Mafco’s Pure Licorice Derivatives Used in Cosmetic And Personal Care Consumer Products

Licorice Derivatives Used in Cosmetic

Mafco’s Pure Derivatives of Glycyrrhiza are used extensively in hundreds of global brand-name consumer cosmetics and personal care products.

Mafco’s Pure Derivatives are based on unique compounds found only in licorice roots from the Glycyrrhiza species plants native to the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and the Far East. The licorice root has been used for homeopathic medicinal purposes for thousands of years in the Far East and has extensive topical uses in skin care.

The primary unique compound extracted from these roots is glycyrrhizic acid. Glycyrrhizic acid, isolated in various salt forms, and other constituents including flavonoids and chalcones which are also unique to the licorice root, has been widely used in cosmetic and personal care product formulations for over 50 years for their preferential attributes including antioxidant, stabilizing, soothing, calming and skin brightening benefits.

Pure Derivatives Functional Checklist:

Pure Licorice Derivative products for cosmetic and personal care use can be classified into three distinct functional groups:

  • Sensory (Neuro) Friendly
    Sensitive skin products for skin soothing, calming, and sensory (neuro)-friendly activity. Pure Licorice Derivatives are beneficial for the skin, including for redness and irritation.
  • Hydrating and Stabilizing
    Skin refresh and revitalization products with anti-oxidative, hydrating, and stabilizing properties to support the skin barrier and the skin’s microbiome in the stratum corneum layer of the epidermis. Pure licorice derivatives contain flavonoids rich in antioxidant components that decrease reactive oxygen in the stratum corneum.
  • Brighter Looking Skin
    Skin brightening products to combat the appearance of skin discoloration, improve the appearance of uneven skin tone, and for smoother and brighter-looking skin. Pure Licorice Derivatives contain liquiritin and glabradine, which are compounds that help combat the appearance of discoloration and uneven skin tone.

Skin Care Formulations

Skin-Care Formulations and Samples:  Download samples of seven different skincare formulations using our licorice derivatives, with recipes and instructions including:

  • Glow Booster Dry Oil Serum – with Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
  • No Dark Spots Comfort Balm – with Glabridin 90% + Glycyrrhizic Acid
  • No-Redness Gel Cream – with Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate + Enoxolone
  • Radiance Booster Aqua Mist – with Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate + Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate
  • Calming After Sun Mist -with Licochalcone A
  • Anti-Pigment Water Gel Serum- with Glabridin 10% Water-soluble
  • Happiness Cream – with Liquiritin 95%

Download our booklet with formulations and information about each skincare formulation.

Skin Care Formulations

Make Cosmetics & Personal Care Items More Enticing

The efficiency of pure licorice derivatives in cosmetic and personal care products is evident, based upon ingredient disclosures for lip products such as balms and color sticks; for skin creams; and for facial and body moisturizing, cleansing, and exfoliation.

Pure Licorice Derivative® Primary Consumer Product Applications:

Pure Licorice Derivatives are used for their functional benefits in these personal care products:

  • Baby products – shampoos, lotions, wipes and powders
  • Eye care products – liners, shadows, lotions, makeup removers, mascaras, eyelash and eyebrow products
  • Hair preparations – conditioners, rinses and shampoos
  • Makeup preparations – blushers and rouges, powders, foundations and body paints
  • Lip care products – lipsticks, lip glosses, lip balms, and bases
  • Nail preparations – Nail creams and lotions
  • Personal cleanliness – bath soaps, body washes, and deodorants
  • Shaving preparations – aftershave lotions, pre-shave lotions, shaving creams and soaps
  • Skin care – moisturizing and cleansing preparations, skin, body and hand creams, lotions, exfoliants, serums, essences, and masks
  • Sun and after-sun preparations – Suntan gels, creams, screens, and liquids

Ex-Vivo Studies

Mafco-EVD has a secure website with Ex-Vivo studies addressing the effects of licorice and its components on:

  • Soothing of the skin
  • Oily Skin
  • Skin microbiota of the stratum corneum
  • The appearance of aging
  • Brightening skin appearance
  • Sensory (Neuro) activity
  • Antioxidant activity

If you are a professional working in the areas of product research development, you can request to view these studies by clicking this link.

Pure Derivatives of Glycyrrhiza Technical Information

Click each accordion item to read the production description, physical & chemical properties, and typical analytical values for the Pure Derivatives of Glycyrrhiza Series.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 53956-04-0
Formula: C42H62O16·NH3
Mol. Mass: 839.97 g/mol
Synonyms:
Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate;
Ammoniated Glycyrrhizinate;
Glycyrrhizic Acid Monoammominum Salt;
Ammoniated Glycyrrhizate
HTC Code: 2938.90

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: White to off-white powder
Solubility: Soluble in water and hydro-alcohol solutions at recommended dosage levels; soluble in glycerine and propylene glycol

Typical Analytical Values

Glycyrrhizic Acid content: 98.0%
Loss on Drying: 3.0%
Ash content: 0.1%
pH: 4.2

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

The USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes licorice and licorice derivatives on its list of substances considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).

U.S. Natural Standard “Positive List” of Ingredients as recommended by the Natural Products Steering Committee, and approved by the Association’s Board.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 68797-35-3
Formula: C42H60K2O16
Mol. Mass: 899.12 g/mol
Synonyms:
Glycyrrhizin Dipotassium Salt;
Glycyrrhizinic Acid Dipotassium Salt;
Glycyrrhizic Acid Dipotassium Salt;
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate; Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HTC Code: 2938.90

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: White to slightly yellow powder
Solubility: Soluble in water; slightly soluble in ethanol

Typical Analytical Values

Glycyrrhizic Acid content: 98.0%
Loss on Drying: 4.0%
Ash content: 19.0%
pH: 5.1

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

The safety of Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhizic Acid and their salts and esters has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate is safe for use in cosmetic and personal care products.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 59870-68-7
Formula: C20H20O4
Mol. Mass: 324.3704g/mol
Synonyms:
Glabridin;
4-[(3r)-8,8-Dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrano[6,5-f]chromen-3-yl]benzene-1,3-diol; 4-[(3R)-8,8-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H,8H-pyrano[2,3f]chromen-3yl]benzene-1,3-diol

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: Yellowish-brown or reddish-brown powder
Solubility: Soluble in Ethanol; Insoluble in cold water, hot water

Typical Analytical Values

Glabridin content: 10.0%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 59870-68-7
Formula: C20H20O4
Mol. Mass: 324.3704g/mol
Synonyms:
Glabridin;
4-[(3r)-8,8-Dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrano[6,5-f]chromen-3-yl]benzene-1,3-diol; 4-[(3R)-8,8-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H,8H-pyrano[2,3f]chromen-3yl]benzene-1,3-diol

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: Yellowish-brown or reddish-brown powder
Solubility: Soluble in Ethanol; Insoluble in cold water, hot water

Typical Analytical Values

Glabridin content: 40.0%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 59870-68-7
Formula: C20H20O4
Mol. Mass: 324.3704g/mol
Synonyms:
Glabridin;
4-[(3r)-8,8-Dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrano[6,5-f]chromen-3-yl]benzene-1,3-diol; 4-[(3R)-8,8-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H,8H-pyrano[2,3f]chromen-3yl]benzene-1,3-diol

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: Yellowish-brown or reddish-brown powder
Solubility: Soluble in Ethanol; Insoluble in cold water, hot water

Typical Analytical Values

Glabridin content: 90.0%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 13832-70-7 Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Formula: C48H82O4
Mol. Mass: 723.16g/mol
Synonyms: Glycyrrhetinic Acid Stearylester;
Glycyrrhetic Acid Stearyl
HTC Code: 2938.90

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: White to pale yellow powder
Solubility: Soluble in mineral oil, polyethylene glycol, stearyl alcohol and petroleum jelly; very slightly soluble in water

Typical Analytical Values

Glycyrrhizic Acid content: 98.0%
Loss on Drying: 0.3%
Ash: 0.0.1%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal care products, cosmetics, oral health products.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 1405-86-3
Formula: C42H62O16
Mol. Mass: 822.93 g/mol
Synonyms:
Glycyrrhizin
HTC Code: 2938.90

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: White powder
Solubility: Soluble in water and hydro-alcohol solutions at recommended dosage levels; soluble in glycerine and propylene glycol, and low pH solutions

Typical Analytical Values

Glycyrrhizic Acid content: 99.0%
Loss on Drying: 2.5%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

Product Description

CAS NO.: 471-53-4
Formula: C30H46O4
Mol. Mass: 470.69 g/mol
Synonyms: 18-beta-Glycyrrhetic Acid
HTC Code: 2938.90

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: White to Off-white powder
Solubility: Soluble in ethanol, slightly soluble in petroleum ether; insoluble in water

Typical Analytical Values

Glycyrrhizic Acid content: 99.0%
Loss on Drying: 0.1%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Personal Care Products, Cosmetics, and Oral Health Products.

The safety of Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhizic Acid and their salts and esters has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Glycyrrhetinic Acid is safe for use in cosmetic and personal care products.

Liquiritin Product Description

CAS NO.: 551-15-5
Formula: C21H22O9
Mol. Mass: 418.4 g/mol
Synonyms: Liquiritoside
HTC Code:

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: Powder
Solubility: Sparingly soluble in Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Dimethylformamide (DMF)

Typical Analytical Values

Assay: 98.0%
Loss on Drying: 3.0%
Ash content: 0.1%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Cosmetics

The safety of Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Licorice Root Extract has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Licorice Root Extract is safe for use in cosmetic products.

Licochalcone A Product Description

CAS NO.: 58749-22-7
Formula: C21H22O4
Mol. Mass: 338.4 g/moll
Synonyms: None
HTC Code:

Physical & Chemical Properties

Physical state: Powder
Solubility: Sparingly soluble in Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Dimethylformamide (DMF), Ethanol

Typical Analytical Values

Assay: 20.6%
Loss on Drying: 1.2%
Ash content: 0.2%

Personal Care Applications

Applications: Cosmetics

The safety of Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract is safe for use in cosmetic products.

External Resources

Please see the links below to the publicly available INCI decoder for Pure Licorice Derivatives. This site also provides references to consumer products containing Pure Licorice Derivatives.

Ammonium Glycyrrhizate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glabridin

Stearyl Glycrrhetinate

Glycyrrhizic Acid

Glycyrrhetinic Acid