As beauty fans, we’re always looking for hacks, adjustments and interesting ways of using ingredients you may not have come across before. And so naturally, we flock to TikTok (or, more specifically, BeautyTok). 

The latest ingredient making waves in the skincare sphere for helping to clear up spots and heal irritated skin comes from an everyday food you’ll find in your kitchen cupboard: rice. But not the rice itself, the secret to healthier skin is in using rice water.

Here at Stylist, we love to get to know the finer details when it comes to our skincare (and the ingredients they’re made from), so it’s only natural that we consult celebrity aesthetician Ada Ooi to get the lowdown on what rice water actually is and what it does for our skin. 

Plus, we’ve curated a selection of rice water-infused beauty products that you can try out at home, minus the messiness of making your own rice water.

What is rice water?

“Rice water is the starchy water left over after rice is cooked or left to soak. It has been used as a beauty treatment by multiple Asian communities for centuries, as a hair treatment and on the skin to enhance complexion,” says Ooi. “It is also used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to strengthen the body. The word ‘Qi’ in Chinese even derives from the symbols for a steaming bowl of rice and the symbol for air. Taken together to describe ‘Qi’, the word comes to mean the essence of nutrition, health, vitality, life force, breath and energy flow.”

What are the benefits of using skincare infused with rice water?

“Rice water is high in minerals, amino acids and antioxidants, which help to brighten the skin and even out skin tone, making it useful in treating hyperpigmentation and dull complexions. 

“Tricin is a strong antioxidant and momilactones A and B found in rice are really potent agents in helping with anti-ageing. It could also inhibit the activity of elastase, which is an enzyme that causes the skin to age. Plus, the starch content in rice water helps to protect your skin’s barrier against water loss and dehydration, helping to keep your skin naturally moisturised and protected from dry skin conditions such as eczema.

“The starchy properties also mean it is soothing, and can be used to cool inflammation, redness and sunburn. Overall it’s a good treatment to brighten skin, reduce scars, and increase overall skin elasticity and calm irritable, sensitive skin. It is believed that its astringent properties help with oil control, by absorbing excess oil from the skin – meaning that it can help prevent breakouts.”

How should you use rice water infused products in your skincare? For example, can you use them at all the different stages of your skincare routine?

“From masks to cleansers, there is a rice water infused product for everything. You can also make DIY rice water just by boiling and straining good quality rice or soaking it for 30 minutes. 

“However, making it at home might mean it’s difficult to know how much of the beneficial properties you’re getting, so if you want a readymade product to use as part of your skincare routine, a rice water face mask, serum or oil will work well for moisturising and nourishing dry skin and helping to maintain your skin’s natural barrier. 

“A cleanser or toner containing rice water may be helpful in controlling oil balance and helping with acne or pimples, and it’s a good way to add hydration without any feeling of greasiness.”

Which skin types will rice water infused products benefit?

“Rice water can help various skin types, but especially dry, dull or acne-prone skin with its oil controlling and hydrating properties that help to give a glass-like skin finish. Its anti-ageing properties make it a good choice for people who are looking to prevent signs of ageing and care for their skin long-term.” 

Images: courtesy of brands