a gift from tian tian wellness
Chinese Grandma's
2,000 Year Old
Beauty Recipe
deep hydration· glowing skin· calm nervous system
why tremella works
The Skin Science of Snow Fungus
Tremella was first recorded in the Shennong Bencao Jing, China's oldest medicine text, nearly 2,000 years ago. In the 8th century Tang Dynasty, Yang Guifei, a royal concubine and one of the most beautiful women in Chinese history, credited her flawless complexion to drinking tremella soup. Grandma has been making it ever since.
In TCM, tremella is a Yin tonic, replenishing the body's deep fluids that keep skin soft, eyes bright, and the whole system nourished. Long before hyaluronic acid became a skincare staple, Chinese grandmothers were getting the same result from the inside out. Modern science is now catching up.
Deep Hydration
Tremella contains a unique polysaccharide that stimulates your body's own production of hyaluronic acid, the substance that keeps skin plump, dewy, and elastic. As we age, our natural hyaluronic acid drops. Tremella helps replenish it from the inside.
Collagen Support
Tremella's polysaccharides support collagen synthesis in skin fibroblasts, helping maintain structure and firmness over time. Think of it as scaffolding for your skin, built quietly, from within, every time you eat this soup.
Anti-Inflammatory
In TCM, tremella is prescribed to calm skin inflammation including eczema, redness, and acne-prone skin. Its polysaccharides have immune-modulating effects that soothe reactivity at the source rather than masking it on the surface.
Antioxidant Protection
Tremella is rich in antioxidants that fight free radical damage caused by sun, stress, and modern life. This is why tremella has long been associated with slowing visible aging, not just concealing it.
Better than hyaluronic acid?
Tremella's polysaccharide molecules are smaller than most forms of hyaluronic acid, meaning they penetrate deeper into the skin. Studies show tremella can be up to 15% more effective at water retention than hyaluronic acid alone.
500×its weight in water. And unlike a serum applied on top, this works from the inside out, the way food has always been meant to work.
A note from TCM: In Chinese medicine, the skin is seen as the outward expression of the Lungs. When the Lungs are nourished and moistened, which tremella does directly, the skin reflects it. Glowing skin is not just about what you put on your face. It is about how deeply you nourish yourself within. This soup does both.
what goes in the bowl
The Ingredients
Tremella
Snow Fungus · 银耳 ★ star of the showNature's hyaluronic acid. Holds 500 times its weight in water, deeply hydrating your skin from the inside out. The beauty secret of Chinese royalty for 2,000 years.
Rose
玫瑰 mood · glowMoves stagnant liver Qi, lifts mood, and supports circulation. In TCM, a flower for the heart as much as the face.
Goji
枸杞 eyes · immunityNourishes liver and kidney Yin, brightens the eyes, and strengthens immunity. Rich in carotenoids and antioxidants.
Red Date
红枣 · Jujube blood · sleepTonifies the blood, calms the nervous system, and supports digestion. One of the most beloved herbs in all of TCM.
Lotus Seed
莲子 calm · heartStrengthens the spleen, heart, and kidneys. Calms palpitations, eases restlessness, and supports deep sleep.
Lily Bulb
百合 lungs · calmClears heat from the lungs, eases anxiety, and quiets a restless mind. Gentle and cooling in nature.
Longan
龙眼 energy · warmthTonifies heart and spleen Qi, nourishes the blood, and calms the spirit. Adds natural caramel sweetness to the broth.
step by step
How to Make It
Soak the Tremella and Lotus Seeds
Place your tremella and lotus seeds in separate bowls. Cover generously with cold water. Soak for at least one hour. You will watch the tremella bloom and expand like one of those grow-in-water capsule toys, remember those? That is how you know it is ready.
Trim the Tremella
Using scissors, cut the soaked tremella into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Snip away and discard the tough yellow center. It is too hard to eat and has no flavour. Keep all the soft, cloud-like fronds.
Build the Soup
Add your tremella, lotus seeds, longan, lily bulb, and pitted jujube to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to the lowest simmer. Cook for one and a half to two hours. The longer you go, the more silky, gelatinous, and deeply nourishing the broth becomes.
Finish and Serve
In the last few minutes, add your goji berries. Turn off the heat and stir in your sweetener of choice — rock sugar or honey both work beautifully, and you may not need much; the jujube and longan are naturally sweet. Ladle into your most beautiful bowl, scatter rose petals on top, and serve warm in winter or chilled in summer.
why this bowl works
One Bowl, Three Pillars
Glowing Skin
Tremella and rose work from the inside out, deeply hydrating, supporting collagen production, and giving you that natural flush.
Calm Nervous System
Jujube, lotus seed, and lily bulb form a classic TCM trio, calming palpitations, quieting the mind, and inviting deep, restful sleep.
Nourished from Within
Jujube, longan, and goji nourish the blood, bringing more energy, warmer hands, rosy cheeks, and real sustained vitality.
grandma's notes