Licorice is one of those candies you either hate or love. Chewy, sweet, and with a touch of anise, the taste is notoriously polarizing. But if the taste of licorice makes you cringe, fear not: you don’t have to actually ingest it to benefit from its powerful skincare properties.

The Benefits of Licorice Root Extract

Licorice root extract has been used for hundreds of years in traditional medicine. It’s said to help treat canker sores, as well as to treat peptic ulcers, indigestions and a host of other gastrointestinal issues. Licorice root extract also helps clear up upper-respiratory problems, like phlegm and mucus buildup, when you have a sore throat or a flare up of allergies.

What Licorice Root Extract Does For Skin

Okay, okay, so even if you hate the taste, it might be worth trying licorice root tea every once in a while. But what about the skincare benefits of licorice root extract? You haven’t heard the name thrown around for no reason.

If you have particularly sun-damaged or red, irritated skin, licorice root extract could be what you’re looking for. Licorice root extract contains the antioxidant glabridin and licochalcone A. They both have powerful anti-aging and skin-soothing properties.

Glabridin in particular has been shown to mitigate the effects of sun damage. It “disperses melanin and inhibits melanin biosynthesis” — basically, it brightens damaged skin and blocks the enzyme that triggers skin to darken after being damaged by UV radiation.

That means licorice root extract can combat hyperpigmentation: those annoying dark marks you get from sun spots or acne scars that don’t just fade away. It’s a natural and soothing way to treat those marks that doesn’t involve harsh chemical peels.

Licochalcone A, on the other hand, works to defend your skin against free radicals. Its anti-inflammatory properties mean that products containing licorice root extract are great choices to treat skin disorders like rosacea and eczema.

And as a bonus, licochalcone also regulates your skin’s oil production. So if you’ve been experiencing breakouts caused by super oily skin, this anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory ingredient might just be your holy grail.

Yep, We Love It Too