Sparassis crispa: the mushroom with 43% beta-glucan and what it does in skincare
Cauliflower fungus is entering Korean cosmetics as a source of beta-glucan and exosomes. What is known about this raw material, why it appears in anti-ageing lines, and what to ask about it.
For the past two years Korean brands have been hunting for raw materials beyond the familiar centella and ginseng. One result of that hunt is Sparassis crispa, the mushroom known in English as cauliflower fungus.
Why this mushroom
The value of Sparassis lies in beta-glucan. It is a polysaccharide that acts in skincare as a humectant and soothing component, and in research it is linked to barrier recovery. According to the companies working with it, Sparassis holds the highest beta-glucan content among mushrooms, reaching 43 per cent.
The second reason is more prosaic: the mushroom is cultivated rather than gathered. For a cosmetic raw material that matters more than novelty — a stable supply base gives repeatability from batch to batch.
How it is used
In Korean formulas Sparassis appears in two forms: as an extract and as a source of exosomes. The extract goes into hydrating and recovery products, the exosomes into anti-ageing ones, where actives need carrying deeper.
At BIOPT, for example, the whole EXO REJUVA Ultra Lifting line is built around this material: Sparassis exosomes and extract together with five peptides, gold and diamond colloids and a fermented complex. In March 2025 the company filed a patent application on a compound isolated from the mushroom.
What to ask the supplier
The material is new, so the questions are simple and important. Where the mushroom comes from and who cultivates it. Which part is used — fruiting body or mycelium, since their composition differs. What beta-glucan content is confirmed for the actual batch, rather than stated in a presentation.
And a separate question about documents: is there a certificate of analysis for the raw material and test reports for the finished product. Without them a figure from a presentation stays a figure from a presentation.
What it means for a buyer
A new raw material is a chance to stand apart. Shelves in Mexico or Brazil are filled with hyaluronic acid and retinol; a product built on mushroom exosomes is visible on that shelf.
But a story only sells when it can be evidenced. So we ask the manufacturer not for a marketing slide but for the raw material sheet and the test report — and pass both to the buyer.