Licorice Root Extract in Skincare
Licorice root extract is a variable botanical with some evidence for uneven pigmentation and compound-specific evidence for redness. Species, standardization, and the finished formula matter more than a headline licorice percentage.
- Aliases
- Licorice Extract, Liquorice Root Extract
- Ingredient category
- Botanical Extract, Brightening Ingredient, Skin-Soothing Ingredient
- Most relevant for
- Hyperpigmentation
- Evidence strength
- Some Support for Improving hyperpigmentation with topical licorice-derived formulations
- Formula matters
- Licorice species, plant part, extraction method, standardization, concentration, vehicle, and named compounds shape results. Evidence for glabridin, liquiritin, or licochalcone A does not automatically apply to generic extracts.
- Separate product needed?
- Usually No. Most routines do not need a separate licorice serum when another pigment or redness-focused product already fills the same need.
BB takeaway
Licorice is a credible supporting botanical, but the category is too variable for the name alone to predict results. Choose the complete formula and relevant evidence rather than paying for a large percentage or vague botanical claim.
Ingredient evidence does not prove the performance of every finished product containing it.
What is licorice root extract?
Licorice root extract is a broad skincare term for extracts made from plants in the Glycyrrhiza genus. Cosmetic ingredient lists may name species such as Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata, or Glycyrrhiza uralensis.
Those materials are related but not interchangeable. Species, plant part, extraction method, solvent, and standardization can change which licorice compounds are present and in what amounts.
Compounds commonly discussed in skincare include glabridin, liquiritin, and licochalcone A. They are not aliases for generic licorice root extract, and evidence for one should not automatically be transferred to another.
What does licorice root extract do for skin?
Licorice-derived ingredients are used mainly for uneven pigmentation, antioxidant support, and visible redness.
Glabridin and liquiritin are associated with pigment-focused effects, while licochalcone A has stronger direct research for reducing erythema and irritation.
That does not make every generic licorice root extract a proven treatment for melasma, rosacea, eczema, acne, or chronic inflammation. The exact licorice material and finished formula matter.
What the evidence says about licorice root extract skincare
Licorice-derived ingredients have some support for improving hyperpigmentation, but the evidence is limited and highly preparation-specific.
A systematic review of natural ingredients for hyperpigmentation identified clinical studies showing benefit from licorice-derived treatments, including liquiritin and combination formulas containing licorice.[1] The review also emphasized that relatively few clinical trials exist and that many studies were short or methodologically limited.
A 2025 scoping review of herbal melasma treatments reached a similar conclusion. Licorice was among the more frequently studied botanicals and several trials reported improvement, but the studies used different preparations, concentrations, and combinations.[2]
One older double-blind split-face study reported strong improvement in epidermal melasma with a liquiritin cream compared with vehicle.[1] That supports liquiritin as a specific licorice-derived compound; it does not establish the same result for an unspecified root extract.
Combination studies are also common. A 2010 clinical trial found improvements with both a cream combining licorice, Emblica, and Belides and 2% hydroquinone over 60 days, without a statistically significant difference between groups. This does not establish that licorice alone is equivalent to hydroquinone.[3] Because three botanical actives were used together, the improvement cannot be assigned to licorice alone.
For redness, the evidence is even more compound-specific. Randomized vehicle-controlled studies found that cosmetic formulas containing licochalcone A reduced post-shaving and UV-induced erythema.[4] Rosacea-focused skincare regimens containing licochalcone A have also improved redness, but those finished products included other ingredients and do not prove that generic licorice root extract treats rosacea.[5]
For your routine, licorice can support a pigment- or redness-focused formula, but the word “licorice” on the label does not predict results.
How licorice root extract form and formulation affect results
Formulation matters especially with licorice because the category is not standardized.
Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extracts can have different phytochemical profiles. A standardized glabridin extract, isolated liquiritin, and a licochalcone A-rich extract should not be treated as the same ingredient.
A disclosed “licorice percentage” also needs context. The number may refer to a diluted botanical extract, a supplier blend, or the full plant-derived raw material rather than a defined amount of glabridin, liquiritin, or licochalcone A.
Higher percentage is not automatically better, and there is no universal effective concentration for generic licorice root extract.
The rest of the formula often does much of the visible work. A dark-spot product may rely more heavily on niacinamide, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, vitamin C, or a retinoid. A redness-focused moisturizer may owe much of its comfort to glycerin, ceramides, panthenol, or the vehicle itself.
Who may benefit from licorice root extract skincare?
Licorice root extract can make sense as a supporting ingredient when uneven tone or visible redness is a concern and the complete product already fits your routine.
It is most useful when the brand identifies the licorice species, standardized compound, or relevant finished-product testing rather than relying only on a broad botanical claim.
You do not need to seek out licorice if a better-supported pigment treatment or redness-focused moisturizer is already working well.
Persistent melasma, rosacea symptoms, painful acne, or unexplained inflammation deserves a more targeted treatment plan rather than repeated layering of botanical serums.
Licorice root extract side effects and irritation risk
Topical licorice-derived cosmetic ingredients are generally used at low concentrations and have a favorable safety record.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review concluded that several Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis ingredients are safe as used in cosmetics under the reviewed conditions.[6]
That does not guarantee every licorice product will feel gentle. Botanical extracts can still cause irritation or allergy in some people, and fragrance, essential oils, exfoliating acids, retinoids, alcohol, preservatives, or other plant extracts may be the actual source of a reaction.
Oral licorice has different systemic exposure and health concerns and should not be used to characterize ordinary topical cosmetic use.
How to use licorice root extract in your skincare routine
Licorice does not require a special routine. Use the finished product according to its format.
A serum usually goes after cleansing and before moisturizer. A moisturizer containing licorice can simply serve as the moisturizing step.
If pigmentation is the goal, daily broad-spectrum sunscreen remains essential. Licorice cannot outwork continued UV exposure, visible light, acne-related inflammation, picking, or friction.
If the formula also contains a retinoid, exfoliating acid, or another stronger active, base frequency on that ingredient and your skin’s tolerance rather than on the licorice.
How long does licorice root extract take to work?
There is no dependable timeline for generic licorice root extract as a category.
Melasma studies of licorice-derived compounds and combination formulas typically measured change over several weeks to a few months.[1][3]
A redness-focused moisturizer may feel more comfortable sooner, but that immediate change belongs to the complete formula rather than licorice alone.
Be cautious when a brand promises a precise licorice timeline without finished-product testing on the exact concern being advertised.
What can you use with licorice root extract?
Licorice root extract can fit easily into most skincare routines.
For uneven tone, it can appear alongside niacinamide, vitamin C, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, alpha arbutin, kojic acid, and retinoids.
For easily irritated skin, it can sit alongside glycerin, ceramides, panthenol, and other moisturizing ingredients.
The main practical limit is cumulative irritation from the complete routine. Licorice cannot cancel out an overloaded combination of acids, retinoids, scrubs, and fragranced botanicals.
How to choose a licorice root extract product
Start with the job you need the product to do rather than the botanical story.
For uneven tone, choose a complete pigment-focused formula and prioritize sunscreen. For visible redness, choose a low-irritation moisturizer or serum that has evidence for the finished product or a defined ingredient such as licochalcone A.
A brand that identifies the licorice species or standardized compound gives you more useful information than a vague “licorice complex” claim. Finished-product testing is more useful still.
Be skeptical of “natural hydroquinone” language. Hydroquinone has a different mechanism, evidence base, and regulatory context; licorice is not an interchangeable natural version.
Do not assume a high licorice percentage means stronger brightening or calming effects.
Licorice root extract alone does not justify Premium pricing. Pay more only when the complete product offers a meaningful advantage in formula design, tolerability, packaging, stability, or credible finished-product evidence.
Do you need a separate licorice root extract serum?
Usually, no.
Licorice is most useful as a supporting ingredient inside a product you already have a reason to use.
A separate serum only earns a place when uneven tone or visible redness is a real priority and the complete formula fills a gap your routine does not already cover.
The BB Perspective
Licorice root extract is a credible supporting botanical, but “licorice” is too broad a label to predict performance by itself.
The strongest evidence belongs to specific licorice-derived compounds or complete formulas. Glabridin and liquiritin are more relevant to pigmentation, while licochalcone A has better direct evidence for visible redness.
You do not need to seek out licorice or pay extra for it. Choose the product that addresses your concern, then treat licorice as a supporting feature when the exact extract and finished formula have relevant evidence.
Last reviewed: September 2026
Sources
Hollinger JC, Angra K, Halder RM. Are natural ingredients effective in the management of hyperpigmentation? A systematic review. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2018;11(2):28-37. PMID:29552273. PMCID:PMC5843359.
This review identified clinical evidence for several licorice-derived pigment treatments, including liquiritin and combination products. It also emphasized the small number, short duration, and heterogeneity of many studies. The evidence supports some pigment benefit without establishing every licorice root extract as an effective treatment. The review received no funding, and the authors reported no relevant conflicts of interest. Return to citation.
Parvizi MM, Hekmat M, Yousefi N, et al. Clinical Trials Conducted on Herbal Remedies for the Treatment of Melasma: A Scoping Review. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2025;24(2):e16741. doi:10.1111/jocd.16741. PMID:39710951. PMCID:PMC11837239.
This review identified 21 clinical trials of herbal melasma treatments. Licorice was among the more extensively studied botanicals and several licorice interventions improved pigmentation, but the preparations and combination formulas varied substantially. The authors concluded that more clinical trials and systematic evidence are needed. The review was funded by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (grant 22633); the authors declared no conflicts of interest. Return to citation.
Costa A, Moisés TA, Cordero T, Alves CRT, Marmirori J. Association of emblica, licorice and belides as an alternative to hydroquinone in the clinical treatment of melasma. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia. 2010;85(5):613-620. doi:10.1590/S0365-05962010000500003. PMID:21152784.
This clinical study compared a cream combining Emblica, licorice, and Belides with 2% hydroquinone in women with melasma. Both groups improved over 60 days; the study found no statistically significant difference between groups, which does not establish clinical equivalence. Because three botanical actives were combined, the findings do not isolate licorice. Laboratórios Stiefel supplied the study products and covered participant transportation and food expenses; the authors reported no conflicts of interest. Return to citation.
Kolbe L, Immeyer J, Batzer J, et al. Anti-inflammatory efficacy of Licochalcone A: Correlation of clinical potency and in vitro effects. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2006;298(1):23-30. doi:10.1007/s00403-006-0654-4. PMID:16552540.
Prospective randomized vehicle-controlled trials found that cosmetic formulations containing licochalcone A reduced post-shaving and UV-induced erythema compared with vehicle. This supports licochalcone A under the tested conditions, not generic licorice root extract as a category. Most authors were affiliated with Beiersdorf AG, making the industry context important when interpreting the cosmetic-formula findings. Return to citation.
Schoelermann AM, Weber TM, Arrowitz C, Rizer RL, Qian K, Babcock M. Skin compatibility and efficacy of a cosmetic skin care regimen with licochalcone A and 4-t-butylcyclohexanol in patients with rosacea subtype I. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2016;30(Suppl 1):21-27. doi:10.1111/jdv.13531. PMID:26805419.
This eight-week study in 32 people with mild-to-moderate rosacea reported improvement in erythema and related measures using a regimen containing licochalcone A and 4-t-butylcyclohexanol. Because the study tested a multi-product regimen without isolating licochalcone A, it supports the finished regimen rather than generic licorice extract as a rosacea treatment. Beiersdorf AG sponsored the study; three authors were Beiersdorf employees. Return to citation.
CIR assessed several Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis cosmetic ingredients and concluded they are safe as used under the reviewed conditions. The assessment addresses cosmetic safety, not pigment or redness efficacy. Cosmetic Ingredient Review is funded by the Personal Care Products Council, a cosmetics-industry trade association. CIR states that its expert panel and assessment process operate independently of industry. Return to citation.