One of the top beauty trends flooding our social media feeds is using rice water and DIY hair and skin care masks. In a new Instagram video, actor and social media personality Kush Kapil opened up about using rice in her skin care routine and how it has been a staple of beauty rituals in Asian countries for centuries for healthy skin and longer hair. Read also | Kusha Kapil has revealed that the ‘disgusting stuff worked’ for her acne
Before we discuss the science behind this centuries-old popular skin and hair care ingredient, let’s find out what Kusha had to say about using a rice pack on her acne-prone skin. A rice pack is exactly what it sounds like: a face pack made from uncooked soaked rice and water.
Kusha Kapila lists the benefits of using rice for skin and hair
In the video, she says in Hindi in her signature funny style, “In 2024, I learned one thing: you can’t eat rice. If we look at our South Korean brothers and sisters, we’ll see how rice is used in everything from face wash and toner to moisturizer and serum. In China, people use boiled rice water and apply it to their hair for growth.’
Kusha added that if there’s one thing she learned after watching beauty videos on Instagram, it’s, “Soak rice and make a paste with water and apply it to any part of your skin and hair, whether you have acne or hair problems “. In her caption, she wrote, “Chawal (rice) for world domination…my face mask courtesy of chawal.”
Of course, rice can easily be used for homemade skin or hair care or as an ingredient in skin and hair care products. But does it actually work?
_1622028621450_1622028677220.jpg "According to various studies, the use of rice in skin care can be beneficial. (Photo from file)")
What science says about using rice in skin care
While more research needs to be done to prove that rice really does make skin and hair healthier, a 2023 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that rice bran oil has antioxidant properties that can protect skin from oxidative stress. stress and delay signs of aging.
A 2024 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that red rice fermented by Aspergillus oryzae has antioxidant, moisturizing, restorative and whitening properties.
Meanwhile, a 2018 study published by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publication Institute also found that rice water can reduce or slow skin aging by reducing the activity of elastase, an enzyme involved in skin aging. It has been suggested that rice water can reduce the formation of wrinkles and lines on the skin.
Interestingly, a small 2018 study with 12 participants conducted by the Medical Research Institute of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon tested rice water gel on the skin for 28 days and found that rice had the same antioxidant activity as ascorbic acid, or vitamin C.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice.
