FSS Licorice Extract G

INCI: Glycerin & Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract & Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Use Levels: 1.0% - 10.0%

Solubility: Water Soluble 

Appearance: Colorless to Light Amber, Clear to Slightly Hazy Liquid

Localized areas of hyperpigmentation are one of the primary symptoms of aging. Yet the majority of anti-aging products neglect the need for evening skin tone. Overtime with damage, hormonal changes and genetic disorders our skin becomes blotchy with areas of hyperpigmentation and erythema. In order to achieve a healthy, revitalized, smooth aesthetic, it’s necessary to address these problems as well.

Although hydroquinone and kojic acid have been effectively used to even tone in the past, more stringent regulations regarding their use in many countries has made them difficult to formulate with. The consumer driven movement for natural cosmetics has also increased the demand for a more natural, gentle solution to modulating tone. Licorice is the answer that formulators are looking for as it contains phytochemicals that can even tone and provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

European licorice or Glycyrrhiza glabra has been used medicinally for thousands of years. The english name for licorice is derived from "liquiritia”, a corruption of the ancient name Glycyrrhiza, which is now the plant’s genus name. It is derived from the Greek word ‘glukos’ meaning sweet and ‘riza’ which means root. What is surprising to many is that Licorice root actually has a very sweet and musty flavor instead the anise flavor of black jellybeans which we have come to associate with licorice.

Licorice is used in many Chinese herbal preparations to enhance the activity of other ingredients, reduce toxicity and improve flavor. It is also used to provide anti-inflammatory benefits, protect the liver from toxins and sooth irritated membranes.

Licorice root bark contains glycyrrhizin, a potassium or calcium salt of glycyrrhizinic acid. Glycyrrhizin (Glycyrrhizinic acid) is a very sweet glycoside that foams in water. It is said to be 50 to 200 times sweeter than sucrose. Glycyrrhizin is a glycoside of a pentacyclic triterpene carboxylic acid, which has been used to lighten the skin to even tone. Its metabolites also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. They are understood to inhibit prostaglandin formation and platelet aggregation, which are both factors in the inflammatory process. Glycyrrhizin also acts as an antioxidant to prevent neutrophils from forming reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the site of inflammation.

Based on the active components in licorice, FSS Licorice Extract G may provide formulators with a natural alternative for evening tone that are more appealing to consumers.

Storage: Protected from direct light and humidity at a temperature of 50°-77°F (10°-25°C) 

Shelf life: 12 months, properly stored, in sealed container. 

This product should be added to a formulation at the recommended usage rated.