Top 5 benefits of licorice in skincare
Licorice root, also known as mulethi, is a perennial herbaceous medicinal plant, native to Southern Europe and Western Asia. The Indian tradition is well aware of mulethi benefits and as a result, we have been using it in our herbal toothpastes and in making chyawanprash, which is eaten to treat chronic stomach ulcers and helps increase immunity. Off late, licorice has become an ingredient, commonly used in the skincare industry, which makes one wonder, what exactly this herb has to offer that everyone loves so much. Here, we have listed a few points about the benefits of licorice or mulethi for skin.
Licorice benefits for skin
Works as an anti-inflammatory agent
Licorice root has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, as a result of which, it is used widely to treat skin conditions like eczema and acne, since it helps in fighting the bacteria off the skin. It also has a compound called glycyrrhizin, which helps in reducing the itchiness, redness and irritation of the skin.
Helps reduce hyperpigmentation
Haven’t we all noticed that the corners of our mouths or the bags underneath our eyes tend to get darker than the rest of our skin? Well, that’s hyperpigmentation or the production of excess melanin in some parts of the face. When the skin is exposed to the sun, the free radicals end up getting damaged, thereby showing visible signs of skin damage, in this form. However, licorice fights these extra radicals by inhibiting the production of melanin and also preventing excess melanin from being produced. Moreover, most formulations of licorice in skincare work towards removing dark spots and lightening the skin in return.
Helps prevent ageing
The compound glycyrrhizin, present in licorice, is an antioxidant that helps prevent any forms of ageing by protecting the skin against sun damage. When the skin is exposed to the sun, the UVA and UVB rays from it can cause a decrease in the production of collagen in our skin that gives it a youthful look. Creasing around the neck, wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes are a few prominent signs of premature ageing. Licorice helps prevent these symptoms and is therefore, also considered as a wonderful anti-ageing agent ingredient, which is used to make skincare products.
Works as a skin lightening agent
Perhaps the most active compound in licorice is glabridin, which has skin lightening properties and also helps prevent the production of the enzyme tyrosinase, which is responsible for the darkening of skin after sun exposure. One of the benefits of licorice for skin is that it helps stop pigmentation that occurs due to sun exposure. It also contains a component known as liquiritin, which helps to disintegrate the existing excess melanin from the skin, by breaking it down and promoting skin lightening, which makes it the perfect herb to use in sunscreens.
Helps with skin protection
One of the benefits of mulethi is that it provides protection to the skin by strengthening its defense mechanisms. Licorice contains another active ingredient called licochalcone, which protects the skin by producing higher levels of antioxidants. Therefore, when it is applied to the skin, the licochalcone present helps prevent damage caused to the skin from excessive exposure to the sun.
As a result of all the mulethi benefits mentioned above, licorice has been adopted into skincare, as the new hip ingredient that can be used to prevent sun damage. Using the amazing licorice benefits to their advantage, Good Vibes has a variety of products to choose from that infuse the goodness and effectiveness of licorice. Their brightening toner, face cream, body lotion, facial essence and de tan face serum are some of the products that use licorice in their formulation. So, the next time you feel your sunscreen isn’t doing the trick for you, replace it with one of these products and see the magic unfold.
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