What is Rice Extract?
Rice has a long history in Korean and Japanese skincare; washing the face with rice water is an old tradition. Today cosmetics use rice extract, rice water (fermented or not), rice bran oil and rice protein. Its starch, amino acids, B vitamins, ferulic acid and gamma-oryzanol hydrate and soften skin and help it look brighter. Galactomyces, often confused with it, is not rice but the product of fermentation with a yeast-like fungus; it is a separate ingredient.
How it works
The starch and amino acids in rice hold moisture on the skin surface and leave it soft. Ferulic acid and gamma-oryzanol act as antioxidants. In fermented rice water, the small molecules formed during fermentation pass into the skin more easily.
Frequently asked questions
What does rice extract do?
It hydrates and softens skin, and its antioxidants help it look brighter.
Is it the same as Galactomyces?
No. Galactomyces is the filtrate of a fermentation made with a yeast-like fungus. It often appears alongside rice extract, but it is a different ingredient.
Which skin types is it for?
All of them. Dry, sensitive and dull-looking skin especially like it.
Can I use it with other actives?
Yes. It has no known conflicts with retinol, acids or vitamin C.
Does homemade rice water work the same?
Homemade rice water spoils quickly and its content varies every time. Rice extracts in products are purified and stabilised with preservatives.