What Japanese Ladies Have Known for Centuries…

Besides being the staple food, the rice also has been part of Japanese women’s beauty rituals since ancient times.

Geisha used leftover water from washing rice in the bath for smooth and luminous skin. The rice has been appreciated for its ability to make the skin clearer, brighter, provide even tone, lessen the dark spots and give the skin a smooth texture.

The rice promotes collagen production due to the presence of linoleic acid. As a result the rice is able to diminish the wrinkles and rejuvenate the skin.

Simple Rice Mask

Mix some rice flour or powder with some mineral water, apply and leave it on the skin for 10-15 minutes. Wash it off gently with warm water.

Instead of water you can use milk or yogurt and add some honey.

Rice Water

Wash and cook the rice and use the leftover water. Wet the cloth or towel and pat onto your skin for few minutes. Let your skin air dry. Feel the difference 🙂

Which Rice to Use?

Which rice is most beneficial (from over 40,000 types of rice, including white, brown, black, and wild varieties) is a complex and controversial topic. Some advocate white over brown, some wild over brown etc. More serious concern to me that today most of the rice contain arsenic (this is due to the rice being grown in contaminated soils) and some rice contains even plastic.

I concluded that all varieties of rice are good in moderation but it has to be organic and preferably Jasmine rice from Thailand and Basmati rice from Pakistan and India as they have been shown to contain the least arsenic among rice varieties.

In addition, adding whole rice bran to your diet can offer a rich source of Vitamin E and linoleic acids which benefit your skin and your body.

Rice bran oil also contains squalene, a potent antioxidant, and gamma oryznol, which helps heart health and reduces cholesterol.

Rice bran oil is very good to use for cooking as it can support higher temperatures.

Be Beautiful Inside and Out