The root of the plant has been used for medicinal purposes for ages and also the source of licorice extract. This extract is filled with a variety of beneficial compounds, which deliver antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Benefits...
Used in many skin-brightening products because minimizes the production of tyrosinase to combat discoloration. The production of melanin (AKA pigment or color) is a complicated process, but at the heart of the matter is an enzyme known as tyrosinase. Licorice extract inhibits the production of tyrosinase, in turn inhibiting the production of dark spots. It contains liquiritin, an active compound that helps to disperse and remove existing melanin in the skin. Improving hyperpigmentation is one of this plant’s most well known attributes. Glabridin is one of the most active ingredients in licorice root extract. This substance helps diminish any dark spots you have from scarring or sun damage. It also prevents pigmentation from UVB rays.
Like many other plant-based extracts, licorice contains a flavonoid, an antioxidant-rich component that decreases reactive oxygen species, which both age and discolor the skin. Licorice does well in treating atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and psoriasis. While the flavonoid is anti-inflammatory in and of itself, there's yet another molecule, licochalcone A, which also stops inflammation. Licochalcone A compound is regulating oil production. Licorice extract is often used in Ayurvedic medicine as a dandruff treatment.
