Editor’s tip: Using a cotton pad to apply toner can help to remove any leftover makeup, oil, or SPF your cleanser left behind.
Additional ingredients: niacinamide, vitamin C, panthenol | Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the skin-care benefits of rice?
Studies show that rice provides a range of skin-care benefits thanks to its proteins and extractable nutrients. It is rich in antioxidants like ferulic acid and vitamin E, which help neutralize free radicals and protect the skin from environmental stress. Rice also contains skin-repair-supporting amino acids and moisture-retaining compounds that help maintain your skin’s hydration levels.
As cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos explains, “Most rice-based ingredients used in cosmetics have been processed or chemically modified to unlock real benefits.” These processes, which break rice down into smaller proteins, help enhance the skin’s ability to absorb its nutrients. As a result, rice helps deliver its anti-aging, hydrating, brightening, and protecting benefits more effectively, Dr. Gohara says.
What are the different types of rice used in skin care?
Rice is used in skin care in various forms, each with its own benefits. As we touched on before, Dobos says that to unlock these benefits, rice-based ingredients are often processed through methods like hydrolysis and fermentation. These processes break rice down into smaller, more effective components. Fermentation, for example, turns complex rice proteins and starches into simpler sugar molecules, which makes them more potent and, thus, more effective at hydrating and soothing the skin. Hydrolyzed rice protein, on the other hand, is broken into smaller pieces, making it easier to penetrate the skin more effectively and provide deeper hydration, explains Dobos.
Is DIY rice water effective?
DIY rice water may seem like a relatively inexpensive and easy way to achieve glowing skin, but Dobos and Dr. Gohara say it may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Dr. Gohara explains that while rice water does contain amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, homemade versions lack controlled fermentation, reducing their effectiveness, while Dobos says that even after cooking, very few nutrients and proteins make it into the water. Ultimately, this means soaking rice will most likely result in plain old starchy water, with few benefits for your skin. Another caveat? Both experts warn that without preservatives, DIY rice water can easily grow bacteria, so if you decide to try it, they say to use it quickly.
Meet the experts
- Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist board-certified dermatologist and former chief resident at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT.
- Kelly Dobos, MSc, a cosmetic chemist and professor of cosmetic science at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH.
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.