Across Asia, rice is more than just sustenance. Rather, it’s a symbol of prosperity, a ritual of care—and within traditional beauty, an elixir that has endured throughout the centuries.
From the women of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, who rinsed their skin with rice water for clarity and radiance, to the Japanese practice of polishing one’s complexion with rice bran (komenuka), the humble grain has long held pride of place in daily routines. And on our own shores, there’s no forgetting Bedak Sejuk, a ‘cold powder’ made with fermented rice that’s favoured by Malay, Chinese Peranakan and Chinese households for the skin.
Rather than being relegated to the rituals of yore, make no mistake—rice continues to power many of the latest innovations in beauty, from skincare to scalp treatments. From the grain’s ability to exfoliate by sloughing away dead skin cells and impurities, to the brightening and soothing benefits of rice water, it’s certainly worth incorporating a rice-based formula within your beauty regimen.
With that in mind, see below for Vogue Singapore’s guide to the greatest beauty formulas comprising this mighty grain. From K-beauty glow-getters, to deeply reparative hair treatments and a Japanese rice powder-based exfoliant, there really is a rice-based beauty ritual for everyone.
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Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice & Honey Glow Mask
Honouring the historical Korean practice of utilising rice for skincare, this clay mask from Beauty of Joseon serves up pure purification and hydration for the complexion. Clarifying honey and gentle rice extracts are combined to at once brighten, soothe and gently exfoliate.
Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice & Honey Glow Mask, $27.95, available at Watsons
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Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
Don’t let the lightweight consistency of this milky toner fool you—it’s packed to the brim with hard-working ingredients. Rice bran water and niacinamide infuse its rich, hydrating texture to combat dullness and excess sebum. Meanwhile, ceramides soothe and strengthen the skin’s barrier for maximised moisture.
Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner, $25, available at KSisters
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Virtue Labs Restorative Treatment Mask
Summon silk—or at least, the sensation of it—with this intensive treatment mask for hair. Deeply hydrating and reparative, its proprietary protein formula adds shine, nourishment and softness within minutes. Suitable for all hair types, and an absolute saviour for tresses in need of regeneration.
Virtue Labs Restorative Treatment Mask, $119 for 150ml, available at Sephora
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Virtue Labs Exfoliating Scalp Treatment
Another treatment to add to cart immediately. Light within its crème texture, yet deep within its conditioning powers, an infusion of exfoliating rice gently diminishes dead skin and impurities on the scalp. The result? Smoothness for days.
Virtue Labs Exfoliating Scalp Treatment, $83, available at Sephora
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Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder
Trust Tatcha to harness all the benefits of Japanese rice powder for your mien. In alignment with the traditional ritual of polishing the skin with rice bran, or komenuka, this gentle exfoliant combines the fine grain with papaya enzymes to smoothe and impart luminosity.
Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder, $115, available at Sephora
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Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder in Ube Birthday Cake
Achieve a flawless finish for your make-up with the aid of this silk-like setting powder. All you need is a dusting of its ultra-fine pigments, which veils your mien with a matte, colour-corrected finish. Excess shine, creasing or fading? Not on this long-lasting powder’s watch.
Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder in Ube Birthday Cake, $66, available at Sephora
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Jung Beauty Brightening Microcurrent Mask with Niacinamide and Rice Bran Extract
The might of rice in all its glory. This brightening mask from Jung Beauty certainly makes the case for that, with rice bran extract and niacinamide powering its ability to impart hydration deeply within the skin’s layers. Hello, radiance.
Jung Beauty Brightening Microcurrent Mask with Niacinamide and Rice Bran Extract, $80 for one box, available at KSisters
This story appears in Vogue Singapore’s ‘Home’ issue, available online.
