Rice is not a new ingredient in skin and hair care, given that domestication of modern-day rice occurred approximately 10,000 years ago.There is great debate over the origins of modern-day domesticated rice, as genetic data cannot pinpoint whether it was first domesticated in East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or both. 1 There are various anecdotes regarding the cosmetic uses of rice throughout the beauty industry. In one such story, elderly workers in a fermented rice wine brewery were said to have wrinkle-free hands.Further exploration resulted in the discovery of Pitera, a powerful anti-wrinkle ingredient used in various cosmetics. 2 Similar tales exist surrounding the practices of the Japanese court women of the Heian Period. These women used water obtained from rinsing of rice for their hair care. Scientific studies of this "rice water" found that it increased hair elasticity and reduced surface friction. 3 A quick Google search for "rice skin care products" yields 133 million hits, leading to a multitude of online stores and articles that recommend various cleansers, exfoliating mixtures, essences, and creams that are obtained from rice. Many of these websites claim that said products are recommended by dermatologists. In this article, we explore the components of rice and the dermatological benefits that make rice such a popular cosmetic ingredient. Additionally, we discuss the safety of its use.
| COMP ONENTS OF RI CE AND DERMATOLOG IC AL B ENEFITS
| Phenolic compoundsPhenolic compounds, found in jasmine rice panicle extract and rice brain, confer important antiaging properties. [4][5][6][7] One study of rat dermal fibroblasts found anthocyanin, a phenolic compound present in black rice, to be a promising antiaging and anti-inflammatory compound. 8 Even ingested rice enriched with the polyphenol resveratrol