Revealing the 5 Benefits of Licorice Root for Skin

By admin August 28, 2020 Skin Care Articles 0 Comments

What Is Licorice Root?

Today, we will again uncover a gem in natural plants in our quest for glassy skin. And that is the use of licorice root for skin.

The word licorice came from the Greek word “glykkorizha,” which is divided into 2 words. “Glukus” which means sweet, and “rhiza” which means root (in reference to an article in Britannica on Licorice). It originated in Southern Asia, and from there, it spread from the middle east to Southern Europe until such time where it spread throughout the whole continent. The first cultivation of licorice was at a monastery in the early 17th century. The monastery was also the first place that licorice was used as a sweet by combining it with other spices such as sugar and cocoa.

According to an article in Wikipedia, Licorice, or also known as Glycyrrhiza Glabra, is a flowering plant that is part of the bean family Fabaceae. This plant’s roots have a sweet and aromatic flavoring, so they extract the roots from it. The root or the extract is used as a source of licorice flavor.

The extracted form of this liquor is often processed into a powder or a concentrated solid block. The licorice root is used in different food industries. Its versatility is why it is widely used as a sweetening agent or flavoring ingredient in drinks and candies.

Licorice isn’t only known for its sweetness but also for its medicinal benefits. It helps in cleansing the colon, promotes adrenal gland function, and supports the lungs. It can also help in sore throats that is why licorice is a common ingredient in throat-soothing herbal supplements. The root’s sweetness is still useful even if it is made for medicines, especially herbal teas and syrups for children.

Traditional medicines that have Licorice Root are also used to treat intestinal and stomach ulcers, coat the stomach wall with a protective gel and lower the stomach’s acidity level. It can also relieve bone problems such as rheumatism and arthritis while regulating the blood sugar levels of the body.

Licorice is rich in anti-inflammatory properties, which helps in your oral care preventing cough and similar ailments. It also stimulates the production of chemicals that can treat ulcers.

Can You Use Licorice Root On Your Face?

Yes, you can use licorice root extract on your face. Due to its amazing benefits, the Korean skin care industry has incorporated licorice into its ingredients.

Licorice root will help your skin look more radiant and vibrant than before. Licorice root is highly effective as a skin brightening ingredient. If you’re someone who has a lot of acne scars and is always exposed to the sun, incorporating a licorice root in your skincare regimen is your way to go! Its active ingredients give promising benefits to the skin, so don’t be afraid to try it out!

More even skin tone and a supple look on your skin. Licorice root is a great alternative if you want to go for natural ingredients. It has proven medical claims, even centuries ago, so you know that it is effective and true to its claims. We shall uncover the various benefits of licorice root for skin below in detail.

Active Ingredients Found In Licorice Root

Licochalcone

Licochalcone A is a chalconoid which is a type of natural phenol. This chalaconoid is present and can be isolated from the roots of a Glycyrrhiza plant. Defending the skin from free radicals is one of the licochalcone’s primary purposes. It has anti-inflammatory properties that effectively treat eczema, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and any other skin disorders. This key ingredient also regulates the skin’s oil production.

Glycyrrhizin

Glycyrrhizin is one of the active constituents of licorice roots. It can enhance any food flavors and can negate bitter flavors. Glycyrrhizin also has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing redness and irritation for sensitive, inflamed, and irritated skin. It acts as an antioxidant that serves as a protection of our skin against free radicals such as sun damage and epidermal damages.

Glabridin

Glabridin is also a major component of licorice. Glabridin can diminish any dark spots on your face. The substance lessens any remnants you have from scarring or sun damage. Glabridin can also prevent pigmentation that is caused by harmful UV rays. It prevents them from deterring an enzyme, an enzyme responsible for the dark pigments that you gain after exposing yourself to the sun.

Liquiritin

Liquiritin is one of the compounds derived from licorice and is also one of the components of licorice. It can also yield a reduction in pigmentation. Liquiritin acts as a melanin remover or a compound that helps in removing epidermal melanin. Liquiritin also contributes to the lightening capabilities of the face and your skin in general. It can help balance the overall skin tone and clarity before or during the process of breaking the melanin up.

Benefits Of Licorice Root For Skin

With centuries of proven record for health benefits, we’ll get to know and uncover the various benefits of licorice root on skin.

Helps with hyperpigmentation

Licorice helps the skin by stopping hyperpigmentation and discoloration. When we are exposed to the sun, our body releases an enzyme called Tyrosinase, which causes hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation causes dark patches or spots on your face. It occurs when the skin produces more melanin in certain areas. Exposure to free radicals can also enable melanin skin cells and prompt them to create excess pigments.

Soothes sensitive and irritated skin

The licorice root’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce skin conditions that cause puffiness, rashes, redness, swelling, itching, redness, and irritation for sensitive, inflamed, and irritated skin. It acts as an antioxidant that serves as skin’s protection from epidermal damage and sun damage.

It can soothe sensitive skin by producing a saponin called triterpenoid. When these saponins come into contact with our skin, the receptors will be triggered naturally, which will cause steroid growth in our skin. The growth of steroids will help the skin by speeding up the healing time of skin conditions. This is effective especially in conditions that increase skin sensitivity such as eczema and rosacea.

Unlike most anti hyperpigmentation ingredients, licorice is the gentlest, and it is also the most effective. Perfect for sensitive skin types, it does fade away dark spots and discoloration without irritating your skin.

Brightens the skin

Licorice is a great ingredient for brightening the skin, thanks to Liquiritin, it can be made possible. Liquiritin hinders the production of melanin, which helps in removing new dark spots and also the existing ones. It also contributes to the lightning capabilities of the face. Helping in clearing out and balancing your skin tone. Avoiding the excess production of melanin can hinder the presence of dark spots in our faces, resulting in an even brighter complexion.

Heals skin damage

There are many ways to damage our skin. In fact, it is caused by many factors. Besides our usual diet and lifestyle choices, other outlying factors are the reasons for having free radicals in our system. And every day, our body is continuously fighting off free radicals because we are usually exposed to pollutants in the air and the sun’s UV rays. These radicals raid our body and feed on healthy cells, which is one of the leading causes of acne and wrinkles.

Licorice root might prevent these from happening since licorice has polyphenols and flavonoids, which is an antioxidative property. Licorice root also has other antioxidants such as glabridin, isoliquiritigenin, formononetin, hispaglabridin A, and hispaglabridin B which reduce and counteract free radicals.

Anti-aging benefits

It is also said that licorice root has anti-aging benefits. Since it contains properties that fight off oxidative stress and free radicals, it will help your skin decrease any signs of aging, like wrinkles and fine lines.

Harmful UV rays can also cause the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Licorice root is a natural protectant against sun damage. Not only does it protect, but it also makes the skin look plumper and younger.

Here are some Korean skin care products with licorice root as one of their ingredients:

The Klairs Supple Preparation Toner is great as a moisturizer toner. It is suitable on sensitive skin, easy to layer and is able to maintaining pH balance.