Cosmetics · Fermented ingredients
Sake Lees Extract
酒粕エキス (Sakekasu ekisu)
Also known as: Rice Ferment Filtrate (Sake Lees), Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
At a glance
| Category | Cosmetics |
|---|---|
| INCI name | Saccharomyces / Rice Ferment Filtrate |
| Japanese labeling name | コメ発酵液(コメカス) |
| Common Japanese notations | 酒粕エキス, サケカスエキス, コメ発酵液（コメカス） |
| Origin | Fermented (byproduct of sake brewing) |
| Typical functions | Skin conditioning, Moisturizing, Skin softening |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Cosmetic ingredient listed in the JSCI labeling name dictionary. |
Sake lees (酒粕, sakekasu) is the solid residue left after pressing the fermented sake mash. It has been eaten, cooked with, and rubbed onto skin in Japan for centuries. As a cosmetic ingredient, an extract of sake lees brings compounds produced by the Aspergillus oryzae koji mold and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast working on steamed rice — the combination of fermentation byproducts gives the ingredient its distinctive skin-softening profile.
Classification
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Product applications
Regulatory tags
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Moisturizing essences
- Facial masks
- Body lotions
- Hand creams
What it is
Sake lees extract is produced by extracting the solid residue from sake pressing — sakekasu — with water or hydro-alcoholic solvents. The resulting filtrate contains amino acids, oligopeptides, saccharides, organic acids, and secondary fermentation metabolites from the coordinated action of koji (Aspergillus oryzae) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on polished rice.
On Japanese cosmetic ingredient lists the extract is typically labeled コメ発酵液(コメカス). On international INCI-compliant lists it usually appears as "Saccharomyces / Rice Ferment Filtrate" or a similar fermentation filtrate descriptor.
Typical uses in Japanese products
Sake lees extract is used in moisturizing toners, essences, sheet masks, and body products. Its most enduring cultural association is with the smooth-hands observation of sake brewery workers — a folk reputation that drugstore and specialty cosmetic brands have referenced in packaging and marketing for decades.
The ingredient pairs frequently with other rice-derived components (rice bran extract, rice ferment filtrate) and with fermentation-based ingredients generally. In skincare, it is often positioned under "fermented beauty" or 和発酵 (wa-hakkō) storytelling.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Listed in the JSCI Japanese Cosmetic Ingredient Codex under the labeling name コメ発酵液(コメカス) and permitted as a cosmetic ingredient.
Not designated as a quasi-drug (医薬部外品) active ingredient.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Rice-ferment filtrate ingredients corresponding to sake lees extracts are listed in CosIng under various fermentation filtrate INCI names. Permitted for cosmetic use. |
|---|---|
| USA | Rice ferment filtrate variants are INCI-recognized and commonly used in finished cosmetic products. |
| China | Permitted where the specific ferment filtrate preparation matches a listed IECIC entry. Suppliers should confirm their specific ingredient against the IECIC list prior to export. |
| Korea | Permitted as a cosmetic ingredient under the KFDA / MFDS cosmetic ingredient system. |
Example products
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Related ingredients
References
- JSCI labeling name directory — コメ発酵液(コメカス)
- National Research Institute of Brewing — sake brewing process overview
Last updated: 2026-04-22. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.