Rice — a Korean beauty tradition in toners, serums and sunscreens

Rice has been used for cosmetic purposes for centuries, according to a 2022 review, and today it appears in skincare as rice water, rice bran water, rice seed water, rice extract and fermented rice. In Korean, rice is ssal (쌀); rice bran is ssalgyeo (쌀겨). On labels, look for names starting with Oryza Sativa (Rice).

The 2022 review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology searched the literature on rice, rice bran and fermented rice bran in skin care. It identified rice components such as phenolic compounds, betaine, squalene and tricin, and reports that rice-derived ingredients have been found to be anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, whitening, photoprotective and moisturizing. Fermented rice bran extract and rice bran broth baths have shown use in atopic dermatitis treatments, and the literature suggests rice-derived ingredients are safe, non-irritating and hypoallergenic.

That is a summary of published studies, not a promise about any one bottle. How much rice is in a product, and in what form, differs from product to product.

Check where the rice ingredient sits in the list. Beauty of Joseon's Glow Deep Serum starts with Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water (68.6%), and its Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh lists Rice Seed Water second, after water. Rice also pairs with other ingredients in a formula, such as alpha-arbutin or niacinamide in the serum and panthenol in the sunscreen.

Rice toners and serums go on after cleansing, then moisturizer, then sunscreen in the morning.

Even gentle ingredients can trigger a reaction in someone, and rice products can include other ingredients such as arbutin, niacinamide or UV filters. Patch-test a new product on a quarter-sized spot twice a day for seven to 10 days, as the AAD advises, and add only one new product at a time.