Rice Water!! Yes, you heard that right!! Who knew Rice, a pantry staple, would be the extremely affordable hair treatment you can do to get gorgeous hair without spending thousands of bucks? Rice water is the most inexpensive treatment you can pamper your locks with. The quality of hair improves drastically. You will have stronger, shinier, and healthier hair from all the protein which is worth pursuing. Women in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia have used rice water as a hair treatment for ages.
In Japan’s Heian period (794 to 1185 CE), women had floor-length hair. They kept them healthy by bathing their hair in rice water. This recipe has traveled places and generations and today a village in China called Huangluo is known for women with long, luscious, pitch-black hair. The Red Yao Woman in the town can be called a living Rapunzel. The village holds a certification from the Guinness World Records as the “world’s longest hair village”. The YAO Rice water recipe is a traditional treatment and the secret to the breathtaking long and thick hair of the Yao women. Will talk about that bit later but for now understand the what, how, and why rice water works on hair. Not only just Yao women but celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and Cardi’B also swear by this hair treatment.
What is rice water?
Do you eat rice?? Have you cooked it? I am sure you must have. Rice Water is nothing but the milky, starchy liquid that is left after washing and straining the rice. Shocking!! Right?? Yes, it is that simple. Takes no effort. This rice water can not only be used for hair but is extensively used in skincare as well. Find out how Rice can help you achieve Glass Skin HERE. Here is an elaborate way to achieve Korean Glass skin right from your home with this pantry staple. Moreover, rice water is also a protein booster for your plants. On days when I do not use rice water in my hair, I pour the strained leftover rice water into my plants. So, next time you cook rice, do not throw this magical potion to waste.
Why does it work on hair ??
Well, the explanation for this is quite simple. Hair needs nourishment to grow. Rice has a lot of vitamins, such as Vit. B, C, and D, it’s also rich in minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants which are extremely beneficial for hair. It is a rich source of carbs, has a moderate amount of protein and fat, a good source of Vitamin B complex- Thiamin/Riboflavin and Niacin.
A simple rule for hair care is:
When the scalp is healthy, hair growth is healthy. When Hair is healthy, it won’t detangle.
Hence, no breakage and Less Hair fall.
How does it help in nourishing your hair?
When hair gets damaged, the cuticles open i. e gets separated. The cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair; it is like a protective shield that turns brittle with constant damage, chiefly because of the continuous use of harsh shampoos, conditioning, perming, coloring, exposure to the sun, etc. So, when the hair cuticle gets damaged, the chemicals and other ingredients get past the cuticle into the hair cortex. This is where the real damage happens.
However, the Starch in rice water helps reduce surface tension, increases hair elasticity, and brings luster to hair. It covers the hair cuticle to give extra strength. As Rice water contains 75-80% starch. Starch makes the hair strand smoother. It detangles the hair, making it shinier and easier to comb. INOSITOL – the starchy element of rice water gives luster to your hair, making your locks softer.
Protein in rice water helps with the strengthening and regeneration of hair. It can strengthen and can help hair grow longer and healthier. It also deals with dandruff and fights fungal infections and white flakes.
Rice Water Benefits for Hair
To summarise, Rice water Helps in
- Regeneration of hair
- Reduces Surface tension and hair elasticity
- Strengthens Hair
- Gives Lustre to Hair
- Fights Dandruff and Fungal Infections
- Protects Hair from damage
- Balances and restores pH
- Conditions the Hair
How to make and use Rice water for Hair?
Here I have mentioned three ways to make the rice water. You can try any of these methods for effective hair growth.
- The Yao Rice water recipe
- Cooked rice water
- Fermented Plain Rice water
Yao Women Rice Water Recipe
The Yao women of Huanglao village in China are famous for their long, black tresses. Here I am sharing the authentic Yao Recipe. Some ingredients might not be available, so you can either alter them or skip them.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup White Rice
- 3 cups Water
- 4-5 Pomelo peels/ citrus peels
- 1/2 pc Ginger
- Tea bran/ Tea Cake powder
- Fleece Flower Root (optional)
- Clay pot
Instructions:
First, wash the rice and drain the water to get rid of all impurities. Wash the rice again. Rub the rice twice in the water itself. In a clay pot, combine rice and water, and turn on the heat until it boils. Keep the mixture stirring and add pomelo peels (any citrus fruit peel available), tea bran, and ginger to the mix.
Now, Stir and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. When one cup of water remains, turn off the stove, strain the water, and let it cool down. Once it cools off, pour the water into a glass jar or bottle with an airtight lid. Subsequently, leave it to ferment in that sealed glass container, preferably from a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 7 days, depending on the humidity levels at your place.
Store in a dark and cool place, not in the kitchen and washroom where humidity levels would be higher. I mention this here because the humidity can lead to mold formation, so it’s better to monitor the water. Do not disturb the water for three days after three days, check and stir it and continue fermentation for 7 days if the weather allows. On the seventh day, you will get a gelatinous liquid. This is the liquid we are looking for.
Application:
The rice water for the Yao is a little different as the Yao women flip their hair down over a big bowl/ bucket and pour the liquid all over their heat. They massage the scalp with this water and repeat the process all over again five to six times. Rinse and repeat. Once you are done, gently squeeze in a bun and keep this on for 20 minutes. What’s important to note here is that the Yao women clean this solution with fresh river water. Yeah!! I know it’s hard to get fresh river water, so just wash with distilled water or Reverse Osmosis water (RO). Read all the information on the Yao Rice Water recipe HERE.
Cooked Rice Water Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup White rice
- 2 cups Water
- cooking Pot
Instructions:
Cook the rice in the pot as you would. When the rice is 90 percent cooked, strain out the water. This milky, frothy, thick water is your liquid gold for hair, as I like to call it. It’s like dunking your hair in nutrient-dense serum. Not only, it’s good for your Hair but this also makes for a great drink, especially for babies and also for people who are struggling to gain weight.
Application:
Let the cooked rice water cool down. Later, pour it all over your head, massage your scalp with this liquid, and keep it on for 20 minutes. Cover your hair with a t-shirt wrap or shower cap. Some people like to apply heat after this step. It’s optional though!! I don’t do it usually, but if you are interested, then simply dip a towel in slightly hot water, and then cover your head. Wrap it over the shower cap.
After 20 minutes, rinse your hair with distilled/ reverse osmosis water (RO). The idea is to use clean water for rinsing. You can skip the conditioner here as this liquid is no less than a hair conditioner.
TIP:
However, not everyone has the same hair type and texture, so observe if your hair feels slightly dry after this treatment, you can reduce the time of application and, after rinsing with clean water, generously apply hydrating conditioner over your locks.
Also, you can use this liquid serum to make your rice water essence. Furthermore, I use this water to make sheet masks. Find out how you can do that HERE.
Plain rice water Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup Rice
2 cups water
strainer
Bottle/Jar
Instructions:
Pour the rice into a bowl, add water, gently move your fingers through it, and drain the first time to get rid of impurities. Now add more water and rub the rice two to three times. You will be left with a white, milky liquid. Keep the rice undisturbed for half an hour. Strain with the help of a strainer and keep the liquid in an airtight jar/ bottle. You may cook the leftover rice.
Application:
The application is the same as mentioned above. You can choose either the Yao method to rinse hair or the cooked rice water method. You can also use this water as a face toner. Check out HERE.
Things to keep in mind
Hair Porosity:
While rice water doesn’t have any kind of side effects, one thing to keep in mind is the porosity of hair. If you have low porosity hair, then using rice water frequently is not advisable. Stick to once or twice a month. However, people with high porosity hair can use this treatment once or twice a week.
Low porosity Hair - If your hair takes forever to dry, no treatment seems to work until you provide heat to your hair. Then, my girl you have Low porosity Hair. Good thing here, is that low porosity hair retains moisture for longer time. However, High Porosity Hair doesn't retains moisture and dries very quickly. Hair with medium porosity take an hour or more for drying.
No overnight Treatments:
Twenty minutes is more than sufficient to allow the nutrients to soak in the Hair. However, I discourage any kind of overnight treatment as rice water is protein-rich, and keeping it for long can do more damage, making your hair drier and stiffer. The longer we keep the rice water, the more the fermentation. Normally, fermented rice water is good, but only until you use it in moderation. Fermented rice water is acidic. The longer you keep it, it can get mixed with sweat. Unless you want a molded meal cooked and served on your scalp, it’s better to keep it for 20 minutes.
Type of Rice:
Use only white rice, sticky rice, or jasmine rice. Brown rice is very high in protein, so it’s good to avoid. It can cause protein overload. Furthermore, do not mix rice water with any kind of other protein treatments.
Frequency:
One must follow the Rice water treatment in moderation, as mentioned above. The protein coats the surface of the cuticle. Using it frequently can block hair from receiving the right amount of sun and moisture. Select according to your hair porosity type.
Products with Rice Water
Well, I strongly recommend you use this homemade rice water recipe, but just in case my girl here is not a DIY person, then don’t worry, I have got you covered, babe. Here are a few products on Amazon with thousands of positive reviews. You can try them too. Click on the product and that should take you to the product page.
These are affiliate links, read full disclosure HERE.
That’s it, folks!! This is how you can use this rice water. I have noticed a huge difference in my hair after using the rice water. I haven’t had such manageable hair post-pregnancy, now I can simply run my fingers through them and put them in a bun. They are super soft and silky. I religiously follow this almost every week.
I hope I could convince you to try this recipe, and next time you go on tossing the rice water in the drain, I am sure this post will remind you how valuable it is. Do share your own experiences in the comments section below. Would love to hear from you!! Share and save this post on Pinterest if you like it for future reference. Or simply spread the word. Because
Sharing is Caring!!
XOXO
The sources of information if you wish to research before using the recipe
https://yarice osecret.com/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1672630816300713
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5727428/
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