Mushrooms are skincare’s latest ingredient obsession and, as of August 2024, the craze has now reached the affordable market in the form of glow hub’s skin trip treatment lotion (£12, Lookfantastic.com).

Premium brands, including Origins, Natura Bisse and Drunk Elephant are already adopting the power of funghi within their products, and the mushroom skincare market has been waiting for such a wallet-friendly find. And, even with its less than £15 price point, glow hub’s take on the phenomenon still features five varieties of mushrooms including reishi, chaga, cordceps, silver era and shiitake mushrooms.

Mushrooms as a skincare ingredient have been heralded as a hero ingredient thanks to their ability to reduce inflammation, irritation and hyperpigmentation (including sun spots and melasma). Some mushrooms, such as the shiitake included here, can also with acne and boost brightness, while chaga mushrooms can help to protect the skin against environmental elements like UV.

Intrigued by the promise of mushrooms as an antioxidant, I put the lotion to the test. The idea of “skin-loving” shrooms – as the brand describes them – stepping in to help calm down the irritation I was experiencing from AHA and BHA actives, sounded an A* idea on paper – but did it come to fruition? Keep reading to find out.

How I tested

I tested the lotion on bare skin as the first step in my routine post-cleanse (Lucy Smith)

I have been putting it to the test over the past few weeks. The brief? To restore my stressed-out skin (think: flaking, stinging and inflamed) to a comfortable state while maintaining the pore-refining and exfoliating qualities of some of my most-reached toners.

It’s worth noting that this product, as a treatment lotion, can be used at both the toner and serum stage, with my test centring around the former. Applying the lotion after cleansing, I paid attention to the feel of the formula on my skin, paying particular attention to whether it caused any tingling; any notable scent; its texture when applied by hand; and, of course, any changes to the condition of my skin after repeated use. I tend to avoid using a toner in the evenings with so many new items being introduced into my routine as is, so this test was based on frequent morning use. Here’s how I got on.

glow hub skin trip treatment lotion

Size: 45ml

Key ingredients: 5 x mushrooms (listed above), hyaluronic acid, kombucha, moisture barrier-boosting ashwagandha and brightening liquorice root

Best suited to: Oily, combination, normal and dry skin

Cruelty-free: Yes

Why we love it

Fresh smelling

Weightless

Soothing and doesn’t tingle on sensitive areas

Take note

Very small

With cute-as-a-button packaging and a brat-green lid, glow hub’s skin trip lotion is without a doubt targeting Gen-Z. The lotion’s texture is a thin liquid with a subtle moisturising slip/stretch to it. It disappears into the skin seconds after being applied and smells clean – almost like a sun cream.

Regarding its performance, it feels like it’s actively working on the skin. It didn’t tingle or, heaven forbid, burn, but I was aware of it on my face in the way that I might not be of a gentler product, such as The Body Shop’s vitamin E serum.

Post-application, any excess shine has been zapped away but it didn’t leave my skin feeling tight or squeaky. With ashwagandha to help boost the performance of hyaluronic acid, I prefer using it at the start of my skincare routine versus the end given my propensity for hyaluronic acid at a later stage (in serums and moisturisers). I also don’t think it is hydrating enough to be used as a serum for those with dry skin.

The potent mix of mushrooms calmed any areas of irritation on my skin and liquorice root certainly helped to brighten my complexion, I also like the fact it feels comfortable yet performative when I use it. It’s unlike anything I’ve used before, but it really is the perfect toner if you’re looking to reset irritated skin and it’s one I’ll continue to return to.

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The verdict: glow hub skin trip treatment lotion

Ultimately, glow hub’s skin trip treatment lotion is perfect for resetting irritated skin without undoing all of the pore-refining, exfoliating and brightening results from using skincare actives. It didn’t cause irritation, nor did it feel as gentle as using micellar water (which, in my experience, some toners can be akin to). All in all, I’d highly recommend it if you too are intrigued about mushroom’s magical effects in skincare.

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Glow Hub’s £12 mushroom toner is unlike anything else I’ve tried

It features a tri-shroom complex for a potent skin health-boosting effect

How I tested

glow hub skin trip treatment lotion

The verdict: glow hub skin trip treatment lotion

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