Why mushrooms are the latest essential ingredient in skincare beauty products
Origins’ Mega Mushroom range launched the versatile fungi into the skincare sphere, and ever more brands are embracing them as the key to younger-looking and brighter skin
Mushrooms have long been revered for their healing properties in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but now this wonder ingredient has moved from our plates into our beauty cabinets.
Already tried and tested for their nutritional and medicinal properties, mushrooms are the latest ingredient to be embraced by beauty brands as the key to younger and brighter skin.
“Mushrooms may be the latest millennial trend, but they have been around for centuries. The Chinese have been using them internally and externally for their anti-inflammatory benefits for over 5,000 years. I don’t think we’ll be seeing mushroom-fortified skincare disappear any time soon,” says Jenefer Palmer, founder of Los Angeles-based natural skincare brand OSEA.
OSEA is just one of a growing group of cosmetic brands that are harnessing the powers of the mushroom kingdom. One of its earliest proponents was skincare guru Dr Andrew Weil, who developed the now bestselling Mega Mushroom range with US brand Origins over 10 years ago.
Now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, including Asian brands such as Shiseido and Amore Pacific, which have infused many of their formulas with “super” mushrooms such as reishi, also called lingzhi (scientific name Ganoderma lucidum), and shiitake.