Like most girls out there, I get regular bouts of obsession with regards to my skin – especially the face. I’m not too particular with my skin color as long as my skin stays blemish-free and even-toned. But with the amount of make-up I stack on my face, I get a bit hesitant with treating my face with more synthetic and chemical products.

So it came as a fantastic news to me when my sister one day announced that she’ll make rice facial mask. I hounded her around the kitchen while she was preparing it and took mental notes of what she did. Turns out it wasn’t that hard to make afterall! And I’ve been making my very own rice facial masks as often as I could (3 times a week).

And the great thing about it? It’s organic, it’s almost free, and it’s very easy to make! Got rice? Then look no further. If you have a mortar and pestle at home (even a small one will do), then you don’t need a coffee grinder or a blender at all. All you need are the following:

• 2 tablespoons rice (raw)
• Water
• Mortar & pestle
• Kalamansi (optional)

Soak just enough rice grains in water inside your mortar (the bowl) for about fifteen minutes — just enough to soften the grains so it’ll be easier to grind. The amount of grains to soak is totally optional to you as you may want to cover your neck as well. But for me, I found that 2 tablespoons of rice grains is more than enough to make a very thick paste to cover my entire face and still have some excess paste left. The amount of water used to soak is optional as well. With my first try, I put on too much water and ended up with a soupy mixture instead of paste. So try putting just enough water to cover the grains.

NOTE: you can also try squeezing kalamansi in your soak for its whitening and anti-inflammatory uses.

You know when the grains have absorbed the water well when the grains have turned opaque and easily break when you try to grind it. Start grinding until they turn into paste.

If you think the mixture’s still too soupy, you can add more rice, let it soak for another few minutes and grind them again. Keep grinding until you’ve found the consistency you like.

Wash your face and rise with warm water. Pat dry and start applying the mask. You can apply several layers until it’s thick enough to form a mask. Leave on face for 30 minutes or until it dries. You ‘d know it’s fully dry when it starts cracking.

You can rinse your face while gently massaging the rice grains. Avoid pressure so you won’t end up scratching your skin. Make sure to do your final rinsing with cool water to seal off the pores.

I always find my skin feeling lighter and softer, and blemishes of pimples disappearing. It leaves my face feeling moisturized without being too oily.

So next time you’re stuck at home for a weekend and feel like pampering yourself without having to splurge, try this. And I know for a fact that no Filipino homes are ever without rice.

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Rice facts and benefits:

♥ Rice contains Squalane Oil which is usually used in cosmetic products that helps heal sun-damaged, wrinkled and discolored skin. It is rich in anti-oxidants and is suitable for all skin types.

♥Rice contains Vitamin E . Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that helps repair and protect skin. It also neutralizes free-radicals that damage skin collagen that causes skin dryness. Vitamin E helps prevent the appearance of age spots, helps maintain the skin’s oil balance and reduces transepidermal water loss from skin and strengthens the skin’s barrier function.

♥Rice contains Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, that is key to the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels and gives skin its firmness and strength. Vitamin C also helps create scar tissue and ligaments, and it helps your skin repair itself.