If You Love Rice, You Can Now Smell Like A Fresh Steaming Bowl Of It Too
Perfumes are made for all sorts of nasal appetites, but how far will perfumers go until they cross the line that makes it weird?
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
The world of perfumery is always evolving, with so many scents available on the market now which range from musky to floral.
You can even find weird perfumes that are generally not appealing to the nose (for most), such as bacon, body fluids, and car workshop.
But let’s have a look at a new trend in the perfume world: rice scents.
Rice is a staple in most of our diets and while it’s a normal meal to some, there might be people who love rice so much, they want to smell like it too.
Apparently, rice-scented perfumes rose in popularity sometime in early 2023 when perfume maker Diptyque launched L’eau Papier, a musky, powdery concoction that gives off the scent of steamed rice.
d’Annam, a fragrance brand from Vietnam released a product called White Rice in the same year and has been gaining popularity on PerfumeTok, a corner of TikTok where fragrance lovers share reviews and recommendations.
Social media content creators have been rounding up their favourite rice perfumes due to the rising popularity of L’eau Papier and White Rice.
Accodring to lifestyle website High Snobiety, senior perfumer Linda Song was quoted saying: “We’ve observed a notable rise in interest in rice as a fragrance note, particularly among niche and indie brands, as well as in haircare and skincare products”.
Rice water has been used by Malaysians for centuries as a beauty treatment
Anyone who has cooked rice before should know that it’s always washed first before it goes into the pot or rice cooker. Normally, the rice water is just poured down the drain as most people think it’s of no use.
However, the rice water can be used for personal care and beauty. Rice water has all sorts of hidden nutrients that not only be used as a beauty product, but is also inexpensive.
Rice water can brighten your skin by just soaking cotton in it and rubbing it all over your face. Alternatively, you can soak a cloth in for about 10 minutes and use it as a facial mask for 15 minutes which will leave your skin feeling fresh.
You can store rice water in a bottle or container and use it over time as a facial cleanser as well. The nutrients in it are natural and safe for your skin compared to cosmetic products that contain chemicals.
Speaking of store-bought cosmetics, some might find them unsuitable on their skin or experience adverse reactions to it due to the chemicals present in them.
Aside from your skin, rice water can also be used to wash your hair to leave it looking shiny and healthy.
It’s rich in all sorts of nutrients like vitamin E & B
Biotin is one of the B vitamins most closely associated with hair growth, while vitamin E has been shown to promote hair growth in people who have alopecia, a disease that causes hair loss.
Rice water also contains magnesium, an essential mineral that can help hydrate, strengthen, and soothe the skin.
There is also zinc in rice water which helps regulate oil production, reduce inflammation, anb supports skin healing.
The best part of using rice water is that you’ll also smell like rice after using it.
If you’re not willing to go through all that trouble, you can still smell like a fresh steaming bowl of rice with a bottle of rice-scented perfume.
It’s just a matter of time until big perfume brands make a nasi lemak-scented perfume, for those who want a little bit more flavour in their rice perfume.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
