Actress Anjelica Huston recently revealed that she drinks a mushroom-laced “witch’s brew” each morning made of five different kinds of mushroom: cordyceps, lion’s mane, maitake, tiger tail and chaga. She’s not alone in her appreciation of the benefits of fungi, as mushrooms are making their presence felt in everything, from supplements to chocolate bars.
“More and more brands are answering wellbeing concerns with mushroom-powered products made from cordyceps or reishi, immunity-boosting shiitake or nootropic lion’s mane for cognitive focus and memory support,” says Cult Beauty co-founder Alexia Inge. The site has seen a 302 per cent increase in searches for mushroom-based skincare and supplements in the past year; Inge points to The Nue Co’s Nootro Focus cognitive supplements (£65) as a particular favourite, with sales of the product up by 608 per cent compared to last year.
“Our interest in a plant-based lifestyle has been accelerated in the wake of the zoonotic virus,” says Jenni Middleton, director of beauty at trend forecaster WGSN, of Covid-19’s transmission between animals and people. “Shoppers are shunning animal-derived ingredients and looking for alternatives from the plant world, migrating to time-honoured traditional ingredients recognised for their healing qualities.”
London-based Wunder Workshop’s Golden Shrooms mushroom formula is the brand’s bestseller (£17.50). Containing a blend of reishi (known as the “mushroom of immortality”) and cordyceps, it is designed to promote a healthy immune system and provide energy. It also comes in a chocolate bar (£5.99). “Cordyceps is an aphrodisiac and aids energy transfer in your cells,” says co-founder Tom Smale. “I find it a big boost before exercise classes, too.”
“Mushroom-lovestruck” is also how holistic nutritionist Tonya Papanikolov, the founder of Toronto-based Rainbo, describes herself. The brand sells a range of tinctures made from medicinal mushrooms, such as its bestselling 11:11 Multi-Mushroom Synergy ($49) – a blend of 11 different mushrooms designed to be taken every day like a multivitamin, either alone or with water, coffee, tea or other drinks.
It’s not always enough just to munch mushrooms, emphasises Smale. “Most medicinal mushrooms have a fibrous protective layer that prevents us from digesting many of their benefits. This biopolymer, chitin, is broken down through the extraction process, unlocking the beneficial beta-glucans and unique compounds.” To fully absorb their benefits, Papanikolov says, mushrooms should be dual-extracted – with hot water or alcohol, and then vice versa.
“Mushrooms are excellent ingredients in skincare,” says dermatologist Dr Dennis Gross, who has incorporated four different types of mushrooms into his eponymous skincare line. He adds that formulation is key when looking for mushroom-based products. “You…
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