As someone who eats rice several times a week, I always feel it’s a waste to pour out the water left over after washing (e.g. I soak the rice in water before cooking). The TikTok gods must have heard me because after cooking a new batch of white rice, a viral TikTok video of Skya (@skyashhiblicafe) appeared on my “For You” page. In it, Skya pours the remaining rice water into a bowl and pats it on her face and neck, a trick she learned from her Korean grandmother. Although Skya doesn’t state the benefits, other TikTokers have raved about rice water, mentioning that it smooths skin, shrinks pores, and reduces the appearance of redness.
@skyashhiblicafe This is quite common in Asian households #korean #kbeauty #kbeautyskincare #ricewater #fyp original sound – Skya
My skin, which tends to lean towards the drier, always feels patchy, flaky and rough, especially during the winter months when bone-chilling temperatures and whirling fireplaces wreak havoc. my fragile fence. For years, I’ve been using a mix of exfoliators, serums, and cleansers, but with no luck achieving softer, smoother skin (most of the time, I’m actually worse off than I was). when starting). I also tried a humidifier, but when your skin is as dry as a dry mango, a humidifier can only do so much.
As someone who struggles with sensitivities and eczema, I’m always listening to skin care recommendations and new routines, so when I see Skya and other TikTokers praising the leftover rice water for what it is Exactly what skin problems I was dealing with, I decided to test it out for a week.
But related story
Benefits of rice water for skin
Before it became widespread, rice water had been considered a beauty ingredient in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cultures for centuries. Long before it reached its current viral status (it’s worth noting that it started happening in 2018 when Kim Kardashian and Meghan Markle both praised Tatcha’s rice water cleanser), it was Used as an integral part of women’s hair and skin care. habits—and it’s easy to see why.
According to Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut, this ingredient is high in antioxidants and amino acids, and provides a “smoothing” effect to the skin. Plus, it’s packed with super moisturizing vitamins B and E, which is why Dr. Gohara likes it to “add a little moisture” to the skin.
Aside from the skin benefits, rice water can also be used to add shine to dull, lifeless hair. According to Neda Mehr, MD, a California-based functional dermatologist who specializes in hair, “Between B vitamins, vitamin E, amino acids, and minerals, rice water can be a great choice” for moisturizing and strengthens hair strands naturally.
What happened when I washed my face with rice water for a week
Thankfully – for the sake of this experiment – rice water is incredibly easy to make yourself. To make it, all you have to do is soak the grains in water for about 30 minutes, after which you will have a creamy milky color. As for application, you can either pat your skin with your hands or soak a cotton pad and massage in circular motions.
For my own experiment, I washed the rice and poured the leftover liquid into a mason jar. I chose to add it to my routine as a pre-cleansing treatment every time I wash my face and pat my face and neck with my hands (just like in the TikTok video). Then I continue with Murad’s Soothing Peptide and Skin Cleanser ($43) and the rest of my serum and moisturizer.
My eczema-prone skin doesn’t usually absorb new ingredients well, but it did absorb rice water very well—during testing, there were no new breakouts or irritation worth mentioning. In fact, my parched skin soaked it up instantly and felt instantly more hydrated. After the first wash with rice water, my skin just felt cleaner, but seven days later, I noticed softer, plumper and more supple skin. The first time I used rice water, my skin just felt cleaner, but after seven days, I noticed softer, plumper and more supple skin. softer and plumper skin.
Because of these results, I plan to continue incorporating rice water into my weekly diet as needed — aka whenever my skin looks dull or needs an extra boost of hydration. or when I cook rice and don’t want to waste water!).
Shop rice water products
If you don’t like the homemade method or like the idea of putting “dinner” on your face, there are countless rice water-based products on the market. From cleansers to foaming enzyme powders, please note that these rice water products are worth adding to your skin care regimen.
Tatcha, The Rice Polish Deep — $68.00
This powder exfoliator is rich in silk proteins and Japanese rice bran to help even out rough skin tone and prepare rough skin for makeup. Once activated with water, it turns into a creamy lather that keeps your skin moist and cool.
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