This article is a more in-depth examination of some of the information presented in this article: Carrier Oils & Essential Oils For Natural Peptide & Collagen Support

What Is Collagen Exactly?

We’ve all heard that collagen is important for skin health, and keeping us looking young and vital… but what is it exactly?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up about 30% of our total protein mass.

It is classified as a structural protein, with a primary role of providing strength, shape, and support to various tissues.

We have mainly heard of it because of the structural benefits to our skin, making it supple and youthful in appearance.

Why Is Collagen Important For Our Skin?

Collagen is important for skin health because it provides structural support, maintains elasticity, and helps the skin stay firm and hydrated.

Key Benefits:

• Structural support: Collagen acts like a strong frame. It holds the layers of your skin together and keeps it thick.
• Elasticity: It helps your skin stretch and bounce back into shape.
• Hydration: It helps the skin hold onto moisture, which keeps the surface smooth and plump.

Simply put, without collagen our skin would look wrinkled, saggy, thin, and loose. Plus, it would be functionally compromised.

As the largest organ of our body, our skin performs several vitally important roles. It is our primary shield against the outside world, and plays a key part in body regulation.

Other import functions include:

• Protecting us from microbes
• Regulating body temperature
• Enabling the sensation of touch
• Keeping out harmful bacteria, viruses, & chemicals
• Preventing moisture from escaping
• Detoxification
• Vitamin D Synthesis

When our skin starts to lose structural form due to collagen loss, it cannot function as well as it used to. As well as becoming thinner, less elastic, it also becomes less able to repair itself or protect underlying tissue.

Why Does Collagen Decrease?

Our body makes less collagen as we get older, typically dropping by about 1% each year after our twenties.

Menopause also has a severe impact. Hormonal shifts can cause women to lose up to 30% of their skin collagen in the first five years after menopause.

Adapting our diet to include all of the nutrients we need to make collagen, and using incredibly nutritive face oils like Facial Oil No. 2, will help slow down the process of skin depreciation. However, it isn’t possible to avoid all of the impacts of natural ageing, due to collagen depreciation.

This is especially true these days. Environmental toxicity, excess exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, eating processed foods, and not getting the right nutritional support, all contribute to the breaking down of collagen fibres in our skin.

Without enough collagen, the support frame of our skin weakens, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and loose skin.

Collagen, Peptides & Ceremides

Like collagen, peptidesnand ceramides are natural substances in our skin that team up to keep it firm, smooth, and hydrated.

Whilst collagen is a tough structural protein, that acts like the scaffolding or framework of our skin, providing bounce, fullness, and strength, peptides and ceremides play a more supportive role.

Peptides are tiny chains of amino acid that are the building blocks of proteins like collagen. When we put peptides on our skin, they act like messenger, telling our skin cells to build new collagen and repair damage. Amd, ceramides are natural fats (lipids) found in the outer layer of our skin. They seal tiny gaps to lock in moisture and block out pollution and dirt.

Ceramides

Ceramides are waxy lipid molecules that bind our skin cells together. They make up about 50% of the outer layer of our skin, the stratum corneum, restoring and strengthening it to keep our skin barrier intact.

Optimal skin barrier function prevents water loss and dehydration, keeping our skin plump and supple. It also protects against many of the environmental factors that cause skin degradation and ageing, such as; pollution, dirt, UV rays, and external germs, etc.

Peptides

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as cellular messengers, signalling our skin to produce more collagen, elastin, and keratin. They are effectively the building blocks that tell our skin to repair itself when it begins to sag or lose elasticity.

By promoting both collagen and elastin, peptides help firm up sagging skin and restore bounce. They also help support skin barrier function and improve the overall protections provided by our skin.

The visible benefits of peptides are:

• Plumper looking skin, that noticeably softens the appearance of wrinkles and crow’s feet.
• Certain peptides help soothe irritated skin, reduce redness, and accelerate tissue repair.
• By strengthening skin barrier function, they help your skin retain moisture more effectivel,y over time

How Do Peptides Differ From Ceramides?

Ceramides act like protective, binding agents for skin cells, that ultimately help to seal in moisture by protecting us from the outside environment. By contrast, peptides work the other way round… effectively from the inside out, to rebuild the skin’s internal support structure.

Facial Oil No. 2 is especially important for collagen and peptide production. Facial Oil No. 8 is the better of the two oils for promoting ceremide production.

How Can We Boost Collagen?

Facial oils like Wild As The Wind Facial Oil No. 2 are very beneficial for collagen production, but no topical product can completely compensate for a diet that is deficient in the fundamental building blocks required for making collagen.

I list all of the necessary dietary building blocks for making collagen below, but first, here is a breakdown of why Facial Oil No. 2 helps to protect and support collagen production.

Wild As The Wind Facial Oils

Both Wild As The Wind Facial Oil No. 2 and Facial Oil No. 8 are 100% natural, plant oil formulations that support skin structure. They are exclusively made from nutrient dense carrier oils and dynamically beneficial essential oils.

Wild As The Wind face oils support skin integrity in a number of ways. They essentially provide many of the natural building blocks required for skin integrity.

Carrier Oils: Skin repairing factors, (precursors to collagen, ceremides and peptides), are naturally obtained from the fatty acids, lipids and vitamins found in the carrier oils within Wild As The Wind face oils.

*Importantly, Wild As The Wind face oils do not contain synthetic collagen promoting ingredients, ceramides or lab-engineered peptides, which are the staple ingredients found in conventional anti-ageing creams and serums.

Essential Oils: The essential oils in Wild As The Wind facial formulas provide natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant support, which help to restore skin barrier function.

Facial Oils For Collagen Productioin

Several natural oils and essential oils help to promote collagen production, A good number of oils also help prevent collagen damage.

Wild As The Wind Facial Oil No. 2 is particularly potent when it comes to collagen production and protection…

Facial Oil No. 2

Wild As The Wind Facial Oil No. 2 is a nutrient-dense, hand-blended oil formulated to support natural collagen synthesis. It contains oils rich in vitamin A, which act as a natural retinol to speed up cell turnover and signal skin cells to produce collagen.
It is also packed with vitamin C, an essential antioxidant that acts as a co-factor for the enzymes responsible for stabilising and cross-linking collagen molecules.

These carrier oils in Facial Oil No. 2 do the following to promote production and protect collagen in the skin.

Organic Rosehip Seed Oil: Naturally high in trans-retinoic acid, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil is widely recognised by dermatologists for its ability to promote collagen production and improve skin elasticity.

Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil: Highly praised for containing exceptionally high levels of vitamin C and essential fatty acids, which brighten the complexion while also actively stimulating natural collagen synthesis.

Organic Pomegranate Seed Oil: Is widely considered an anti-ageing powerhouse because it addresses both sides of the collagen cycle: it stimulates your skin cells to produce new collagen while simultaneously shielding your existing collagen from breaking down.

Organic Argan Oil: Exceptionally rich in Vitamin E (tocopherols) and polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that neutralise environmental free radicals that are known to destroy the existing collagen matrix of the skin. It is highly celebrated by dermatologists because it increases skin elasticity and counters the natural breakdown of collagen.

Essential oils in Facial Oil No. 2 can also help promote and protect collagen levels…

Essential Oils For Collagen Protection In Facial Oil No. 2

All of the essential oils in Facial Oil No. 2 contribute to collagen health within our skin. I have highlighted three of the eight essential oils in Facial Oil No. 2 to give you an idea of the way in which aromatherapy oils support and promote collagen.

Organic Frankincense Carterii Essential Oil: Widely studied for its anti-ageing properties… One study, highlighted in the Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technolog,y notes that it can help enhance collagen synthesis by up-regulating gene expression and stimulating fibroblast cell growth.
Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology Study: Natural Essential Oils for Antiaging: A Review

Organic Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender is a potent antioxidant powerhouse. Research indicates that topical application of Lavender Essential Oil can support collagen production through the induction of specific growth factors (like TGF-beta) while simultaneously shielding existing proteins from oxidative stress.

Organic Geranium Rose Essential Oil: Geranium naturally acts as an astringent and antioxidant. It helps minimise the impact of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)—the enzymes responsible for eating away at your skin’s collagen and elastin networks as you age.

FACIAL OIL No. 8

Wild As The Wind Facial Oil No. 8 also protects and supports collagen, primarily due to the incredibly beneficial essential oils it contains. However, the primary function of this elegant oil is to help repair skin barrier function and improve hydration, thereby preserving the underlying architecture of our skin.

Facial Oil No. 8 is the better of the two face oils for promoting ceremide production. In fact, it is a vertitable ceremide producing powerhouse. This is because it provides abundant amounts of the required building blocks for our skin to make ceremides.

*To boost collagen benefits, and to raise the protective profile of this oil for winter use, it should be used in conjunction with a bioretinol oil. Please follow the link provided to visit the Facial Oil No. 8 product page for more information.

Boosting The Benefits Of Facial Oil No. 2 & Facial Oil No. 8

Bioretinol oils are excellent for collagen protection and production, so when they are used in conjunction with Facial Oil No. 2 , and particularly Facial Oil No. 8, they can enhance the collagen benefits of these facial oil blends.

This is because bio-retinols deliver the same collagen boosting benefits to conventional synthetic retinols but with significantly better skin tolerance and far less irritation.

While traditional retinol is derived from synthetic vitamin A, bioretinol oils are natural, plant-based botanicals that mimic the cellular pathways of retinol. This means that they naturally communicate directly with skin receptors to trigger collagen synthesis and block the enzymes that destroy it.

Another benefit of bioretinols is that they are also excellent for the delicate under-eye and eyelid area of our skin. They can be used instead of expensive eye creams. Learn more here: Eyelid & Under Eye Skin Care.

Bioretinol Oils

• Bakuchiol Oil
• Buriti Oil
• Cacay Oil
• Organic Rosehip Seed Oil
• Organic Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil

As with conventional retinol, Bakuchiol Oil directly stimulates collagen production (specifically types I, III, and IV) in the dermis. This boosts skin elasticity, firms the tissue, and visibly plumps out fine lines and wrinkles.

Buriti Oil is the richest natural source of beta-carotene, a constituent that our skin cells convert into provitamin A, the active form of retinol. This process triggers a natural, non-irritating boost in cell turnover and collagen production. Buriti Oil also provides natural photoprotection. The intense reddish-orange hue of Buriti Oil is due to high levels of carotenoids. These carotenoids neutralise free radicals generated by UV radiation, shielding skin DNA and mitigating premature photo-ageing.

Cacay Oil works as a bioretinol by naturally delivering direct vitamin A precursors, which the skin converts into active retinoic acid. As with all bioretinols, it triggers anti-ageing and skin-renewing pathways without the common side effects of synthetic retinoids.

Organic Rosehip Seed Oil & Organic Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil are considered less effective as bioretinols than the other oils in the list because they contain less active vitamin A.For example, Cacay Oil contains three times more natural retinol than Organic Rosehip Seed Oil. However, both are phenomenal for the skin, in many different ways. Nevertheless, when evaluated purely on their ability to mimic or convert into functional retinoids, they fall short of the cellular power delivered by Bakuchiol Oil and the provitamin A density found in Buriti oil.

How Does The Body Make Collagen?

Our body makes collagen by combining amino acids from the protein we eat with specific vitamins and minerals.

The Building Blocks:

Amino acids: The body uses proteinslike proline, glycine, lycine and hydroxyproline as building blocks.

Key nutrients: Our cells need Vitamin C, zinc, copper, and manganese to process these amino acids. Vitamin C is especially vital because it helps modify proline into hydroxyproline.

Dietary Needs Of Collagen Production

We need to eat a varied diet, containing the following constituents in order to produce optimal levels of collagen in our tissues.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are proteins, which are the building blocks of the body.

Glycine: Makes up nearly one-third of the amino acid sequence in collagen and sits at almost every third position, allowing the protein chains to pack tightly together. *As Glycine is the smallest amino acid it allows collagen strands to sit closely together.

Proline: Provides sharp bends or kinks in the molecular chain that help stabilise the overall structure of collagen.

Hydroxyproline: A modified version of proline that adds extra stability to the final triple-helix formation.

Lysine: Another key amino acid involved in creating cross-links between different collagen molecules.

Essential Co-Factors

Your body cannot assemble these amino acids into stable collagen without specific nutrients that act as chemical helpers, known as co-factors:

Vitamin C: Acts as an essential helper for the enzymes that hydroxylate proline and lysine.

Copper & Zinc: Support the final stages of cross-linking and tissue strength.

Dietary Sources of Amino Acids & Vitamins For collagen Production

To naturally boost our collagen production, we need a mix of amino acid sources (the raw materials) and vitamin C (the essential construction helper).

• Proteinous foods directly provide the glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, and lysine needed for collagen assembly:
• Eating protein from animal and fish sources, where the skin has not been removed, is the best way of obtaining the amino acids needed for collagen synthesis.
• Eggs are also important. Egg whites are exceptional sources of proline and glycine.
• Dairy proteins are also important. Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of lysine, as are chicken breasts, and tuna.
• Cooking down connective tissue yields pure gelatine, an excellent source of glycine and proline, and simmering animal bones, to make bone broth, for 24 hours, extracts much of the pre-made collagen and minerals. Adding a little Apple Cider Vinegar at the beginning of the simmering process helps the bones release their goodness.

*Gelatine and bone broth are the best dietary sources of hydroxyproline.

Vitamin C-Rich Foods (The Co-Factor)

Without Vitamin C, our body cannot cross-link amino acids into a stable collagen structure.

Good Sources Of Vitamin C:

• Citrus Fruits: Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.
• Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
• Tropical Fruits: Kiwis, mangoes, papayas, and pineapples.
• Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
• Bell Peppers: Particularly red bell peppers, which contain exceptionally high levels of Vitamin C.

Further Reading:

Carrier Oils & Essential Oils For Natural Peptide & Collagen Support

Best Oils For Crepey Skin

Eyelid & Under Eye Skin Care

Is It Dry Skin? Dehydrated Skin? Or An Autoimmune Skin Condition Like Eczema?

Find more skincare articles here: Natural Health News Overview

Disclaimer

This disclaimer provides supplemental information to the website disclaimer.

The information provided in this article is not intended to replace the medical directives of your healthcare provider. Nor is it meant for the diagnosis of health issues.

This article provides general insights that may not be applicable to you personally:

• If you are pregnant, have serious or multiple health concerns, consult with your healthcare provider before using carrier oils and essential oils.
• If you have known allergies, for example to nuts etc, this may mean that some of the carrier oils listed in this article should be avoided. Some people also have intollerances and allergies to some essential oils. Please avoid using all oils that you anticipate you will have a reaction to.
• If you do not have any known allergies it is still vital to perform a patch test prior to applying oils, for the first time, over large areas of you body.
• If you experience any complications or adverse reactions to using carrier oils and essential oils, contact your healthcare provider immediately.