Why Skin Ages: The Science Behind Derma Lift
By Dr. Amanda Wiggins
If you take a close look at a photo of yourself from ten years ago, chances are your skin looked a little plumper, a little smoother, a little more resilient than it does today. You’re not alone in experience these changes, for better or worse, it is simply the biology of the skin. How the skin changes over time and understanding exactly what is changing beneath the surface is what led us to develop Derma Lift.
To understand the biology of the skin, it helps to picture it as a kind of living scaffold, held together by three key building blocks.
Collagen is the main structural protein of the dermis, think of it as the scaffolding poles that give skin its firmness and strength. Elastin is the partner fiber that gives skin its "snap back" quality, allowing it to stretch and return to shape. And filling the space between these fibers is a gel-like matrix of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), including hyaluronic acid, which trap and hold water, giving skin its plumpness, hydration and smooth, supple feel.
In our 20s, our skin cells (fibroblasts) produce a steady supply of fresh collagen, elastin and GAGs, and damaged material is cleared away. It's a balanced cycle of renewal. But from our mid-to-late 20s onward, that balance starts to tip. Collagen production slows. Existing collagen and elastin fibers become more fragmented and disorganized. The water-holding gel network thins out. The result, over years and decades, is skin that looks and feels less firm, less plump and less resilient.
The Environmental Accelerators: UV and Pollution
This natural slowdown is only half the story. Two everyday exposures dramatically speed up the process.
UV light penetrates the skin and generates reactive oxygen species, unstable molecules that damage cell membranes and DNA. UV exposure also switches on enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which act like molecular scissors, cutting through existing collagen and elastin fibres faster than the body can replace them.
Pollution, including fine particulate matter, cigarette smoke, ozone and other airborne pollutants, adds a second wave of oxidative stress to the skin, compounding the damage UV exposure causes and further disrupting the collagen–elastin network.
Put simply: ageing is the slow decline of skin's structural building blocks, and UV and pollution are the accelerants that speed up the decline. Any serious approach to long-term skin health needs to address both sides of that equation, supporting the structure itself, and helping the skin defend against everyday environmental stress.
From Understanding to Derma Lift
It was this deeper understanding of skin ageing, including the gradual decline in collagen, elastin and the skin's natural hydration matrix, together with the damaging effects of UV exposure and pollution-driven oxidative stress, that shaped the development of Derma Lift. Rather than focusing on a single trending ingredient, we selected a combination of nutrients designed to work in harmony with the skin's biology by nourishing its structural framework, helping protect it from environmental damage, and supporting the body's natural renewal processes.
Derma Lift’s Advanced Renewal Complex
Marine Collagen & Elastin Peptides. Derma Lift contains hydrolyzed marine collagen and elastin peptides, delivered in a ratio that reflects the natural composition of human skin. Hydrolyzing collagen breaks it down into smaller peptides that are more easily absorbed. Once in circulation, research suggests these peptides can reach the dermis and act as a signal to fibroblasts, encouraging them to produce fresh collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, supporting the skin's structure from within.
This isn't just a theory; it's one of the most extensively studied areas of skin nutrition. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis pooling 26 randomized, placebo-controlled trials in a combined 1,721 people found that hydrolyzed collagen supplementation produced statistically significant improvements in both skin hydration and skin elasticity compared with placebo. The same analysis found that benefits tended to build over time, with supplementation periods of eight weeks or longer producing more favorable results than shorter courses, one of the reasons we recommend giving Derma Lift a full six-to-eight-week run before judging results.
One of the trials in that body of research offers a good illustration of what this looks like in practice: over 56 days, women aged 40 to 60 taking a daily hydrolyzed collagen supplement saw their skin's hydration and elasticity climb steadily, alongside a measurable reduction in wrinkle depth, while a comparison group taking a non-collagen placebo saw no such improvement. Independent dermatologist assessments in the same study found visible improvements in skin softness in over half of participants, and in skin firmness in more than half, by the end of the study.
OVOLUX™ Eggshell Membrane. This is where Derma Lift moves beyond a regular collagen supplement. OVOLUX™ is a new innovation in ingredient science. It is made from upcycled eggshell membrane, and it's a concentrated natural source of skin-relevant material — multiple collagen types, elastin, glycosaminoglycans, and sulfur-rich amino acids, all in one package.
The evidence behind OVOLUX™ is notably robust, especially for a new innovation: in a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in adults aged 35 to 66, daily supplementation was associated with a significant improvement in total skin elasticity versus placebo, a benefit that was already apparent at six weeks and grew to over 12% greater than placebo by the study's end. The same trial found significant improvements versus placebo in skin firmness and viscoelasticity, plus a meaningful hydration benefit: skin hydration in the OVOLUX™ group held essentially steady over the 12-week study, while the placebo group's hydration measurably declined over the same period.
These objective, instrument-measured changes were large enough that participants noticed them too, reporting significantly better skin appearance, texture and overall skin health than the placebo group, along with improvements in hair texture and, among women, nail strength, a helpful reminder that the same underlying structural proteins support skin, hair and nails together.
Astaxanthin. To address the UV and pollution side of the equation, Derma Lift includes astaxanthin, a naturally occurring antioxidant found in marine sources like microalgae. Astaxanthin embeds itself in cell membranes, where research indicates it helps neutralize the damage generated by UV exposure by dialling down the activity of collagen-degrading enzymes (MMPs) that are triggered by sun exposure.
A comprehensive 2018 scientific review of astaxanthin's role in skin health summarized evidence that it works through several complementary mechanisms, quenching free radicals (damaging oxygen molecules) directly, switching on the body's own antioxidant defenses, and calming the inflammatory signals that UV exposure triggers in skin cells. In human clinical trials cited in that review, daily oral astaxanthin doses in the range of 2 to 12 mg over 6 to 16 weeks were repeatedly associated with improvements in wrinkle appearance, skin elasticity and skin moisture. Several of the studies summarized in the review also looked specifically at combining astaxanthin with collagen: in one 12-week trial, women taking that combination showed improved facial elasticity alongside reduced activity of the same collagen- and elastin-degrading enzymes that UV exposure switches on - a nice piece of research that supports pairing the two ingredients the way Derma Lift does.
Biotin. Derma Lift includes biotin, a nutrient that is widely utilized in those looking to support healthy-looking hair and nails are part of the broader picture of supporting hair, skin and nail health from within.
The Bottom Line
We believe in being honest about what this supplement can, and can't, do. Derma Lift is a 100% natural supplement, not a medical treatment. Healthy skin is built over time, and nutritional support works best alongside good habits such as daily sun protection, hydration and a balanced diet. Based on the clinical research behind its key ingredients, many people may begin to notice improvements from around six weeks, with continued supplementation helping to support results over time. Individual results will vary depending on lifestyle factors.
Skin ageing is a natural part of life, but we can support our skin as it changes. Derma Lift was developed around the science of healthy skin. Its carefully selected ingredients, including marine collagen and elastin peptides, OVOLUX™ eggshell membrane, astaxanthin and biotin, were chosen to support the skin's structure, resilience and hydration from within, with each playing a unique, research-backed role.
This isn't about quick fixes. It's about giving your skin the nutrients it needs to look and feel its best. We invite you to experience the difference for yourself.
Selected Research
Pu, S-Y., et al. (2023). Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 15(9), 2080.
Bianchi, F.M., et al. (2022). Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplement for Improving Skin Moisturization, Smoothness, and Wrinkles. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 15(3), 48–52.
Ruff, K.J., et al. (2024). Ovolux™ Brand Eggshell Membrane Reduces the Clinical Signs of Aging by Improving Skin, Hair & Fingernail Appearance, Texture, and Biomechanical Properties. Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, 14, 306–322.
Davinelli, S., Nielsen, M.E., & Scapagnini, G. (2018). Astaxanthin in Skin Health, Repair, and Disease: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients, 10(4), 522.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always read the label and use only as directed. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking any medication, speak with your healthcare professional before starting any new supplement.
