Reishi—often called the “mushroom of longevity”—earns its place in modern skincare for one simple reason: it quietly does a lot. Cosmetic-grade Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting Body Extract brings a balanced mix of benefits: antioxidant defence, soothing comfort, a plumper, well-hydrated look, and gentle age-support for skin that deals with sun, stress, air-con and busy city life. It’s a natural fit for serums, gel creams and recovery routines built for everyday resilience.
What it does
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Antioxidant support: Helps neutralise free radicals from UV exposure and pollution, backing a fresher, less-dull appearance through the week.
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Soothing & comfort: Known for a calming touch that helps settle the feel of skin after cleansing, workouts or sun—nice for easily ruffled complexions.
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Moisturising, supple look: Reishi adds a soft, water-binding boost so skin feels cushioned rather than tight—think “well-rested” finish.
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Age-support (cosmetic scope): With consistent use, formulas can look smoother and more refined, supporting youthful-looking skin without heavy actives.
Where it shines in formulas
Reishi is versatile and works beautifully in:
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Daily hydrating serums/essences for comfort and glow
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Gel creams and light moisturisers that aim for bounce without grease
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Overnight recovery masks to wake up dewy, not shiny
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Post-sun or post-actives mists to take the edge off
It pairs neatly with humectants (glycerin, betaine), barrier supporters (panthenol, allantoin), and niacinamide at skin-friendly pH. For extra calm, layer with botanicals like Centella or green tea.
Formulation notes (for the chem-curious)
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Format & solubility: Most cosmetic reishi extracts are water- or glycerin-based and drop straight into the water phase of emulsions, gels and sheet-mask essences.
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Use levels (guide—follow your supplier spec): ~0.5–3% in leave-ons; up to 5–10% in rinse-offs/masks depending on sensorial goals.
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pH & processing: Aim for pH 4.5–6.5; add during cool-down to protect delicate fractions and colour.
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Stability: Store away from strong light/heat; consider a chelator (e.g., GLDA/EDTA) if your water is mineral-heavy to keep clarity on point.
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Compatibility: Plays nicely with common emulsifiers/surfactants and with gentle exfoliation schedules—just keep overall irritation load sensible.
Skin types & suitability
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Great for: normal, combination, oily and dry skin that wants calm hydration and day-to-day defence.
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Sensitive-leaning: Generally well tolerated when the whole formula is gentle and fragrance kept modest. Patch test if you’re highly reactive.
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Ethics: Naturally derived; confirm vegan/cruelty-free status with your supplier (mushroom origin, processing can vary).
Claims & labels you can support
Antioxidant, soothing/anti-inflammatory feel, moisturising, anti-ageing support/skin-revitalising, helps defend against environmental stress, naturally derived/plant-based, vegan (supplier-dependent), cruelty-free.
How to use it (simple routine)
AM: Cleanse → Reishi hydrating serum → light moisturiser → SPF.
PM: Cleanse → Reishi gel cream or overnight mask a few nights a week.
For reactive days, mist a reishi toner after workouts or sun to re-set comfort.
Properties
Anti-aging, Antioxidant, Anti- inflammatory, Moisturizing
INCI Name
Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting body Extract
