Unboxing Beauty

For some reason, lately I have been able to get a few sponsored (ie vendors willing to send me products to review) products. For full disclosure, the products in this review were sent to me to try.    Rice Force did not pressure me into writing a review and that was optional.  All opinions, like all of my blog posts, are my own and Rice Force did not pay me to write this review.  Even though I’ve always disclosed if a product was free in my blog posts, I just want to make it very clear.

Disclaimer: This review is based on complementary items and contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Rice Force approached me a few weeks ago and asked if I would like to try some of their products.  I had never heard about Rice Force before, so the first thing I did was take a look at their website.  I was very curious as I wanted to make sure they were an authentic Japanese brand and what they used in their products.  I only accept products that I think are of interest to me.  If you follow me on IG, you would have noticed I did post my skin care routine in November, but I mentioned that I was adding a few more products not listed.  I wanted to keep this (and other items) as a surprise 😀

Yes!  This did come all the way from Japan 😀

Rice Force is a Japanese company and they do have a major presence in Japan ~ they have won Yahoo Japan’s “Best of Beauty Award”  for 5 years in a row in various categories and have sold over 13 million bottles of their product.   They are found in spas around the world ~ USA (Hawaii), Japan, Czech Republic, Germany, England and Hong Kong.  This blog post is a bit long for an Initial Impressions review, as I did want to go over the process of Rice Force’s main ingredient and sensitivity screening.  Rice Force is brand new to me and I think they might be brand new to my readers too!

 

The key ingredient behind Rice Force products is fermented rice extracts.   This is the main reason why I was so keenly interested in trying Rice Force, as if you have followed me for a while, you know I love fermented ingredients and whole grains in my skin care products.  I feel that ingredients of this nature really have helped my oily, yet aging skin as it has kept my skin clear, refreshed, soft and bright.    Rice Force uses their own trademarked formula for their fermented rice extracts, called Rice Power® Extract No. 11 .  It is made with 100% Japanese food-grade white rice ~ this rice is the same type of rice that is eaten ~ this is important to note, as it does mean it is a high quality rice and not some chaff left on the floor.   This amino acid-rich ingredient is the product of rice extract mixed with aspergillus, yeast and lactobacillus and then fermented.

 

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Rice Power® Extract uses only whitened and polished rice produced by removing the rice germ and rice hulls from unmilled rice.  In a process that takes as long as 90 days, rice is steamed and extracted, then aspergillus, yeast, and lactobacillus are added. The preparation is then fermented and aged. Rice Power® Extract is diligently created by drawing on nature’s energy.  Extracts with differing capabilities can be produced by varying the fermentation method. At this time, 36 different types of extracts have been developed.  We make the best use of the various properties of these extracts across our product line.

Another thing about Rice Power Extract No . 11 is that it contains no added fragrance, so the scent is basically odorless or has a faint “rice water” scent.   They also have tested all of their extracts for allergies, including rice, and with the cooperation of Dermatology and other medical specialists, have screened for any possible side effects. I really do appreciate that they have gone out of their way to make this data available.  

“Even distilled water can irritate extremely sensitive skin, yet Rice Power® Extract No. 11 has been clinically proven to cause less irritation than distilled water.”

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Rice Force sent me their Deep Moisture Deluxe Trial Kit which contains the following

• Deep Moisture Lotion Mini 20 mL
• Deep Moisture Essence Mini 8 mL
• Deep Moisture Cream 5 g
• Sample Foil Packets (2 each): Make Up Remover, Mild Face Wash, UV Protect Milk Sunscreen
• Cosmetic Bag (and one that I can actually use!)

Before I give my initial impressions on the Deep Moisture series, I need to give a shout out to the  Mild Face Wash ~ I did try all of the foils and the facial cleanser is just outstanding. 

Mild Face Wash I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this small foil packet of facial cleanser, but I did what any good beauty blogger did ~ I opened it up and sampled it.  I took only a tiny bit of it, about the size of my finger nail, and used my pore brush to create lather.  This tiny bit of cleanser foamed up nicely and I can tell you, when I used half the packet on my face, it was very dense and foamy.   I was able to get two uses out of each foil packet, which tells you a little goes a long way!  This is very thick cleanser and has no odor, foams up nicely, cleans without stripping my face dry and best of all, a pH level of 5 to 6 for those looking for a lower pH cleanser.   This product does contain parabens, in case you need to avoid that ingredient.   This is one of the products I will be purchasing ~ it may be a bit pricey at $37.00 for 120 mL, but since I don’t need a lot of product, this should last me a long while. 

Just to compare:  Fresh Soy Face Cleanser is $38.00 for 150 mL and has the same range for pH level. 

Description: Mild Face Wash is a mild pH balanced cleanser that effectively cleans without damaging your skin, and without stripping away essential moisture. Moisture is preserved because Mild Face Wash is formulated with Rice Power Extract No.1. Uncomfortable pulling and tightness after washing is a thing of the past.

Ingredients: Water, Potassium Myristoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-400, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Sorbitol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil PCA Isostearate, Stearic Acid, Glycol Destearate, Lauric Acid, Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben  cosDNA.com analysis

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I really appreciate that the bottles have a nice tip applicator that helps control the flow of the product ~ nothing worse that squirting out the full sample the first time!

 

Deep Moisture Lotion  So…. When I first thought of lotion, I thought, oh this is like a cream, only more lightweight.  Well, no.  In Japan, products marked as “lotions” are considered to be toners elsewhere!  Fortunately, I did notice it was watery before trying to squirt it out of the bottle (no flies on me!)   This is a booster product, which helps prep your skin for your following skin care products.  This does have alcohol in it, but again, I don’t think that alcohol is necessary “bad” for you skin unless you do have specific skin problems or have very dry skin.   This product contains some hydrating ingredients in it, besides the wonderful fermented goodness of rice

• Squalane penetrates and absorbs rapidly into your skin and has anti-oxidant properties, helping prevent UV damage and hyper-pigmentation age spots, helps cellular growth and is an anti-bacterial.  This is an excellent moisturizing ingredient.
• Hyaluronic acid (Sodium Hyaluronate) is an intensive moisturizing ingredient which bonds water to keep skin hydrated. It is a natural substance found in the human body and it made up of amino and uronic acids, and helps retain 100 to 1,000 times its own water weight in our skin cells.
• Glycerin helps with healing of wounds, is an humectant, sealing in moisture, maintains the skin’s water balance on an intercellular level, which makes the skin look healthy, moist (not dry and scaly), soft to touch, and is also an emollient, leaving your skin looking radiant and supple

The texture is a bit thicker than water, but not by much ~ it does have a very slight viscosity to it and is basically odorless.   A full size 120 mL bottle retails for $80.00, but I think the key to Rice Force products is a little goes a long way~ I’ve been using this in my day time routine now for 2 weeks and still have plenty of toner left in my sample.  I apply by putting some in my hands and then patting onto my skin. This has a pH level of 5.   

Just to Compare:  boscia Sake Treatment Water to Hydrate and Brighten  $46.00 for 55 mL   (which I will be reviewing soon ~ I do own this!)

 

Description: Deep Moisture Lotion is a fast-absorbing nourishing formula that fortifies your skin and hydrates from the inside to produce softer, smoother, more youthful skin.

Ingredients: Water, Oryza Sativa (rice) Extract, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipotassium Grycyrrhizate, Sodium PCA, Lysolecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalene, Tocopherol, PEG-150, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20, PEG/PPG-25/30 Copolymer, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Aminomethyl propanediol, Citric Acid  cosDNA.com analysis

 

Deep Moisture Essence Oh, I love this product!  It is so rich, yet doesn’t leave any greasy residue, my skin is silky soft and smooth where I apply this.  I have also taken to mixing a bit of this with my eye cream and it helps plump up my fine line and wrinkles so it reduces the appearance of them. This also has squalane in it, as well as Vitamin E and olive oil.  This also has Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, which is licorice root extract, and that is not only a great moisturizer by reducing flaking, but has anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory properties as well as soothing your skin.  It also helps lighten and brighten your skin tone and reduces hyper-pigmentation and redness.  It is a lovely thick essence, more of a serum really, and it is easily spread on my face.  I found that this essence increased my moisture level by 26% on average when I used my digital skin analyzer.   It isn’t the most inexpensive item at $100.00 for 30 mL ~ of course, the product I fell in love with would be the most expensive!   I don’t need to use a lot of it as it spreads so evenly and easily, so I am sure it will last a long time. 

Just to compare:  Tatcha Deep Brightening Serum 50 mL $185.00

 

Description: Deep Moisture Essence is a highly concentrated moisturizing lotion enriched with Rice Power Extract® No.11. Deep Moisture Essence is also an optimal extra care lotion for the age-revealing, delicate skin around the eyes and mouth.

Ingredients: Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Water, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone Copolyol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalene, Tocopherol, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Batyl Alcohol, Laureth-7, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Steareth-3, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Polyacrylamide, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide  cosDNA.com analysis

 

Deep Moisture Cream Despite its name, this is not a heavy cream at all, but a light to medium weight cream.  I have been using this as a night time moisturizer and it does hydrate my skin.  I actually can use this as a day time moisturizer too, as it is non greasy and did not cause me to experience any new blemishes.   I really do appreciate that the first ingredient in this product, as well as the essence, is the rice extract ~ it isn’t thrown in as the last item.  There is nothing worse than purchasing an item that promotes a particular ingredient, only to find it is one of the last ingredients in the list!     I found that this cream increased my moisture level by 37% on average when I used my digital skin analyzer.   30g/30 mL $80.00   

Just to compare:  Tatcha Moisture Rich Silk Cream 55 mL $150.00 ~ Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Cream 50 mL $95.00  

 

Description: Locks-in moisture provided by Deep Moisture Lotion and Deep Moisture Essence. Non-greasy and lightweight, Deep Moisture Cream is ideal for use anytime throughout the day.

Ingredients: Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Squalene, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanediol  cosDNA.com analysis

 

Final Thoughts

I really did enjoy using these skincare products ~ I was able to use all 3 products in the sample kit items for 2 weeks, with the cream going first, but I still have 1/2 of the toner and essence left.   The toner, essence and cream worked well with my oily skin and I was concerned as the name of it is “Deep Moisture”.  Many products that are labeled as such are so heavy and inappropriate for my skin type, but these were not.  I think that they would work well for oily skin, combo-oily and combo-dry.  If you have drier skin needs, the toner and essence would work great along with their Premium Perfect Cream, which is a thicker, richer facial cream. I liked that they are suitable for most sensitive skin care issues and that it had no odor ~ not that I do not mind scented items that much, but it is a major factor for many people out there.    One thing that I wish they would try and change is formulate their line without parabens, as that seems to be an issue for many people. I personally do not have issues with parabens, but I know that it is an ingredient that some people wish to avoid.

I would say the outstanding items for me were the Deep Moisture Essence and the Mild Face Wash.   I will personally go on the subscription plan for the Mild Face Wash ASAP ~ I do put my money where my mouth is!  I will have a more in-depth review of that cleanser when I get the full size tube.    I have tons of other essences right now, so I do not feel I can invest immediately in a $100.00 bottle, but the cleanser is outstanding and I think it is perfect for the winter-time months.  

I am also keenly interested in their Acpoless series, which is designed for oily and blemish prone skin and they have a travel sized kit as well for $29.80 which also includes free shipping.  I am going to purchase this on my own and will review it here for you as well.

As I know that Rice Force products are a bit pricey, I really appreciate that they offer their deluxe sample kit for the Deep Moisture series ~ it allows you to try these items for $29.80  $19.80 (limited time as it is normally $29.80)  and that includes free shipping!   It is a big investment if you are just starting to get into higher end skincare items, which this is and I did post similar products to this from other higher end brands, so that you can see that the price range is not insane or anything.   This is not Tonymoly or Shara Shara, which are fine brands, but are considered lower-end.   I also like that they discount and offer free shipping if you go on a subscription plan for one or more items at their shop ~ the discount is higher with the more items you put on your subscription plan ~ ranging from 10% to 25% ~  and you can tailor how often you want the product to be delivered based on your individual needs.    

Have you tried Rice Force products?  Are you interested in trying them out?  Let me know in the comments below and if you have any specific questions about the products too ~ I will do my best to answer them!  If you do purchase them, I would love to hear back from you ~ you can post here in the comments or drop me an email using my contact form! 

 

 

 

[ these products were received complementary.   All opinions are my own.  Blog post contains affiliate links ]

[ descriptions in italics from riceforce ]