“Beauty from within”, “For less visible wrinkles” or “More glow” – such promises are on the packaging of drinking ampoules that are sold in drugstores, pharmacies or health food stores. Wrinkled skin and slack connective tissue do not have to be, at least when it comes to the suppliers of these dietary supplements. But can it really be that simple?
The Stiftung Warentest tested 15 drinking dietary supplements with collagen or hyaluronic acid, including much-advertised products such as Elasten or Regulatpro from Dr. Niedermaier.
Why the beauty drinks test by Stiftung Warentest is worthwhile for you
- test results. The table shows ratings for 15 beauty drinks with collagen or hyaluronic acid – including comparatively expensive preparations from Elasten and Orthomol, but also cheaper ones from Doppelherz, Rossmann and dm. A click on the product photo in the table takes you to further detailed information such as ingredients.
- Advisory. We evaluated the current study situation on the products as well as on the individual active ingredients collagen and hyaluronic acid and also analyzed the 15 beauty drinks in the laboratory. In our test report you can read why users should not expect too much from the products.
- tips and background. You will find out which foods are good for your beauty and why adequate sleep, sunscreen and exercise also play an important role in beautiful skin.
- magazine article. If you unlock the topic, you will get access to the PDF for the test report from test 11/2022.
Elasticity and smoothness disappear
Hyaluronic acid and collagen occur naturally in the skin and connective tissue, keeping them firm, elastic and smooth. But as you get older, your body produces less of it. The result: eyebrows, cheeks, corners of the mouth slide down, wrinkles become deeper and more visible.
Dietary supplements for drinking with collagen components and/or hyaluronic acid want to counteract this. The 15 remedies in the test – mostly offered in ampoules – promise a positive effect on the appearance. We bought them in pharmacies, drugstores, a perfumery, health food stores, online pharmacies and online retailers.
Tip: Even before activation, you can see the individual dietary supplements in the test at the top of the product gallery.
Up to 1,400 euros per year
The providers recommend using their beauty shots for weeks or months, but preferably permanently. But that costs money.
The cheapest product in the test costs 88 cents per recommended daily ration. The most expensive product in the test costs 3.95 euros per day. Almost 120 euros are collected per month, calculated over the year more than 1,400 euros.
All test results for dietary supplements with hyaluronic acid and/or collagen
Anti-aging benefits have not been proven
We asked the vendors for efficacy studies, for evidence of the benefits of their products. In addition, we searched for studies on advertised ingredients. If ingredients such as vitamin E, biotin or copper were mentioned on the packaging, we determined them in the laboratory and calculated collagen.
But all our analyzes show: The beauty drinks are not a worthwhile investment. We did not find any scientific evidence that their composition has a clearly visible benefit for the users or that they demonstrably increase their satisfaction with their own appearance.
What creams and injections use
Anyone who just wants naturally well-groomed skin will find the right products in our test of natural cosmetics face creams. Anti-wrinkle creams cannot counteract the natural aging process, as previous tests have shown. Injections with hyaluronic acid or botox are also offered to combat wrinkles and increase volume. We recently evaluated what hyaluronic acid does for injections: The injections bring volume, but entail risks. Regular treatments are also necessary for long-term effects – that costs money.
Tip: Before you have the drugs injected under your skin, you should know the risks and take enough time to choose a doctor and get advice.
