Can Rice Flour Face Masks Actually Brighten Your Complexion? A Derm Weighs In

Let's be clear: Not every beauty venture is DIY-friendly. Simple face masks, hair oils, and even body butters can be whipped up in your kitchen without much risk. However, anyone prone to excessive irritation, breakouts, or dryness should be a bit more careful about what they toss in the bowl (read: Don't try every TikTok recipe you see). 

Last month, one TikTok user posted a video with a rice flour mask on their skin, noting the benefits of clearing blemishes, brightening complexion, and "resolving most skin concerns." Now, this ingredient isn't necessarily new (it's been used in Korean beauty for ages), but it does have some benefits that are backed by a derm. 

Board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty Whitney Bowe, M.D., reacted to this video, stitching it with her two cents. She notes that this ingredient certainly has the power to absorb excess oil and reduce shine (thanks to the starch), but it isn't quite as transformational for everyone. 

She notes that the ferulic acid and phytic acid in rice flour could help ease acne and dark spots, but the amount that you receive from a wash-off mask is fairly low and thus may not be potent enough to fully treat those skin concerns. Plus, if your skin is already dry, you may want to skip the rice flour, as its oil-absorbing properties might strip dry skin types. 

All of this to say: If rice flour is your No. 1 pick and it's helped your skin transform for the better, go ahead and keep on using it. Want to try it? Worth a shot. But don't get discouraged if your blemishes and dark spots stick around.