Living a vegan lifestyle sometimes has its challenges -- one of which is getting enough collagen in our diets. Collagen nourishes the hair, nails, and skin, so it's a must to have them to maintain overall health.
The good news is, several commercial brands now offer vegan supplements that can provide the vitamins and nutrients your body needs for collagen production and utilization.
Vegan collagen is an excellent option for everyone, even if you're not on a vegan diet. I did some research on the vegan collagen supplements in the market today and tried some myself. I'll tell you which ones may actually help you obtain healthier hair, skin, and nails. Let's dive into the best vegan collagen products.
PRODUCT | HIGHLIGHTS & BENEFITS |
|---|---|
Best Overall OUR #1 RATED  #1 Ora Organic | |
 #2 PlantFusion Collagen Builder | |
 #3 Garden of Life | |
 #4 Sunwarrior | |
 #5 Vegan Vitality |
1. Ora Vegan Collagen-Boosting Powder
A great vegan collagen supplement focuses on giving you the right nutrients for your body to produce its own collagen. Ora Vegan Collagen-Boosting Powder does precisely that.
I think it's one of the best vegan collagen supplements because the ingredients include Aloe Vera, Vitamin C & E, Amino Acids, and Silica. These ingredients give your body the building blocks it needs to produce collagen.
Let's look into the amino acids this supplement uses. It has 3 grams of organic pea protein in every serving. I'm happy to see that they use pea protein because it specifically has an essential amino acid called lysine, which is key to create collagen.
Pros
CONS
Users report that this helps improve their skin by preventing wrinkles and keeping it supple and elastic. Hence, it's one of the top recommendations to support your skincare routine.
One bottle contains 20 servings. If you want to save money, then you should consider getting a subscription to get a discount.
Oh, how I am so happy this is available. I'd been looking for ways to boost collagen the vegan way, and here it is! It's delicious, and I feel good about doing something good for my skin. It makes me glow on the inside and out! - Dennis B, Happy Customer
2. PlantFusion Collagen Builder
PlantFusion Collagen Builder is certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free. It's one of the best sources of protein, as each serving has 18 grams of protein. You could ditch your protein shake with this supplement.
Their collagen blend includes Saberry amla fruit extract, amino acids (proline & glycine), and plant-based ceramides oils.
The company claims that these ingredients are essential for collagen growth and restoring hydration in the skin and joints.
Pros
CONS
Flavors are chocolate, vanilla, or unflavored. I would recommend getting the vanilla or unflavored if you plan on making smoothies with it. The size options are either a 12-serving or 20-serving tub.
3. Garden of Life Organic Plant Collagen Builder
Alicia Silverstone, actress and environmental activist, co-founded the mykind Organics line from Garden of Life. It has certifications for everything, including USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan Certified, Gluten-Free Certified, and Kosher.
The ingredient list for this product is long. It contains two proprietary blends, and the company claims the blends will help you have beautiful hair, skin, and nails.
This may be true, but since the ingredients are listed in a proprietary blend, it doesn't list how much of the ingredient is in the product. So they may not be enough to make an effective change in your body.
Pros
CONS
There are 30 servings in one container, and the recommended dosage is two tablets a day. There's a lot more serving in this product, which gives it a better value compared to other products.
4. Sun Warrior Plant-based Collagen
This supplement contains a lot of nutrients that are good for you. Vitamin C, leafy greens, silica, and biotin are included for their strengthening and supporting nutrients [1]. They also added ingredients to help hydrate your skin like tremella mushroom extract.
I was impressed that this also contains 15 grams of protein in each serving. You could replace your protein shake with this much protein.
The protein source seems to be from the organic pea protein and organic brown rice peptides. A single scoop is equivalent to 1 serving, and each container has 20 servings.
Pros
CONS
I tried the Tahitian Vanilla flavor, and I liked how this product didn't have a chemical or foul smell. It has a strong scent, but it's on the sweet side. It has a great taste. It's also available in Chocolate Fudge and Natural Flavor.
5. Vegan Vitality Collagen Complex
One of the cleanest options in this list is the Vegan Vitality Collagen Complex. It’s made from 100% plant-based extracts that are all-natural, including L-lysine, which helps build your skin’s collagen, keeping it firm and supple.
It also has 50 mcg of biotin and a wide range of multivitamins for hair and nail health.
While reading the ingredients list of this collagen, I got most interested in its bamboo extract content. I did thorough research on this ingredient and found that it’s an excellent anti-oxidant that may help resolve skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
Pros
CONS
It comes in a concentrated 500mg capsules and each pack is good for a 2-month supply. While I don’t mind taking 1 capsule a day, I find that some people
6. Anima Mundi Plant-based Collagen
I was happy to see that Anima Mundi uses fair trade practices for their ingredients. This means that they offer the highest quality ingredients while also ensuring that farmers get supported.
Their plant-based formula includes silica and calcium. These ingredients help with collagen production for beautiful hair, skin, and nails.
Other ingredients include comfrey for bone health and Fo-Ti and gynostemma to help the body counter and resist physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors. These adaptogens support the metabolism and restore bodily systems.
I don't like their nutritional label as it's not as transparent as I'd like it to be. Everything is covered under a proprietary blend. It's quite disappointing that there is absolutely nothing to indicate how much of the ingredient is in the product.
Pros
CONS
Each container has 35 servings of powder, which makes it the highest amount per container so far.
7. Amazing Grass GLOW Vegan Protein Powder
Amazing Grass has 15 grams of vegan protein, which makes it a suitable source of protein. It has a protein blend of peas and brown rice, which ensures you get the full spectrum of amino acids.
It also has biotin and organic acerola cherry, which are excellent sources of vitamin C and B complex. These vitamins support collagen growth.
They are also USDA Organic certified, gluten-free, and has no added sugar.
In terms of benefits, users say that this product has helped make their skin look younger and nails stronger.
Pros
CONS
There are 6 delicious flavors to choose from, ranging from Chocolate Rose to Wild Berry Hibiscus.
8. Codeage Beauty Boost Organic Vegan Collagen Booster
Their organic food blend includes sesbania, guava, alma berry, holy basil, lemon peel, annatto, bamboo shoot, and mustard seed. They claim that these ingredients help boost collagen production.
The ingredients provide large amounts of vitamins and minerals that fight the effects of aging and help you look and feel at your best. It's especially high in Vitamin C, Folate, Biotin, Selenium, Vitamin B6, and Riboflavin.
I like how this product uses organic and clean ingredients. There are no fillers, artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
Pros
CONS
What I don't like is that they recommend taking 3 capsules daily. That's a lot of pills on top of other supplements I'm taking. Each container has 30 servings, which is quite a lot compared to other products.
What is the difference between plant-based collagen and animal-derived collagen?
Collagen typically isn't vegan as it's derived from animal. Animal-derived collagen is made from the bones, skin, and cartilage of animals. Plant-based or vegan collagen, on the other hand, uses herbs to provide nutrients and antioxidants that help your body produce more collagen naturally [2].
This is a great option for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone who is grossed out by the idea of consuming bones, skin, and cartilage of animals in the name of beauty.
What are the benefits of vegan collagen?
There are 5 benefits of vegan collagen.
- 1Cheaper than animal-derived collagen
- 2Lower risk of allergy reactions
- 3Helps the body produce natural collagen
- 4No animals are harmed
- 5Healthier skin, hair, and nails
Can I Get Vegan Collagen From Natural Food Sources?
Yes, it's possible to get vegan collagen from natural food sources [3].
These are the foods that are high in amino acids for collagen production:
When should I take vegan collagen?
You should consult the brand's nutrition label to see their recommended dosage and instructions for taking their collagen-boosting supplement.
For example, Aloe Gorgeous says you can take it any point in the day. Since vegan collagen is often a source of protein, you may want to consider taking it before or after your workout. And since it's about eco-friendly ingredient sourcing, you can opt for the plant-based always.
My #1 Recommended Pick Is...
Although I'm not following a strict vegan lifestyle, it's refreshing to know that there are a lot of vegan and all-natural supplements out there.
Personally, I'd choose vegan collagen over animal-derived collagen anytime. I think the ingredients are healthier and a lot friendlier to the body. I especially like Ora Organic's Vegan Collagen-Boosting Powder. The quality of ingredients is impressive, and they only include exactly what your body needs to produce more collagen.
The results are undeniable, and people love it because it works. It helps them feel physically better while also improving the beauty of their hair, skin, and nails.
Ora Organic
Our #1 Vegan Collagen Supplement
