Compare · Ingredients

Ceramides vs Licorice Root Extract

Ceramides: Helps formulate moisturizers for dry and eczema-prone skin. Licorice Root Extract: Some licorice-derived compounds are studied for uneven pigmentation.

Research updated 2026-10-25

Four ceramide moisturizers lined up on white: two tubes, a CeraVe tub and a blue jar

Five licorice root products on white, including two Acwell bottles, Éminence, Horbäach liquid extract and Versed

Which one?At a glance What it helps Diagrams Using both Strengths Results Safety How it works Products Questions

Which one is right for you?

Choose Ceramides if…

Choose for dry or eczema-prone skin; judge the complete moisturizer.

Dry or eczema-prone skin
A damaged or over-exfoliated barrier
You want a gentle everyday moisturizer

Choose Licorice Root Extract if…

Consider as an optional pigment ingredient; independent clinical evidence is limited.

Mild uneven tone
Sensitive skin that dislikes stronger pigment actives
Modest expectations

Fine together

Can you use both?

A gentle pairing for redness and uneven tone.

At a glance

● Ceramides

● Licorice Root Extract

Type

Barrier lipid family

Botanical pigment-targeting mixture

What it does

Helps formulate moisturizers for dry and eczema-prone skin.

Some licorice-derived compounds are studied for uneven pigmentation.

Best for

Eczema; Dry Skin; Barrier Support

Melasma; Uneven Skin Tone

Studied concentrations

Ceramide types and lipid mixtures vary; there is no universal effective percentage.

Extracts are not standardized; the cited small study used a liquiritin cream.

When to use

Morning or night, as directed by the finished product.

On the schedule specified for the product or prescribed treatment.

Time to results

Comfort may improve quickly; reassess persistent dryness

Usually assessed over 8–16 weeks

Irritation

Usually well tolerated; fragrance, preservatives or other ingredients may irritate.

Botanical extracts can cause allergy or stinging; check the complete formula.

Sensitive skin

Choose a simple formula and test a small area first. Individual tolerance matters more than an ingredient’s reputation for being gentle.

Choose a simple formula and test a small area first. Avoid actively inflamed or broken skin unless the product is specifically directed for it.

Available

Cosmetic or OTC products; some high-strength procedures are separate treatments.

Prescription or cosmetic status depends on the active, formula and country; check the label.

What it helps

Compare uses by strength of evidence. Evidence level describes confidence in a benefit, not its size.

Evidence level

Ceramides

Licorice Root Extract

Moderate evidenceSome supportive research

Extreme close-up of light skin in an active eczema flare, too close to tell which part of the body it is. Blotchy pink-red inflammation covers the whole frame with no clear edge, with small raised bumps, fine dry scale and a few fresh scratch marks.

Eczema

Some ceramide-containing moisturizers help maintain control alongside eczema care.

The front of one shin on pale skin. The surface is pink with fine white flaking and a few shallow cracks, and the skin around it is even in tone.

Dry Skin

Tested moisturizer formulas reduce dryness and support hydration.

a very close view of irritated dry skin with fine flaking and no identifiable body part on light skin.

Barrier Support

Supports barrier-focused moisturizers; benefit depends on the lipid blend.

—

Limited evidenceEarly or small studies

—

Flat tan patches with soft irregular edges across the forehead and upper cheek of an adult with light skin, the surface completely smooth.

Melasma

A small study investigated a specific liquiritin cream.

Uneven Skin Tone.

Uneven Skin Tone

Possible pigment benefit is based on small compound-specific studies.

Insufficient evidence

Sensitive Skin on light skin.

Sensitive Skin

The reviewed sources do not establish this ingredient as a treatment for this concern.

Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

The reviewed sources do not establish this ingredient as a treatment for this concern.

Flat tan patches with soft irregular edges across the forehead and upper cheek of an adult with light skin, the surface completely smooth.

Melasma

The reviewed sources do not establish this ingredient as a treatment for this concern.

A relaxed forehead with faint shallow horizontal fine lines.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

The reviewed sources do not establish this ingredient as a treatment for this concern.

Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

The cited pigment study did not test rosacea.

The front of a forearm on fair skin. Two pale patches with sharp edges sit against lightly tanned skin, and the difference between the patch and the skin around it is subtle.

Vitiligo

The reviewed sources do not establish this ingredient as a treatment for this concern.

Inflamed acne on light skin. The spots sit in a patch of pink, and the ring of redness around each one is easy to see. A few have a yellow-white head, and the skin between them is dry and flaking.

Acne

The reviewed sources do not establish this ingredient as a treatment for this concern.

How it works

Ceramides mechanism diagram. Replenishes barrier lipids: Ceramides help support the lipid matrix. Helps limit water loss: A well-formulated moisturizer supports barrier function. — Open full-size diagram
Diagram explanation and sources
Replenishes barrier lipids: Ceramides help support the lipid matrix. Helps limit water loss: A well-formulated moisturizer supports barrier function.
Schematic illustration; not a measurement of skin penetration. Effects vary with ingredient identity and formulation.
Source 1 · Source 2

Licorice Root Extract mechanism diagram. Contains several active compounds: Glabridin and liquiritin have different actions. May help uneven pigmentation: Extracts and clinical evidence vary. — Open full-size diagram
Diagram explanation and sources
Contains several active compounds: Glabridin and liquiritin have different actions. May help uneven pigmentation: Extracts and clinical evidence vary.
Schematic illustration; not a measurement of skin penetration. Effects vary with ingredient identity and formulation.
Source 1

Using both in one routine

Built from where each one usually sits in a routine. Introduce one at a time.

Morning

Step 1

Cleanser

Step 2

Licorice Root ExtractMorning or night

Step 3

CeramidesMorning or night

Step 4

Sunscreen

Night

Step 1

Cleanser

Step 2

Licorice Root ExtractMorning or night

Step 3

CeramidesMorning or night

Strengths and forms

Concentrations

There is no single best ceramide percentage for moisturizers. The ceramide types, their combination with other lipids, and the finished cream matter more than a headline number.

Choosing a strength: Look for a comfortable moisturizer with evidence for the complete product. A stated ceramide-blend percentage may include ingredients other than pure ceramides.

Higher strengths: More ceramide is not automatically more barrier repair. A percentage cannot substitute for clinical performance or good tolerance.

Formula matters: Ceramides work within a lipid mixture, often with cholesterol and fatty acids. A study of one cream does not validate all ceramide creams.

Licorice root extract contains multiple compounds, including liquiritin and glabridin. Whole-extract percentages do not reveal the dose of these individual compounds.

Choosing a strength: Look for the named extract or purified compound and evidence for the finished product.

Higher strengths: There is no established universal percentage range or proof that higher whole-extract concentrations improve pigmentation.

Formula matters: A small study of liquiritin cannot establish a recommended strength for every licorice extract, species, or formulation.

Forms

Cream · Lotion · Cleanser · Ointment

Serum · Cream

When you’ll see results

Approximate windows, not promises.

● Ceramides

● Licorice Root Extract

First few weeks

First few weeksSkin may feel softer soon after use; relief depends on the formula.

First few weeksAssess tolerance first; pigment change is usually slower.

4–8 weeks

4–8 weeksJudge hydration, comfort and whether dryness is recurring.

4–8 weeksSome studied regimens begin showing pigment improvement.

8–12 weeks

8–12 weeksPersistent cracking, itch or a rash needs reassessment.

8–12 weeksA useful review point for benefit and irritation.

3–6 months

3–6 monthsContinue if comfortable; hydration usually requires ongoing use.

3–6 monthsMany melasma trials assess results over three to four months; recurrence is common.

6–12 months

6–12 monthsMoisturizing does not establish reversal of structural ageing or scars.

6–12 monthsLong-term use depends on the active; follow a monitored plan rather than extending treatment automatically.

Safety and sensitive skin

Common reactions

Usually well tolerated; fragrance, preservatives or other ingredients may irritate.

Botanical extracts can cause allergy or stinging; check the complete formula.

When to stop

Stop for persistent burning, swelling, blistering or a new rash. Seek urgent care for breathing difficulty or a severe allergic reaction.

Stop for persistent burning, swelling, blistering or a new rash. Seek urgent care for breathing difficulty or a severe allergic reaction.

Sensitive or inflamed skin

Choose a simple formula and test a small area first. Individual tolerance matters more than an ingredient’s reputation for being gentle.

Choose a simple formula and test a small area first. Avoid actively inflamed or broken skin unless the product is specifically directed for it.

Important limits

Do not use a cosmetic product as a substitute for diagnosis of an unexplained, changing or persistent skin problem.

Do not use a cosmetic product as a substitute for diagnosis of an unexplained, changing or persistent skin problem.

Pregnancy

Ceramide moisturizers are generally considered acceptable in pregnancy.

Data are limited; ask the clinician managing your pregnancy.

How it works

In the skin

On the skin. The finished product delivers ceramides in a particular vehicle.

Entering skin. No single molecular mass. The 500 Da guideline cannot be applied to this whole ingredient family or mixture.

Conversion. No activation step is established as necessary for its intended topical role.

Skin response. Ceramides are part of the lipid material between outer skin cells; a well-formulated moisturizer can support barrier function.

Additional effects. Proposed pathways do not establish a measured depth of delivery or clinical benefit beyond the studies cited.

On the skin. The finished product delivers licorice root extract in a particular vehicle.

Entering skin. No single molecular mass. The 500 Da guideline cannot be applied to this whole ingredient family or mixture.

Conversion. No activation step is established as necessary for its intended topical role.

Skin response. Compounds such as liquiritin and glabridin have different pigment-related actions; they are not interchangeable extracts.

Additional effects. Proposed pathways do not establish a measured depth of delivery or clinical benefit beyond the studies cited.

Getting in

No single molecular mass. The 500 Da guideline cannot be applied to this whole ingredient family or mixture.

No single molecular mass. The 500 Da guideline cannot be applied to this whole ingredient family or mixture.

Product examples

Ceramides

Skintific 5X Ceramide Barrier Repair Moisture Gel — A cheap ceramide gel from a viral TikTok brand, with bergamot and lemon peel oil, sold as safe for sensitive skin.
COSRX Balancium Comfort Cool Ceramide Soothing Gel Cream
COSRX Comfort Ceramide Soft Cream Sheet Mask

Licorice Root Extract

Anua Azelaic Acid 3 Cica Skin Clarifying Toner

Common questions

Ceramides:What should I choose ceramides for?

Choose for dry or eczema-prone skin; judge the complete moisturizer.

Ceramides:How strong is the evidence?

A 64-child trial found fewer or later eczema flares with a ceramide-containing regimen versus body wash alone. Another small trial did not show superiority over a petrolatum-based moisturizer; ceramides are not automatically better.

Licorice Root Extract:What should I choose licorice root extract for?

Consider as an optional pigment ingredient; independent clinical evidence is limited.

Licorice Root Extract:How strong is the evidence?

A 20-woman split-face study tested a specific liquiritin cream for four weeks with sun protection. It does not establish that all licorice extracts treat melasma or rosacea.

Sources

Sources and further reading

Dermapedia on YouTube