The essential skin care ingredient that’s already in your kitchen
Magic mushrooms are becoming increasingly popular, but not in the way you might think: they’re coming to your beauty supply.
Almost anything goes in the beauty industry. Yoni eggs? Sure! Vampire facials? We’re in!
But unlike many recent trends, mushrooms are much more than a modern fad.
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They have been used in the beauty and wellness industry for thousands of years.
And now research shows just how miraculous they can be in treating beauty problems.
It is therefore not surprising that many well-known brands are responding to the mushroom boom.
GROWTH FACTORS
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Glow Hub Super Shroom range, from £12
“The use of mushrooms in skincare isn’t new. However, there’s definitely been a boom in mushroom products, and not just in beauty – we’ve seen it in homewares, art, fashion and design,” explains Tiffany Salmon, founder of beauty brand Glow Hub.
Dr. Andrew Weil, a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine who created a mushroom-based skin care line in partnership with Origins, agrees.
“With the increase in mushroom-based products, we are seeing more scientific research highlighting their benefits, while their increased popularity in medicine and global cuisine has also increased the awareness of mushrooms,” he says.
Dermatologist Dr. Alexis Granite agrees, saying, “Given the popularity of adaptogens – plants that counteract the impact of stress – and the adaptogenic properties of some mushrooms, attention to these botanical wonders has increased in recent years.”
Tiffany also points to the hangover from the pandemic as a factor.
“We continue to see the impact of that increased anxiety and the need for a more holistic approach to health trickle down from the wellness industry, so the demand for adaptogenic skin care is only going to increase,” she says.
Finally, sustainability and ease of availability are important factors, Dr. Weil says, as with most popular ingredients.
He says: “As more and more varieties of mushrooms are grown in Western countries, they are becoming more accessible and cost-effective, further driving the trend.”
BREAKING THE FORM
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Origins Mega Mushroom Soothing Treatment Lotion, £30
Dr. Weil began working with Origins nearly 20 years ago on his skincare line, Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience. It’s now the brand’s best-selling line, with a bottle of Origins Mega-Mushroom Treatment Lotion purchased every eight seconds.
“At that time, no one used mushrooms in skin care products and I knew a lot about their medicinal properties.
“I gave Origins a list of a dozen strains to test and some of them turned out to be very useful – and that was the beginning of the Mega Mushroom line,” he says.
Biggest Beauty Flaws
Tara Ledden, beauty editor of Fabulous, shares the do’s and don’ts of beauty.
“No matter how much time and money you spend on your beauty routine, if you don’t get the basics right, everything else is wasted.
“There aren’t many things you can’t negotiate, but these are the biggest cosmetic mistakes that are sabotaging your regime.”
- Do not use SPF: Sun damage is the number one cause of premature skin aging, so if you want to keep your skin looking firm and radiant, sunscreen is essential.
- Use of products whose expiration date has passed: At best, they are ineffective and do not deliver the results they promise, at worst they cause irritation and infection. The shelf life of beauty products varies – for example, mascara is usually good for 3-6 months, while lipstick can last 9-18 months. Check the ‘POA’ symbol on the packaging (it looks like a jar and has a number inside it for how many months it is safe to use after opening. If you can’t remember when you opened your product, throw it out and start over, marking the month and year on the packaging with a permanent marker.
- Not knowing your undertone: If you use makeup with the wrong undertones, it will never look natural, no matter how much you mix it! An easy trick to figure out if you have cool, warm, or neutral undertones is to check the veins on your wrist – if they look blue, you have cool undertones, if they look green, you have warm, and if they’re a mix, you have neutral.
- Skip heat protectant: It may seem unnecessary, but just like sun damage to the skin, excessive heat is the most common cause of hair damage. So if you want shiny, healthy hair, or if you want to grow it longer, using a heat protection product is essential.
- Not washing your face before bed: it’s as simple as this, if you don’t wash your face before you go to bed, whatever has been on your skin during the day will stay there longer, clogging your pores and drying out the surface. Any skincare you apply on top won’t be effective with a layer of dirt underneath, and you’ll probably end up with dirty pillows too – yuck!
And now, in 2024, the fungi are springing up everywhere like mushrooms.
Recently, technology giant Dyson harnessed the power of mushrooms to create the brand’s first styling product line: Dyson Chitosan.
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Dyson Chitosan, from £44
“In haircare, we see less use of mushrooms as an ingredient compared to skincare, but some areas that have been explored include hair strength,” explains Natalie Coleman, head of product development at Dyson.
“Our hair formulas feature a polymer derived from oyster mushrooms – chitosan, our hero ingredient – known for its structural properties. When used in hair care, it can provide soft style hold.”
Tiffany explains that the Glow Hub Super Shroom range, starting at £12, is based on the skincare benefits of fungi.
“We wanted to create anti-stress formulas to relax and protect skin from stress damage that causes dryness, dark spots, dullness, loss of volume, irritation and wrinkles.
“We have discovered a variety of clinically tested mushrooms that counteract these problems.”
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Kora Organics Milks Mushroom Gentle Cleansing Oil, £43
If you need further proof of the trend, Harry Styles’ fun brand launched the mushroom-inspired Shroom Bloom Assortment almost two years ago, while Miranda Kerr released Kora Organics Milks Mushroom Gentle Cleansing Oil in 2021, and Strange eyesJonathan Van Ness uses tremella mushroom in JVN Complete Conditioning Hair Mist.
MOLDS WORTH LOOKING FOR
If you thought pronouncing “hyaluronic acid” was difficult, try “cordyceps” and “tremella fuciformis”.
If you still have no idea, you can call them ‘caterpillar fungus’ and ‘snow fungus’ respectively.
There are an estimated 4 million species of mushrooms, but only a few have proven to be beautiful. Plus, you probably won’t find them in the fruit and vegetable aisle.
Reishi
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Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing concentrate, £37
“This remedy is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is perfect for soothing sensitive skin,” says Dr. Weil.
“It can also improve hyperpigmentation and protect the skin from pollution,” adds Dr. Granite.
Snow mushroom
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Botanics Pure Botanicals Snow Mushroom Concentrated Serum, £7.99
“This mushroom is a hydration hero and helps maintain the skin barrier and keep it hydrated,” says Dr. Weil.
“It also has antimicrobial properties and can improve healing, plus it’s rich in hydrating polysaccharides, which are smaller than hyaluronic acid, so may be better absorbed by the skin,” Dr. Granite adds. And it’s much cheaper.
Chaga
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Pai Skincare Tri-Mushroom 10% Super-Soothing Booster, £19
“One of the most commonly used mushrooms in skin care, it is rich in antioxidants and improves skin health,” Tiffany explains.
“It also contains betulinic acid to boost collagen and elastin production for firmer, plumper skin,” adds Dr. Granite.
Dr. Weil says, “Mushrooms like chaga can help even out skin tone and reduce oxidative stress.”
Songyi
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Joonbyrd Daydreamer Firming Body Serum, £90
“This supports collagen production, contains kojic acid for a brightening effect, and has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties,” says Dr. Granite.
Shiitake
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Glow Hub Skin Trip Treatment Lotion, £12
“This mushroom is not only effective, but also widely available. It is often used for its brightening benefits, thanks to compounds like kojic acid,” explains Dr. Weil.
Dr. Granite adds: “It also contains selenium, vitamins D and B and has anti-inflammatory properties.”
Cordwort
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Ouai Scalp Serum, £48
“It contains polysaccharides for skin hydration, antioxidants to fight pollution and anti-inflammatory properties, and it stimulates collagen production,” says Dr. Granite.
It’s also great for the scalp and hair. “Traditionally, this is used in supplements for its energizing properties. But when applied topically, it helps to increase shine, hydrate and soothe the skin,” Tiffany adds.
The best news is that mushroom extracts are well tolerated and beneficial for all skin and hair types (unless you have allergies, in which case stay away!). Magical, indeed.
