Welcome to our second edition of Focus on Ingredients! In today's post we'll be telling you about one of our favorite ingredients: Rice Powder. We have been using this wonderful ingredient for 10 years now in our Finishing Powder, and recently came out with Pistachio: our first eye shadow that includes Rice Powder! There is so much to love about this phenomenal ingredient, so let's get started with some history, shall we?

According to our research, women (and men!) in Indonesia and Japan have been using Rice Powder as skincare since the 16th Century... they're way ahead of us! Women in Indonesia would soak the rice with fresh water and would skim the frothy layer from the top to then dehydrate and make it into a powder form. Field workers would also benefit from the frothy goodness, as they would apply it to their sun-exposed skin, which after hours of work, would remain intact from sun damage! Meanwhile, Japanese Geishas would use Rice Powder as a way to lighten and heal their porcelain skin. Fast-forward a few hundred years to 1950 when it was made into a compact form and available for us to use easily - without soaking or froth! Thank goodness for that! Now we can find Rice Powder in masks, moisturizers, skin cleansers and yes... Finishing Powders! So the Rice Powder we use today is made from uncooked rice which is finely ground to form a powder. It is a wonderful and more natural alternative to talc. Now that we've got the history covered, let's move on to the benefits which led this ingredient to our shelves today.

Rice Powder naturally has a high concentration of Allantoin and Ferulic Acid, which aid in protecting the skin from the harmful effects of the UV rays that our faces are exposed to on a daily basis. UV rays are the cause of sun damage which causes our skin to form wrinkles and ages the skin. We have also read that Rice Powder contains B Vitamins which boosts new cell production and delays the process of skin aging.

Our foundations also contain a large percentage of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide which are wonderful physical sunscreens. Since have not gone through the expensive FDA Testing, we can't advertise a SPF rating. We recommend applying a layer of Finishing Powder over your Foundation for its ability to help your makeup last longer. Rice Powder leaves a silky, matte finish on the skin and is great for all skin types. Plus it helps to make the pores appear smaller. (Tip: some of our customers with oily skin have mentioned that they use our Finishing Powder underneath their Foundation too).

If you appreciate and strive for a matte finish and a flawless, natural look, this is the ingredient for you! 

(Another Tip: If you prefer more of a dewy glow, just add a little of our Glow Bronzer after applying your Foundation and Finishing Powder)