Organic skincare products are hard to come by. Fortunately, one little mushroom promises to make the search a bit easier.
As often as new skincare trends pop up, most of them are based in the past. Such is the case with a mushroom that was used all the way back in the Tang dynasty. I'm referring to the snow mushroom, which is a great moisturizer that also happens to be completely natural and organic. Using fungus to keep your skin hydrated may sound weird, but there's nothing odd about how well it works.
What's a Snow Mushroom?
Tremella Fuciformis, also known as the Silver Ear mushroom, but mostly known as the snow mushroom, is a staple ingredient in many Asian skincare and food products. Yang Guifei, one of Ancient China's Four Great Beauties, was known to have used it to maintain her youthful appearance. If it could do that back then, it should have no problem keeping your skin moisturized now.
Snow mushrooms are excellent at hydrating skin. This is due to their moist, gelatinous structure, as well as the large number of polysaccharides that resides in each one. Polysaccharides have a protective effect on the skin, practically acting as a barrier to keep in moisture.
Like hyaluronic acid, the snow mushroom hydrates the skin and helps it retain moisture. It can be applied directly to the skin or consumed as food. Indeed, this is why the mushroom shows up so often in Asian cuisine. It's even been referred to as a dessert, which means that you can moisturize your skin and have a sweet snack at the same time.
It's one of the highest food sources of vitamin D, which promotes cell growth. Unfortunately, your body's production of the vitamin decreases by about 75% between the ages of 20 to 70. Thus, you should make vitamin D a normal part of your diet.
Snow Mushroom vs. Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that draws moisture to your skin and locks it there. It's been a popular ingredient in skincare products, appearing in countless products in many different variations. However, these variations are part of the problem. Most HA has been synthetically altered, resulting in it becoming a less than organic way to moisturize the skin.
The snow mushroom has been compared to HA time and time again due to its similar properties. While HA can hold about 1,000 times its weight in water, the snow mushroom can hold 500 times. The snow mushroom also sports smaller hydration particles, allowing it to penetrate the skin with ease. HA can't say the same.
While both ingredients provide moisture, snow mushrooms are far more organic and have an easier time locking in moisture. Due to this, it can hold 5 times more water than HA. It may seem less effective, but it wouldn't be smart to underestimate these mushrooms. If you want a more organic product, snow mushrooms are clearly the way to go.
Conclusion
It's difficult to find the organic skin care product that's right for you. Most of them are more synthetic than organic or just aren't good at what they do. That's why the snow mushroom might be the solution to your troubles.
Thanks to its completely natural form of moisturizing, this little fungus lives up to all the comparisons. It may not be quite as powerful as HA, but it's much better at locking in moisture. Not to mention how much vitamin D it's packing. It's the perfect organic alternative to hyaluronic acid, and it deserves your attention.
For an organic product that revitalizes your skin in a natural way, check out our Deep Hydration Sheet Mask.
