Apart from your trusted sunscreen, an extract from licorice may provide an added boost in sun protection and UV radiation for your skin, as a study from Experimental Dermatology found in application of licorice extracts. Read on.
From the moment a UV ray hits your skin, the cells surrounding the affected area will starts a complex skin healing and repairing mechanism to starts a defense system, as well as protecting your body by stooping the damages from spreading (namely, from free radicals). And it seems like, after vitamin E that intrinsically enhances your skin tolerance and strength to UV rays, licorice extract can be your arsenal in defense with sun damages and premature aging.
The licorice (specifically Chinese Licorice; Glycyrrhiza inflate) contains a potent antioxidant active components called Licochalcone A is able to protect the skin from UV damages by strengthening your own skin’s defense mechanism.
The study consist of the extract, containing Licochalcone A and applied to isolated and cultured human skin cells, that are radiated with a solar stimulated light. The study shows that the skin cells containing Licochalcone A is able to produce a high amount of self-defense molecules, with significant less free radical detected in the skin cells.
Plus, another study consisting healthy participants applied a lotion containing Licochalcone A from licorice extract have their skin protected, as far as two weeks.
That certainly looks promising, as you can use licorice extract in addition to your sun protecting habits and this study certainly shows that your skin is able to provide their own sun defense mechanism, with a little boost from Licochalcone A by creating both physical and biological defense system, unlike using sunscreen alone, where UV ray can still penetrate into your skin, as high as 25%.
That said, it doesn’t mean that you should neglect using a good sunscreen altogether and relying on licorice extract, solely. A good sun protecting habits is still paramount, and that includes – using a high SPF sunscreen (SPF15 just won’t cut it anymore, you need at least 30), protecting clothing for day wear, as well as staying indoors when sun ray is the brightest.
The best advice would be using skin care products that rich with licorice extracts in addition to sun protecting habits that you’ve always been doing. For example, a good licorice-rich lotion and moisturiser are definitely a good start to provide the ample protection your skin needs.