ByCelia Shatzman,
Senior Contributor.
There are skincare ingredients that come and go with the trends, but the ones have been a go-to for thousands of years are keepers, especially when they have the research to back up their benefits. That’s certainly the case with mushrooms, which are having a moment once again.
“Scientific literature notes that in some ancient civilizations, including Egypt, mushrooms and other botanicals were used in early masks and cleansers,” says Brian Goodwin, International Educator at Eminence Organic Skin Care. “In China, they have been valued for thousands of years within Traditional Chinese Medicine for their restorative properties, which later influenced cosmetic use. Fast forward to more recent decades, and mushrooms started showing up in modern skincare formulas, especially in anti-aging products from the 1980s onward. So, while they’re trending now, they have deep roots in skincare traditions around the world.”
There are plenty of reasons mushrooms are getting a lot of attention right now. “First, people are looking for natural ingredients that perform at a high level and are multi-functional,” Goodwin says. “Mushrooms meet that demand in a big way because they’re rich in bioactive compounds like polysaccharides, phenolic acids and terpenoids that actively support skin health in multiple ways without harsh effects.”
