Skingredients: Licorice

Not just as a candy flavour, they do wonder for your skin too! Dealing with hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone? This natural ingredient can be an excellent addition to your skincare line-up. We will take a deeper look into their benefits and how we can make the best use of them! 

Quick Fun Fact of Licorice

INCI: Glycyrrhiza glabra extract

What is it: skin brightening ingredient, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial

What it contains: liquiritin, flavonoid, licochalcone A, glycyrrhizin. glabridin, filaggrin, histamine 

What it does: helps prevent and fade existing dark spots, gives anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

Who is it for: all skin type, mainly those struggling with hyperpigmentation, dark spots, uneven skin tone and sensitive skin. Safe for pregnant women (an alternative of hydroquinone).

When can you use it: Day and/or night (depending on the formula)

Pair with: antioxidant and skin brightening ingredients

How does it help skin?

1. Glabridin inhibits tyrosinase production- a melanin producing enzyme. This results in preventing formation of new dark spots.

2. Removes excess existing melanin: thanks to the liquiritin it contains, Licorice extract is able to disperse and remove melanin existing on the skin.

3. Contains flavonoid and glycyrrhizin which work as antioxidants: helping the skin stays youthful

4. Licochalcone A and glycyrrhizin as an antioxidant: it gives anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting inflammatory markers that trigger inflammatory

    

Is it safe for skin?

Although it is said to be safe for sensitive skin thanks to the Licochalcone A it contains, dermatologists suggest to use Licorice extract with caution. Depending on the formulation of the product and what kind of ingredients are being paired with it inside, some products with Licorice extract may cause irritation.

What else can it do for our skin?

Glycyrrhizin in Licorice extract is found to relieve eczema symptoms in an animal study. This results in the usage of licorice root extract in skincare to treat various skin conditions such as eczema, and acne. There’s a study where the usage of licorice root extract improves eczema significantly¹, but the study for treating acne is still limited.

¹ Saeedi M, Morteza-Semnani K, Ghoreishi MR. The treatment of atopic dermatitis with licorice gel. J Dermatolog Treat. 2003 Sep;14(3):153-7. doi: 10.1080/09546630310014369. PMID: 14522625.