The Flavonoid That Licorice Built

Licorice root produces over 400 distinct compounds. Among these, liquiritin is the most abundant flavanone glycoside — a molecule where the aglycone liquiritigenin is linked to glucose, creating a stable, bioavailable form that the plant uses to protect itself.

What makes liquiritin special is its relationship with tyrosinase. In the plant world, tyrosinase drives browning. In human skin, it drives melanin production. Licorice evolved liquiritin as a natural modulator of this enzyme, and when we extract it with care, that biological intelligence transfers to your formulation.

Where It Grows — The Licorice Lands

In the semi-arid grasslands of Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Xinjiang, licorice roots sink three to four meters deep into alkaline, mineral-rich earth. Temperature swings of 30°C between day and night create natural stress that drives extraordinary flavonoid production.

It takes three to four full years for a licorice root to justify harvest. Our contracted cultivation bases span hundreds of hectares, operating under EU Organic and USDA NOP protocols — no synthetic pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, just soil, sun, and seasons.

Gentle Extraction — Respecting the Molecule

Our extraction philosophy: use what the plant would use, and nothing it wouldn’t. Harvested roots are dried, milled, and extracted with aqueous-alcoholic solvents — the same solvents the plant uses to transport its own compounds.

Column chromatography separates liquiritin from hundreds of other constituents. Recrystallization yields 98% pure powder. No hexane. No acetone. No synthetic catalysts. No animal-derived materials.

Nature’s Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Gently modulates tyrosinase for gradual, natural brightening. No bleaching, no peeling — just plant-derived results that respect the skin barrier.

Dual Organic Certified

EU Organic and USDA NOP certified from soil to powder. Not “derived from organic” — certified organic at both ends of the supply chain.

One Molecule, Four Benefits

Tyrosinase inhibition, free radical scavenging, inflammatory pathway modulation, and liver cell support — one botanical ingredient, multiple product benefits.

Clean Chemistry

Water, alcohol, and patience. No harsh solvents, no synthetic processing aids. Processes that align with conscious consumer values.

Brightening from Within

Gently regulates tyrosinase activity, allowing melanin production to slow naturally. Gradual, even brightening that makes skin look like it is glowing from within — not treated.

Antioxidant Shield

Uses its 4′,7-dihydroxyflavanone structure to donate hydrogen atoms that neutralize destructive free radicals. A molecular bodyguard that intercepts ROS before they reach your skin cells.

Calming Inflammation

Works at multiple points in the inflammatory cascade: calms NF-κB, reduces COX-2 activity, normalizes cytokine production. A plant-derived alternative that works with the skin.

Liver Support

Stabilizes liver cell membranes and maintains healthy transaminase levels. Glycoside structure enables hepatic uptake and conversion to aglycone (liquiritigenin) for direct protection.