Rice water has been used for centuries in Asia for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.
There are many benefits of rice water for the skin, including hydrating and cleansing it, getting rid of dark circles and wrinkles, and fading acne scars.
What Is Rice Water?
What is rice water? It's simple—it's the water that's left over after you've boiled rice. But don't just dump it down the drain! Rice water is loaded with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that are great for your skin.
Don't have time to prepare and manage rice water? Use Madhuram (an all-in-one exfoliating, anti-aging, and moisturizing cream) from Sattwa Studio.
Here are some benefits of rice water.
Helps keep your skin hydrated
Rice water can be directly applied onto your skin or made into a rinse to wash your skin out, depending on your preference. It helps retain moisture in your dry skin, which is particularly helpful if you are experiencing season changes or are at risk for excessive drying due to frequent showering, washing machines, or health conditions like psoriasis or eczema.
Many people also use rice water as an all-inclusive toner for their skincare routines, applying it after cleansing to refresh the skin. The antioxidants in rice water help promote healthy cell growth and prevent free radical damage, both of which contribute to strong and even skin tone and texture.
Rice water is often marketed for its hydrating properties, but what makes it special beyond that is its antioxidant content.
Contains antimicrobial properties
Recent studies have shown that not only does rice water reduce dry skin, it also contains antimicrobial properties to help keep your skin healthy.
Rice water can be applied directly onto wet skin or used as an ingredient in other beauty products. It may even be used topically for acne treatment!
Many people discuss the health benefits of brown rice, but what about white rice? While most cosmetic companies use brown rice because it is more expensive, there are still some major benefits from using white rice instead.
It’s totally fine to use one cup (170 grams) of either rice type per month to reap all of its rewards. Because each tablespoon (15 ml) of rice water has 2% taurine, a naturally occurring chemical compound, you will want to make sure to look out for this term when doing cost-cuts.
Can help reduce inflammation
When eating rice, one must never discard the water that is left over. This leftover liquid is referred to as ‘rice water’ or ‘contents of the pot’.
Many people have touted rice water as having many potential uses, including external use for skincare. It can be directly applied onto affected areas of your skin to soothe dry, itchy, irritated skin conditions.
It also contains zinc which helps keep your skin strong and healthy. Zinc plays an important role in immune function by acting as a catalytic agent for other nutrients to perform their functions.
So, while some studies claim that rice water cannot replace topical treatments and medications for certain health issues, there are still many benefits we can get from it.
An anti-ageing boost
Rice water can do many things, including improving your skin’s moisture balance and functioning as an effective natural sunblock. It also works as a gentle abrasive to aid in the removal of dry, damaged skin cells.
Rice water has been used in various forms for centuries across Asia and some parts of Africa for its restorative effects on skin. These days it is most often marketed for its purported ability to improve skin hydration and reduce inflammation.
It may even play a role in boosting collagen production, helping restore elasticity and overall beauty of the skin.
While rice brine will not completely take the place of regular moisturizer under sunscreen use guidelines, it can be a nice addition to your skincare regime. Try rubbing some onto your hands or applying a little directly onto your face at night before bed to see how it impacts your skin.
There are several ways to prepare rice bran extract, so you should do research if this product appeals to you. Make sure to test any new products on a small patch of skin first to make sure there are no negative reactions.
Helps reduce dark patches of skin
Recent studies indicate that rice water is an effective way to improve your skin’s texture and radiance. Dark, duller spots can be due to inflammation or dryness caused by excess oil production in your body.
Rice water helps mitigate this oil production by acting as a natural sebaceous gland de-stimulator. Sebocytes are cells in our skin that produce oils to help protect us from other things suchas viruses and bacteria.
When there’s too much oil present, it can become a barrier to this protective activity. So when you rinse your hair with rice milk, your scalp may also need some extra love to have enough time to rehydrate and restore its balance.
Likewise, rinsing your face with rice water could aid in reducing the appearance of tired, stressed out skin. If you like the way the rice soaks up some of the facial oil, try doing it every night before bedtime!
Can help reduce scars
Rice water is one of the most popular beauty products out there. Many people have their own ways to make it and they all work slightly differently, but typically rice milk is mixed with some kind of acid or salt, and then applied onto any skin problem such as dry skin, scabs, or acne.
Rice water can also be used in place of plain old soap when washing your hair. The natural oils in rice water are thought to aid in keeping your hairs strong and soft. It works similarly to using shampoo.
There has been anecdotal evidence that rice water helps improve overall skin texture and quality. If you would like to try this for yourself, start off by doing a small patch test first.
You can mix one part rice water with two parts fresh lemon juice or olive oil and see how it effects your skin!
Helps improve skin texture
