Deep, Gentle Hydration | Anua Rice 7 Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum Review
Anua was one of the first K-Beauty brands to hit the world stage, via its viral skincare. They launched onto the scene with their double-cleansing duo (which is still world famous) and their soothing heartleaf toner (containing 70% heartleaf to refresh and calm sensitive skin). Anua has always provided sensitive-skin friendly and soothing skincare – to help rebuild and repair damaged skin (and they’ve done well at it so far!) They’ve produced some of our personal favourites in skincare – including their Niacinamide/TXA serum and their soothing Azelaic acid serum. So, finding they have a secret, third serum which has been making waves, had us intrigued.
What is the Rice 7 Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum? It’s a mouthful to say (but most K-Beauty is) and kind of tells us a little of what’s going on already. It has a base of rice bran and pure rice extract, blended with all kinds of refreshing, soothing and hydrating molecules. It was as if someone was challenged to create the lightest, most moisturizing serum that is sensitive skin friendly – and this was born. It’s designed to hydrate dry skin, oily skin and is also fungal acne safe! It seems unbelievable – but is this serum really an one-for-all for deep hydration and barrier repair? Let’s test it out (on damaged, combination skin!)
What's In The Bottle?
Rice Bran Water: refreshing and protein-rich base that helps soothe inflammation, redness and dry skin. Perfect to boost fine lines and balance oily skin.
Rice extract: brightening and rich in protective molecules that help prevent environmental damage, cool inflammation and gently exfoliates dead skin cells from face for clearer, balanced and hydrated skin.
Niacinamide: brightening vitamin B3 that helps balance dark spots and even skin tone, whilst leaving a lasting glow.
Ceramides: moisturizing molecules that help seal cracks in your skin barrier to moisturize and seal in hydration, for improved skin texture (also naturally found in rice extracts).
Panthenol: healing vitamin B5 that helps refresh skin barrier, repairs dry and damaged skin and improves redness and irritation.
Tocopherol: vitamin E that helps hydrate and protect the skin barrier, whilst providing protection from environmental and UV damage.
Jute Mallow leaf extract: rich in antioxidants to soothe and repair damaged skin, whilst improving natural elasticity and texture.
Lotus Flower extract: richly hydrating extract that inhibits molecules that break down skin barrier structures and improves skin cell function.
Hibiscus extract: rich in antioxidants that help tone-up and tighten skin, reducing fine lines and improving a youthful, plumping appearance. Safe for acne as it fights acne-causing bacteria.
Japanese Mountain Yam extract: deep, soothing root extract that provides calming molecules that soothe redness, irritation and inhibits immune responses that prevent dryness and damage to skin.
Ashitaba extract: derived from the leaves of the Japanese Angelica tree, it’s traditionally used to cool irritation and inflammation, whilst boosting skin health.
Adenosine: refreshing molecule that boosts collagen production and improves skin texture and hydration, for more refreshed and youthful skin.
Allantoin: boosts wound healing and cools irritation and inflammation, whilst improving skin regeneration, dividing and healing (whilst reducing dead skin cells for a smooth, final finish).
Alpha Arbutin: brightens and balances skin tone, reducing dark spots and uneven skin tones with antioxidants and inhibiting melanin formation.
Hydrolyzed Rice Proteins: molecules broken down into amino acids, which help provide building blocks for skin cells to repair, build new proteins and strengthen.
Hyaluronic acid/Sodium Hyaluronate: powerful water humectant that helps draw water into skin barrier for plumping and long-lasting hydration effect.
Who Should Avoid?
This serum is designed to be friendly to sensitive and irritated skin, to help repair and hydrate. It does contain niacinamide, which when used in combination with other niacinamide products can become irritating to sensitive skin (so take care) and it does have butylene glycol (which some users have allergies to). Otherwise, it’s a gentle formula that promises to be deeply hydrating for all skin types.
You’re likely to see benefit if you are struggling with dryness or skin barrier irritation.
The Results
This serum is super hydrating, lightweight and soothing. It’s quite addictive to put on, especially onto damaged skin. I typically have combination skin, but my skin barrier was compromised by using a recent sheet mask (turns out I’m allergic). This left angry, dry and cracked skin on my face – so I was in need of something very gentle, healing and moisturizing. This serum was one of the top recommended – and I could instantly see why. The cooling effect that comes with it is incredibly gentle and refreshing, and you can literally see the difference in just one or two uses.
Within a week, I was absolutely hooked. This serum was perfect for my acne-prone, oily skin – but I can absolutely see it working well for dry and sensitive skin too! It’s rare that a product can cross skin-type boundaries so easily, but this serum is almost pure calm and hydration. I have no downsides; it’s just really great. In just one week, I could already see reduction in red and irritated spots, improved healing of skin and a more even skin tone (really fast results!)
I was scared it might be irritating to my specific skin – as I’ve had a reaction to previous ‘barrier’ repairing products before (including the 345 Barrier Cream by Dr Althea and the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Cream) - but this serum was very gentle and nourishing. It comes in a good-sized bottle; so you can use it morning and night.
Final Thoughts
I would really recommend this serum to anyone struggling with a damaged skin barrier. It holds a great variety of healing extracts, all bound by a soothing rice bran base – and holds little chance for irritation. It’s genuinely great for a variety of skin types and has that Anua sensitive skin formula down pat.
Looking for more sensitive, soothing skincare? Shop the whole Anua range (including their new Azelaic acid toner) on Arktastic! Full of the best and newest K-Beauty hits.
Curious about more skincare reads? Check out our blog on the top hydrating products we like to use to keep our skin moisturized! Or check out our review on Anua's other great serum - the Soothing Azelaic Acid serum:
