Beauty Focus Collagen is a supplement sold by a brand called Nu Skin. The brand positions this supplement as a beauty enhancing product that can help consumers “visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles” in skin and “boost hydration for all-out gorgeous skin.”
But does Beauty Focus Collagen contain a research-backed collagen dose? Does it contain any unhealthy added ingredients? Is this supplement proven in research studies to have anti-aging effects? And how do real users rate and describe its effects?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Beauty Focus Collagen to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective for wrinkle reduction and improved skin quality.
We'll also share our concerns about the clinical trial on Beauty Focus Collagen, feature unsponsored customer reviews including before-and-after images, and feature a video from a YouTube creator who investigates some of the controversies surrounding this supplement's manufacturer.
Brand's Own Study Disproves Claims
Nu Skin describes Beauty Focus Collagen as “clinically proven.”
However, the clinical trial funded by the brand disproves some of the brand's own marketing claims.
The manufacturer of Beauty Focus Collagen funded a clinical trial testing the effects of the supplement on various skin parameters.
This study was published in a peer-reviewed journal called Current Developments in Nutrition. We give credit to the manufacturer for funding clinical research published in a peer-reviewed journal, as this is the gold standard of product research.
While the supplement was shown to improve some skin measures such as skin facial color, "no changes in lines and skin firmness were noted."
Recall from the intro to this article that Nu Skin claims that their supplement can "visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles."
We urge the brand to remove this marketing claim which is disproven by their own study.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in the Peach flavor of the Beauty Focus Collagen+ drink are shown above.
Collagen peptides is unsurprisingly the first active ingredient.
The 2,500 milligram (mg) collagen dose may be an effective dose for wrinkle reduction. A 2014 clinical trial used the exact same dose, and found after eight weeks of daily supplementation that skin wrinkles were significantly reduced.
Lutein is an antioxidant compound found in plants like broccoli and peppers. While there are some clinical trials suggesting lutein may improve skin quality, we can’t identify any using a dose as low as 5 mg.
Wheat lipid extract may be effective for improving skin quality, but again we consider the amount in this supplement to be underdosed.
A clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that this ingredient reduced wrinkles and improved skin hydration, but the dosage used in the trial was 350 mg, which is 5x the amount in Beauty Focus Collagen.
Beauty Focus Collagen also contains two questionable additive ingredients.
Citric acid is a preservative and flavor-enhancing ingredient.
As we documented in our review of NeoCell Collagen (another collagen supplement containing this ingredient), citric acid has been shown in at least one medical review to cause inflammatory reactions in some individuals.
Natural flavors is a categorical term that fails to describe the specific flavoring agents used, and there are toxicity concerns documented in medical research regarding some flavoring compounds.
Overall, we consider this supplement likely to have an anti-aging effect given its effective collagen dose, but we don't currently recommend it due to the additive ingredients discussed above.
Real People Try Beauty Focus Collagen
A TikTok creator named "nelaughl" shares before-and-after images after trying NuSkin's collagen:
@nelaughl #nuskin #nuskinproducts #collagen #glowup #treatyourself #loveyourself #momsoftiktok ♬ Level Up - Ciara
A TikTok creator named "carolportobella" shares some before-and-after images from customers using Beauty Focus Collagen:
@carolportobella Beauty Focus Collagen ➕ BENEFICIOS: • Aumenta la producción de colágeno y elastina en tu piel. • Favorece la hidratación de la piel y la humectación saludable. • Ayuda a proteger contra los efectos dañinos de los factores de estrés oxidativo, incluida la luz azul. • Probado clínicamente que ayuda a tener un aspecto más juvenil. • Ayuda a reducir visiblemente las líneas de expresión y las arrugas. • Ayuda a mejorar la salud de la piel y la prepara para obtener mejores beneficios complementarios los regímenes de cuidado tópico de la piel de Nu Skin®. • Elaborado sin colorantes, saborizantes ni edulcorantes artificiales. • Con certificación SCS de nivel I, para que sepas que los carotenoides se absorben y aumentan tu puntuación de ESCANER Info por dm . . . . #colageno #colágeno #colagenohidrolizado #beautyfocuscollagenplus #beautyfocuscollagenplus🧡🧡🧡 #nuskin #cuidadofacial #cuidadodelapiel #cuidadointegral #salud #bienestar #belleza ♬ sonido original - Carolportobella
Manufacturer Controversies
Nu Skin, the multi-level-marketing (MLM) brand behind Beauty Focus Collagen, was investigated in an exposé published by YouTube creator "iilluminaughtii."
The video documents how Nu Skin has been accused of running a pyramid scheme, how the brand has been sued for sex discrimination, and orders from regulatory agencies made to Nu Skin due to alleged false claims:
Beauty Focus Collagen Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Beauty Focus Collagen in our opinion:
Pros:
- Effective collagen dose
- Tested in clinical trial published in peer-reviewed journal
- Contains other research-backed active ingredients
- Clinically shown to improve facial skin color
- Clinically shown to improve "radiance" of skin
Cons:
- Clinically shown to have no effect on wrinkles
- Clinically shown to have no effect on skin firmness
- Contains citric acid
- Contains natural flavors
- Lutein may be underdosed
- Wheat lipid extract may be underdosed
- Extremely expensive
