The hero of Velvet Blend is and always will be the deer velvet.
But if deer velvet is the hero then the 10.4 grams of collagen peptides types 1 and 3 in each serve is one of her most faithful and effective sidekicks. Many of the leading 'specialist' collagen brands offer 10 grams or less of collagen, and some of the ones we tried come with copious amounts of other harmful ingredients like sugar and additives. Which obviously brings into question the provenance and purity of their collagen in the first place..
Do you take collagen supplements and if so, how much quality collagen is in each serve? And how much does each serve cost? Besides collagen, are there any other benefits in taking your collagen supplement? It's worth looking into - closely - because collagen has been a fabulous success story in recent years as recognition of its role in skin hydration and elasticity has grown. And like most success stories come copycats. Collagen products are at saturation point now it's safe to say - it's hard to imagine many more entering the market because collagen products are everywhere already. Some are terrific and do exactly what they say on the lid. But most aren't so buyer beware - do your homework and when you've found a product or a small group of collagen products you trust it might pay to stick with them. Having a small group of collagen products you trust is a neat way to get a bargain... because if you trust say 4 or 5 then that's 4 or 5 to choose from when there's a sale on...
Collagen is typically either bovine (from cows) or marine (seafood). There is so much information available online about the pros and cons of bovine collagen v marine collagen that we're not going to add to that pile just for the sake of it. It's one of those topics where you end up going around in circles and come out with a headful of useless information which mightn't even be reliable and you still haven't decided which you prefer, let alone which brand or product to trust.
An uber simplified summary of what may be helpful for use as a guiding light to decide on whether to go marine or bovine is this: are beef or beef products a part of your diet already, and are you ok with consuming a (healthy) bovine/beef product? If so, then you might prefer premium quality bovine collagen which is high in types 1 and 3 collagen peptides. If not, then how do you feel about seafood and seafood products? Is the risk of heavy metal contamination and overfishing likely to make you feel a bit icky or play on your conscious? If not, then marine collagen could be for you.
The 10.4 grams of collagen in each serve of Velvet Blend is bovine. That is to say, it comes from the bones of New Zealand cows which have been raised the New Zealand way - free of chemicals, GMOs, antibiotics and hormones, certified Halal. For anyone who has visited our country and been in the countryside you'll likely have noticed that the weather can be pretty crazy at times - hot one day, cold the next; dry one day, pouring down with rain the next - despite having some great towns and cities New Zealand is still a country of farms and farmers and our agricultural sector is a major part of our economy, as is tourism. The importance of agriculture and tourism contributes to something we (at Rockwood Forest) support emphatically in New Zealand; the strictly enforced laws and regulations relating to protection of the environment, animal welfare, and no GMOs. Because of these laws people around the world know that what they are putting in or on their bodies is safe, sustainable and ethically produced at a minimum if it comes from New Zealand. Why is that relevant to an article about collagen? Because it means the collagen in Velvet Blend is about as good as it gets which, among other things means you might find it easier and more cost effective to rely on our premium multi-functional supplement instead of messing around, taking numerous pills and powders from numerous suppliers and brands. Velvet Blend is made from the most premium New Zealand ingredients available, 100%. And, when you tally up the cost of all those pills and powders you're taking, you might well find that Velvet Blend is more affordable - particularly as it can be used as a meal or meal replacement when mixed into a smoothie or with some oat milk, saving you the cost of another meal..
Above: Tourism and agriculture are essential to New Zealand's economy, so New Zealand is serious about protecting its pure environment. Without such protections in place our food and produce wouldn't have the trusted reputation they do.
As you age, your natural collagen production decreases
This is well documented and most people with even a small interest in personal care and beauty will be well aware of this. So again, we won't bore you with what you probably already know, but just a quick summary looks something like this:
Men and women: aged 25 - 40 will produce -1 to -1.5% collagen each year during which time fine lines, dry skin and signs of aging will become apparent. Around age 40 men seem to face a massive drop in collagen production - 30-40% less been commonly cited figures (which is massive). By age 50, men are typically back to producing -1 to -1.5% less collagen naturally again.
Lifestyle factors will influence how much collagen your body produces. No surprises and we're not here to preach because everyone is different with different life circumstances, but do your best to stay fit and healthy. If you smoke, try to give it up (easier said than done but please give it a go). Either stay out of the sun where possible, cover up or put on some strong sunscreen because UV rays from sun exposure does break collagen and elastin down which will make you look wrinkly and old prematurely.
And ladies, menopause will reduce collagen production by a tremendous amount. With less estrogen the average women's body will produce around -30% less collagen annually.
Looking young and aging healthily with premium collagen is so easy
As mentioned earlier, collagen supplements are everywhere nowadays. So it's really just a matter of finding the right one for you and taking it consistently.
Velvet Blend's function as a collagen supplement is just one of its applications. It is a multi-functional supplement but the 10.4 grams of bovine collagen in each serve is as good or better than specialized collagen supplements, that is - supplements which do one thing only - supply collagen. If collagen is the one and only thing you want, stick with the collagen-only supplement. If you're looking for a multi-functional supplement i.e. a dietary supplement which delivers a range of health benefits (including collagen) then consider Velvet Blend.
The multi-functional supplement with 10.4 grams of bovine collagen per serve
So, we've established that Velvet Blend contains as much or more bovine collagen which is either equal or superior in quality to even the most expensive, premium collagen brands. Here are 5 of the other top benefits you get in this most fabulous of multi-functional supplements for ladies and gentlemen alike. Special thanks to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation whose work and words on the topic are so good we simply quoted directly from their website several times as we didn't see any reason to change them:
- Strength and endurance - 250mg of single origin deer velvet from our own farm in New Zealand's high country. In 2024 our farm was the Supreme Winner of the prestigious award given to New Zealand's most sustainable farm. Sustainable farming standards in New Zealand are world leading; we were honored to receive this award and trust it gives you - our customers - confidence that you're not only getting New Zealand deer velvet, you're getting NZ deer velvet which can fairly claim to be the best, most pure, most potent there is.
- Reduced joint pain and inflammation - Depending on your age and lifestyle you'll know exactly what we're talking about. Maybe you're taking glucosamine and/or chondroitin. If you are and you're wondering if there's something better, there is - the combination of premium deer velvet and bone broth. "Studies support the main ingredient of bone broth, collagen, in reducing knee pain and overall joint health." Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
- A healthy gut and digestive system - "The nutrients in bone broth: collagen, gelatin, glycine and glutamine, have all been shown to sooth gut irritation and inflammation, strengthen the gut barrier and reduce the presence of LPS (toxins) in the blood". Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
- Libido and sexual drive - Funnily enough, this is one of the functions deer velvet is most renowned for. Maybe it's because it's the most unique or 'sexy', as it were. Whatever the reason, it's been used in TCM / Eastern medicine to enhance libido and sex drive in males especially for thousands of years and is till this day. As of the time of writing this we aren't well enough versed in the science supporting these claims to really promote them so we'll instead simply note them and perhaps address the topic in another article if/when we have delved into it deeper. It is probable that if the claims are true then they relate to the hormonal compounds contained in deer velvet and/or the IGF-1 which provides steroid-like strength and endurance which will usually raise a man's testosterone levels.
- Glowing healthy skin - "Just underneath the outer layer of your skin (the stuff you see) is the dermis. The dermis is made up of collagen and GAGs** which provide structure. Lots of studies have demonstrated collagen’s and gelatin’s role in improving skin quality (elasticity, and moisture levels). GAGs (hyaluronic acid) has been shown to promote skin growth (in a healthy way) which helps to increase skin turnover and moisture" Canadian Digestive Health Foundation **GAGs = Glycoaminoglycans i.e. chondrotin, glucosamine, hyaluronic acid.
Velvet Blend is available here and comes with free shipping on all purchases.