Beauty has been going green in more ways than one. In addition to more vegan, cruelty-free products, we’re seeing ones that are packed with superfoods plus fruits and vegetables. Similar to food and wellness trends, there are certain buzzy ingredients that seem to be everywhere. Watermelon is one of the hottest ingredients for summer, with the juicy fruit showing up in everything from masks to serums. Pomegranate, avocado and almost every leafy green have enjoyed their time in the spotlight. Now it’s the divisive mushroom that’s popping up in skin care launches, making it a perfect candidate for the next It ingredient.
Whether you love eating them or fall into the camp of people who find mushrooms too earthy to eat, you’ll like them in beauty routines, promise. When it comes to skin care, mushrooms can be pretty magical — which is why they’ve been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. According to Dr. Lamees Hamdan, founder and CEO of Shiffa, it’s the variety of mushrooms to choose from that makes them interesting. “There is no one hero mushroom,” she says. “Different varieties have different properties.” Hamdan suggests looking for a product that has a blend of at least three different mushrooms to get the most benefits.
In general, mushrooms are popular in skin care because they soothe, soften and provide mega moisture. Some, like reishi, are “super antioxidants,” Hamdan says. Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skin Care Collection, says that tremella fuciformis, aka snow fungus, has the ability to retain moisture in skin even more than hyaluronic acid. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has been proven to accelerate wound healing.
In addition to knowing whether a product has oyster, enoki, chaga, portobello mushrooms or another variety, Hamdan says it’s helpful to know the extraction method of the mushroom as well as what part of the mushroom is used because products that typically use the whole mushroom are best. In terms of specific products, Vargas says mushrooms are mostly found in serums, masks and moisturizers.
There’s no need to go foraging beauty aisles on a hunt for fungi. We’ve gone ahead and rounded up the best mushroom skin care products so you can see for yourself just how good ‘shrooms are.
[ Next: Birch Sap Is the Korean Beauty Ingredient That Will Give You Glowy Skin ]
12 Beauty Products With Mushrooms That Deliver Magical Results
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Volition
Snow Mushroom Water Serum, $62 at Volition
Fun fact: Snow mushrooms can hold nearly 500 times their weight in water, which makes them a very good ingredient to have in a moisturizer. What's more, the ingredient can minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, fight free radical damage and improve skin texture. The serum is packed with other nourishing extracts, including watermelon, apple and lentil, which all work together to plump and brighten skin.
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Blithe
Tundra Chaga Pressed Serum, $49 at Glow Recipe
Looking for something that's packed with mushrooms? This is one great option considering it's loaded with 60 percent chaga mushroom extract that helps brighten and moisturize skin. The serum has a rich brown color thanks to the mushroom extract that has been cooled instead of heated to preserve its nutrients. It may look like pureed mushrooms, but it has a refreshing soft floral scent. Use a pea-size amount of the pressed serum all over your face and neck after cleaning and toning for nourishment without the heaviness.
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Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins
Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Advanced Face Serum, $73 at Origins
When this is described as a mega mushroom serum, it's no exaggeration. The soothing serum is powered by reishi mushroom, fermented chaga and sea buckthorn. The product is brilliant for those with sensitive skin because it helps combat redness and boost resilience. Fans will be happy to know that Origins has an entire Mega-Mushroom line featuring masks and creams.
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Kat Burki
Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream, $70 at Kat Burki
Vitamin C is a notoriously difficult ingredient because of the way it degrades so quickly. The vitamin-packed cream contains 15 percent STAY C, a stable form of vitamin C. It's combined with reishi mushrooms that help increase absorption. The formula softens and brightens without leaving behind a heavy residue. FYI: It's suitable for sensitive skin.
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TONYMOLY
Strawberry Mushroom Sugar Scrub Magic Food, $16.50 at Ulta Beauty
Mushroom and strawberry? It's a combination that may not garner many fans in food, but it works in beauty. The sugar scrub's dominant scent is strawberry and it uses strawberry seeds to buff away dead skin cells. The product even has a texture that's similar to a thick strawberry smoothie. As for the mushrooms, the scrub contains chaga and shiitake. They provide moisture and improve the texture of skin.
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Joanna Vargas
Euphoria Face Mask, $75 at Joanna Vargas
Those who like to buy their sheet masks in bulk will like this set because it comes with five restorative masks. The mask takes skin from red and reactive to calm and cool. Apply a sheet mask for 15 to 20 minutes and let the serum work its magic. Snow mushroom extract and aloe vera gel dried powder help nourish skin and increase moisture. After taking the mask off, pat in any excess product. You don't want a drop to go to waste.
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Lush
Full of Grace Serum, $16.95 at Lush
Don't put this under water and attempt to lather up. This is actually a solid moisturizer. Slide the bar over dry skin and the tropical oil-rich formula will melt into pores without leaving behind any greasy residue. Those who are prone to redness and/or have sensitive skin will like the soothing, gentle formula made with a fresh rose petal infusion, chamomile and fresh portobello mushrooms. It protects skin, increases radiance and moisturizes. Furthermore, it's the perfect product to travel with.
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REN
Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask, $38 at Sephora
Dealing with redness or rosacea? Let this calming mask come to the rescue. It's special because it uses an original white mushroom (albatrellus ovinus) that has never been used in cosmetics. It helps calm stressed skin and creates a soft, glowing base. Try the mask in the morning before applying makeup. Or use it when skin needs some urgent TLC.
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Shiseido
Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate, $70 at Ulta Beauty
Healthy skin is strong skin. This concentrate is made with reishi mushroom and iris extract to make skin more hydrated, smoother and more resilient. The dermatologist-tested, noncomedogenic serum also has an ImuCalm compound that helps calm skin. The compound smells divine thanks to rose, lotus and green florals. No earthy mushroom smell here.
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Moon Juice
Beauty Shroom Plumping Jelly Serum, $58 at Sephora
This is an adaptogenic serum, which means it uses natural substances (typically herbs) to help normalize the body and keep it functioning properly. It uses reishi, silver ear mushroom and hyaluronic acid to plump, smooth and nourish skin. The lightweight jelly texture of the serum creates a long-lasting hydration barrier on skin resulting in a bouncy, youthful complexion.
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Earth's Recipe
Moisture Bound Cream, $43 at Glow Recipe
Tremella mushroom, aka snow fungus, is the hero shroom in this cream. It's combined with white jelly herbs to keep skin firm and bright. Don't worry about the jelly aspect because it's not greasy or heavy. It's lightweight, breathable and absorbs into skin to provide all-day hydration. Just a dab is needed to avoid faces getting itchy and parched.
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Youth To The People
Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream, $58 at Sephora
This new launch is packed with superfood ingredients, including reishi mushroom, ashwagandha, rhodiola and holy basil. The cream is suitable for all skin types, but it's especially great for those with dry, sensitive skin. The adaptogen ingredients fight pollutants and environmental stressors and provide soothing nourishment. Say goodbye to flakes.
