The Magic of Mushrooms: Fungi’s medicinal value gain attention as cosmetics go green
Along with increased consumer interest in clean beauty — a movement which advocates the use of naturally sourced ingredients — mushrooms have been gaining attention as raw ingredients for use in cosmetics. Now, cosmetics that include the liquid extract of snow mushrooms and reishi mushrooms — fungi long-prized in Asia — are appearing in the West.
In Asia, mushrooms have long been valued not just for their use in the kitchen, but also for their role in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Recently in the West, there has been a rapid progression of fundamental research into mushrooms’ effects on skin and also their usage in skincare products. Plus, Western beauty media, such as Cosmetics Business, Allure, and Glamour, have been hailing liquid mushroom extract as the current topmost talked-about skincare ingredient.
The mushrooms that have been gaining the most recognition in the West as cosmetics ingredients are snow mushrooms and reishi mushrooms, which have anti-inflammatory and sedative effects.
Mark Curry, co-founder of The Inkey List — a British brand which creates skincare recipes tailored to individual customers and that includes their own products (each of which are named after their main ingredient) — revealed that their Snow Mushroom Moisturizer (£9.99), which includes snow mushroom extract, has been selling at a rate of one unit every 12 minutes, showing that consumer interest is high.
Meanwhile, Origins, of the Estée Lauder group of companies, released a skincare lineup that uses reishi mushroom extract as its main ingredient. Over ten years ago, in cooperation with alternative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil, Origins announced their vegan cosmetics for sensitive skin “Mega-Mushroom Collection”, which brought to the forefront the sedative effect on the skin from reishi extract. This product series went on to be a long-seller in not only the US but also the Asian market.
The special category of “TCM beauty” emerges in China
In China, where a boom in organic products sprung up several years ago, online retail platforms Tmall and JD.com now have pages especially for mushroom-based skincare products, reflecting the rise there of the market for cosmetics and supplements made from TCM-based natural ingredients.
Cosmetics that use herbal medicines, including those of TCM, are classified in the category of “TCM beauty”. Cosmetics of this type are being developed and commoditized by regular companies, and at a government-run research institute (The Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Academy of Sciences), initiatives including experiments in extracting anti-aging essences from TCM are also currently ongoing.
Cosmetics that use caterpillar fungus, a type of mushroom long known for its analeptic and beautifying effects, have recently become popular. Caterpillar fungus contains amino acids, sugars, minerals, nucleic acids, cordycepin, cordycepic acid, and vitamins B1, B12, and C, and because it expands blood vessels to improve the flow of blood, it can help improve metabolism and contribute to anti-aging.
“Xiaoying Caterpillar Fungus”, developed jointly by Shenzhen Youdi Cosmetics Co., Ltd. and Beijing Tongrentang Skincare Research Institute, is one brand that’s become popular even online.
On the other hand, in South Korea, while functional cosmetics, naturalism, and veganism continue to trend, various cosmetics that use the extract from such mushrooms as caterpillar fungus, cauliflower fungus, and chaga mushrooms are appearing. With package designs that are simple and stylish — making them ideal for expansion to overseas markets — these brands are distinguishing themselves from Chinese brands.
Mushrooms also gain attention in the medical field for their nutritional components
Research in recent years has found that shiitake mushrooms, the single most well-known mushroom around the world, come with several benefits, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, and are gaining attention as an ingredient for nutritional supplementary foods.
Japanese company Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, having noticed the immune system recovery effects inherent in the mycelium of shiitake mushrooms, has been conducting related clinical research with medical institutions since around 2000. The mycelium of shiitake mushrooms is the thread-like base below the mushroom’s cap (the sporocarp), and it’s been found to contain a great many useful components that include β-glucan, α-glucan, syringic acid, vanillic acid, and arabinoxylan. It can also limit the function of suppressor cells (Treg cells, etc) to help restore the immunity system to normal strength.
Yasunori Matsui of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s central research lab has said that “although the effects still haven’t been confirmed in humans, the mycelium of shiitake are expected to alleviate inflammations such as hay fever, and research into this is currently ongoing. Considering the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects that the mycelium of shiitake have, there’s ample possibility that these mushrooms can be used in the future as ingredients in medicinal cosmetics.”
The TCM cosmetics developed by Chinese drug companies that we introduced in a previous article included cosmetics containing snow mushrooms and reishi mushrooms as key ingredients, and these are proving popular among the younger generations who favor natural cosmetics good for the skin and the environment. As interest in clean beauty continues to grow, research into mushroom-sourced components is also likely to advance further.
Text: Ching Li Tor
Original text (Japanese): Lina Ono
