[ENG] I’m from Rice Toner, Serum + Cream Review: Minimalist Skincare Done Right!

This review contains PR samples° and affiliate links* Finally, my review of the ever so popular I’m from Rice skincare trio: the I’m from Rice Toner, Rice Serum and Rice Cream! Are the two newer additions to the line worth the hype?

I’ve been a fan of the I’m from Rice Toner for a while, but wanted to wait until I’ve had time to use both the I’m from Rice Serum and Rice Cream for a few weeks to make sure I can give you my full thoughts on the entire range of products in one handy review! The only product that is missing in this lineup is the I’m from Rice Mask,* which I feel would be too abrasive for my skin since it contains actual pieces of dried rice.

When the I’m from Rice Toner launched, it became an instant hit in the global skin care community, thanks to its mild, fuss-free formula. The Rice Serum and Rice Cream are newer additions that launched around the end of 2020, and thanks to the enthusiastic endorsement of our beloved skincare queen Gothamista rose to popularity pretty fast as well.

The main ingredient here is, of course, rice extract, said to be skin-brightening and hydrating. Now, the addition of niacinamide and a number of great hydrators might have more to do with the amazing properties of this trio, but let’s have a look at the products individually before I get ahead of myself!

I’m from Rice Toner Review – the Darling of the Skincare Community

The above image is actually from a few months ago, when I tried my first bottle of the I’m from Rice Toner. Yep, that’s right, I’m already on my second bottle of this truly outstandingly good K-beauty toner! So, I guess this is actually more of a raving love letter than a mere review, hm.

Now, why is the I’m from Rice Toner so popular, you might wonder? Well, first of all, it is very gentle, formulated without any potentially skin-aggravating ingredients such as fragrance or alcohol. You know how the skincare community is: the more minimalist the formula, the better for many! I myself am fully ok with the odd fragrance and alcohol, as long as the overall formula works, and I don’t mind a long ingredient list. But, on days when my skin is experiencing a freakout, it is always nice to have simple, but effective products to use. And, well, the I’m from Rice Toner also just happens to be a great hydrating toner, with a number of splendid ingredients.

Here is the full list of ingredients for the I’m from Rice Toner:

“Rice extract, Methylpropanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated poly (C6-14 olefin), Niacinamide, Pentylene glycol, Common Purslane extract, Rice bran extract, Japanese elm bark extract, Amaranthus caudatus seed extract, Hydrogenated lecithin, Distilled water, Polyglyceryl-10-myristate, Butylene glycol, Adenosine, Cellulose gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol.”

One of the really great things about this toner is the fact that it does not contain hyaluronic acid – it is very difficult to find a Korean toner or even essence without any HA variants in it, and some people actually don’t do well with this popular humectant. For some (emphasis is on some – this isn’t common, and hyaluronic acid isn’t in any way, shape or form a “problem ingredient”!), too much hyaluronic acid can make skin break out, develop redness and inflammation, or white heads can form. For those people with HA sensitivity, finding a good toner that hydrates without this common humectant is very difficult indeed, so I’m super happy that they have this one great alternative!

Now, I already mentioned the rice extract in this toner, which actually makes up nearly 78% of the formula according to Wishtrend. Niacinamide and adenosine offer additional brightening and firming, while rice bran extract and amaranth extract act as hydrators and skin-soothers.

The texture of the I’m from Rice Toner is very light and watery, it feels pretty much like milk. You actually need to shake the bottle a little bit for the natural ingredients to combine to form that lovely milky-white colour, similar to actual rice water. I love to use this toner in the morning, since it absorbs extremely fast and doesn’t leave a film or any sort of residue. It feels very hydrating and calming – I wouldn’t say it has noticeably brightened my skin, but it works fantastically well as a general hydrator and skin-smoother if you suffer from dehydration and a compromised skin barrier/reactive skin.

I would say that this toner works for pretty much all skin types – it replenishes moisture for dry skin, and since this has no noticeable oil content, it’s also a great choice for oilier skin types. If you have sensitive skin, this is a pretty solid match (personal sensitivities to any of the ingredients excluded, of course).

You can purchase the I’m from Rice Toner at Wishtrend* for 28$ for the 150ml bottle (use coupon code “Ulrike15” for an extra 15% off!), or at Yesstyle* for currently around 26$!

I’m from Rice Serum – the New Kid on the Block Is Winning Hearts fast!

As one of the newest Wishtrend products, the I’m from Rice Serum instantly attracted me, promising similar skin-soothing benefits to the Rice Toner. And indeed this is a great hydrating serum – simple, but all the more lovely for it! The star ingredient here is the 73% fermented rice germ extract, said to be rich in micronutrients. The fermentation process breaks down larger molecules, making these types of natural extracts more absorbable.

Unlike the toner, the I’m from Rice Serum does contain two types of hyaluronic acid in addition to alpha-glucan oligosaccharides, humectant sugar molecules that give intense hydration, which is the main skincare goal of this product.

Here is the full list of ingredients for the I’m from Rice Serum:

“Aspergillus/Rice Germ Ferment Extract Filtrate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Methicone, Water (Aqua), Cyclohexasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Betaine, C12-14 Pareth-12, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Disodium Edta, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glutathione.”

Now, I’m still not sure if glutathione added to skincare has any benefits, as I hear it only works as a skin-brightener when directly ingested/injected. The niacinamide in this serum, however, definitely has a brightening effect, as does the licorice extract. Allantoin, madecassoside and panthenol provide soothing, while squalane adds moisture benefits. Purslane extract contains valuable antioxidants that offer anti-aging benefits.

The I’m from Rice serum has a watery texture and milky-white colour. It melts into skin upon application, and with its little to no oil content it feels very light. I would still say this works well for dry skin, as I find it strikes a great balance between hydration and moisturising.

The serum is fragrance- and alcohol-free and just overall very minimalist, fuss-free. I think for some people it may seem a tad “boring”, and I would recommend it mostly for those of you with younger skin, sensitive skin, or those who just prefer simple skincare. I tend to layer it with one other serum or ampoule per routine to get some more anti-aging benefits, but then I’m in my 40s now and just need that extra bit of “oompf” which I didn’t really need in my 20s and earlier 30s! I love how soothing and hydrating this feels, and I grab the serum bottle quite often right now to calm down my hayfever-plagued skin. Now, I would say that it’s maybe a tad too pricey for what it can do, but otherwise, I really like this a lot!

You can purchase the I’m from Rice Serum at Wishtrend* for 27$ for the 30ml bottle (use code “Ulrike15” for an additional 15% off!), or from Yesstyle* for currently only around 17$!

I’m from Rice Cream – the Secret Breakout Star from the Range?

I’m somewhat surprised to not see more people rave about the I’m from Rice Cream, since to me it was a surprise hit, which sneakily won over my heart without me even realising it had happened. At first I was somewhat unsure about whether or not this would work for my combo skin, since it seemed rather heavy and thick in a few videos I’d seen of reviewers talking about the cream.

I was still keen to try this moisturiser, since the ingredient list sounded delectable, with a whole range of excellent, reliable humectants and moisturising agents such as rice bran oil and shea butter.

Here is the full list of ingredients for the I’m from Rice Cream:

“Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Synthetic Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Vinyl Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin.”

The main rice-derived ingredient here is rice bran water, but as I mentioned above, there is so much more deliciousness contained in this cream: good old glycerin and two types of hyaluronic acid provide hydration, and apart from the shea butter/rice bran oil combo, ceramides and phytosphingosine, a type of lipid naturally found in our skin, offer additional, rich moisture. Again, the cream is alcohol- and fragrance-free.

Actually, since I hadn’t mentioned this before: all three I’m from Rice products really do not have any scent at all! There is a faint “fresh” whiff noticeable from the Rice Toner, but neither serum nor cream smell of anything at all, as far as I can tell.

So, about the texture: yes, it is thick when you first glimpse it in its cute glass jar, but once applied it melts into this soft, creamy milk, which doesn’t feel oily or heavy at all. I loved this so much in winter, when my skin needed deeper moisture, but still tended to be a bit annoyed by those really heavy creams often touted as ideal winter moisturisers. I was reminded of an old favourite, the Swanicoco Lifetime Saver Bio Cream, though this feels even lighter and less “silicone-y.”

The Rice Cream is an excellent choice for anyone with sensitive skin, as there really is very little in it that could potentially be triggering. Dry skin will love the nourishing properties, while us combo skin peeps will be surprised by how light it still feels despite the rich ingredient list. Now, for oily skin, it may just be a tad too much, especially with that added shea butter. Overall, to me this is really the secret superstar out of the three I’m from Rice products, a truly great addition to the range.

You can purchase the I’m from Rice Cream at Wishtrend* for 30$ for the 50ml jar (use code “Ulrike15” for an 15% off your oder!), or at Yesstyle* for currently around 20$.

I’m from Rice Trio – My Final Thoughts!

Wishtrend did so well with this whole line, it works just wonderfully for sensitive skin in need of soothing hydration and minimalist-style care. The toner will likely remain the standout bestseller, since it has been endorsed by so many well-known skinfluencers.

To me, both serum and cream really impressed me, though maybe the serum is just a tiny bit overpriced given how simplistic it is. But, truly, all three products deserve a gold star for being so well-formulated, gentle and reliable, without needing any bells and whistles to attract us to them.

By the way, Wishtrend offers all four I’m from Rice products* – so, this trio plus the Rice Mask plus two extra Rice Toner minis – as a skincare package deal for only 79.10$ instead of the regular 113$! I’m hoping you can use my coupon code “Ulrike15” with this for another extra 15% off, though I’m not sure if it works with the packages. Do try it though, fingers crossed!

Let me know in the comments: Are you part of the hype train for the I’m from Rice products? Which of these three tickles your fancy the most?

Take care guys, and stay safe!
Sugarpeaches

°PR Sample, kindly provided by a brand or shop – I am not obligated to write this blog article, was not paid for the article, and my opinions are entirely my own.
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