Today I was making Risotto (from the book The Everlasting Meal, which is just amazing) and as usual I poured away some rice liquid for my cosmetic needs. At that moment I realised that I have never written about it even though I have been using rice water since years.
To make rice water you first rinse out your rice (you should rinse all grains before cooking them). The rice should preferably be organic, as most non-organic rice contains arsenic and other pesticides. For those in central Europe, last month's Öko Test showed Oryza rice as the only one that was acceptable out of all the rice tested.
Then you add water again and swirl the rice and let it sit for 15 minutes, and you pour away a cup of that water. Cook the rice and eat it or whatever. The rice water now has very fine rice particles in it. I let mine stand in the kitchen for a few days till it starts to ferment, then I use it as a toner or a mild morning cleanser in the next few days. You can also use it as a base for home-made masks, mix it with clays, or as an essence for a sheet mask.
Rice water has vitamins B and E, as well as lots of minerals. Also the rice powder in the water leaves the skin lightly matte and smooth. Rice powder is sold by mineral makeup brands as a base or a finishing veil that absorbs oils and smooths out pores, this kind of does the same.
The rice kind of ferments over the next few days and the pH level rises to a mild acidic value, which is great for the skin. It smells a bit sour but is fine to use for a week or so.
Have you ever tried rice water? Let me know in the comments if it works for you.
To make rice water you first rinse out your rice (you should rinse all grains before cooking them). The rice should preferably be organic, as most non-organic rice contains arsenic and other pesticides. For those in central Europe, last month's Öko Test showed Oryza rice as the only one that was acceptable out of all the rice tested.
Then you add water again and swirl the rice and let it sit for 15 minutes, and you pour away a cup of that water. Cook the rice and eat it or whatever. The rice water now has very fine rice particles in it. I let mine stand in the kitchen for a few days till it starts to ferment, then I use it as a toner or a mild morning cleanser in the next few days. You can also use it as a base for home-made masks, mix it with clays, or as an essence for a sheet mask.
Rice water has vitamins B and E, as well as lots of minerals. Also the rice powder in the water leaves the skin lightly matte and smooth. Rice powder is sold by mineral makeup brands as a base or a finishing veil that absorbs oils and smooths out pores, this kind of does the same.
The rice kind of ferments over the next few days and the pH level rises to a mild acidic value, which is great for the skin. It smells a bit sour but is fine to use for a week or so.
Have you ever tried rice water? Let me know in the comments if it works for you.
