'This collagen powder fills me up until lunch and has made my nails so much stronger'

Collagen supplements are a hot topic in beauty nowadays, and opinion on them is often divided: some skincare experts swear by them, others claims that there's not much independent evidence at the moment to determine a definite improvement in the skin, hair and nails. I personally have been taking for years, however, and have seen the positive effect they're had on me – and .

The way that I prefer to take collagen supplements is as a powder mixed into my morning smoothie, and works perfectly for this. Containing a super-blend of not only 12,500 mg of marine collagen but also 13 other skin-boosting ingredients such as biotin, zinc, vitamin C and probiotics, it's designed to be mixed into water or, like I do, another type of drink. I've been starting my day with it for months now, and .

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Firstly, while some customers have remarked that the taste isn't particularly pleasant when mixed with water, I find it enhances the taste of my morning smoothie (I whizz it together with , frozen berries, a spoonful of peanut butter and a few oats) – it gives it a slight vanilla taste, and makes it thicker. I drink this at about 10am, and .

I also only use half of the recommended dose – one scoop instead of two – and have still seen results. This means that one of these big pouches – which costs or £80 for a one-off purchase – lasts me two months instead of one, and works out at .

Verve claims that shoppers can expect to see improvements such as increased skin elasticity, and extra hydration from taking this regularly and over time, but I find it hard to monitor my skin; I'm often trying new skincare, and my complexion appears to have a mind of its own: sometimes I have no problems, sometimes I get months of breakouts.

Where I have noticed a noticeable improvement, though, is in my nails. They used to be so weak and bendy, splitting constantly, but now they're so much stronger, and never flake or split – and I'm putting it down to taking regularly.

Good quality collagen supplements aren't cheap, but as long as I can afford them, I'll always take ones like ; they fit easily into my routine, and I think make a difference.

If you don't drink smoothies and prefer a 'one gulp and done' collagen supplement instead, try , from £30 for 30 days' worth, (this is one of the cheapest of several varieties the brand sells). Alternatively , from £33.15 for 30 doses, is one that actually does taste nice mixed in water; it's a favourite amongst beauty editors.