Snow Mushrooms Are Basically Nature's Version Of Hyaluronic Acid

When it comes to must-have skin care ingredients, there are a few well-known essentials. Namely, moisturizing hyaluronic acid, plumping peptides, fine line-blasting niacinamide, brightening vitamin C, and multitasking retinols.

A lesser-known skin-loving hero that’s currently on the rise is the buzzy snow mushroom — and, whether you realize it or not, it may already be present in some products that sit atop your bathroom sink.

What Are “Snow Mushrooms?”

Mushrooms offer all sorts of health benefits. “Adaptogenic mushrooms are known for reducing stress, enhancing energy levels, improving sleep, and sharpening focus,” says Sandra Statz, the co-founder of skin care brand A.P. CHEM. Eventually, people started experimenting with various types of fungi in skin care — hence why mushrooms have been a booming beauty ingredient category for some time now.

Snow mushroom in particular — formally known as tremella fuciformis — has gained some serious interest in the skin care world recently. On TikTok, the hashtag #snowmushroom alone has amassed nearly 30 million views, and more and more brands are catching onto the hype, dropping products filled with the powerful fungus.

As Krupa Koestline, a cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Consultants, explains, snow mushrooms are a type of edible mushroom that grows on dead tree branches. It’s an organism that’s been used in Asian skin care formulations for hundreds of years, says Dr. Renée Snyder, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of both Keys Soulcare and Well People. “It’s an ingredient that has gained popularity in Western beauty industries due to a growing demand for natural and botanical ingredients,” she tells Bustle.

The Skin Care Benefits Are Major

Snow mushroom is an ultra-hydrating fungus that has gained a serious reputation for being nature’s hyaluronic acid. “Snow mushroom extracts can serve as a good alternative to hyaluronic acid, providing instant hydration with a soothing effect,” says Koestline. “Snow mushroom polysaccharide has a smaller particle size than hyaluronic acid, too, so some believe it to be a better humectant.”

Humectants, as a refresher, are molecules that draw water to the surface of your skin. When present in beauty products, they aid in moisturizing your complexion. With snow mushrooms in particular, studies have shown that when applied topically, they can help smooth fine lines, boost the skin’s natural barrier, and stimulate wound healing. Plus, they’re antioxidant-rich, so they help prevent free radical damage.

A Win For The Dry Skin Girlies

The snow mushroom can be a hero for dry skin woes, and it happens to be a powerhouse addition to any skin care routine. “All skin types benefit from incorporating snow mushrooms in their regimen,” Koestline says. That said, Snyder notes that dry and dehydrated complexions would benefit the most from the ingredient. Beyond that, sensitive skin girlies can reap the perks as well, as snow mushrooms have soothing properties, says Snyder.

Be Mindful If You’re Acne-Prone

While both experts agree that snow mushroom-spiked products are generally a great addition for those with any skin type, Snyder notes that snow mushroom formulas tend to have a mucous-like texture. “For those who have acne-prone skin, the extra moisture along with a poor formulation may not be well tolerated to their skin type and could clog pores,” she says.

Also key? You might want to steer clear of the ingredient if you have a known allergy to mushrooms or fungal substances. “Allergic reactions are very rare, but a patch test before usage can come in handy,” says Snyder.

Shop Snow Mushroom Skin Care Products

Convinced that you need a bit of snow mushroom in your life? Below, find 10 expert-approved products to add to your routine.

Lightweight and skin-balancing, the Keys Soulcare Promise Serum contains snow mushroom plus soothing niacinamide and toning zinc in its chic glass bottle.

A luxe face cream that embraces the beauty of mushroom skin care, the A.P. CHEM microDOSE™ Magical Moisturizer is a rich formula that provides plenty of hydration (thanks to hyaluronic acid and snow mushroom) in addition to skin-firming prowess via peptides.

The KORA Organics Milky Mushroom Gentle Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover removes makeup and pore-clogging debris while leaving your skin soft and velvety smooth. Alongside tremella mushroom, it features both fatty acid-rich babassu oil and nourishing sunflower seed oil.

A nighttime face cream that is rich and restorative, the MDSolarSciences MD Advanced Hydration Crème is filled with the hydrating trio of hyaluronic acid, snow mushroom, and squalane.

Combat pesky dry spots with this soothing treatment lotion, which uses a combination of plant-derived hyaluronic acid, brightening licorice root, and skin-restoring mushrooms for the glow-boosting job.

If you’re looking for a light and refreshing moisturizer, stock up on this one. The gel-cream concoction contains antioxidant-rich broccoli seed oil, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide in addition to snow mushroom, and will leave your complexion nice and plump.

In need of a new face oil for your winter regimen? The Face Oil by Herbar can help deliver that coveted glazed donut skin with ingredients like tremella mushroom, rosehip oil, bakuchiol, and vitamin E.

Use the buzzy ingredient in your body care regimen with this serum by Wild Elements, a softening elixir that contains snow mushroom, vitamin C, and moisturizing shea butter.

The Herbivore Pink Cloud Rosewater + Squalane Makeup Removing Face Wash is gentle on the complexion, yet powerfully removes product buildup from the day. “I like this cleanser because it helps clean without stripping the skin,” Koestline says. “The tremella extract helps with an added boost of hydration, too.”

Koestline describes this as a light and hydrating serum that’s perfect for layering — and it’ll provide major moisture via tremella mushroom, red algae extract, and Kakadu plum.

Studies referenced:

Chugh, R. M., Mittal, P., Mp, N., Arora, T., Bhattacharya, T., Chopra, H., Cavalu, S., & Gautam, R. K. (2022). Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 925387.

Harwood A, Nassereddin A, Krishnamurthy K. Moisturizers. [Updated 2022 Aug 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan.

Mineroff J, Jagdeo J. The potential cutaneous benefits of Tremella fuciformis. Arch Dermatol Res. 2023 Sep;315(7):1883-1886. doi: 10.1007/s00403-023-02550-4. Epub 2023 Feb 9. PMID: 36757441.

Sharifi-Rad J, Butnariu M, Ezzat SM, Adetunji CO, Imran M, Sobhani SR, Tufail T, Hosseinabadi T, Ramírez-Alarcón K, Martorell M, Maroyi A, Martins N. Mushrooms-Rich Preparations on Wound Healing: From Nutritional to Medicinal Attributes. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Sep 16;11:567518. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.567518. PMID: 33041809; PMCID: PMC7525158.

Wu YJ, Wei ZX, Zhang FM, Linhardt RJ, Sun PL, Zhang AQ. Structure, bioactivities and applications of the polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis mushroom: A review. Int J Biol Macromol. 2019 Jan;121:1005-1010. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.10.117. Epub 2018 Oct 18. PMID: 30342120.

Sources:

Krupa Koestline, cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Consultants

Dr. Renée Snyder, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Keys Soulcare and Well People

Sandra Statz, co-founder of A.P. CHEM