Why Rice Makes an Amazing Exfoliator

Facial scrubs, microbeads and chemical peels stock the shelves in the beauty aisle, but where should sensitive skin turn to for proper exfoliation? The answer: Powder exfoliants! These gentle face buffers need to be mixed with water before becoming a chalky paste that can be applied to your face, but their soft textures and ingredients make them ideal for everyday use. Perfect for sensitive and combination skin types, the formula smoothes and sloughs away dead skin cells, leaving a glowy complexion behind. And the magic ingredient that does all this? Rice powder. Used as a skin treatment in Asia since the 16th century, rice powder (or rice enzymes, as they are also known) was typically used to soothe inflamed skin, such as acne and ulcerations, and also applied as a foundation to whiten Japanese geisha girls’ skin. Its chemical structure is similar to the ceramides in your skin (a fat in the layers of your skin that helps to store moisture), which encourages the production of collagen. In fact, rice powder is so good at what it does that many Asian cosmetic brands infuse the grain into their pressed powders and bronzers. For your next exfoliation, be sure to check out two of Beautylish’s favorite formulas, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and Tatcha’s Classic Rice Enzyme Powder.