’, but hot damn, did the texture seem to bode well for my face’s future bounce-factor. I couldn’t stop dipping into the pot for another hit of the bouncy textural delight. It was super satisfying in a ‘watching TikTokers whip moisturiser around for several hours’ kind of way.

It definitely didn’t disappoint once it hit the face, either. It’s the kind of light-and-bouncy yet delightfully creamy blend that you legitimately look forward to applying, even if for the experience alone. The cooling effect is also a treat, particularly after exiting the shower when my redness is at its angriest.

My reaction-prone skin was certainly grateful for its fragrance-free status – it smelled fresh and clean, but not like anything (which is basically my favourite scent).

The cream’s a super bright white, so I must admit I low-key panicked when applying it a few minutes before a Zoom in fear I’d log on looking like Casper the unfriendly ghost, but it was short-lived; I was relieved to see it absorbed in a flash, leaving behind nothing but an all too welcome blurring effect.

As for the actual application process, I simply smoothed an even coating of cream over freshly cleansed skin, across my face, neck, and even a bit of cheeky chest action. I also got in the habit of rubbing any excess into my hands, and I swear even they look/feel more blurred and bouncy.

The cost

The cream goes for $59.99, AKA an affordable enough price to restock on the regular, but not so cheap that you question the quality of the ingredients in it. It’s also a very decent-sized tub – I’ve been using mine for weeks now and even with the greedy initial swatching session have barely reached halfway.

TBH I’d pay the price for the feeling of the cream alone – the results were really just a perk. But hey, let’s talk about ‘em…

The results

Did I look 21 again? No. I (devastatingly) never will. But I swear my skin did look softer, smoother and (my new favourite word) bouncier than it had in quite a while. I also noticed less tightness toward the end of the day as well as less early morning dullness, so its hydrating benefits do in fact check out.

My favourite change, however, was in my skin’s texture-to-the-touch – I know it’s a skin sin to touch your face, but I found my fingers absentmindedly swiping over my skin to enjoy the silky plumpness. Don’t worry, I’m working on kicking the habit – but hey, it was worth letting you know.

All up, I’ve come out of my first major foray into the world of topical collagen pretty damn impressed. I’m looking forward to seeing how the results progress with prolonged use, but you could definitely call me a fan.

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