Licorice has several properties that are useful for cosmetic applications. They include:

• Skin whitening property or the ability to inhibit melanogenesis

• Anti-inflammatory property

• Antioxidant property

Glabridin, the main compound in the hydrophobic fraction of licorice extract is known for its beneficial effects on the skin due to its anti-inflammatory and skin whitening properties. Glycyrrhizin and glychrrhetinic acid are also known to have anti-inflammatory properties. The hydrophobic fraction containing glabridin and other flavonoids is known to have an inhibitory effect on melanogenesis. Some researchers have established that this effect may be due to the constituents ability to inhibit tyrosinase activity. Both in-vitro and in-vivo studies were carried out to study the inhibitory effects of glabridin on melanogenesis and inflammation.