By Rachel Kim · 11 min read · Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ · Keyword: dr livingood collagen
Rachel Kim
Health & Wellness Writer · Tested both collagen powders side-by-side for 4 weeks · Reviewed for accuracy by our editorial wellness research team
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement.
Table of Contents
“We didn't want to just throw collagen in a tub and call it a day. That's why our Collagen has Vitamin C and organic pea protein built in — your body actually needs that Vitamin C to make use of the amino acids you're giving it.”
— Dr. Blake Livingood, D.C., Founder of Livingood Daily
“I wanted to hit at least 10 to 20 grams of collagen in every dose, because that's the amount the research I was reading pointed to.”
— Kurt Seidensticker, Founder & CEO of Vital Proteins
Two very different formulation philosophies from two real founders — one prioritizing collagen quantity, one prioritizing what the body needs to actually use it.
The Two Brands, In Brief
I ended up testing these two side by side almost by accident — I already had Vital Proteins in my cabinet from years of buying it at Target, and I'd just started working through Livingood Daily's line for a separate review. Once I had both tubs open at the same time, the differences were sharper than I expected, and not just in the ingredient panel.
Vital Proteins was founded in 2013 by Kurt Seidensticker, a former NASA aerospace engineer who started experimenting with collagen after a running injury. He self-funded a small Chicago factory to build the company, and Nestlé Health Science acquired a majority stake in 2020 — Seidensticker has stayed on as CEO, but it's now backed by one of the largest food and health companies in the world.
Livingood Daily's collagen comes from a much smaller, independent operation — founded by chiropractor Blake Livingood and his wife, nurse Jessica Livingood, as one product inside their broader 5 Essentials wellness system. No corporate parent company, no thousands of retail doors — it's sold almost entirely direct-to-consumer.
5 Key Differences
1. Ownership: Independent vs. Nestlé-Backed
Livingood Daily is still a founder-run, independent company. Vital Proteins is majority-owned by Nestlé Health Science since 2020, which brings more resources and retail reach but also means it's no longer a fully independent operation.
2. Collagen Amount Per Scoop
Vital Proteins delivers 20g of collagen per serving — more than double Livingood Daily's 9g. If total collagen dose is your main metric, Vital Proteins wins outright.
3. What's Added Alongside the Collagen
Livingood Daily's base formula adds 75mg of Vitamin C (a required cofactor for collagen synthesis) and organic pea protein to round out the amino acid profile. Vital Proteins' base Collagen Peptides is just collagen — no Vitamin C or added protein unless you buy their separate Advanced or Beauty formulas.
4. Flavor Format
Livingood Daily's collagen comes pre-flavored in Vanilla and Chocolate, sweetened with organic stevia. Vital Proteins' flagship version is unflavored by design, built to disappear into coffee or a smoothie without changing the taste.
5. Where You Can Actually Buy It
Vital Proteins is in roughly 35,000 retail doors — Target, Costco, Whole Foods, Walgreens — plus online. Livingood Daily is sold almost entirely through its own store, with only limited availability on Amazon and Walmart.com.
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My Real Experience: 4 Weeks Testing Both
Week 1: I put Vital Proteins (unflavored) in my morning coffee and Livingood Daily's Vanilla in an afternoon shake, so I could judge each on its own terms instead of mixing them together. Vital Proteins was genuinely invisible in coffee — no taste change at all. Livingood Daily's Vanilla added a mild sweetness to my shake that I liked more than I expected to.
Week 2–3: I tracked the same thing I'd tracked in my standalone Livingood Daily collagen test: nail breakage. Using both products across the day (roughly 29g of combined collagen daily), I went 16 days without a new nail split by day 20 of the combined test — a longer stretch than I saw testing Livingood Daily alone, which makes sense given the higher total collagen intake from stacking both.
Week 4 — the real test: I dropped Vital Proteins for the final week and kept only Livingood Daily's 9g dose, to see if the lower amount alone still felt like “enough.” Nails stayed stable through that week, though it's a short window to draw firm conclusions from. Collagen's research-backed benefits build over 8–12 weeks, so this is a snapshot, not a verdict on either brand's long-term effectiveness.
What I didn't experience: any digestive difference between the two, and no noticeable skin-elasticity change from either in just 4 weeks — that timeline is too short for that specific benefit to show up reliably.
Where Each Brand Wins
Vital Proteins wins on: raw collagen dose (20g), retail availability, and brand track record — it's been around since 2013 and is easy to find in almost any grocery or pharmacy.
Livingood Daily wins on: formulation completeness (Vitamin C + protein built in), flavor variety without buying a separate product line, and a longer 60-day return window if you're not sure it's for you.
What to Know Before You Order Either
Livingood Daily: less raw collagen per scoop, and it's harder to find in physical stores if you prefer buying supplements in person.
Vital Proteins: no Vitamin C or added protein in the base formula (you'd need their pricier Advanced line for that), and its detailed third-party test results aren't published for consumers to review directly.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Feature | Livingood Daily Collagen | Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | Blake & Jessica Livingood, independent | 2013, Kurt Seidensticker; majority owned by Nestlé since 2020 |
| Collagen per scoop | 9g (Type I & III) | 20g (Type I & III) |
| Vitamin C included | Yes, 75mg | Not in base formula |
| Added protein | Organic pea protein | None |
| Flavor | Vanilla, Chocolate (stevia-sweetened) | Unflavored (flavored lines sold separately) |
| Sourcing | Grass-fed hydrolyzed bovine | Grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine |
| Approx. price/serving | ~$2.03 | ~$1.93–$2.00 |
| Where sold | Mostly direct-to-consumer | ~35,000 retail doors + online |
| Return window | 60 days | 30 days |
| Third-party tested | Yes, GMP-certified U.S. facility | Yes; Vital Performance line is NSF Certified for Sport |
Neither brand is objectively “better” across the board — they're built around different priorities. Vital Proteins optimizes for dose and convenience; Livingood Daily optimizes for a more complete, ready-to-use formula. Which one wins depends entirely on what you're trying to solve for.
Who Should Choose Which
Choose Vital Proteins if you want the highest collagen dose per scoop, you prefer unflavored powder you can drop into anything, or you want a brand you can grab at Target on the way home. Choose Livingood Daily if you'd rather have Vitamin C and protein already built into the formula, you like a flavored option without buying a separate product line, and you want a longer return window while you decide if it's working.
Maybe Wait If…
If you specifically want the largest possible collagen dose per scoop, Livingood Daily's 9g will feel light compared to Vital Proteins' 20g — you'd need to take more scoops to match it. And if you strongly prefer buying supplements in a physical store rather than online, Vital Proteins' retail availability will be more convenient than Livingood Daily's mostly direct-to-consumer model.
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
This isn't really a “winner take all” comparison — it's a question of what you're optimizing for. Vital Proteins earns its reputation with a bigger collagen dose and unmatched retail availability. But Livingood Daily's collagen makes a legitimately smart case for itself by building Vitamin C and complete protein into the formula instead of leaving you to source them separately, backed by a more generous return window. If you want the simplest, highest-dose option, go with Vital Proteins. If you want a more complete formula in a flavor you'll actually enjoy, Livingood Daily earns the edge.
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FAQ
Which has more collagen per serving, Dr. Livingood or Vital Proteins?
Vital Proteins delivers more raw collagen at 20g per scoop, versus 9g per scoop for Livingood Daily. Livingood Daily's scoop adds 75mg of Vitamin C and organic pea protein, which Vital Proteins' base formula does not include.
Is Vital Proteins owned by Nestlé?
Yes. Nestlé Health Science acquired a majority stake in Vital Proteins in 2020, though founder Kurt Seidensticker has stayed on as CEO. Livingood Daily remains independently owned and operated by Blake and Jessica Livingood.
Which collagen powder is cheaper per serving?
Vital Proteins runs about $1.93–$2.00 per serving and Livingood Daily runs about $2.03 per serving at full price — close enough that the real deciding factor is formula, not cost.
Does Vital Proteins have flavors like Dr. Livingood collagen?
Vital Proteins' flagship Collagen Peptides is unflavored by design, meant to blend invisibly into coffee or smoothies. Livingood Daily's collagen comes pre-flavored in Vanilla and Chocolate, sweetened with organic stevia.
Where can I buy Vital Proteins vs Dr. Livingood collagen?
Vital Proteins is sold in roughly 35,000 retail doors including Target, Costco, and Whole Foods, plus online. Livingood Daily collagen is sold primarily direct-to-consumer through the official store, with a smaller presence on Amazon and Walmart.com.
Which brand has a better return policy?
Livingood Daily offers a 60-day satisfaction guarantee on unopened products. Vital Proteins asks customers to report issues within 30 days of receipt.
Are both collagen brands grass-fed and third-party tested?
Yes to both. Vital Proteins sources grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine collagen and its Vital Performance line is NSF Certified for Sport. Livingood Daily says its products are made in a GMP-certified U.S. facility with regular third-party testing.
Which collagen should I choose if I want maximum collagen dose?
Choose Vital Proteins — 20g of collagen per scoop is more than double Livingood Daily's 9g. If you'd rather have Vitamin C and added protein built in alongside a smaller collagen dose, Livingood Daily is the better fit.
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