Rice powder, with its rich minerals and high nutrients has myriad uses as a beauty miracle. Used as a skin treatment in Asia since the 16th century, rice powder was typically used to soothe inflamed skin, such as acne and ulcerations, and also applied as a foundation to whiten Japanese geisha girls’ skin. Its chemical structure is similar to the ceramides in your skin (a fat in the layers of your skin that helps to store moisture),

Here are few interesting beauty remedies to try this winter to look beautiful for the wedding and holiday season.

Rice contains ferulic acid that is a good natural sunscreen agent. With its anti-inflammatory agent, rice powder also soothes sunburns and prevents the skin from suntan. Prepare the mixture combining rice powder with cold milk to form a thick paste. Apply on your face once a week for 15 minutes to see the results of a lighter skin tone.

Prepare a thick paste using banana, castor oil and rice flour. Use it as an eye mask. The ingredients are great for lightening the delicate skin around the eyes. The mask also provides relaxation making you look much younger.

Rice powder is a bit coarse in its texture which makes it an excellent material to be used as a scrub. The fine particles help the flaky dead skin cells leaving your skin smoother and clearer. Rice absorbs all the sebum and leaves the skin clean, smooth and re-energised. Take semi-fine rice powder and mix it with honey to form a scrub. Scrub this mixture over your face and rinse with cold water for best results.

Nutritional and mineral-rich rice has been known as one of the traditional skin lightening remedies. Amino acid and vitamins present in the grain act as a clearing agent and control the shine of the skin. Mix rice powder with honey and curd to make a firming face pack. Apply all over your face and neck area and wait to dry completely. Later, wash it off with normal water. It would leave your skin soft and shiny.

Rice powder is equally wonderful to treat blemishes, fine lines and acne that leads to ageing. Mix one teaspoonful of rice flour with some cucumber juice and lemon juice to form a paste. Apply this pack on your face and wash after it gets dry.

Rice flour being granular and starchy has hair tightening and toning abilities which makes it superb for hair straightening. Take rice flour and multani mitti in equal quantities and mix well to make a fine paste. Apply this pack on your hair for about 30 minutes then rinse off with cold water. Regular use of this homemade hair pack can straighten your hair.