6 Potential Benefits of Using Rice Water on the Skin

If you follow social media accounts that focus on beauty and skin care, you’ve probably heard influencers discussing the benefits of rice water as a way to cleanse, soothe, and condition the skin. Although this might seem like a fairly recent trend, believe it or not, it’s been used in East Asian beauty traditions for hundreds of years. It’s just that the method has received increased attention due to its potential ability to hydrate the skin, improve texture as well as its ability to treat inflammation. However, it is important to recognize that rice water doesn’t perform miracles. It won’t bleach your skin, make acne disappear overnight, or replace treatments prescribed by a dermatologist. That said, applying rice water to your skin can be a cost-effective way to improve its appearance and with virtually no irritation.

What Is Rice Water?

Rice water is precisely what you’re probably picturing: it’s the cloudy liquid that results from rinsing or soaking uncooked rice in water. During that process, starches, amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and other compounds that originate from the rice grain are released into the water. There are many ways you can apply rice water, the most common being as a facial rinse, spot treatment, toner, and even as a mask. Due to its gentle properties, rice water can be effective on all types of skin, including oily and sensitive.

It is important to note that if you decide to make rice water yourself, the concentration of the various compounds will be highly variable, which means the results might not be as predictable as professional-grade rice water skincare products available at a wellness store.