Glabridin

INCI: GLABRIDIN

CAS Number
59870-68-7
Function
Tyrosinase inhibitor; cyclooxygenase inhibitor (reduces PGE2-driven melanogenesis); anti-inflammatory; oil-soluble isoflavane from licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra); dual depigmenting and anti-inflammatory mechanism
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes No FDA restriction. Used in cosmetic brightening formulations at 0.2โ€“1%. Not classified as a drug. Licorice root extract GRAS as food flavouring provides indirect safety support.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
high
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Natural oil-soluble tyrosinase inhibitor from licorice root with dual brightening mechanism: direct tyrosinase inhibition plus cyclooxygenase inhibition reducing PGE2-driven melanocyte stimulation. Double-blind clinical study confirmed efficacy at 0.2% for melasma with Japan Category B classification. Not EU or US restricted. Oil-solubility makes it ideal for rich creams, face oils, and oil-dominant emulsions where it complements aqueous-phase actives.

โš ๏ธ
Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

tyrosinase-inhibitor brightening cyclooxygenase-inhibitor pge2-reduction anti-inflammatory licorice-natural oil-soluble melasma uv-pigmentation dual-mechanism category-b-japan eu-allowed us-allowed oil-phase-brightening endocrine_disruptor

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Glabridin safe in cosmetics?

Natural oil-soluble tyrosinase inhibitor from licorice root with dual brightening mechanism: direct tyrosinase inhibition plus cyclooxygenase inhibition reducing PGE2-driven melanocyte stimulation. Double-blind clinical study confirmed efficacy at 0.2% for melasma with Japan Category B classification. Not EU or US restricted. Oil-solubility makes it ideal for rich creams, face oils, and oil-dominant emulsions where it complements aqueous-phase actives. The EU classifies Glabridin as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Glabridin allowed in the EU?

Glabridin EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Glabridin do in cosmetics?

Glabridin functions as: Tyrosinase inhibitor; cyclooxygenase inhibitor (reduces PGE2-driven melanogenesis); anti-inflammatory; oil-soluble isoflavane from licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra); dual depigmenting and anti-inflammatory mechanism. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 59870-68-7.

What is the Margin of Safety for Glabridin?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Is Glabridin in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro โ€” our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free โ†’

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Glabridin in your formulation.