2023 saw the rise of many skin care ingredient trends. There was hybrid skin care, faux freckles, skin minimalism, also known as skin streaming, inclusive sun protection, and clean beauty, just to name a few. However, there was one skin care ingredient that consistently delivered thousands, if not millions, of views on social media platforms last year – rice water. On TikTok alone, #ricewaterforskin resulted in over 99 million views with claims that rice water relieves itchy skin from atopic dermatitis, improves barrier function, delivers glass skin, and more. 

GRAINS OF HISTORY

While rice water is trending, it certainly isn’t new to skin care. In fact, the use of rice in beauty has deep roots in Asian cultures. In Japan, rice water has been used by court ladies for their hair since the ancient Heian Period (794 to 1185 AD), and Geishas used to bathe in rice-bran water to exfoliate and soften their skin. In Korea, the practice of rice washing dates back to 1392 at the start of Joseon dynasty (1392 to 1910), when the Gungnyeo, otherwise known as the palace women, discovered that rice water made their skin feel noticeably softer. In China, as early as the Qing Dynasty (1644 to1911), women used the leftover water from washing rice to cleanse and brighten their skin.

Lila Castellanos has focused her energies into the beauty industry for the past 19 years, specializing in skin rejuvenation. As a licensed aesthetician, she has lent her expertise to several different environments, including working as a paramedical aesthetician in the medical spa field as well as in both day spa and mobile spa business models. It was through these varied experiences, along with the interactions with her loyal clientele, that she honed her passion for improving and maintaining the health and integrity of her clients’ skin. Castellanos thrives on being able to use her extensive knowledge to customize each treatment to help her clients achieve the results they are searching for. Her adaptability and versatility are equally impressive in providing antiaging facials, treating acne, minimizing the appearance of scarring, or addressing skin conditions that arise as a result of hormonal changes.