Education & Ingredients
Mushroom-Infused Tallow Skincare
We slow-infuse chaga and reishi mushrooms into our grass-fed tallow base to create balms that go deeper than typical tallow products. Here's why it matters — and how we do it.
Shop Mushroom BalmsWhy Combine Mushrooms with Tallow?
Tallow is already an exceptional base for skincare — it's rich in fat-soluble vitamins, biocompatible with human skin, and free of water and filler. But on its own, it's still just a fat. We wanted to build something more complete.
Chaga and reishi are two of the most studied functional mushrooms in the world. Both are dense with antioxidants, beta-glucans, and polysaccharides. When slow-infused into tallow, these compounds integrate into the fat base and deliver alongside the vitamins already present in the tallow. The result is a product that supports the skin barrier in multiple ways at once.
What Is Chaga and What Does It Do for Skin?
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) grows on birch trees in cold northern climates. It's one of the richest natural sources of antioxidants known — including superoxide dismutase (SOD), melanin, and beta-glucans. These compounds help protect skin from oxidative stress and support the appearance of healthy, even-toned skin.
We extract chaga slowly in tallow at low heat, preserving its beneficial compounds. The fat base draws out and binds the active constituents in a way that water-based extraction cannot fully replicate.
What Is Reishi and What Does It Do for Skin?
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) has been used in traditional Eastern wellness for over 2,000 years. It contains triterpenes, polysaccharides, and beta-glucans that help support a healthy skin barrier and keep skin looking moisturized and comfortable. Reishi is particularly valued for helping skin look and feel calm and nourished.
Like chaga, we infuse reishi directly into the tallow base rather than adding an extract afterward. The slow infusion process ensures full integration of the active compounds with the fat-soluble vitamins already present in the tallow.
See all mushroom-infused products →Our Infusion Process: Why It Matters
Most brands that use mushrooms in skincare add them as a standardized extract — a few drops at the end of the production process. That's not how we do it.
We slow-infuse whole mushroom material directly into the tallow over extended time at low heat. This allows the fat-soluble compounds in the mushrooms to fully integrate with the tallow matrix. The beta-glucans, triterpenes, and antioxidants become part of the base itself — not a surface addition. The result is a more cohesive, fully-integrated formula.
Our Mushroom-Infused Products
- Hypha Hydration — Our everyday mushroom-infused tallow lotion for dry skin
- Afterglow — After-sun tallow balm with mushroom infusion
- Boo Boo Shield — Family-friendly skin comfort balm
All Granola Crew products use our mushroom-infused tallow base. Browse the full collection to find your match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What mushrooms does Granola Crew use in their skincare?
We use chaga (Inonotus obliquus) and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), both slow-infused directly into our grass-fed tallow base.
Why use mushrooms in skincare?
Chaga and reishi are rich in antioxidants, beta-glucans, and polysaccharides that help support the skin barrier, protect against oxidative stress, and keep skin looking nourished and healthy. Combined with tallow's fat-soluble vitamins, they create a more complete skincare base.
Is mushroom skincare safe?
Yes. Chaga and reishi have long histories of use in traditional wellness and are well-tolerated by most skin types. As with any new skincare product, we recommend testing a small area first, especially if you have known sensitivities.
Where is Granola Crew mushroom tallow skincare made?
Everything is handcrafted in small batches in Maumee, Ohio by our family. We make every batch ourselves.
Do the products smell like mushrooms?
No. The mushroom infusion adds very little scent. Our scented products use essential oils; our unscented products have a mild, natural tallow scent. Nothing mushroom-forward.