Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil
Rice bran oil
No meaningful concern for most people; irritation is possible but rare.
Also written as: Oryza Sativa Bran Oil · Rice Bran Oil
What it is
Rice bran oil is extracted from the bran removed when brown rice is milled to white, so like grapeseed it is a by-product ingredient. Its fatty acid profile is fairly even between oleic and linoleic acid, and it carries an unusual set of minor components including gamma-oryzanol, tocotrienols and phytosterols. It is a staple of Japanese and Korean skincare and is used as a mid-weight emollient with antioxidant credentials.
What it does well
Balanced fatty acids plus a distinctive antioxidant fraction
Gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols are genuine antioxidants that also absorb some UV light, which is why rice bran oil appears in formulations aimed at environmental protection. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel found rice bran oil to be non-irritating and safe as used in cosmetics.
Limited evidence
Worth knowing
Antioxidant claims are usually stronger than the topical evidence
Most of the work on gamma-oryzanol is laboratory or dietary rather than a controlled topical trial, and the amounts in a finished mask are small. It is a reasonable emollient with a bonus, not a proven active.
Matters most toAnyone choosing a product mainly for its rice bran antioxidant claim.
Where the EU stands
No specific restriction
Not listed in any Annex of the EU Cosmetics Regulation, so there is no specific concentration limit; it is still covered by the general safety assessment every cosmetic product must pass before sale.
Sources (1)
Every link goes to the original: a journal, a PubMed record or an EU document.
- [1]Amended final report on the safety assessment of Oryza Sativa (rice) Bran Oil, Oryza Sativa (rice) Germ Oil, Rice Bran Acid, Oryza Sativa (rice) Bran Wax, Hydrogenated Rice Bran Wax, Oryza Sativa (rice) Bran Extract, Oryza Sativa (rice) Extract, Oryza Sativa (rice) Germ Powder, Oryza Sativa (rice) Starch, Oryza Sativa (rice) Bran, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, and Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
International Journal of Toxicology (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) · 2006 · doi:10.1080/10915810600964626
The panel reviewed toxicity, irritation and reproductive data on rice bran oil and related rice-derived ingredients and found no evidence of significant toxicity or teratogenicity at cosmetic use levels.
