After two weeks of using Boots’ affordable collagen skincare, I can already see a difference
Each product costs just £12 and massively exceeded my expectations.
As we age, our internal collagen production slows down, leading to a loss of elasticity and plumpness, which makes fine lines and wrinkles more visible and prevalent. Its main role is to keep our skin firm and supple, which is why you will see collagen as a key ingredient in many anti-ageing skincare products. However, these products don’t usually come cheap, which is why I was intrigued and excited to try Boots’ own range of affordable collagen skincare products.
Boots Youth Activating Collagen Range
Boots Collagen Serum 30ml
Boots Collagen Night Cream 50ml
Boots Collagen Day Cream SPF30
Boots Collagen Eye Serum 15ml
Made up of four key skincare products, there's a Collagen Day Cream SPF30, Collagen Night Cream, Collagen Eye Serum and Collagen Serum, with each costing just £12 a pop.
🛍️ Product reviewed: Boots Youth Activating Collagen Skincare Range
⏰ Tested for: Two weeks
⭐ Rating: 5/5
💸 Reasons to buy: The four-piece range is affordable, fuss-free and full of firming and hydrating ingredients
✋ Reasons to avoid: Very oily skin types may find the Collagen Day Cream too rich
This four-piece skincare range helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, while improving dehydration and elasticity.
What does collagen do for your body and skin?
Our collagen production slows down as we age, and from the age of 20, we lose 1% of it every year. It's the main reason why as you get older, you'll notice your skin loses its elasticity.
While you can take collagen supplements, such as Jennifer Aniston's favourite Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides to improve your body's collagen levels (you can read our review on it here). You can also incorporate the ingredient into your skincare routine to help preserve healthy skin.
Collagen can be found in many different beauty products, and it's not uncommon to find creams, lotions, and serums with big price tags. For example, the Dermalogica Pro-Collagen Banking Serum will set you back a whopping £89, while Elemis' cult favourite Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is an eye-watering £95.
This is exactly why I was so keen to try the Boots Collagen range, as it's so budget-friendly and promises to deliver plumper, firmer skin. I've been testing each product for two week and here's my honest thoughts on every single product.
Boots Collagen Serum
Arguably the hero product of the collagen collection, this gel serum was an incredibly easy addition to my skincare routine. Simply apply it to clean, dry skin before your usual moisturiser.
You can use it morning and evening, and as an added perk it comes in a luxurious glass bottle. I found two pumps was enough for my whole face, so it is also bound to last you a while.
It instantly left my skin smooth to the touch, and after two weeks of use, my skin felt softer, looked healthier, and showed improved texture in areas where my rosacea typically presents (cheeks, nose, and chin). For just £12, it's on par with more high-end creams I have tried that are over triple the price, so I was seriously impressed. If you only try one product from the Boots Collagen range, make it this.
This hydrating, skin-smoothing serum deeply nourishes and revitalises your skin, and is an easy way to add collagen into your existing routine. If you only try one product from the Boots Collagen range, make it this.
- Very affordable compared to other collagen serums on the market
- Leaves skin silky smooth with a subtle radiance
- Unlike the 50ml day and night creams, this serum costs the same but only has 30ml
Boots Collagen Night Cream
The night cream features the same cocktail of ingredients as the Day Cream, except it has a gel texture that's ultra-lightweight.
If you don't like the faff of rubbing creams in, this is a quick way to boost hydration levels and improve firmness while you sleep. It has a subtle but very fresh scent, and did nothing but good for my complexion.
This night cream is formulated to help with the appearance of smoothing fine lines and wrinkles overnight. It's rich in bakuchiol, a plant extract that has similar properties to retinol, as well as red algae extract for hydrating and smoothing skin while I slept.
- It's gel-cream texture softens skin instantly
- Ultra-lightweight
- It is super hydrating and effectively nourished my skin overnight
- I can't fault this cream for just £12
Boots Collagen Day Cream SPF30
Even if you're not interested in using dedicated collagen skincare, this is still a great budget moisturiser. It's a luxuriously rich texture that's fast-absorbing and leaves skin silky soft and primed for make-up.
There's also the added bonus of SPF30, which is crucial for anti-ageing because it protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are one of the leading causes of premature ageing.
The formula is packed with marine collagen, which is the key ingredient for plumping and smoothing skin, alongside bakuchioul, a plant alternative to retinol that behaves in a similar way to tackle the appearance of ageing in the long term, and reg algae extract which intensely hydrates.
It ticks every box for me; it creates the perfect canvas for make-up, the glass pot feels much more expensive than it is, it soothed and softened my skin and improved texture on my cheeks and around me nose. After two weeks of use, my skin looked healthier and felt firmer. All in all, I'm very impressed.
This is a lightweight and non-greasy cream that reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It has a fresh yet subtle fragrance and made my skin feel soft and improved its texture.
- Lightweight and fast-absorbing
- Has the added bonus of SPF30
- It feels luxurious and improved my skin texture in just two weeks
- It's rich and nourishing texture may be too heavy for very oily skin types
Boots Collagen Eye Serum
You may be thinking, why do I need an eye cream? While your regular moisturiser can work just fine to tackle dehydration and texture around the delicate under-eye area, sometimes a dedicated eye product like this works specifically to combat puffiness and dark circles.
This eye serum has a fluid texture that feels refreshing first thing in the morning and relaxing just before bed. It sinks into the skin quickly, leaves no greasy residue behind, and is a decent eye product for the price.
My only gripe is that it contains only 15ml – which is standard for the beauty industry – but it costs the same as the day and night creams, which are both 50ml in size. I would have liked to have seen this priced lower to compensate.
This hardworking eye serum helped reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness and left me skin feeling refreshed.
- Worked well on my puffy under-eyes
- Ideal for day and night
- Given that it contains less product than the creams, I would have expected it to be priced slightly lower
💸 Reasons to buy
Overall, this is a great budget-friendly skincare range I would recommend, and all four items greatly exceeded my expectations. The price point is also extremely reasonable and offers great value compared to other collagen skincare products on the market.
The effective and luxurious formulas, alongside the glass packaging on the moisturiser jars and serum bottle, also make the collection look and feel a lot more expensive than the £12 price tags.
As the same key ingredients are in each product, you don't necessarily need the entire four-piece line-up to enjoy the benefits of adding collagen to your routine. If I were to recommend just two products, it would be the Boots Collagen Serum and Boots Collagen Night Cream.
✋ Reasons to avoid
Honestly, the products themselves are hard to fault. I'd just love to see adjusted prices for the products that contain less product, mainly the 15ml eye serum.
Secondly, the Day Cream has quite a rich texture, one that feels lovely on areas of my dry and dehydrated skin, but I think it would be too heavy for very oily skin, which suits lighter, gel formulas.
