Go Back

Reishi Face & Body Lotion

Mushrooms in a skincare regimen? Of course! The beta-glucans and ganoderic acids in polypore mushrooms stimulate immune and antioxidant activity, lower inflammation, help relieve allergic reactions, and promote skin healing—all good things. These constituents need heat to extract, which is why we make both a heat process mushroom oil and a mushroom decoction. Oh, and don’t worry about the lotion smelling “mushroomy”—it has a fresh, clean scent you’ll love!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Step 1: Make your Reishi oil and Reishi decoction

  • Reishi Oil Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup of cut reishi dried or fresh
  • 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
  • Reishi Decoction Ingredients
  • 2 ounces by weight of cut, dried reishi
  • 3 cups of water

Step 2: Make the lotion

  • 1 ounce beeswax by weight
  • 2 tablespoons shea butter or coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa butter
  • 1 1/2 cups reishi medicinal oil
  • 1 cup reishi decoction
  • 20 drops tangerine essential oil
  • 10 drops nutmeg essential oil
  • 5 drops lemongrass essential oil
  • 5 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil

Instructions

Step 1 Directions

  • To make the reishi oil, place 1/2 cup dried or fresh, cut reishi in a crockpot, then add 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil. Allow reishi’s medicine to extract in the crockpot on low for 4 hours, then strain.
  • To make the reishi decoction, simmer 2 ounces of cut, dried reishi in 3 cups of water until the water level goes down by half. Strain into a Pyrex measuring cup and compost the mushroom pieces. Set the strained decoction aside to cool.
  • Note: You’ll need one cup of the strained decoction for the lotion. Any extra can be frozen for later use.

Step 2 Directions

  • Melt the beeswax in a saucepan, then add the shea and cocoa butters. When the butters are melted, take the pan off the heat and stir in the reishi medicinal oil. Pour into a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup and allow to cool until the oils begin to solidify.
  • Once cooled, measure out one cup of the decoction and add the essential oils. Stir gently to mix the essential oils into the decoction.
  • Slowly pour the mushroom decoction and essential oils onto the the cooled oils and blend using a stick blender until the mixture is thick, creamy, and completely incorporated. This should take about five minutes. If the mix does not get creamy, it could be that the oils have not cooled enough. If this happens, let the mixture stand to cool more and blend.
  • Spoon or pour into jars. The cream will become thicker as it cools completely. Keep refrigerated. The lotion will keep for 6-8 months in the fridge.
Tried this recipe?Mention @homesteadlivingmagazine or tag #homesteadlivingmagazine!