Mushrooms
Mushrooms have a wealth of beneficial properties and make a great source of sustainable nutrition. They have been used for centuries in traditional medicine and diet but have recently shown promise in skincare, too! In fact, various types of mushrooms have been used in skincare products, including shiitake, reishi, and tremella.
This plant-based sustainable source of anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and antioxidant properties has been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation, stimulate collagen production, and reduce inflammation.
How do mushrooms help the skin?
Mushrooms can be incorporated into your internal and external routine to support overall wellness and, thus, skin health! Mushrooms contain necessary vitamins and minerals and are also considered an adaptogenic ingredient. This means they can contribute to reducing stress and how intensely stress may affect the body.
They contain various compounds that can protect the skin from damage and promote skin health, including phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and polysaccharides. These compounds can interact with the skin cells and modulate cellular functions, including cell proliferation, collagen synthesis, and antioxidant defense (3).
Which mushrooms are the best for the skin?
Shiitake
Reishi
Tremella
Cordyceps
What are the benefits of mushrooms in skincare?
Improves hyperpigmentation
Improve dehydration of dullness
Plumps skin reducing fine lines and wrinkles
Supports the skin barrier
Nutrient-dense
Sustainable
Shiitake mushrooms contain kojic acid, a natural skin-lightening agent that can improve melasma, age spots, and other hyperpigmentation issues. It has been shown that shiitake extract inhibits tyrosinase melanin production by interacting with tyrosinase (1). Shitake is a tyrosinase inhibitor, which helps treat melasma, age spots, and general discoloration.
Reishi mushrooms are also valued for their anti-aging benefits. They contain beta-glucans, polysaccharides that can stimulate collagen production and enhance skin elasticity. In addition, reishi mushrooms have been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can reduce inflammation and protect the skin from oxidative stress. Reishi extract has been shown to protect the skin against UVB-induced damage by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (2).
Tremella mushrooms contain polysaccharides that can hold up to 500 times their weight in water (3). It was found that tremella extract could improve skin hydration levels and reduce transepidermal water loss. Tremella is an excellent ingredient in moisturizers and hydrating products, especially for supporting the skin barrier.
Overall, mushrooms offer a natural and effective solution for addressing various skin concerns, such as pigmentation, aging, and dehydration.
If you have reactive, sensitive, or compromised skin, always use caution when introducing new products and ingredients. I recommend consulting your skin care professional or us for customized skincare advice!
1. Nakamura T, et al. Inhibition of tyrosinase by shiitake extracts. Food Chemistry. 1996 Sep;57(1):45-50.
2. Lee YH, et al. Protective Effect of Ganoderma lucidum Extract against UVB-Induced Apoptosis in Human Keratinocytes. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2009 Nov;19(11): 1744–1750.
3. Li H, et al. Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide: an effective ingredient for improving skin hydration and elasticity. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2014 Dec 1; 69: 417-421.