Mushrooms are making their way into the spa industry, and they are predicted to be a huge 2020 trend. Among the numerous magical benefits mushrooms bring the skin, there is one that is everything the skin needs in the winter, both in its name and skin benefits–the snow mushroom.

Tremella Fuciformis (snow mushroom) has been a hot ingredient in both Asian cuisines, and in skin care. With the advancements of Korean beauty becoming more and more popular, this mushroom is now is making its way into Western culture.

Snow Mushroom Vs. Hyaluronic Acid

While hyaluronic acid is said to hold roughly 1,000 times its weight in water, snow mushroom is trying to give it a run for its money by holding 500 times its weight in water. While that is about half as much as hyaluronic acid, that still makes this magical mushroom able to give the skin one heck of a hydration boost.

However, the comparisons don't stop there. Snow mushroom also can generate a flexible hydration film that helps to restore dry skin to its optimally hydrated state. Plus, with the hydration particles in this mushroom being smaller than those of hyaluronic acid, it can penetrate the skin more easily.

Hydrating, Brighten and Heal

Safe to say, this ingredient helps to not only hydrate the skin, but help the skin maintain hydration levels as well. Apart from its apparent hydrating abilities though, this ingredient has also been shown to inhibit melanin production by 59.7%. For this reason, the snow mushroom has also been used in skin care as a brightening agent.

Containing over 18 kinds of amino acids, the snow mushroom has also proved to be beneficial in cell growth, which has made it a prime ingredient in wound healing. The vitamin D present in these fungi also makes it great for healing acne lesions for a hydrated and healed complexion. Consuming this product as well as applying it topically can aid the skin with its many benefits.

Mushrooms are not only a delicious addition to many meals (we’re looking at you, mac ’n’ cheese), it turns out they also have quite a few health and skin benefits. “Some of the most popular mushrooms today, like reishi mushrooms, have been used in skin care and supplements for over 2000 years,” says Barbara Close, Naturopathica founder and esthetician who also has a degree in therapeutic herbalism. “With roots in traditional Chinese medicine, mushrooms are associated with restoring vitality and helping to address imbalances, from compromised immunity to sensitized skin, by reducing inflammation,” she adds.

The Skin Benefits of Mushroom

When it comes to skin care, mushrooms were originally used for their lightening benefits (kojic acid, a well-known skin-lightener, is found in shiitake mushrooms, says Dr. Grossman), but thanks to their antioxidant properties, mushrooms can also help reduce irritation and inflammation. One study published in the Archives of Dermatological Research found that phenolic veratric acid, a compound found in mushrooms known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helps improve the look of wrinkles.

“Mushrooms are a useful tool for healthy skin, used internally and topically,” according to an authority. When eaten, mushrooms like reishi and shiitake “help to strengthen the body’s natural immunities, reducing skin sensitivity and improving resilience to environmental irritants,” Mushrooms also hydrate skin, but to get that effect you’ll have to apply them topically, says Dr. Grossman.

Different Kinds of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are broken down into two groups: healthy and therapeutic. “The healthy mushrooms like white button, cremini, portobello and oyster are good sources of minerals, B vitamins, protein and phytonutrients for general health maintenance,” “The therapeutic mushrooms are more potent sources of these same ingredients and have been shown to help treat a wide variety of diseases from cancer to diabetes,” (Reishi and chaga are examples of therapeutic mushrooms.)

For a deeper dive, here is a look at the skin benefits of some of the most popular mushrooms:

Finnish Chaga: “This Russian and Northern European mushroom is rich in minerals and acts as a potent antiviral and antibacterial agent to fight a wide variety of infections,” A study published in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms found that chaga may aid in cancer treatment as it helped decrease the instances of tumors spreading. Chaga has antioxidant properties which means it can also help protect skin against oxidative stress that can lead to signs of aging like wrinkles. A study published in the journal Medicine found that nonotus obliquus (chaga mushroom) extract, curbs melanin production, meaning it may help with skin lightening.

Shiitake: This type of mushroom “has long been used by herbalists to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and numerous studies have shown them to be helpful in slowing the progression of certain cancers.” As for skin care, kojic acid, a well-known skin lightener, is found in shiitake mushrooms, says Dr. Grossman. “Shiitake mushrooms, in addition to having kojic acid, also contain antioxidants and selenium that can decrease irritation and calm inflammation,” adds Dr. Grossman.

Reishi: This bitter mushroom has potent anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects, it as an essential component to an effective anti-aging regime, being high in antioxidants.

Here at Private Label Skincare Florida, we are on a constant search for any rising trending ingredients, to help with the Skin and hair. We incorporate these ingredients into our cutting edge formulations to give both a better pay off for the consumer, but also give you a great story for your brand, setting it apart from all the rest.  Give us a call and we will help you get started on some unique products to WOW the beauty and personal care industry as well as your end user.