Learn how to use rice water to lighten skin blemishes

Rice is the basis of Brazilian food, forming the unbeatable pairing with beans. But in addition to being part of our dish, this grain has also been used for aesthetic purposes.

By the way, this use is not new: Asians have been using rice water for hundreds of years to keep the skin with an even color and prevent the appearance of wrinkles and expression lines.

By itself, rice water has a soothing effect on the skin, which helps in the regeneration of the outermost layer.

In addition, rice is rich in starch, minerals, niacin (vitamin B3) and antioxidants. When these substances are extracted into the water, it has hydrating and antioxidant properties, helping to prevent and lighten spots caused by the sun and melasma.

The prevention of blemishes also happens because rice has substances capable of binding to the copper present in the skin, which participates in the production of melanin. In this way, the synthesis of the pigment is impaired, preventing the darkening of some areas of the body.

How to make rice water

The homemade rice water recipe is very simple: you just need to soak a cup of rice in water for 12 hours, strain the liquid and keep it in the fridge for up to two days.

Another way to make rice water is by cooking the grains: just put the rice and water on the skin, without any kind of seasoning, and let it boil for 10 minutes. When the water is a very milky white, strain the rice (which can be used in food) and store the water in the fridge.

This water can be used as an astringent tonic or directly on blemishes, including dark circles. To do this, simply moisten a cotton swab or cotton swab, apply it to the spot of the stain and wait for the liquid to dry.

It is recommended to apply rice water daily for at least 30 days to see results. Don’t forget to use sunscreen before exposing yourself to the sun, as radiation is one of the main factors for the appearance and accentuation of stains.

Results will vary from person to person and will be most visible on more superficial blemishes. If the stain is located in a deeper layer of the skin, the rice water treatment will not have the desired effect.

Fermented rice water: potentiating the effect

When rice water is fermented, its effects are even more potent. This is because, with fermentation, new compounds appear in this mixture. One of them is kojic acid, which is used in the production of whitening cosmetics and skin texture improvers.

To get fermented rice water at home, you can extract it with one of the two methods explained above and let it sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, until it becomes slightly acidic. After that, store the liquid in the refrigerator.

To speed up the fermentation process, do not strain the rice, leaving it with the water. Thus, the liquid will ferment between 12 to 24 hours, and then it must be stored in the refrigerator (now without the grains). The disadvantage of this method is that rice cannot be used in food.

It is worth remembering that no homemade product can replace sunscreen – it can even be dangerous to make substitutions for it. If the spots do not regress, it is always advisable to seek professional help from a dermatologist.