66 SKIN CARE
Beyond hyaluronic acid: a new approach to skin hydration
Hye-Ja Lee, Rachel Kim - Daebong LS
ABSTRACT
High-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HA), typically around 1 million Daltons, is widely used in cosmetic formulations due to its strong water-binding capacity, yet its hydration effect is largely confined to surface film formation. In this study, a polysaccharide extracted from the mycelium of Tremella fuciformis was evaluated as an alternative high-molecular hydration biopolymer with a distinct structural and functional profile. The material is characterized by a branched glucuronoxylomannan architecture with a molecular weight comparable to 1M Da HA and a markedly higher mannose content than conventional Tremella polysaccharides. Structural analysis, in vitro cellular assays, and in vivo skin hydration measurements were conducted to assess its moisturizing performance. The polysaccharide enhanced endogenous HA synthesis and upregulated aquaporin-3 expression in human keratinocytes, suggesting a hydration mechanism extending beyond passive surface humectancy. In a short-term human study, topical application resulted in a statistically significant improvement in stratum corneum hydration compared with a placebo formulation. These findings indicate that mannose-enriched Tremella mycelial polysaccharides provide a biologically active hydration approach distinct from conventional high-molecular-weight HA, supporting their potential use in advanced moisturizing and skin-conditioning cosmetic formulations
High-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HA), particularly with a molecular weight of approximately 1 million Daltons, is widely used in cosmetic formulations as a surface moisturizing agent due to its ability to bind large amounts of water. Nevertheless, the hydration effect of high-
molecular-weight HA is primarily associated with surface film formation, which may limit flexibility, penetration, and sensory characteristics in certain formulation contexts. These considerations have prompted ongoing investigation into alternative biopolymers capable of delivering effective hydration through different structural and functional mechanisms. Polysaccharides derived from Tremella
fuciformis have long been studied for their moisturizing properties, largely attributed to their heteropolysaccharide composition. Recent advances in fermentation-based production have enabled the selective isolation of polysaccharides from Tremella mycelium rather than from the fruiting body, resulting in materials with distinct monosaccharide profiles and molecular architectures. In particular, mycelial-derived polysaccharides have been reported to contain a higher proportion of mannose, which may influence polymer branching and hydration behaviour.
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE May 2026
This article examines a Tremella fuciformis–
derived mycelial polysaccharide characterized by a mannose-rich, branched structure and a molecular weight comparable to that of 1M Da HA. Its structural features, cellular hydration-related activities, and in vivo moisturizing performance are evaluated and discussed in comparison with conventional high-molecular-weight HA.
Structural characteristics of mannose-enriched Tremella mycelial polysaccharides Tremella fuciformis–derived mycelial polysaccharide extract (TFMPs) exhibits a highly branched glucuronoxylomannan structure, with mannose as the dominant monosaccharide. According to compositional analysis, the mannose content of this extract is more than fourfold higher than that of conventional Tremella fruiting body extracts, indicating a fundamental shift in polymer architecture (Table 1). The average molecular weight of the purified
polysaccharide fraction was determined to be approximately 1.79 × 106
Da, placing it within the
same high-molecular-weight ranges as 1 MDa HA. Compositional analysis further confirmed that
the polysaccharide is rich in mannose, consistent with a branched mannan-based architecture. This
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
