Rice flour is made into powder by grinding down the grains of rice. Not all rice flours are processed in the same way, which can affect their possible health benefits.
Rice is similar to wheat, oats, rye, and corn as a whole grain. There are three sections of all whole grains: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
The bran is the rice grain’s rough outer layer. It’s considered the healthiest component of the grain due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Bran also includes bioactive components that are extracted and added to certain skincare products, such as ferulic acid and phytic acid.
Rice flour, like all forms of flour, is produced by separating the three parts of the grain and grinding them in different proportions. More or less of the bran and germ will have the resulting flour.
Both three components of the kernel include whole grain flour. You will get all the grain in the “100 percent whole grain” flour. It lacks much of the germ and some of the bran in basic “whole” flours. Typically, white flour contains only the endosperm.
If the label states that it is made of brown rice, many rice flours that you purchase from the grocery store are made from white rice. White rice extracts the bran and the germ, so all that remains is the starchy endosperm.
Rice Flour Skin Benefits
The use of rice flour on the face, first used by the Geisha to achieve a pale-skinned appearance, originated in Japan. Today, South Korean skin-care and beauty brands have popularised rice flour in cosmetics.
Allantoin, para-aminobenzoic acid, and ferulic acid are present in rice flour. Allantoin helps soothe the skin and facilitates skin cell regeneration and repair. Para-aminobenzoic acid also contributes to healthy skin and hair growth.
In comparison, ferulic acid is a potent antioxidant. It helps to neutralize free radicals on the skin surface and helps fight the effects of aging. This antioxidant property renders rice flour a natural sunscreen when combined with the anti-inflammatory effect of allantoin. This gives it properties that brighten the skin.
In addition to its anti-aging and skin-brightening properties, the skin benefits of rice flour include being a great exfoliator. Ground rice’s fine particles help clean dead skin cells without being rough on the skin.
To get rid of acne and consume excess fat, rice flour may also be used. The cleaning properties ensure that dirt does not block pores on the skin, thereby preventing the development of pimples.
Sun Protection
Some beauty influencers say that because of a few compounds it contains: ferulic acid and PABA, rice flour can help with sun protection. Experts say that it is not clear if these compounds are adequately concentrated in rice flour to have the same advantages as an extract.
Acne and Treatment of Hyperpigmentation
Some fans of rice flour suggest that it can help strengthen and lighten the face. That is possibly due to another compound that has exfoliating effects extracted from rice, phytic acid. How much of this compound is in the rice flour itself, and what effect it has on the skin, is unknown.
Healing Scars
Another organic rice compound: allantoin, which, Friedler states, has calming and anti-inflammatory properties. Some study in animals and in vitro (in laboratory studies) indicates that the wound-healing mechanism may be assisted.
Absorption of Oil
The key advantage of rice flour may be its ability to extract excess oil from the skin and hair. Rice starch is rice flour with all the protein and fat removed, so the carbohydrate is all that is left. Rice starch binds and stabilizes the fat with water. Rice flour contains mainly starch.
Rice Flour Benefits for Hair
As a scalp cleanser, one of the best applications of rice flour on hair is dirt, oil, and product residue are extracted. The scalp is also exfoliated, which leaves it clean and smooth. Its antiseptic properties avoid the existence of germs and fungal infections.
Rice flour and water from rice also serve as strengthening agents and hair protein treatments. In rice flour, the amino acids help coat the hair strands and restore any damage that may be present. This gives hair solid and shiny; free from frizz, tangles, and breakage of hair.
Conclusion
Rice flour is a common ingredient added with the supposed ability to exfoliate and brighten skin and to protect against UV damage.
In skincare products, some of the bioactive components of rice, including ferulic acid, PABA, and phytic acid extracts, are used to lighten dark spots, exfoliate the skin and protect it from UV rays. In extracts, however, these ingredients are more abundant than in rice flour itself.
In cosmetic products, rice flour is often used to absorb oil and minimize gloss. You’ll probably get the best results if you want to make an home-based rice flour mask by mixing it with ingredients that have been shown to support the skin, such as olive oil.
