White truffle in skincare: what it is, and what it isn't

What is white truffle extract?

White truffles (Tuber magnatum) are rare fungi, famous in Italian cooking. On an ingredient list the extract appears as Tuber Magnatum Extract, and it has become a signature of luxurious, Korean-inspired formulas, especially mists and serums.

What does it do for skin?

Truffle extracts contain compounds studied as antioxidants, and that's usually how they're described. But most of that research is in the lab rather than on people, and there isn't strong evidence that truffle on its own changes how skin looks. We'd rather say that plainly: we use it because it belongs in a formula made to feel luxurious, not because it's a miracle.

So what does the work in a truffle mist?

In our White Truffle Mist, most of what you'll notice comes from:

• Niacinamide (3.5%), the well-studied vitamin B3, used to support the skin's barrier.
• Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and glycerin, humectants that help skin hold on to water.
• Avocado, meadowfoam and sunflower oils, the oil layer behind the dewy finish.
• Bifida ferment lysate and vitamin E.

Truffle, edelweiss and snow lotus extracts sit alongside them. Together they hydrate more like a light essence than a water spray. There's more on using it in How to use a face mist.

How to tell a good truffle product from a gimmick

• Read the full ingredient list, not the front of the bottle. If truffle is all that's being sold, look at what else is in there.
• Look for ingredients with real track records: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin.
• Be wary of any claim that one plant extract will "reverse" anything.