Glass & Dew
AboutEditorial policyDisclaimerPrivacyContact

Rice extract

aka Rice extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Rice Ferment Filtrate (Sake), Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Rice water, Rice bran, Nuka, Sake

The short answer

Rice has been used on skin in Japan for centuries, from Edo-period rice bran wash bags to today's rice toners and sake essences. Human studies are tiny (12 people or fewer), so expect a soft, hydrated feel rather than dramatic change.

Known for
Rice water, bran and sake ferments: a softening, hydrating classic.
Helps with
Light hydrationA soft, smooth feelGentle cleansing (rice bran powders)
Evidence
weak

Updated 5 Oct 2026 · Sources

Check first

Caution: Not shown to change skin toneCaution: DIY rice water spoils quicklyCaution: Rice bran oil: fungal acne caution
  • You're making DIY rice water and leaving it at room temperature; it isn't preserved, so keep it in the fridge and make small batches.
  • You're prone to fungal acne and the product is based on rice bran oil, which is rich in fatty acids.

What it goes with

Pairs well

  • NiacinamideA common partner in rice toners and essences; no clash known.
  • Hyaluronic acidAdds hydration to a softening rice step.
  • SPF50+ sunscreenIf an even-looking tone is your goal, sunscreen does the heavy lifting.

Keep apart

No known clashes. Still patch test anything new.

How it works

Rice water is the liquid left after soaking or boiling rice. When a Lisbon team analysed it, it held small amounts of carbohydrate (0.20%), protein (0.14%) and plant phenolics. Ferulic acid and gamma-oryzanol are often named as rice's actives, but they weren't measured in rice water [1].

Rice ferment filtrate (sake) is different: rice is liquefied with heat and enzymes, fermented with Saccharomyces yeast, then heat-sterilised [2]. The only human study of it measured how far it penetrated skin in three people, not whether it did anything, and its authors were linked to the supplier [2].

The best human data point is still small. In the Lisbon study, 12 healthy volunteers used rice water gels for 28 days: hydration rose 10%, though the change between day 14 and day 28 wasn't statistically significant, and a patch test showed no reactions. In the lab, boiled rice water had antioxidant activity similar to vitamin C and blocked elastase, an enzyme that breaks down skin's elastic fibres. The authors themselves call rice water's traditional use 'a tradition with a lack of scientific evidence' [1].

The tradition is real. In Edo-period Japan, people put rice bran in small red cloth bags called nukabukuro, soaked them and used the liquid to wash their face and body; bath houses sold bran refills [3].

One myth to clear up: kojic acid, used overseas to lighten skin, comes from koji mould (Aspergillus oryzae) [4]. Rice ferment filtrate in skincare is a Saccharomyces yeast ferment [2], and we found no evidence that sake-style skincare contains meaningful kojic acid.

How to use it

  • Use rice toners and essences after cleansing, morning and night.
  • Rice bran enzyme or cleansing powders work as a gentle wash; use them at night or as needed.
  • Wash-off rice masks are an occasional extra, not a daily step.
  • Making rice water at home? Keep it in the fridge, use it within a day or two and stop if it irritates.
  • In the morning, finish with SPF50+.

FAQ

It isn't proven to change skin tone; there are no human pigmentation trials. It may leave skin looking fresher through hydration [1]. Don't confuse it with kojic acid, which comes from koji mould, not typical rice ferments [4].

Products with rice extract

Each links to Australian stockists, with the price range across shops.

Sources

General information only, not medical advice.