DIY Beauty: rice water for smooth fair skin
Thursday, 23 April 2009
So I read a number of girls raving how water used to wash the rice is great for washing their faces. Apparently the benefits for them are smoother and fairer skin. I remember it was said that steam from cooking rice is great for the face when I watched Jewel In The Palace but I haven’t learnt anything about the rice water though. However, I know that we should be washing our rice grains sparingly so as not to lose the nutrients. I suppose that’s why the water used is beneficial.
I’ve tried using rice water a few times just for fun but I think I’ll need to persist if I want to see some real results. Well, if you’re interested to try this, here are the instructions I took from AsianFanatics.
Instructions to wash your face with rice water
First of all, wash the uncooked rice with any clean water – filtered water if possible – and collect the water in a basin or bowl. Wash your face clean with your regular cleanser and then rinse your face with the rice water before toweling dry. You can then proceed to moisturize as per normal.
If you’re worried that the rice is unclean, then only keep the water after you’ve washed the rice the second time. But like I’ve mentioned, this is something you need to persist if you want to see results like what some of the girls have reported. Anyway, rice water is quite pleasant to use and you can pad the water on your face like a toner too.
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Posted in Homemade/DIY | 49 Comments »
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April 23rd, 2009 at 8:57 am
I used to use rice water to wash my face as a teen. Tip from my mom. Did it for ages. Still exploded with acne.
Paris: Hmm…this seems like a beauty tip from the old generation since many said it came from their mothers. Anyway, maybe your acne was hormonal too?
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:37 am
I’ve never heard this before, but that is awesome!
Leann: Yeah, if it gives the results the girls raved about, this is quite awesome cos it cost next to nothing.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:12 am
I washed my face with rice water once, and it seemed like my face was paler and had a glow afterwards! I think it really does work, but it needs consistency for its effects to last.
J: Yup, I think as with most recipes, there should be consistency to see lasting effects.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:26 am
I second that, it takes fooooorever to see effects and I gave up this traditional skin care tip, but it might work for some.
Den: I was also quite curious cos some of them were saying their skin shade was lightened up due to using this.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:36 am
Gonna try this one too! Hope it helps to reduce overdue acne scars…
Dee: Er…don’t be too optimistic about the results cos I think you’ll need patience…
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
Hey Sesame, my mum uses rice water to water the plants. Boy, do they look good.
Haha…but I’m not sure I will try this. Too much of a hassle and by the time I reached home, the rice is all cooked.
Btw, I saw on MyPaper today that Eucerin has a promotion. Buy a wrinkle-filler thing or a whitening serum and get a cleansing gel free!
I went and got the whitening serum straight away to get rid of the pigmention on my nose. Not sure if its gonna work. Have you tried it?
I think the Sea buckthorn oil evens out my complexion generally, my acne scars are lightened. But they’re still there. I think they don’t do much for my pigmentation though. In fact, I think they got darker.
Hope the serum works.
pf: I used the Eucerin eye cream but it did nothing for my lines. Instead my eyelashes grew a bit then. Quite strange! Your pigmentation got worst? Could it be due to the oil? It has UV protection properties so shouldn’t be. Anyway I forgot to tell you I started to notice that half of my undereye area is considerly lighter in shade. I think it’s cos I was dabbing this oil on that area! Anyway, I’m out of the oil now and may not get it cos I’m going to try out something new for my pigmentation. But heh, haven’t bought it yet cos need to order from States and get someone to help me ship over.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
My mum saves a bowl for me during when she cooks dinner.
Don’t see much difference.
I also use a rice toner which made my skin smoother and slightly whitens my skin.
AtelierGal: Oh your rice toner sounds interesting! Is it available in the market or it’s homemade?
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:14 pm
My mom told me to wash my face with rice water also. It does work. My face felt so much more refreshing & clean. I don’t know how to explain. But it worked for me.
Lipo: Oh that’s good! Glad it worked for you.
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I had tried for a period of time,it does make my skin looks better but in the end I gave up,coz I always forget
Maybe I should try again…..
Florence: It worked for you! Interesting! But yes, I agree that although this is a simple recipe, the process of collecting the water is too troublesome.
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Sesame… have u tried the Neutrogena Wave Cleanser? I saw it at Watson’s S$24.90 with 14 cleanser pad that comes along with the machine wave.
Read many raves about it but some users find it useless cos it only vibrates as in massaging your face. =)
They say it feels smooth after doing it so…
Dee: Yes, I checked it out when it was launched. I almost got it thinking it’s a facial massager but stopped when I realized it contains cleansing ingredients including SLS!
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
lolz my mom calls it bedak sejuk – cold powder
to see the effect it takes a long time
Eliza: Ah…bedak sejuk?
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:00 pm
lolz ya hahaha
btw u can make it into a cooling mask too
scope the more powdery part of the rice water and cool it in the fridge until it sort of hardens
i use it on the parts where i squeeze blackheads/pimples to cool it before applying aloe vera to lessen the redness
Eliza: Wow, I didn’t know the powdery part can harden when cold. Thanks for the tip!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:45 pm
my maid uses it to wash her hands since it’s convenient for her..
when my back acne was at it’s formidable peak, i had a mask of rice and green bean though i dont quite remember whether it was ground or soaked in water. it helped but it was very troublesome too.
Raelynn: Rice and green bean…you’re really adventurous! But I can imagine the trouble…
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Sesame, my dots on the nose bridge became spots. They were faint brown shadowy kind of dots before and now I think they have become little spots. It looks like the pigmentation surfacing.
I cannot say that they have worsen because there aren’t more. But they have become more obvious.
I think my face colour also lightened. So, I don’t know…maybe because my skin tone lightened, therefore they seemed more obvious?
Anyways, I shall try the Eucerin serum thing to see if it works. Haha….to tell you the truth. I really wanted to try the Eucerin cleansing gel. If it can be comparable to my Istrilene cleansing gel, I can rotate with Eucerin one so that my face won’t be “immune” to Istrilene. hehe…
Btw, I told you that I had a strange glow right??? I am beginning to think its something I ate rather than what I slap on my face. Coz I have been sick for a couple of weeks now. And I didn’t take my daily dose of EPO, Fish oil, Zinc and Vitamin E. So, the glow has dimished.
pf: Oh ya, if your face lightened up then it’s possible the spots look more obvious. Ah, your glow because of the supplements you take! You’re probably right. Anyway, a glow is always good!
April 24th, 2009 at 12:17 am
the old folks in my country always said rice water will whiten the skin. It does work, but according to my mom, it may cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun
Vicky: It causes skin to be photosensitive??? Oh geez…quite incredulous! Then it’s probably washing away the protective layer on our skin…
April 24th, 2009 at 12:33 am
You know when you cook your rice in the rice cooker and there’ll be some water collected in a small container on the side of the cooker?
I wonder if that small amount of steamed rice water would be beneficial. I remembered I liked to drink it when I was younger [very little of it anyway... like just.... 30ml max]. Tastes kinda nice.
Ms Blacklace: Oh yes the small container! Don’t know…I wonder too.
April 24th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Hey Sesame
hey pf1123
To side-track a bit and need your help as well, I had enquired with Whoopeekiddies about the Sea Buckthorn Oil and they are now back in stock!
Which ones would be the better one to purchase? The sea buckthorn oil pulp extract or sea buckthorn oil CO2 extract? These are the current two available. I am confused!
Thanks for your help.
Den: Hey, both sounds new to me. I know the CO2 extract is to be added in serums. Not sure about the other cos I used the oil. You can send an email to Whoopeekiddies and ask them.
April 24th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Sesame, I find out about the SLS thing too after I bought it not too long ago. Since I really like the massaging thing on my face I decided to wash off the pad and use with my cleanser…
Btw I tried the rice water and is really smooth on skin! I understand it will take time to see any differences but I don’t mind using cos I think I like the feeling already… =) Thk u Sesame for sharing the info! xoxo
Dee: Hey, you’re welcome!
April 24th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I was wondering…. How about putting a teaspoon of rice in a glass bottle, fill it up with like around half a cup of mineral water, and use it was a toner. Wonder if that will help… Hm….
So many ideas with the rice thingy….
Ms Blacklace: I think the water should have the white powder from the rice to be effective so not sure if soaking some will do any good. But you also need to keep it fresh.
April 24th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Hey Den, I don’t know about the pulp or CO2 extract thingy. When I bought it, there is only the oil.
The oil is pretty stinky. I think it has lighten my skin tone and acne scars a little. But does nothing for my pigmentation.
Its not fantastic but not too bad though, I bring the little 15ml bottle with me when I travel and just put that on at night without the extra moisturizer is still ok. Usually, when I travel, my skin goes haywire…but the recent 2 trips were ok.
After I finished it, I’m not sure I would re-purchase because I wanna try other oils.
Btw, if anybody’s interested…the Eucerin Whitening serum is as thick as my Istrilene Collagen cream.
April 24th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I did a google search on “bedak sejuk”, and it seems they use it for a cooling effect. I added a link
Ms.Blacklace, I think I’ll try out your suggestion.
Sukidoll: Oh thanks for checking that one out and adding the link!
April 26th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Thanks to Sesame and pf1123 for your help. Will try the oil and hopefully it works!
Den: I hope you’re like it if you use it. Er…the smell needs getting used to. Also, if the pulp oil is the same oil we used then it will create a temporary yellow stain. Use it only in the night.
April 27th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Hi all!
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May 26th, 2009 at 9:41 am
It works! i got it from my grandma. it got rid of my acne and made my skin smoother and lighter.
sesame Reply:
May 26th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Wow, that’s great!
July 7th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Well the Japanese have been washing their faces with rice bran for decades, and attribute that for their smooth skin. But that is quality rice bran they were using, nowadays manufactured rice aren’t as–how should I put it–’pure’ (?) so the results won’t be the same. Washing your face with rice, making egg masks, are all old Asian skin care myths. While it is true that egg masks provide vitamin A and a quick facelift, like rice water, it can’t make your skin whiter.
August 8th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Yes, I think you are onto something good.
Rice bran is rich in oil, makes an effective exfoliant and contains phytic acid, a B-complex vitamin that seems to help improve blood circulation and stimulate cell turnover when used topically, according to Japanese studies.
Many famous skin care companies include rice into their products. Dermalogica has the Daily Microfoliant which contain rice enzyme and L’Occitane has many Rice skin care products.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:39 am
I use rice water daily now.
I do my regular face wash and exfoliate…
Then I apply warm rice water with a cotton ball and lightly pat dry. I then wait a half hour or so (when possible) before applying moisturizer and make up.
It has lightened / evened my skin tone and produced a nice glow. It has also firmed my skin a bit (because of the starch I assume) and reduced the visibility of my pores. It also had a softening effect.
The changes are visibly apparent. I’ve gotten comments from my husband and friends on how my skin had improved.
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:09 am
Rice water and green tea as a facial mist/toner…
Amazing.
Add some essential oils as you like.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Do you use cold or warm water?
sesame Reply:
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Normal tap water – so slightly cool – to wash the rice.
September 14th, 2009 at 8:34 am
hey thanks for this!!
just wodnering, what tempature of water is neeeded? also, how long does it keep for? should i refridgerate?
thanks
sesame Reply:
September 14th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Normal tepid water from the tap is find. No need to refrigerate. I think the best is to use it fresh or at most after a day.
September 18th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
i’m guessing the rice water makes some people whiter/paler is because rice is not naturally white. it is bleached so you’re probably just bleaching your face! haha
October 1st, 2009 at 3:40 am
Um.. i use rice water for mask and green tea for toner .. can i mix?
sesame Reply:
October 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hmm…should be possible but I’m not sure if there are benefits to do so…plus, the smell maybe weird.
October 3rd, 2009 at 3:10 am
well im thinking what are the real uses of rice water? can it take away dark circles too ?
sesame Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Hi, rice water is said to be good for skin whitening but I doubt it’ll do much for dark circles. The dark circles is a result of circulation in that area so you need ingredients that can penetrate and help rectify. It could also be a diary allergy causing the darkness.
October 16th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
will mixing rice water with green tea give better results…compare with rice water itself?
sesame Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hmm…never tried mixing. Here, I suggest using rice water by itself.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 am
Just be sure the rice is organic you don’t want all that other stuff sitting on your face it could be quite harmful to the skin
November 10th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I have been using rice water as a toner for a month now and can see some good results.
I use organic brown rice from the grocery and make a little bowl at a time, drain cloudy water into a plastic container to keep in the fridge. lasts for about 3-4 days (when it smells bad make a new batch).
I did recently put a green tea bag (also containing jasmine and orange) with the rice to sit in the water for about 5 minutes.
now my toner makes my face feel cool, refreshed and tighter plus the tea makes it smell yummy!
sesame Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Oh that’s great! I haven’t tried mixing green tea with rice water. I was worried about the smell but it looks like, I was thinking too much based on what you’ve said about the smell.
January 21st, 2010 at 11:14 am
I have some sun spots on my face and its almost gone now after I applied a mixture of apple cider vinegar, green tea, rice water as a toner to my face. I think it truly works! my beautician told me I needed to either use peeling or laser to zap away the spots but this is inexpensive and good.
sesame Reply:
January 21st, 2010 at 10:46 pm
How long were you using the combination?
January 21st, 2010 at 11:15 am
i did the same, green tea with rice water to fade away my sun spots! the combination works.
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Hi, I have a question: Has anyone used the rice water that is left over AFTER cooking?
I have tried to save some, and it’s much thicker and whiter than the water you get before cooking.
And I suppose it is cleaner because it’s cooked. I’m gonna try both.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:15 am
I tried it and its good. The thing about going natural is that you have to eat better. Im not saying to give up your chocolate, pizza, hamburgers, or chips you just need to watch how much of it you consume. I noticed that the more water and 100% juice i drank and heathier foods i ate my skin cleared up. Also working out helped me with stress so my stress break outs stopped as well. I also started washing my face with baking soda and lemon juice once a week it helps too.
sesame Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Yes, beauty comes from within. Whatever you use externally will help with that 40%…the balance comes from your lifestyle and what you eat.