What Is Eggshell Membrane, and Why Is It in a Collagen Formula?

Eggshell membrane (ESM) is the thin white film between an egg's white and its shell. When you peel a boiled egg, it sometimes stays stuck to the inside of the shell, and most people simply peel it off and throw it away.

Yet this membrane is far more complex than it looks.

1. What's Inside Eggshell Membrane

Ovoderm® is an eggshell membrane ingredient extracted by Eggnovo of Spain using a patented process. Its measured composition is as follows:

Collagen (types I, V and X): 22%

Elastin: 25%

Hyaluronic acid: 3%

Other: glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate

Anyone who reads skincare ingredient lists will recognize these names. Collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid are the main substances that maintain structure and hold moisture in the dermis, and they are also the first to be lost as skin ages. What makes eggshell membrane special is that these components coexist naturally within a single structure, rather than being added individually and then mixed together.

2. How ESM Works in the Body

When ESM is taken orally, its peptides and active components are digested, absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the dermis. Current research points to two mechanisms of action:

First, it supplies fibroblasts with structural raw materials. Fibroblasts are the cells in the dermis responsible for synthesizing collagen. Because ESM's composition closely resembles the extracellular matrix, it can directly provide the materials fibroblasts need for this work.

Second, it inhibits MMP activity. MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases) are enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, and they become overactive during skin aging, inflammation and UV damage. Studies show that ESM can suppress excessive MMP expression and slow the rate of collagen degradation.

In short, ESM restocks the cells with raw materials while slowing the rate at which existing structures are broken down.

3. Clinical Data on Ovoderm®

Below is a summary of results from published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) of Ovoderm®. The RCT is currently the highest level of study design for evaluating the efficacy of health ingredients: outcomes are measured with objective instruments, and neither the participants nor the researchers know who is taking the real product and who is taking the placebo.

RDB = randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial; TEWL = transepidermal water loss (lower values indicate a better skin barrier)

Notably, the effective dose in the first three studies in the table was 300mg/day, which is also the dose AURA Collagen Peptide Powder is designed around.

4. Why AURA Adds Eggshell Membrane

At the core of the AURA formula is 3,000mg of BHN Japanese-patented fish collagen peptide, which supplies the small-molecule raw materials needed for collagen synthesis. Eggshell membrane approaches the problem from a different angle: it improves the working conditions of fibroblasts while slowing the rate at which collagen is broken down.
The two don't overlap in mechanism, and they complement each other in function. That is why AURA chose to include Ovoderm® ESM in the formula, rather than simply stacking up ingredients that do the same job.

Scientific References

1. Aguirre A, et al. (2017). Beneficial Effects of Oral Supplementation With Ovoderm on Human Skin Physiology: Two Pilot Studies. J Diet Suppl, 14(6):706–714. PMID: 28429999.

2. Aguirre A, et al. (2018). Supplementation with Ovoderm® Reduces the Clinical Signs of Skin Aging. A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Clin Res Dermatol Open Access, 5(2):1–8.

3. Aguirre A, et al. (2018). Ovoderm® an effective treatment to improve skin condition in patients with altered skin barrier function. Pulsus J Surgical Research.

4. ScienceDirect (2025). Effects of Oral supplementation with eggshell membrane (Ovoderm®-AS) on skin health: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

This article was compiled and reviewed by the PQ Labs research team. It is intended for health education only and makes no medical efficacy claims.