You might know sake, the Japanese rice wine, from your weekly happy hour with the coworkers you actually like, but that same fermented rice has deep roots in East Asian beauty culture. In both Japan and Korea, rice has long been used in skincare rituals, prized for its ability to soften, brighten, and restore the skin. Per esthetician Emma Jinn, in Korea, fermented rice water dates back to the Goryeo dynasty, where it was used to improve tone and texture. The reason it works comes down to fermentation, which breaks rice down into smaller, more bioavailable molecules, making its vitamins, amino acids, and minerals easier for the skin to absorb.
Vogue’s Favorite Fermented Rice Skin-Care Products
“It’s part of Korean tradition to use every part of an ingredient, so it’s no surprise rice water from rinsing would find its way into skincare,” says esthetician Soo-Young Kim Abrams of the ingredient’s cultural importance. Fermentation itself is just as embedded, from kimchi to soybeans to grains, originally used as a method of preservation and now central to Korean wellness. “Using rice water on your skin is one of those things that gets passed down casually. Your mom tells you, her mom told her. It’s less of a formal ritual and more of a kind of everyday wisdom.”
The end goal of all of this is what’s often referred to as “glass skin”, that smooth, clear, lit-from-within finish that K-beauty is known for. “Fermented rice ingredients check so many boxes, which is why they’re so closely tied to glass skin,” Abrams explains. “They contain prebiotics that help maintain balance, enzymes and lactic acid that gently exfoliate and brighten, and antioxidants that protect against environmental stress. The kojic acid formed during fermentation helps even out skin tone, while amino acids reinforce the moisture barrier.”
Ahead, our favorite rice ferment and sake-infused products, from essences to lotions to serums, so you can layer them into your routine or fully commit.
