Rice water trend: Benefits of rice water for hair and skin

What is rice water?

Much like the name suggests, rice water is simply water that has been soaking rice and is packed with starch, vitamins and antioxidants. This ingredient has been used in Japanese and Korean skincare for centuries and has been taking over BeautyTok, boasting the benefits of rice water for hair and skin. Why are people loving it? It’s an easy DIY, especially if you’re already cooking rice at home, but it’s also one of those ingredients that can be used in different ways and for different purposes. It’s a hydrating ingredient, so it’s easy to slot into your skincare routine, no matter what other products you’re using.

What does rice water do for hair?

Rice water has been used as a haircare ingredient in Japanese beauty rituals for centuries. If you’ve been trying to achieve smoother, sleeker, glass hair, this might be one of the answers. It turns out that implementing rice water in your haircare routine can potentially do wonders for your mane.

1. Boost hair growth and density

If like many of us, you are guilty of putting your hair through a lot of heat and treatments, you can sometimes notice that your hair doesn’t grow as fast as it used to and might lose some of its density. Rice water contains amino acids and proteins that can make your hair stronger and boost its overall health. Using rice water as a weekly hair treatment can help make your hair stronger and boost its density and growth.

2. Tame frizz and define hair

Everyone’s hair has a different level of porosity and the thicker, more textured your hair is, the more difficult it is to absorb and retain moisture. The amino acids in rice water penetrate into your hair can help tame frizz and make your tresses smoother. That’s why the ingredient is often used in products made for curly hair like the Briogeo Curl Charisma™ Rice Amino + Avocado Leave-In Defining Crème, £21 as well as the whole Curl Charisma line, made to reduce frizz and define your curls.

3. Boosts hair shine

Shiny and glassy hair is one of the ultimate hair goals a lot of us strive for and it turns out that using rice water in your hair routine can be one of the ways to improve hair shine. Especially when paired with other hydrating ingredients, there can be a real difference in your hair looking more luscious. You can find it in formulas like the Ouai Hair Oil, £26, which is made to repair hair, reduce frizz and boost shine.

What does rice water do for skin?

You’ve probably been seeing your favourite beauty creators apply rice water-soaked pads as part of their skincare routine, but what are the benefits of rice water for skin?

1. Healthy skin barrier

As we’ve mentioned, rice water contains a lot of amino acids, which much like peptides, are an essential building block for us to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Adding this ingredient into your daily skincare routine will boost your skin’s overall health and hydration levels, which is one of the biggest factors to achieving glass skin. This can especially benefit those who tend to have dry or dehydrated, and even sensitive skin who need that extra boost of hydration to reduce risk of damaging the skin barrier.

2. Brighten the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation

Rich in vitamins B and E, rice water can brighten the skin and potentially reduce the appearance of scars and hyperpigmentation. Using a cleanser like Tatcha The Rice Wash, £41 or Erborian Milk & Peel Balm, £27 can contribute to brightening the skin and slowly fading the appearance of pigmentation. If you have sensitive skin and are trying to get rid of some dark spots, rice water is gentle enough to be used on all skin types, even sensitive skin.

Can I use rice water everyday?

Yes, whether it is for hair or for skin, rice water is completely safe to use everyday in your skincare routine and days when you wash your hair. This ingredient will hydrate both your skin and hair and won’t irritate your skin. If you’ve got sensitive skin, it’s even better to use it multiple times a day to soothe the skin overtime.

Our final word on rice water for hair and skin

Much like skin flooding and other beauty trends, it seems like rice water has been in our beauty routines for longer than we think, especially for those who have been using brands like Tatcha, Laneige or Erborian. We like that this is something that can be used by everyone, no matter what your skin or hair type is. Plus, using rice water in your beauty routine is all about focusing on hydration and boosting the health of our skin and tresses, everyone wins!