Simple solutions are often the best!
The starchy water left over after cooking or washing rice that we usually get rid of is a natural solution to a variety of skincare as well as hair care problems!
People have recently discovered the benefits of rice water when it comes to skincare.
In Korean beauty culture, rice water is a popular beauty ingredient. Rice water is thought to brighten your complexion and is anti-inflammatory too, which is a great benefit for your skin.
It’s likely that you’ll find rice as an ingredient in about half of your K-beauty faves if you comb through your collection and check the labels.
Rice water has long been used in Asian beauty rituals; it is the secret behind a smooth and radiant complexion.
The gentle, nourishing benefits of rice water are unmatched in the beauty industry, and it is easy to DIY at home.
Here are some tips, DIYs and benefits of rice water for skin to help you better understand it and make use of it yourself. Keep scrolling!
Is rice water really good for the skin?
It has been believed for a long time that rice water – the water left over after cooking rice – promotes beautiful, stronger hair. Over 1000 years ago, it was first used in Japan.
The use of rice water for skin treatments is gaining popularity today. Apparently, it soothes and tones your skin, as well as improving different skin conditions.
It is easy and inexpensive to make rice water at home, which makes it even more exciting.
A number of substances in rice water have been shown to help protect and repair skin. Science hasn’t fully substantiated many of its benefits, despite some real benefits.
What’s So Great About Rice Water? / What does it contain, and how often can you use it?
Skin and hair can benefit from the multitude of nutrients in rice water.
In addition to being an excellent skin and hair care product, rice water contains a number of beneficial properties.
A variety of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are contained in rice water, making them nutritious and beneficial for skin health.
Ferulic acid, an antioxidant found in rice water, and allantoin, an organic compound that helps skin heal.
It contains phytic acid, inorganic substances and inositol, which is a carbohydrate that can strengthen your hair also and reduces friction.
There’s no wonder rice water is getting so much attention, considering all these beauty benefits! Make your own using these recipes at home.
How to Use Rice Water (Basic Guide)
For centuries, Korean and Japanese women have loved rice water as it hydrates and illuminates their skin. Here’s how to use rice water on skin:
- First of all, the rice should be rinsed thoroughly to eliminate impurities.
- Fill a bowl of rice with water (water should be about 1 inch above the rice).
- Put the lid on the container and let the rice soak for 30 minutes. The rice should be fully saturated and distributed throughout the mixture.
- To maximize the release of nutrients, knead the rice after 20 minutes when the rice is softer.
- Once the rice particles have been in the water for 30 minutes, strain them away.
- You can apply rice water as a toner or mix a few drops with your favorite moisturiser. Rice water can also be used as a gentle second cleanse (rub it over your face and rinse).
Also Read: How to Use Castor Oil To Remove Wrinkles
What is Fermented Rice Water?
Water left over after soaking or rinsing rice is fermented rice water. First used by Geishas in Japan one thousand years ago, to keep their skin fair and radiant by washing their hair and face with it.
Yet, why are other countries now taking advantage of fermented rice water products that are now offered by many skincare brands?
Fermented rice water can benefit your skin and hair greatly at the expense of its smell, thanks to an increasing awareness that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
There is a smell of rice water that may bothersome, but if used in the shower, it is unnoticeable and leaves no unpleasant odor. Here in the next section, we will explain each of the benefits of rice water in more detail.
Benefits Of Rice Water For Skin
Rice water can benefit your hair, as well as your skin. You can use rice water for your skin in the following ways:
1. Brightens the skin
In Japanese and Korean beauty rituals, rice water is a key ingredient for its skin-brightening properties.
Known for its ability to reduce the appearance of dark spots and blemishes and brighten the complexion, it ensures a clear and smooth complexion.
2. Anti-aging benefits
With its antioxidant content, rice water shows promise for inhibiting the action of elastase, a compound responsible for premature skin aging and causing damage to elastin.
This is why rice water can protect the skin from signs of aging and delay their occurrence.
3. Natural Barrier of the skin
The natural barrier of the skin can be repaired and maintained by rice starch, according to some studies.
As a result, your skin will be prepared to handle aggressors and can be protected against pollution.
4. Soothes sun damage
Raw rice water, which is free of harsh chemicals, offers mild sun damage relief like sunburn, inflammation, redness, and itching.
Researchers have found that rice contains chemicals that can protect against the sun’s rays.
5. Mattifies oily skin
Oily skin can benefit from pore tightening and toning effects provided by starchy rice water.
If you have very oily skin, dabbing rice water with cotton pads can help.
6. Prevents Wrinkles
Rice wine (fermented rice water) may be able to reduce sun damage to the skin, according to a study.
It keeps the skin supple and prevents wrinkles by increasing collagen levels in the skin. Natural sunscreen properties also appear to be associated with rice wine.
7. Helps against Dry skin
Many personal care products contain sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), an ingredient that causes skin irritation.
Rice water has been shown to help alleviate this problem.
Damaged and dry skin can benefit from rice water if applied twice daily.
How to Prepare and use rice water for skin
Preparing rice water is easy and can be done in a variety of ways. Rice must be rinsed thoroughly before using any of the methods. Generally speaking, rice type does not matter here.
There are many types of rice that you can use, including white, jasmine, brown, organic etc. Try any of the following methods to prepare rice water at home.
1. Soaking
Making rice water is as simple as soaking rice in water.
- First off, rice grains should be thoroughly rinsed.
- Soak rice in 2 cups of water for at least 1 hour.
- After one hour, stir the mixture and filter.
- You can put the filtered water into a spray bottle and store it in the refrigerator.
2. Fermenting
The same method for soaking the rice can be used to make fermented rice water. Rather than refrigerating it after straining it out, leave it at room temperature for two to three days.
- Soak two cups of glutinous rice in boiling hot water for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Strain the water out in a clean container and leave it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Put the container in the refrigerator as soon as it begins to smell sour.
- Dilute the rice water with plain water before use.
3. Boiling
- Before boiling the rice, rinse and clean it thoroughly and drain it afterwards.
- Add 1 cup of rice and 3 cups of water into a pot.
- Stir rice and water well and bring to a boil.
- Take it off the heat and try to press the rice with a spoon to utilise and release the useful chemicals.
- Strain the water out in a clean, airtight container.
- Let the water cool down at room temperature.
- Refrigerate and use for 8 to 10 days.
- Dilute the rice water with plain water before use.
Precautions of using rice water for the skin
There are some precautions that you need to follow if you plan on using rice water.
Packaging and production processes can deposit dirt, bacteria and pesticide residues on most commercially available packaged rice.
So, before you use the water from your rice batch for beauty purposes, it is advisable to thoroughly clean it.