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Licorice Extract
ORY® product lines:
☑ Skincare
☑ Haircare
☑ Handmade Soap (extract/powder at trace)
☑ Cosmetics — full dual-use ingredient
Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) supplies two families of skin actives. Glabridin and liquiritin are brightening flavonoids: glabridin inhibits tyrosinase and UV-induced pigmentation and inflammation [1], and a clinical trial found topical liquiritin significantly improved melasma over four weeks [2]. Glycyrrhizic acid and its salt dipotassium glycyrrhizate are anti-inflammatories whose corticosteroid-like (but steroid-free) action improved atopic dermatitis in a controlled trial of licorice gel [3]. Together they make licorice one of the most useful botanicals for uneven tone and reactive skin, with a well-reviewed safety profile [4]. Water-soluble (glycyrrhizate) and oil-soluble (glabridin) forms fit every ORY® line, and licorice calms the scalp as effectively as it calms the face.
What is Licorice Extract made of?
Licorice extract is prepared by water or hydro-alcoholic extraction of dried roots; specific fractions are purified for targeted use. Constituents [4]:
- Glabridin (oil-soluble isoflavan): Tyrosinase inhibitor and anti-inflammatory; the premium brightening fraction [1].
- Liquiritin and isoliquiritin (flavonoid glycosides): Disperse melanin and support even tone; clinically studied for melasma [2].
- Glycyrrhizic acid / glycyrrhizin and dipotassium glycyrrhizate (water-soluble triterpene saponins): Anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, soothing [3].
- Glycyrrhetinic acid (18β): The aglycone; potent anti-inflammatory used in sensitive-skin products.
- *Licochalcone A (from G. inflata):* Anti-inflammatory and anti-acne chalcone; UV-protective.
- Polysaccharides and sugars: Hydrating minor components.
What skin type is best suited for Licorice Extract?
Licorice suits all seven ORY® skin types, excelling for uneven tone and reactive skin:
- Combination: Brightening for sun spots and post-acne marks [1, 2].
- Sensitive: Dipotassium glycyrrhizate and glycyrrhetinic acid calm redness, itch, and eczema-prone skin [3].
- Mature: Brightens age spots; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support.
- Acne-prone: Anti-inflammatory; fades post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation; licochalcone reduces sebum and inflammation.
- Oily: Water-soluble glycyrrhizate in light serums.
- Normal: Preventive tone-evening and calming.
- Dry: Soothing in barrier creams.
What hair type is best suited for Licorice Extract?
Licorice is a scalp soother with anti-inflammatory and anti-itch action:
- Sensitive scalp: Glycyrrhizate reduces itch and redness.
- Dandruff-prone scalp: Anti-inflammatory support against seborrheic flaking; antimicrobial flavonoids.
- Oily scalp: Licochalcone and glabridin help balance sebum.
- Color-treated or chemically processed: Soothes post-service scalp irritation.
- Mature or thinning: Anti-inflammatory scalp environment; some flavonoids studied for 5α-reductase (preclinical).
- Dry or damaged, straight, wavy, curly, coily: Scalp-calming addition for all types.
What are the benefits of Licorice Extract?
Licorice’s benefits are clinically and mechanistically well supported [1–4]:
- Brightening: Glabridin inhibits tyrosinase; liquiritin improved melasma in a clinical trial [1, 2].
- Anti-inflammatory: Glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid reduce inflammation; licorice gel improved atopic dermatitis [3].
- Anti-itch: Reduces pruritus in eczema-prone skin and scalp.
- UV protection: Glabridin and licochalcone reduce UV-induced erythema and pigmentation [1].
- Antioxidant: Flavonoids scavenge free radicals.
- Antimicrobial: Activity against acne bacteria and Malassezia.
- Non-bleaching tone correction: Works through tyrosinase inhibition and melanin dispersion without hydroquinone-type risks.
- Scalp soothing: Calms itchy, flaky, or irritated scalps.
Dual use across ORY® product lines
Licorice’s water- and oil-soluble fractions allow use in every ORY® line.
Pros and cons of Licorice Extract
Pros
Cons
- Clinical evidence for both brightening and soothing: [1, 2, 3].
- Two-in-one: Tone-evening and anti-inflammatory in a single botanical.
- Safe alternative to hydroquinone: Non-cytotoxic mechanism.
- Water- and oil-soluble fractions: Flexible formulation.
- Four-line utility: All ORY® products.
- Cost of purified fractions: Glabridin is expensive.
- Variable extracts: Specify standardized glabridin/glycyrrhizate content.
- Color: Brown tint in high-level extracts.
- Stability: Glabridin is light-sensitive; protect from light.
- Rare allergy: Patch test.
What is the best application of Licorice Extract?
Licorice is a daily brightener and soother:
- Brightening serum: AM/PM with niacinamide, vitamin C, or tranexamic acid; SPF by day.
- Dark-spot treatment: Glabridin-rich cream on sun spots and post-acne marks.
- Calming cream: Dipotassium glycyrrhizate for redness and eczema-prone skin.
- Eye cream: For dark circles and puffiness.
- After-sun: With aloe and allantoin.
- Sensitive-scalp shampoo and serum: For itchy, flaky scalps.
- Soap: Soothing, gently brightening bar.
- Cosmetics: Brightening foundation; calming primer.
Peer-reviewed references
- Yokota T, Nishio H, Kubota Y, Mizoguchi M. The inhibitory effect of glabridin from licorice extracts on melanogenesis and inflammation. Pigment Cell Research. 1998;11(6):355–361.
- Amer M, Metwalli M. Topical liquiritin improves melasma. International Journal of Dermatology. 2000;39(4):299–301.
- Saeedi M, Morteza-Semnani K, Ghoreishi MR. The treatment of atopic dermatitis with licorice gel. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 2003;14(3):153–157.
- Simmler C, Pauli GF, Chen SN. Phytochemistry and biological properties of glabridin. Fitoterapia. 2013;90:160–184.
Disclaimer:
The information on this page is provided by ORY International, LC for educational purposes only. It summarizes published research about licorice extract as an ingredient, including laboratory and animal studies and clinical studies of formulas that may differ from ORY® products. Results from these studies may not apply to every person or to ORY® products. This page is not medical advice and does not replace advice from a dermatologist, physician, or other qualified healthcare provider.
ORY® Skincare, Haircare, Handmade Soap, and Cosmetics products are cosmetics. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or condition, including melasma, hyperpigmentation disorders, atopic dermatitis (eczema), rosacea, psoriasis, or dandruff. References to FDA or Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) findings describe the ingredient, not ORY® products, and do not mean FDA has reviewed or approved any ORY® product.
Results vary by skin and scalp type, formulation, and use. Any cosmetic can cause irritation, sometimes from other ingredients. Always patch test, follow label directions, and stop use if irritation occurs. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are buying for a child, consult a healthcare provider before use.
ORY International, LC works to keep this page accurate and current but makes no warranty as to its completeness. To the fullest extent permitted by law, ORY International, LC is not liable for any loss or injury arising from reliance on this information or from use of any product contrary to its label directions. To report a reaction, contact us at [insert contact email / phone].
