Reishi Mushroom Benefits for Skin: What the Research Shows, and What It Doesn’t

What is in reishi skincare?

Reishi, or lingzhi, is a glossy, reddish-brown bracket fungus with a long history in Chinese and Japanese traditional use. In skincare it is used as an extract.

On an ingredients list (the INCI list) you will usually see:

• Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, sometimes with “(Mushroom)” added
• Ganoderma Lucidum Stem, Mycelium or Spore Extract, from different parts of the fungus
• Ganoderma Lucidum Ferment Filtrate, made by fermenting reishi with yeast or bacteria, common in Korean skincare

The compounds that interest researchers are:

• Polysaccharides, including beta-glucans: sugar-based molecules that hold water.
• Triterpenes, such as ganoderic acids, studied for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in the lab.
• Phenolic compounds, with antioxidant activity in test-tube assays.

In most serums and creams, reishi sits alongside better-known ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin or niacinamide. Brands rarely say how much reishi they use, so it is hard to compare with the amounts used in studies.

Reishi mushroom benefits for skin: what the research looked at

Most “reishi benefits” lists online come from brands selling reishi products. Here is what the studies behind them tested. Almost all of it is in cells or animals: “worth studying”, not “proven on your face”.

1. Antioxidant activity and UV damage

Reishi contains triterpenes, polysaccharides and phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. In a 2017 study, reishi polysaccharides were added to human skin cells (fibroblasts) in a dish before UVB exposure. Treated cells showed fewer markers of ageing, lower levels of reactive oxygen species and less of the collagen-breaking enzyme MMP-1. Antioxidants are a partner to sunscreen, never a replacement.

2. Moisture-binding polysaccharides

Reishi’s polysaccharides, including beta-glucans, attract and hold water, which is why reishi turns up in hydrating serums. We couldn’t find any published human trials measuring skin hydration with a reishi product, so treat any percentage you see on a label as the brand’s own figure.

3. Pigment and dark spots in the lab

A 2016 study isolated a compound called ganodermanondiol and found it reduced the activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme that makes melanin, in mouse pigment cells. A 2019 study found reishi polysaccharides lowered UVB-triggered melanin production in pigment cells and in zebrafish, and reduced UVB redness in guinea pigs. None of this has been tested on human skin with uneven tone.

4. Inflammation in animal models

In a 2025 mouse study, ganoderic acid A, a reishi triterpene, was given by injection or applied to the skin in a model of psoriasis-like inflammation, and the mice had less thickening, redness and scaling. Another 2025 study gave purified reishi polysaccharides to mice with an eczema-like condition and reported lower inflammatory markers and better barrier function. Mouse models are a long way from eczema or psoriasis in people.

5. Ageing models in cells and mice

A 2025 study found a triterpene-rich reishi extract reduced oxidative stress in ageing cells and, in mice exposed to UVA, lessened skin thickening and loss of skin protein. Whether a cream delivers enough of these compounds through the skin barrier to make a visible difference isn’t known.

6. What the reviews conclude

A 2024 review of 52 papers on mushroom extracts and skin cells described antioxidant, photoprotective, moisturising and anti-inflammatory activity, all laboratory findings. Reviews point to reishi’s potential, not to solid human trials.

How strong is the evidence?

The basics with strong human evidence still win: daily SPF for ageing and dark spots, a good moisturiser for dryness, and a pharmacist or GP for skin conditions. Reishi can sit alongside those if you like how a product feels.

Is reishi good for acne, eczema or ageing skin?

Reishi for acne

We found no human trials of reishi for acne. The closest study tested reishi spore oil on skin cells stressed in the lab, which says nothing about spots on a real face. It isn’t an acne treatment. The NHS suggests a pharmacist as the first stop: they can recommend treatments such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. See a GP if spots are deep, painful, scarring or affecting how you feel. If your breakouts flare with pressure at work or home, our guide to stress acne explains the link.

Reishi for eczema

The eczema research is in animals. We found no controlled human trials of reishi, on the skin or by mouth, for atopic eczema. NHS treatment is built on emollients used at least twice a day and, when needed, steroid creams. Eczema-prone skin reacts easily to new products, so patch test carefully. Our eczema guide covers types, flare-up triggers and what helps, and dry skin: causes and which moisturiser is useful if your skin is dry rather than inflamed.

Psoriasis and rosacea

The ganoderic acid A study used a mouse model, so it can’t tell you anything about psoriasis on human skin. There is no rosacea research at all. Both conditions benefit from a proper diagnosis and treatment plan: see psoriasis and rosacea triggers and treatment.

Anti-ageing and dark spots

“Anti-ageing” is the most common reishi claim and the least supported in people: no trial has shown that a reishi product reduces wrinkles or dark spots in humans. Daily SPF and avoiding sunburn have far better evidence. For the collagen question, see do collagen supplements work for skin? Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin; our vitamin C guide lists the best food sources.

How to use reishi skincare

1. Serums and essences: the most common format. Apply after cleansing, follow with moisturiser, and finish with SPF 30 or higher in the morning.
2. Moisturisers: often combine reishi with ceramides or hyaluronic acid. Richer creams suit dry skin; gel creams suit oily skin.
3. Masks: sheet or wash-off masks, as an occasional extra. DIY masks with reishi powder are popular online, but powder made for drinks isn’t made for skin, so patch test first.

Reishi pairs easily with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide or vitamin C serums. Introduce one new product at a time, so you know what to stop if your skin reacts.

Applying reishi vs taking it by mouth

Some animal studies have given reishi in food: in one, mice fed a reishi spore and fruiting body product developed fewer UV-related skin tumours. That is a long way from showing that a reishi drink does anything for human skin, and there is no evidence that it does.

Many people enjoy reishi as part of an evening routine for its own sake. Good sleep is part of looking after yourself generally, and our guide to reishi for sleep looks honestly at what is known there.

Our Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex is a reishi hot chocolate drink, not a skincare product. It is made with cocoa, reishi mushroom, maca, cinnamon and coconut sugar. The cacao means it contains a little natural caffeine, so it isn’t caffeine-free. We make no skin claims for it: it is simply a warm, comforting drink. For what is in a cup, see reishi cacao: benefits, caffeine and how to make it. If you prefer something chewable, our guide to mushroom gummies compares doses and labels.

How to choose a reishi skincare product

• Look for Ganoderma lucidum fairly high up the ingredients list, not just at the very end.
• Prefer brands that say how much reishi they use and which part of the mushroom.
• Choose a format that suits your skin: lighter serums for oily skin, richer creams for dry skin.
• If your skin is sensitive, a fragrance-free formula keeps things simpler, as there are fewer ingredients that could react.
• Be wary of products promising to “cure”, “heal” or “treat” acne, eczema or psoriasis. Under UK advertising rules, a claim to treat a condition such as acne is a medicinal claim, which needs a medicines licence, and no reishi product has the evidence to back it.

The same “promising in the lab” picture applies to CBD skincare; see CBD for skin: acne, eczema and ageing for how that evidence compares.

Allergy, irritation and patch testing

Reishi is generally well tolerated in skincare, but any ingredient can irritate, and mushrooms are an allergen for some people.

• Mushroom and mould allergy: fungal spores can trigger allergies. In a study of 33 people with asthma or rhinitis, 30% reacted on a skin prick test to spore extract from a Ganoderma species (a close relative of reishi). If you know you react to mushrooms or moulds, avoid reishi skincare or check with your GP first.
• Itching: itching (pruritus) is listed among reported side effects of taking reishi, and Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that reishi may trigger or worsen autoimmune skin disease, though cause and effect isn’t established.
• Other mushrooms: reactions vary by species. Shiitake, for example, can cause a striking whip-like rash when eaten undercooked; see shiitake dermatitis.

How to patch test: apply a small amount to a coin-sized area of clean skin on your inner arm or behind the ear, leave it for 24 to 48 hours, and don’t use the product if you get redness, itching, swelling or a rash. The NHS lists cosmetics as one trigger for allergic contact dermatitis, which can leave skin itchy, blistered, dry and cracked. See a GP if a reaction is severe or keeps coming back, or if you aren’t sure what caused it. If a rash appears during a stressful spell instead, see our stress rash guide.

Is reishi safe to take by mouth?

Reishi is widely used as a food and in drinks, but it isn’t risk-free:

• Liver: there are rare case reports of liver injury with reishi powder, including a fatal case of hepatitis in Thailand and a 2023 case in a man who took reishi powder with alcohol. If you have liver disease or drink heavily, speak to your GP before taking reishi.
• Blood thinners: reishi may increase bleeding risk. Check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take warfarin or another blood thinner, or have a bleeding disorder.
• Other medicines: reishi may not be safe with immunosuppressants, and it may interact with some other medicines. If you take any medication, check with your GP or pharmacist first.
• Common side effects: nausea, dry mouth, constipation and itching have been reported.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: reishi’s safety hasn’t been established. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Adults only: our products are for adults (18+).

Our full reishi mushroom guide covers side effects, the liver case reports, dosage and who should avoid it in more depth.

Does reishi have any authorised health claims in the UK?

No. In Great Britain, foods and food supplements can only make health claims that appear as authorised on the Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register. Reishi has no authorised claims there. The only reishi entry on the register is a claim about stimulating the body in exhaustion, and it is listed as non-authorised.

That is why you won’t see us say a reishi drink does anything for your skin, sleep or immunity. Cosmetics follow separate rules, but a claim to treat a condition such as acne counts as a medicinal claim there too, so a reishi product promising to fix acne or eczema is a red flag.

Related guides

• Best mushroom supplements in the UK: how to read a label.
• Tremella, another “beauty” mushroom, is covered in our functional mushrooms guide.
• Tremella, the other “beauty” mushroom, has its own guide: tremella for skin, and what the research shows.