Why Collagen?

WHY COLLAGEN?

HERE’S WHERE WE GET ALL SCIENCE-Y

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and the foundation of vibrant skin, hair, nails, bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage...even teeth and blood vessels. 70% of our skin and 30% of our total body protein is comprised of collagen—it is the protein that literally holds us together.

Now, you’ve probably heard that it contributes to radiant skin, hair and nails. But the beautiful benefits of collagen go more than skin deep. When you eat collagen, it helps promote the production of collagen in your body from the inside out soothing sore joints and benefiting gut health. To break it down even further, the most abundant amino acid in collagen is glycine, which not only plays a role in building new collagen/connective tissue on the inside of our bodies, but also benefits mood, sleep, and metabolism.

Collagen is so critical to well-being that we practically consider it a missing food group in the modern Western diet. That’s why we created SkinTē—as a nutritious and delicious way to get more collagen into our daily lives. To amplify the nutritional beneﬁts even further, we combined the power of collagen, tea and foundational herbs in something we call the SkinTē equation.

THE SKINTĒ EQUATION

Don’t worry, you won’t need a calculator for this one. Our SkinTē equation is made up of just three special components that are simple, but genius:

1. COLLAGEN PEPTIDES

In our 20s, collagen starts to break down faster than we can produce it. For example, the middle layer of our skin, which provides structure, becomes less plump and wrinkles form. That’s the bad news. The good news is, eating collagen can help counteract these effects—in fact, studies show that consuming 2500-5000mg of collagen peptides daily for 6-12 weeks promotes skin elasticity. And guess what? Every SkinTē product contains at least 3000mg of collagen. Let’s toast to that!

2. SUPER HERBS

In addition to collagen, our drinks contain super-herbs carefully selected by our super-picky doctor, Amy Bader. These foundational herbs work together to support your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

HORSETAIL

For vibrant skin, hair and nails

HAWTHORN BERRY & PASSION FLOWER

Soothes the heart & calms the spirit

NETTLE ROOT

For overall wellbeing

3. SMART INGREDIENTS

Collagen and foundational herbs are just the beginning. We also add thoughtful ingredients like green tea, white tea and ginger, which contribute to SkinTē’s delicious ﬂavor and provide added nutritional punch. These powerful ingredients are an integral part of our signature SkinTē equation.

It all adds up to something beautiful.

A TO YOUR Q

What is collagen and why do we need it?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and the foundation of vibrant skin, hair, nails, bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage... even teeth and blood vessels. 70% of our skin and 30% of our total body protein is comprised of collagen—it is the protein that literally holds us together. In our 20s, collagen starts to break down faster than it can be produced. So consuming collagen on a regular basis is important to replenish the loss.

Can I get collagen by eating meat, poultry, and fish?

Collagen is found in the connective tissue, skin, and bones of animals. The amino acid structure of collagen protein is unique. It is very different from meat protein. The most abundant amino acid in collagen is glycine (about 33%). Glycine is up to 20 times higher in collagen than in meat. Glycine is an important amino acid that not only plays a role in building new collagen/connective tissue on the inside of our bodies, but also benefits mood, sleep, and metabolism.

Therefore, if you boil the bones and skin, and drink the broth, yes, you will get collagen. However, eating a regularly cooked piece of fish, meat, or fowl will not provide you with sufficient collagen. In addition, SkinTē's collagen hydrolysate is more bioavailable than the collagen found in these other sources because it is already broken down into easy to absorb peptides.

What type of collagen is in SkinTē?

SkinTē contains collagen made from the hides of cows. This is mostly type 1 and 3 collagen. That said, ingesting any type of collagen is useful in building new collagen of all types on the inside of the body. This is because all types of collagen have similarities in terms of their amino acid composition. As Dr. Bader says, “When you eat collagen, no matter what type of collagen, you’re using those building blocks to rebuild your own collagen on the inside of the body…every type of collagen. The body knows where it needs to repair and rebuild.”

Where are these cows, anyway? Are they happy? Are they grass fed?

We share the same concerns that many of our customers have regarding animal welfare and the quality of grazing conditions for cattle. We believe cattle should be raised in a natural environment. Our collagen supplier sources from cattle in Argentina and Brazil. They are pasture-raised and grass-fed based on the standards of the American Grassfed Association and animal welfare guidelines. Being forage-based eliminates the potential use of growth hormones, antibiotics, and steroids, which follows the Food and Agricultural Legislation in Argentina and Brazil. The cows graze freely on open grasslands away from the pollution of the cities and are raised by ranchers. Our supplier is committed to monitoring emerging welfare practices and research in order to stay informed about the latest advances in animal welfare, as well as food safety and quality.

Why not use fish (marine) collagen?

We have investigated marine collagen and at this time, we are not comfortable using marine collagen in our product. We have some concerns regarding potential contamination to wild fish due to environmental toxins and microplastics in the ocean. Also, farmed fish live in toxic conditions and are typically fed poor diets. Fish is also a common allergen and we have concerns about putting anyone at risk. We continue to stay up-to-date on research and evolve as we learn more.

Why combine collagen with tea?

The magic happens when we combine collagen with tea. Antioxidants, isoflavones, and other compounds in tea are protective and nourishing for the whole body, including skin. We use organic loose-leaf teas and herbs steeped at the optimal time and temperature that have collagen-friendly ingredients such as vitamin C. Green tea, white tea, hibiscus, and ginger specifically have other benefits including enhanced mood, immune and digestive support, and antioxidants.

Is SkinTē Whole30 compliant?

Our White Tea Ginger is Whole30 compliant. Our Green Tea Grapefruit is not, but it is paleo and keto-friendly.

How long before I see a difference?

While everyone is different (and lifestyle is a factor), typically it takes 3-12 weeks of consistent use to see improvements. Most people tend to notice improvements in hair and nails first. (We have to color our roots much more often these days!) We recommend drinking 1-2 SkinTē beverages a day if you are more serious about results.

Why cans?

We had some tough choices to make when it came to packaging. Glass is beautiful and healthy, but it also breaks, is extremely heavy to ship, and requires a lot of energy to produce and recycle. Plastic is light, but we worry about the environmental impact of all that plastic in the world. With the new and improved BPA non-intent liners in cans, we felt we had a good solution. Not only are they light and won’t break, aluminum cans are the most sustainable beverage package. That said, we are constantly on the lookout for the latest and greatest in packaging solutions for your health and for the environment.

Can I use SkinTē if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?

First of all, congratulations! We can’t give any medical advice regarding pregnancy, breastfeeding or any other medical condition. As far as our products go, they are made of teas (some herbal) and bovine collagen, which is a protein. If you are at all concerned, we recommend you talk with your doctor.