Those Buzzy New Collagen Products Are Risky Business

Adding collagen powder to your daily smoothie? Opting for a collagen bar as a snack? Proceed cautiously.

Like many of us with our thumbs stuck on scroll, Chrissie Buckley has a weakness for Instagram fads. At their worst, the products she has tried after a convincing influencer endorsement have been minor money drains she can shrug off with a laugh. But when she added collagen powder to her cart earlier this year, those whims took a darker turn. Collagen supplements had been dominating her social feeds for months, as new formulations from brands like Bulletproof, Dose & Co. and Vital Proteins have grown in popularity. Instead of the sleepy pill format, these companies are selling collagen coffee creamers, drink powders and protein bars that claim to support healthy skin, hair, nails and joints. In February, a post from the model Cindy Prado espousing the wrinkle-diminishing benefits of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides powder convinced her to give it a try.