The present invention concerns the use of a rice protein hydrolysate in order to pigment the skin and skin appendages. Thus, it is possible to intensify the normal pigmentation of the skin without sunlight. Preferred areas of applications are repigmentation of white patches of the skin, repigmentation of white patches of the skin as a consequence of pityriasis or due to the use of dermocorticoids; acceleration and intensification of the tanning process, stimulation of the constitutive photoprotection and improvement of the phototype, prevention of skin photocarcinogenesis. Advantageously, the rice protein hydrolysate comprises peptides of which at least 50% have a molecular mass in the range of between 300 and 3,500 Da.