If you’re tired of wasting money on fancy collagen brands that taste awful and do nothing, stop scrolling and grab Great Lakes Collagen today. I’m telling you from personal experience – this is the one that actually delivers noticeable skin glow, stronger nails, and less joint pain without breaking the bank. Thousands of us swear by it for a reason. You deserve to feel the difference too.
My Experience With Great Lakes Collagen
Let me take you back to when I first opened that iconic green canister.
I remember ripping open the box, twisting off the lid, and immediately smelling… absolutely nothing.
No fishy odor, no weird chemical scent – just clean. That was my first “oh this might actually be good” moment.
I started with the recommended one heaping tablespoon in my morning coffee.
The powder dissolved so fast I actually stirred it for longer than necessary because I couldn’t believe it vanished that quickly.
No clumps, no grit, no residue on top like some other brands leave behind.
Week one, I honestly didn’t notice anything dramatic – which is normal. But by day ten, my husband looked at me in the kitchen light and said, “Your face looks… smoother?” I laughed it off, but then I caught my reflection in the mirror and thought, wait a second, he might be right.
The fine lines around my eyes that used to look etched in after a long day were softer. Not gone, but definitely less angry.
Around the three-week mark, my nails stopped splitting. I’m someone who could never grow them past the fingertip because they’d peel like crazy.
Suddenly I had to file them because they were actually getting long. My hairdresser noticed too – she asked what I was doing differently because my hair felt thicker when she sectioned it.
The joint thing surprised me the most. I’m 38 and I’ve had creaky knees since my twenties from years of running.
After about six weeks on Great Lakes, I realized I wasn’t wincing going down stairs anymore. I tested it – I ran down the stairs like a kid and… nothing. No crack, no ache. That was the moment I became a complete believer.
I’ve now gone through nine canisters. I’ve tried stopping for a month to see if it was placebo – everything slowly went back to how it was. Skin drier, nails brittle again, knees grumpy.
As soon as I restarted, the benefits came right back. That’s when you know it’s real.
Read more: My Thoughts on Clean Simple Eats Collagen
Pros Of Great Lakes Collagen
- Completely Tasteless And Odorless: You can mix it into water, tea, soup, yogurt, literally anything without changing the flavor. I’ve even stirred it into cold orange juice and couldn’t tell.
- Dissolves Instantly Even In Cold Liquids: No blender needed, no waiting, no floating particles. Two quick stirs and it’s gone.
- Single-Ingredient Purity: Just hydrolyzed collagen peptides from grass-fed bovine. No fillers, no sweeteners, no lecithin, no junk.
- Best Price Per Gram On The Market: When you do the math, Great Lakes consistently beats every major brand by a wide margin.
- Noticeable Skin Hydration Within Weeks: My skin literally drinks it up. Makeup sits better, dryness patches disappear.
- Real Joint Relief That Builds Over Time: The longer you take it, the better your knees, hips, and back feel.
- Stronger, Faster-Growing Nails: I went from peeling stubs to having to cut them every week.
- Thicker Hair With Less Shedding: My brush has way less hair in it now, and new baby hairs keep popping up.
- No Digestive Issues: Some collagens give me bloating. Great Lakes never has, even on an empty stomach.
- Two Types To Choose From: Green canister (dissolves in cold) and blue (hot liquids only) so you can pick what fits your routine.
Cons Of Great Lakes Collagen
- The Lid Situation Is Annoying: That plastic seal under the cap is impossible to remove cleanly. You’ll fight it the first time.
- Measuring Spoon Not Included: You have to use your own tablespoon, which isn’t a big deal but still slightly inconvenient.
- Blue Canister Doesn’t Dissolve In Cold: If you pick the wrong one by mistake, you’ll be disappointed until you learn the difference.
- Takes 4-8 Weeks For Full Benefits: If you want overnight miracles, this isn’t it. Consistency is non-negotiable.
- Large Canister Feels Intimidating At First: 16 ounces looks like a lifetime supply until you realize you’re using 12 grams a day.
- Occasional Clumping If You Store It In Humid Bathroom: Keep it in the kitchen or bedroom instead.
- No Flavored Options: If you hate the idea of unflavored, you’ll have to add your own vanilla or fruit.
Maintenance Tips For Great Lakes Collagen
- Take It First Thing In The Morning On Empty Stomach: Absorption is best when your stomach isn’t busy digesting breakfast.
- Mix With Warm Lemon Water For Extra Glow: The vitamin C helps collagen synthesis – I squeeze half a lemon into 16 oz water, add one scoop, and sip.
- Double Dose On Workout Days If Joints Are Sore: I go up to 2 scoops after leg day and feel the difference the next morning.
- Store In Cool Dry Place With Silica Packet: Keeps it from clumping even in summer humidity.
- Use A Dedicated Small Whisk Or Milk Frother: Makes it dissolve in 3 seconds flat in cold liquids.
- Add To Soups And Sauces At The End: Stir in off the heat so you don’t damage the peptides.
- Combine With Hyaluronic Acid Serum Topically: Inside-out approach doubled my skin results.
- Cycle Off Every 6 Months For A Week: Some people worry about downregulation – I do this and notice no difference coming back on.
- Track Your Progress With Photos: Take a bare-faced selfie every 30 days under the same light. You’ll be shocked looking back.
- Buy The 3-Pack On Subscribe & Save: Locks in the lowest price and you never run out.
Comparison With Other Brands
Great Lakes Vs Vital Proteins
I used Vital Proteins for eight months before switching. The taste was fine, but when I compared labels side by side, I realized I was paying almost double per gram for the exact same thing plus “natural flavors” I didn’t need. The cute packaging and influencer marketing is real, but my skin and joints didn’t know the difference once I switched to Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Vs Sports Research
Sports Research dissolves well and has nice flavored options, but it contains maltodextrin and artificial sweeteners in most versions. The unflavored still has lecithin for “mixability” that Great Lakes doesn’t need. You pay more for a smaller tub too.
Great Lakes Vs Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen
Ancient Nutrition gives you five types of collagen (I, II, III, V, X), which sounds impressive until you realize the dose of each type is tiny. With Great Lakes you get a full 11-12 grams of just Type I and III – exactly what skin, hair, nails, and bones use most. I noticed zero extra benefit from the chicken and eggshell collagen when I tried it.
Great Lakes Vs Bulletproof
Bulletproof adds MCT oil and acacia fiber, which made me bloated every single day. Great Lakes never does that. Also Bulletproof costs literally triple per serving.
Great Lakes Vs Primal Kitchen
Primal Kitchen is basically the same price as Great Lakes now but comes in annoying single-serve packets that create waste and cost more long-term. The quality is comparable, but convenience isn’t worth the extra money for me.
Also read: My Thoughts on Great Lakes Collagen
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
For me and thousands of others, Great Lakes remains the undisputed champion in 2025 for purity, price, and results – especially if you want unflavored grass-fed bovine peptides without any additives.
I give it a solid 9.5/10. The only reason it’s not a perfect 10 is the packaging quirks, but the product itself is as close to perfect as I’ve found.
Usually softer skin and less dryness by week 2-3, nails stopping their peeling by week 4, and joints feeling smoother going down stairs by week 6-8.
One heaping tablespoon (11-12g) daily in any liquid hot or cold (use green canister for cold). I prefer morning empty stomach, but anytime works as long as you’re consistent.
Conclusion
After everything I’ve tried, Great Lakes Collagen is the one I keep buying, the one I recommend to my mom, my best friend, and now to you. If you want real results without the hype tax, order the green canister today. Your skin, hair, nails, and joints will thank you in a few weeks, and your wallet will thank you right now. You won’t regret it – I promise.