Collagen. Keratin. Biotin. When it comes to hair and skin health, there’s no doubt that you’ve come across supplements containing one, two, or even all three of the above. While collagen, keratin, and biotin can help enhance the health of your hair and skin, there is limited research and science that support their effectiveness in beauty supplements. But there’s probably one essential beauty protein you’ve never heard of with clinically proven science and effectiveness: elastin.

Below, we’ll get into what elastin is, why it’s rarely talked about in the beauty industry, and how you can use elastin to achieve your ultimate lash, brow, hair, and skin goals!

 

What is elastin?

A highly elastic protein in the extracellular matrix of the skin, elastin allows the skin to retain its firmness and return to its original position after it’s stretched. It also helps hair follicles stay anchored and imparts integrity to the hair — allowing it to remain flexible and avoid breakage.

But elastin's role goes deeper than structure. According to Dr. Felipe Jimenez, PhD, one of the world's foremost researchers in elastin science and the holder of more than 30 global patents on elastin regeneration, elastin functions as a living anchor system around each hair follicle - one that does something collagen simply cannot:

"Elastin acts as an elastic anchor system underneath the scalp. It allows the hair to be pulled, and when released, returns to its normal state."- Dr. Felipe Jimenez, PhD

That elasticity does more than hold hair in place. It keeps the follicle connected to the subcutaneous fat layer beneath the scalp - a connection that matters because that fat layer continuously supplies the follicle with growth-supporting signals that help keep it in the active growth phase.

When elastin breaks down - due to aging, stress, sun exposure, or other factors - that elastic connection is lost. Dr. Jimenez describes what happens next:

"When elastin breaks down, you're not just severing the connection between the follicle and the subcutaneous fat. The follicle retracts onto itself - away from that fat layer - and pushes the hair out. It's like a spring action."- Dr. Felipe Jimenez, PhD

Unfortunately, the human body stops producing structural proteins such as elastin when we hit puberty. The amount of elastin we have at the age of 12 is intended to last a lifetime. But factors such as stress, sun exposure, tobacco use, weight changes, harsh weather conditions, and aging all accelerate the loss of elastin - and elastin depletion can result in sparse lashes and brows, thinning hair, saggy, dry, blotchy skin, and even scarring. That's exactly why it's extremely important to replenish your body's elastin supply.

 

Why isn't collagen enough?

You may be wondering: if collagen is so widely promoted for hair and skin, why isn't it enough on its own? Dr. Jimenez explains that collagen and elastin play fundamentally different roles - and collagen's rigidity is actually what makes elastin irreplaceable:

"If hair were anchored by collagen alone, you would have perpetual growth and no shedding - collagen is too rigid to retract. The follicle needs elasticity to complete its natural cycle."- Dr. Felipe Jimenez, PhD

Collagen is great for scalp structure and skin. But for the follicle itself - an organ that moves through growth, dormancy, and shedding cycles - you need elasticity. Dr. Jimenez puts it plainly: the hair growth cycle is mediated not only by hormones, but by connective tissue, and mainly by elastin.

 

Why haven’t you heard of elastin?

You’re probably wondering: “If elastin is so incredible, why haven’t I seen it advertised anywhere?” The truth is that elastin is very expensive to create. Companies that want to offer elastin in their beauty products have to extract it from external sources. 90% of the elastin that is offered in beauty formulas is from an animal source. One problem with animal-based elastin is that it is less bioavailable — meaning that it is not as easily absorbed by your body and is therefore less effective. Competitors’ finished elastin products are hardened and unable to penetrate the skin when applied. Our unique formulas allow your body to effectively stimulate the replenishment of elastin from within. 

 

How do you use elastin?

Most supplements containing elastin come in pill form, but elastin is most effective when applied directly to the skin. All of our LASH, opens in a new tab, BROW, opens in a new tabGo to brow, HAIR, opens in a new tab, and SKIN, opens in a new tabGo to skin care serums are topically applied, meaning that you’ll be providing your body with a biodesigned elastin and supporting your body’s ability to stimulate the replenishment of elastin from within. Whether you’re looking to visibly boost the length and fullness of your lashes and brows, restore your skin’s smoothness, firmness, and elasticity, or promote fuller-looking hair, it only takes two applications per day (morning and night) of each NULASTIN® product. Join the thousands of real people who have used NULASTIN® to achieve results that are impossible to overlook!