Adashiko’s Collagen Ultra and Collagen Joint products. Image supplied.
Ingestible beauty supplements are nothing new. For quite some time we have been bombarded with pills and powders promising to instill the fountain of youth and heal all ailments within our bodies and although some of these ingestible beauty supplements work, others are just money burners.
What used to be topical has now become ingestible and it seems that there is a supplement to cure every ailment. Lacklustre hair? Try Keratin. Low immunity? Try Reishi mushroom powder. Stressed in your everyday life? Ashwagandha is the way to go. And now we’ve been introduced to the wonders of Collagen.
Although Collagen supplements have only really been around for the past few years, more recently gaining cult-status popularity. Ingestible collagen is nothing new to Asian cultures. In China consuming certain food to rejuvenate the complexion is a very old one. It is said that the practice of eating donkey skin for example, which is high in collagen has been traced back to the first century. And in Japan, you can’t walk down a pharmacy aisle without passing countless supplements and shots and you better believe that Collagen-infused marshmallows and beer marketed to women is a thing. According to research, Japanese people consume on average around five grams of Collagen a day and in China where it is a common practice to consume bone broth every day the collagen consumption is even more than that.
So, the big question here is – what is Collagen? To get super technical, collagen is the main structural protein in the extracellular space in the various connective tissues in the body. Collagen consists of amino acids and it is mostly found in fibrous tissues such as skin, tendons and ligaments. Therefore, Collagen supplements are generally marketed to help with skin elasticity, supporting joints, tendons, ligaments and cartilage for greater mobility and flexibility and increase lubrication to all movable parts in the body.
So with all that being said, now that we know why and how collagen works, the next question we need to be asking ourselves is what collagen supplement is the best to take? Obviously, like with most beauty products on the market you’ve got good products and not-so-good products. In my quest for knowledge on this massive trend, I discovered a New Zealand owned and operated company that does Collagen a little differently from the rest. Adashiko is a Japanese Pure Peptide Collagen. It is produced in Japan and is manufactured to the highest international standards. Adashiko was created by Japanese cosmetics developer, Yuko Arquette. Essentially, Yuko saw a niche in the market and decided to work with a leading Japanese pharmaceutical company to develop her products and that’s how Adashiko was born. Yuko then brought Adashiko to New Zealand where Luci Firth, Adashiko’s managing director joined forces with her and Adashiko now remains a privately owned and operated New Zealand business by a full force of amazing women from the sunny Hawkes Bay.
Adashiko’s Collagen Gel Masques and Collagen + Noni Gel.
I was lucky enough to sit down and have a chat to Kelly Dobson, Adashiko’s creative extraordinaire and asked her to shed some light on exactly what makes Adashiko so great. Here’s what she had to say:
Hi Kelly, can you please tell us what the benefits are of taking collagen for your body?
The benefits of ingesting a high-quality Collagen supplement such as Adashiko ensures an effective way of achieving whole-body wellness and strength. It’s a truly holistic approach to enrich the body from the inside out. Collagen helps with everything from gut health repair, helping to cure several ailments such as joint mobility and pain and it helps to repair and strengthen every connective tissue for almost all structures in the body. The beauty benefits include supple, glowing skin with increased elasticity and stronger, healthier hair and nails.
How do I take collagen?
We have a super versatile formula, it is tasteless and odourless which is an absolute testament to its quality and it doesn’t degrade in the heat. It can be taken in water as it dissolves exceptionally well, put in your morning coffee or smoothie, it can be baked with or even added into broths. Believe it or not, you can even add it into your cocktail! The team here has a lot of fun coming up with new ways to take our Adashiko.
How does the powder work?
Peptide Collagen is made from Collagen that has been hydrolysed to reduce its molecular weight – this is very important. We have a very low Dalton size of 3000, whereas others on the market can be up to 45,000. We are the only company in the New Zealand market to disclose our Dalton size. It is important for us to be transparent. When the product powder is fine like Adashiko, the body can utilise the Collagen and put it to work so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. From here it is carried to the cells in the body. Collagen will go to where it is needed first, this may be helping heal the gut, or to joint pain. It is different with everyone.
What makes Adashiko different from other Collagen?
All of our amazing products have been formulated especially for us by our Japanese Pharmaceutical company and then it is manufactured right here in the Hawkes Bay. We have more of a closed-loop process. A lot of other products on the market are from the same place, with different companies stamping their logo onto them, so it’s all much of a muchness. Japan are the global leaders in Collagen manufacturing, we use them because quite simply they are the best. The Japanese philosophy around having a collagen enriched diet appeals so much to us and it makes so much sense. The Japanese are renowned for their age-defying looks and health. Also, compared to other collagen powders on the market, our powders are tasteless and odourless and they don’t contain additives, flavourings and sweeteners. It’s just straight Pure Peptide Collagen – the only one on the market. We have a saying here at HQ, “there is collagen and then there is Adashiko.” We are proud to bring the technology and wisdom from the East to our New Zealand shores and beyond.
Adashiko’s Collagen Gel Masque.
Aside from your Collagen powder, what other products does Adashiko produce?
As well as our exceptional collagen powders we have our dreamy skincare range. The Collagen + Noni Gel has received cult-like status, it is a premium formula at a very affordable price. It is lightweight, with natural ingredient origin that hydrates, plumps and firms. It is very versatile and 92% of our customers use only this product after cleansing. From there, our Collagen Gel Masques have been developed with the same hero ingredients, Collagen, Hyaluronic acid and CoQ10 as well as a host of other skin-loving ingredients. These cloth Masques are a hydrating and soothing treatment to use before makeup application or a big event to achieve a beautiful glow.
How soon can I expect to see results taking your supplements?
Collagen will go to where it is needed first. You could be repairing internally, so outward results may not be visible immediately, but be patient. Our customers take our collagen for all different types of reasons, not just for hair, skin and nails. We love that our products are more than skin deep. Some customers report changes within the first few weeks, generally with nail and eyelash growth. You may also notice hair growth and thickness and by weeks 6-8 that Adashiko glow is more noticeable. Joint pain usually starts to dissipate after this time too as well as a noticeable improvement in eczema and dermatitis.
What should we be looking out for when choosing collagen products?
One of the most important things to look out for is the Dalton size, which is the molecular weight. Another important thing to look out for is the type of Collagen. You can get three different types of Collagen. Type one will generally improve skin elasticity, it may also help your skin and nails grow longer and stronger. Type two should help to support joint health, helping to aid the connective tissues that protect your bones at the joints. Type three is great for gut healing. This type can be found in your uterus, muscles, intestines and blood vessels.
You will find that most Collagen products only contain type one Collagen as they are marine based. However, Adashiko Collagen contains type one, two and three. This ensures that you are getting a whole-body supplement not just something to make your hair and nails grow longer. You will also want to look out for how it tastes, how it dissolves and if there is an odour. A lot of marine collagen is ‘ fishy ‘ on the nose which can be hard to stomach and tends to be very gluggy when being mixed. Some will also degrade in heat and are not as readily absorbed into your body. Finally, Adashiko can safely be taken during pregnancy and nursing, where there seems to be caution surrounding taking marine Collagen due to possible levels of mercury.
Is there anything else we should know?
We have Stockists nationwide, we ship worldwide and if you want to see what others have to say about their results with Adashiko check out our glowing reviews on our website.
This story is brought to you in partnership with Adashiko.
Images supplied.