Licorice Root in Skincare

As the name suggests, licorice root comes from the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza galbra). The root of the plant has been used in medicine long before my parents had to walk 3kms, barefoot in the snow to get to school. In more recent years, there have been a large number of studies into its effectiveness and we’re loving everything about this hero ingredient.

Let’s dive into the variety of benefits of using licorice root in skincare.

1. It has anti-inflammatory effects, which helps fade dark spots. This is why licorice root is commonly found in skin brightening products.

Basically, it brightens the skin and helps reduce inflammation which is often linked with eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. But don’t just take my word for it. A recent study of 281 randomised adults, who reported moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema) found that an ointment containing licorice root as an active ingredient, reported a significant improvement in their skin after only 5 weeks of use. Such fantastic news for eczema sufferers AND the list goes on…

2. It combats discolouration and hyperpigmentation. Licorice root interrupts the production of tyrosinase (the enzyme that produces melanin/pigment colour), which in turn inhibits the production of dark spots. This hero ingredient not only helps fade dark spots but also helps prevent them.

3. It has the calming benefits of being an antioxidant as licorice root contains a flavonoid, which is compound rich in antioxidants. What does this mean? Well, it has been proven to
   1. calm redness
   2. slow signs of aging and
   3. help control oil

I don’t know about you, but I would sell my entire beanie kid collection to control the oil in my T-zone and slow down signs of aging. Sometimes I just need to roll with my combinational skin but luckily, I can hold onto my long-term beanie kid investment as licorice root is becoming more accessible in skincare products.

For these reasons, we’re obsessed with licorice root and you can probably see why we decided to add this into our Koéna Australian Clay Mask along with all the other benefits of Resta-Plex. Although it’s hard to choose, this mask is quickly becoming my favourite Koéna product.