From collagen lattes to matcha elixirs, here's how ingestible skincare is changing beauty from the inside out
Because your glow-up might start in a glass.
The beauty world isn’t what it used to be—and that’s the thrill of it. Old rules are being rewritten by ingredients you’ve never heard of and rituals you never saw coming. From skin to scalp to the spaces in between, everything’s fair game. What matters now? What works, what lasts, and what feels good.
And the next big thing in skincare isn’t on your shelf. It’s in your cup. It’s showing up in your morning matcha and evening elixir. What began as Erewhon smoothies garnished with hyaluronic acid has found its way into India’s increasingly nuanced beauty rituals. From marine collagen lattes to saffron-laced golden blends, a new wave of ingestible skincare is redefining what it means to glow from within. But this isn’t about chasing fads. For many homegrown founders and formulating experts, the idea that beauty begins in the gut, the cells, and the nervous system isn’t revolutionary; it’s ancestral.
Welcome to the age of skincare you can sip; where every pour comes with a promise of hydration, resilience, and radiance—all from the inside out.
Inside-Out Beauty, Reinvented
Today’s ingestible beauty products are smarter—and more layered—than ever before.
“We’ve always had a culture of sipping our skincare,” says Elizabeth Issac, founder of Gunam Beauty. “What’s changed is the demand for traceability and efficacy.” Her brand’s Golden Glow Blend combines turmeric, saffron, and trikatu with clean actives like glutathione and mushroom extracts. The result? A formulation that draws on Ayurveda but meets modern standards for bioavailability and proof.
For Deeksha Rajani, founder of Be., ingestibles aren’t a trend; they’re a missing link. “Topicals treat the canvas. Ingestibles build the foundation,” she says. Her product, Be. Sexy blends marine collagen with vitamin E and 500 mg of glutathione per serving, a standout in terms of potency. “If we promise skincare you can sip, it has to be powerful enough to show results on your skin.”
These supplements are rituals designed for women balancing screens, hormones, and expectations, with ingredients precise enough to support skin at the cellular level.
Herbs, Hormones, and High Performance
Some beauty drinks go beyond hydration and glow. They address inflammation, hormone disruption, and chronic stress in both skin and mood. At Amiy Naturals, Ashmita Venkatesh wanted to move away from masking symptoms. “Topicals care for the surface architecture,” she says. “Ingestibles rebuild the scaffolding underneath.” Their oral drop, Acne SOS, is formulated with cryogenically extracted Vijaya leaf and adaptogens like neem and manjishtha. The result is a dual-action remedy that works from the gut outward. “We saw 82 per cent reduction in active acne lesions in two weeks during trials,” she says.
Malvika Jain, founder of Sereko, tackles stress as a skincare issue. “Stress shows up on your skin before it shows up in your calendar,” she explains. Their Skin Clearing Syrup combines adaptogens and calming actives to reduce cortisol levels—a key reason of breakouts and inflammation. “We’re not just treating acne. We’re soothing the nervous system.” This intersection of psychodermatology and functional beauty may just be the category’s most powerful evolution.
Mood, Matcha, and the future of glow
Matcha is having a moment, but some brands are giving it meaning. “Our matcha is first-harvest, ceremonial-grade, sourced directly from Shizuoka, Japan,” says Pratishtha Rawat, founder of the brand Glow Glossary. “It supports skin clarity, and hormonal balance and improves gut health—but it also calms the mind.” Unlike generic matcha, Glow Glossary’s blend is rich in EGCG and L-theanine, known for reducing inflammation and improving focus. Customers describe it as “therapy in a cup”.
And the science supports it: studies show that EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a powerful antioxidant in matcha, helps combat oxidative stress and reduce signs of ageing. L-theanine promotes alpha brain waves—the ones linked to calm, meditative focus. Together, they help the body and skin manage stress better, one cup at a time. Ingestible skincare isn’t only about what’s inside the bottle, it’s about how that bottle fits into your life—and your rituals.
What the Dermat thinks
“Ingestible beauty can’t replace a good skincare routine, but it can elevate it,” says Dr Bindu Sthalekar, dermatologist and founder of Skin Smart Solutions. According to her, certain concerns are particularly responsive to inner support. “Acne, inflammation, and dryness often stem from internal triggers like gut imbalance, stress, or hormonal shifts,” she explains. “That’s where ingredients like collagen, probiotics, and adaptogens come in.”
But she also cautions against following the hype blindly. “Look for transparency: clinically studied ingredients, clear dosages, no vague ‘proprietary blends’. Synergistic combinations, like collagen with vitamin C, are key.” Her bottom line? “When ingestibles and topicals are used together thoughtfully, you’re treating skin as part of a whole ecosystem, not in isolation. That’s where the real beauty lies.”
So maybe the secret to better skin isn’t another serum. It is a beauty ritual you drink—something that restores, calms, and nourishes from within. In this new era, skincare is less about the jar, more about the glass. From gut to glow, one sip at a time.
Lead image: Getty Images
Also read: In the year of maximalism, here's how you can embrace bold beauty statements
