Ready to revamp your skincare + haircare routines? Check out this easy, expert-tested guide on how to prepare rice water for skin to hydrate and nourish.
Something unexpected is taking the skincare industry by storm these days. Spoiler alert: it’s probably in your kitchen already.
For centuries, this common household ingredient has been repurposed as a skincare product all over Asia. With the rising popularity of Asian beauty trends, mainly thanks to Korean beauty (K-beauty), rice water and rice extract have recently become popular skincare ingredients worldwide.
Read on to learn about:
- The benefits of rice for your skin and hair
- How to make rice water and use it for your skin and hair
- The best beauty products that contain rice extract or rice oil
Nourishment Without Nasties
Rice water is a nourishing elixir for the skin, packed with antioxidants and nutrients that promote skin health. In contrast, drugstore cosmetics often provide a temporary illusion of improved appearance while potentially depriving your skin of the essential nourishment it needs.
Additionally, many drugstore cosmetics contain potentially harmful chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates. These chemicals disrupt hormonal balance, cause skin irritation, and even contribute to long-term health issues.
Opting for rice water ensures that your skin is nurtured without the risk of exposing it to harmful toxins.
Rice Water Benefits For Your Skin & Hair
Beauty enthusiasts often tout the benefits of rice water as seeming almost too good to be true. Some claim rice water can correct everything from dark spots and oily skin to skin conditions like acne.
Here’s the truth about the benefits of rice water.
Anti-Aging Benefits
Rice water can help you combat skin’s dullness, wrinkles, and fine lines that come with age. Its antioxidants and amino acids will help your skin feel fresh and youthful again.
Not only does rice water help minimize the effects of aging on your skin, but it can also protect your skin from further damage. Rice water is a natural sunscreen that protects against UV exposure and keeps your skin young and healthy.
In a study conducted in 2018, researchers discovered that rice water effectively diminished the activity of elastase, an enzyme intricately linked with the skin’s aging process. This promising finding hints at the possibility of rice water’s role in mitigating the emergence of skin wrinkles and fine lines.
Brightening Effects
Frequent rice water users rave about this home remedy’s skin-brightening effects. Rice water treatments are said to reduce dark patches and lighten pigment, which is why rice extract and rice oil are common ingredients in many toners, emulsions, and creams.
The same 2018 study also suggests that using rice water gel on skin for just 28 days has the same brightening antioxidant properties as vitamin C!
Soothes Sensitive Skin
Rice water is a gentle ingredient that’s known to calm irritated skin. Its soothing properties can help hydrate and revitalize even the most sensitive skin. And since very few people are allergic to rice, it is incredibly safe and versatile.
Strengthens Hair
Rich in protein, rice water has the power to strengthen your hair and improve its overall condition. Its amino acids are also thought to help promote hair growth. Hair products that contain rice extract or oil will help give you the luscious locks you’ve always dreamed of having!
How To Make Rice Water for Skin and Hair: Step By Step
Feeling inspired to make your own rice water now? We’ll show you the ropes—here are three quick and easy methods for making rice water at home.
Method #1 – The Soaking Method
Soaking rice is the quickest way to prepare rice water. Here’s how to do it:
- Rinse a cup of uncooked rice to clean it. Any variety of rice will work.
- Fill a large bowl with about three cups of water, and add the rinsed rice.
- Let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Stir the rice and press it down with your fingers for a minute or two.
- Strain the rice and collect the remaining starchy water in a bottle.
Method #2 – The Boiling Method
Boiling rice is another quick and easy way to make rice water. Here are the steps:
- Boil a cup of rice in water as you normally cook rice.
- Once the rice is cooked, strain the rice and pour the leftover rice water into a glass bottle.
- Before storing it in your fridge, let the rice water cool down completely.
Method #3 – The Fermenting Method
The final method requires more time than the soaking or boiling methods, but it’s still quite simple. Follow these steps:
- Rinse a cup of uncooked rice to clean it
- Fill a large bowl with about three cups of water, and add the rinsed rice.
- Let the rice soak for two days. This will create fermented rice water.
- Two days later, stir the rice and strain the rice starch liquid into a bottle.
And just like that, you’ve made rice water! Rice water can be kept in the fridge for up to a week for best results.
How To Use Rice Water For Your Skin and Hair
There are many different ways to use rice water for your skin and hair, but here are just a few of our favorites.
Use as DIY Korean rice water toner.
You can use your fresh rice water by pouring it into a dedicated spray bottle and spraying it onto your face as a toner. You can also dab it onto your face with a clean cotton ball. Wait 30 minutes, then rinse your face with water.
The natural compounds left behind by the rice grains will help repair your skin’s natural barrier and infuse hydration into your skin.
Use as soothing facial ice cubes.
Another fun and relaxing way to use rice water is to freeze it into ice cubes and rub them all over your face. This is a quick and easy way to enjoy a spa-like experience at home.
Use as a hair treatment.
After washing your hair with shampoo, apply the rice water to your hair. Massage it into your hair and scalp, then leave it for about 20 minutes. Rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water and style it as usual. Your hair should be feeling strong and shiny in no time.
6 Natural Rice Water Products For Glowing Skin & Hair
While some of us love a good DIY project, we know they’re not for everyone. Between work, kids, relationships, and the daily busyness of life, it’s easy to save a DIY idea on Pinterest and never get to it. These natural products will hydrate and nourish your skin and hair like DIY rice water.
Blüh Alchemy Nocturnal Repair Active Emulsion– $85
This overnight mask is packed with ingredients that’ll help improve your skin’s elasticity, including Oryza sativa (rice) bran oil. The rice bran oil works with the other natural extracts in this product to help reduce hyperpigmentation and fine lines.
Apply a couple of pumps to your face as the last step of your skincare routine 3-4 nights per week, and wake up with a fresh and youthful glow!
OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil– $52
Also featuring rice bran oil, this OSEA product will make your skin glowy and firm all day. The rice bran oil contributes to this antioxidant-packed potion to reduce the appearance of fine lines and stretch marks. This oil can be applied daily to dry or damp skin to help you achieve youthful, hydrated skin.
LILFOX Marshmallow Poof Firming + Filling Crema – $160
Wrinkles and sagging skin are a thing of the past thanks to this miracle cream by LILFOX! The peptides in this product pair perfectly with Oryza sativa (rice) extract to tighten and firm skin. Apply this cream as the final step of your skincare routine each morning and night, and watch as this product works its magic on your face.
ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation– $54
This silky foundation is the perfect product to give you a smooth, hydrated base for your makeup. Infused with rice powder, this foundation stands out above the rest with its natural and soothing ingredients. Bonus points: it comes in 30 colors and is safe for sensitive skin, too!
Kosas Wet Lip Oil Gloss – $22
Nobody likes chapped lips, and Kosas knows that. They’ve created the perfect lip oil gloss to help your lips feel plump and hydrated. The rice extract in this lip gloss gives it an extra boost to soothe and soften your lips. Plus, it comes in 11 shades!
Innersense Organic Beauty Pure Harmony Hairbath– $28
It’s finally time to talk hair. Sometimes, it feels like dry, dull hair is just a part of aging. But with this cleansing shampoo, it doesn’t have to be. The rice protein and oil in this shampoo pair perfectly with ingredients like cocoa oil and shea butter to deeply moisturize your hair. Its light citrus scent will help your hair smell great, and its powerful natural ingredients will help it feel great.
Final Thoughts
Next time you’re cooking rice and about to pour out the extra water, we hope you’ll think again! This antioxidant-rich substance is packed with anti-aging and hydrating benefits that’ll reinvigorate your skin and hair.
Whether you try out one of our favorite rice products or make your own rice water at home, we know your skin and hair will thank you for it. To learn about other natural ingredients you need to add to your skincare routine, check out our Clean Skincare 101 Guide.
