Most of us have an anti-aging skincare regime that sees us spending a small fortune on lotions and potions to stop wrinkles and age spots in their tracks. I’m only 32 and my skin is relatively youthful, but I’ve really invested in my skin early and at a great cost, financially and otherwise. I like to think it’s paid off as most people seem to put my age at around 8-10 years younger than I am (so they tell me!).

Supplements aren’t new to me either, and I’m on first name basis with the staff at Holland & Barrett. Doing things holistically comes naturally to me and I’m often among the first to know about hero products that make a real difference.

So when Nutraconcepts contacted me about their next generation skin-care solution, Perfectace Platinum Collagen, I couldn’t resist giving it a go.

Perfectace reveals the next-generation in skincare solution. Perfectace’s Platinum Collagen is an exclusive 100% natural supplement that works from the inside out to create a lasting, visible improvement in your skin. Proven to help reduce the appearance of scars/marks and skin conditions such as acne.

Revolutionary new Perfectace Platinum Collagen contains a definitive blend of biologically active proteins, including our innovative active ingredient OptiDerm^®, that are scientifically proven to stimulate new healthy skin growth to replace these deteriorating linkages and revitalise your skin.

It was an intriguing concept. We all know supplements can deliver essential nutrients that are lacking in our diets, but can they really deliver on a cosmetic level? I didn’t see why not when you consider that creams, and even micro-dermal solutions, target top layers of the epidermis only, and not the subcutaneous layer beneath (see the quote from Natahalie Pelletier below that perhaps better sums up my view).

My only reservation was whether an oral supplement would stay in the body long enough to have any real effect.

I often have a go at dissecting the scientific value of skincare solutions on this blog, but this one needs someone far more qualified than I. Needless to say Perfectace has been 5 years in the making and there aren’t too many independent studies or reviews out there. Those that do exist are Perfectace-led and remarkably positive, hailing it as a bit of a miracle product in evening out skin tone, and minimising signs of aging. There are also some celebrity advocates including Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthea Turner and Carole Smillie and features in Top Sante, The Metro and the Daily Mail.

Naturally I’m skeptical and trust my own experience of a product first and foremost, so here’s my assessment based on 6 weeks use.

First up, it’s worth flagging up the purity of the ingredients. The collagen, made from 100% pure, active and concentrated ingredients, features no binders or fillers and has been developed by leading experts using research-based science. It features Peptan as its core ingredient (a form of collagen commonly flung about on beauty advertisements, and regarded as the world’s leading collagen peptide for skin beauty). Peptan collagen peptides are made from deep sea fish skin which have high absorption rates and Perfectace stress theirs are the highest quality, safe and ethically sourced available (from fish and not lower bovine sources, and containing more than 97% protein, with no fat or carbohydrate).

The instructions say to take 1-3 times a day with a meal. I choose to take this twice daily at lunch and breakfast as I’ve never been much of a breakfast person and wanted to be consistent. It’s easy to swallow and there’s no associated sicky feeling as there often is with oral supplements.

For the first few weeks there was no discernible difference. Throughout testing, I was already armed with some of the best hero products on the market including Mychelle’s Argan Oil and Renu 28, so my skin was already pretty clear and luminous. Yet on and around day 14 I noticed the light dusting of rosacea on my cheeks had faded and I looked a little fresher in the morning. This continued throughout the trial despite averaging just a few hours sleep per night with a teething baby.

By day 30, my complexion was looking even clearer and felt a little thicker. I was trialling a facial wash as opposed to my usual cleansing lotion so my fingers were coming into contact with my face more and there was a notable difference in its elasticity. Previously large pores seemed to get smaller and less prone to greasiness and I made a permanent switch to BB Cream and ditched my foundation; I no longer needed such opaque coverage.

Face aside, my c-section scar miraculously stopped itching and I felt a little less tired throughout the day (no small feat with my tiny tearaways I can assure you!). There were of course other external factors to take into account, I’d been dabbling with diets and was virtually alcohol-free before Christmas, any of which could have accounts for the small changes in my appearance and sense of “wellness” - but since running out, fatigue has returned.

In summary, it’s very tough for me to attribute all of the positivity above to Perfectace. I test hundreds of beauty and skincare products a year and these usually fall atop one another making it difficult to know what exactly is performing best. Very few products make it to Holy Grail status - I haven’t re-purchased this yet, but I would consider it. I definitely prefer it to soluble collagen products.

If you want to try this for yourself Vitamin Planet currently has it on offer with some really enticing offers. 60 capsules are just £39.99 (that’s £20 off RRP) with other quantities available at even better value.