Rice water has been used for centuries in Asian culture to help create a smoother and brighter complexion. Recognizing this, rice in its many forms, including rice water, rice oil and rice bran, is a potent and effective ingredient in many skin care lines. To help you find the rice infused products right for you we talked to two skincare experts, Victoria Tsai, founder and chief treasure hunter of Tatcha skin care and Megan Wan of THEFACESHOP Canada.
Historical uses of rice in Asia
“Mature women working in rice fields had rejuvenated, bright, softer and younger looking hands compared to the rest of their body because their hands were constantly in the rice water,” says Wan, adding “Women in Asia used to keep the water after cooking the rice and use it as a budget-friendly homemade beauty hack." Recognizing this, THEFACESHOP created the RICE WATER BRIGHT skin care line, which harnesses the hydrating and brightening properties of this ingredient.
“For generations, women in Asia have been using rice as the original face wash," adds Tsai. "My mother would always save the milky water from washing the rice and splash it onto her skin; Geisha would pour the leftover water in the bath for soft, smooth and luminous skin.” Tsai explains, “After learning that the geisha used the first wash of rice in their cleansing rituals to soften and brighten the skin, we wanted to harness its ability to remove impurities while providing skin-nourishing oils.”
What can rice bran and oil do for the skin?
While rice water seems to be the go-to for bright skin, it's not the only part of the rice package that yields results. Rice grains are rich in inositol and gamma oryzanol, which are potent antioxidants and nourishing moisturizers and can be found in the Hadesei-3 bioactive complex in the Tatcha line. Rice acts as an amazing multi-tasker for the skin as “both rice bran and oil provide a vital source of vitamins A, B2, B12 and E, as well as brightening actives,” says Tsai. The best part about rice: It works well on dry, oily and sensitive skin, so you can easily incorporate a hero product into your current skin care regimen.
Get your skin in on the amazing powers of rice by perusing the gallery below of rice infused skin care products we love.
