DIY Licorice Extract with Glycerin for Healthier Skincare Products
About the author: Jinane Doughan is a professional make-up artist with a degree from the French Fashion Institute ESMOD Dubai. She specialized in natural handmade skincare and haircare products.
Her YouTube channel, Jinane World, has 600+ educational videos and 100K+ subscribers.
She is an accredited Master Trainer and gives courses at a reputed academy that has 16 branches worldwide. She sells online courses about natural skincare.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Use any natural skincare or haircare products at your own risk and perform a patch test before use.
DIY licorice extract is a natural ingredient that’s becoming increasingly popular in skincare products. Known for its ability to lighten skin, reduce hyperpigmentation, and soothe inflammation, licorice extract is a great addition to any skincare routine.
But did you know that you can easily make your own licorice extract at home? You can extract it using glycerin, oil or alcohol. Not only is it more affordable, but it also ensures that you’re using pure, high-quality ingredients on your skin.
In this article, we’ll show you how to make licorice extract with glycerin and how to use it in your skincare products for a healthier, more radiant complexion.
Ingredients Needed
- Licorice. Here, I am using licorice that is ground or crushed
- Vegetable glycerin
Tools Needed
- A small jar with its lid
- Spoon
- Aluminum foil
- Fine filtering fabric, like cheesecloth
Steps: DIY Licorice Extract with Glycerin
1- Add two tablespoons of licorice into a glass jar. The glass jar must have been disinfected. The way to do it is by washing it with soap and warm water, then drying it with a clean tissue, and finally spraying it with 70% medical alcohol.
2- Pour glycerin into the jar to fill it up.
3- Mix well.
Note: You can see why we filled the jar with glycerin; because we need more of it to have a proper mix with the licorice.
4- Seal the jar with a lid and shake to mix again.
5- Wrap aluminum foil around the whole jar. We are doing this to protect the extract from light. If your jar is opaque and dark, you don’t have to wrap it with foil.
6- Store the jar in a closed cabinet for 25 days. Every three days, take it out and, without opening it, shake it for 15 seconds. Then, store it back in the cabinet.
7- After 25 days, the extract is ready. Using a fine filtering fabric, we can now filter the contents to remove the licorice residue.
We will do that by filtering the contents 3-4 times over as many days. So, after the first filtering, store the jar back to allow any leftover licorice residue to settle at the bottom of the jar. Next day, filter the contents again and so on. By doing this repeatedly, we ensure that we have filtered the contents thoroughly and the extract should be pure.
Why do we have to ensure that the extract is devoid of any licorice residue? Because, later, when we add the licorice extract to a handmade skincare product like scrub, soap, cream, etc. any residue will spoil the product. This is why we go through that filtering process.
How To Use The DIY Licorice Extract
The DIY licorice extract is meant to be used as an additive to natural handmade skincare products, like scrubs, soaps, creams, body butters, etc.
Add 2-5% to your product. For example, if you are preparing 100-gram scrub, you can add 2-5 grams of DIY licorice extract.
Benefits
- Reduces hyperpigmentation: DIY licorice extract can help to reduce the appearance of dark spots, sun damage, and other forms of hyperpigmentation.
- Soothes inflammation: Licorice extract has anti-inflammatory properties that can help to calm redness, irritation, and other forms of inflammation in the skin. This makes it a great ingredient for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin.
- Boosts skin brightening: Licorice extract is also rich in antioxidants, which help to fight free radicals and promote brighter, more even-toned skin. This can help to give your skin a healthy, radiant glow.
- Enhances moisture: Glycerin, which is used to make the DIY licorice extract in this recipe, is a natural humectant that helps to attract moisture to the skin. This can help to keep your skin hydrated and supple.
- Improves overall texture: When added to scrubs, soaps, and other skincare products, licorice extract can help to improve the overall texture of the skin. It can help to smooth out rough patches, soften dry skin, and leave your skin feeling silky and refreshed.
By adding DIY licorice extract to your natural handmade skincare products, you can enjoy all of these benefits and more, while also knowing exactly what ingredients you’re putting on your skin.
Other articles under the sub-category How To Make Extracts.
Video How-To on My Channel | Jinane World
The steps to make the DIY Licorice Extract with glycerin are demonstrated in this video.
