Rise and shine Matildas..with your gorgeous hair; well, of course, that is what all of us would like to do. But having a good hair day is difficult and maintaining healthy hair in an environment like this sounds like too much work.
We all are part of the same race, trying to get it all under control. Personally if have always liked eastern methods of skincare and food more than western, I don’t know it just gives me a sense of organic. Many eastern countries use rice water as a method of healing and nourishing the skin.
In this article- Rice water for hair: how to make and use correctly, let us read together.
Contents
History of Rice Water Treatment
Recently rice water has been breaking the internet DIY. rice water is now more than a ‘nuskha’ it is now known as a cool hair treatment. But newly hyped method dates way back to the early ‘Heian period’; the Heian period dated from (794 to 1185 CE) in Japan.
As mentioned before, for centuries rice water treatment has been used by women in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia as a hair treatment, and recently it came to light because of the Kardashians. The sister duo- Kim and Kourtney, Kourtney shared a post on her blog ‘Poosh’ mentioning rice water being the secret of Kim’s long hair.
What is Rice Water?
Well, apart from knowing rice water is rice’s water what I mean is, rice water is rich in minerals n vitamins which is effective and beneficial on both skins and hair. It is rich in amino acids and carbohydrates, known as inositol which helps to strengthen roots and adds shine and an extra protective layer to damaged hair.
After personally trying out this rice water regime I’m certainly sure of its efficiency and wouldn’t mind calling it a holy grail.
How to make Rice Water?
- Take 1 cup of uncooked rice (prefer organic) and rinse it thoroughly
- Add 2-3 glasses of water to the rice
- soak for 30 mins
- Strain the rice water in a clean bowl (you can cook the rice afterwards as it’s much healthier eating soaked rice as it reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. wow 2in1 effect!)
- Strained rice water can be used in several ways which we will see in the paragraph below but you can also store the strained rice water and use it as fermented rice water, after personnel using it, it improved to be more helpful than rice water.
Plain Rice Water can be used in:
- Shields Hair From Damage: Rice Water increases elasticity: The inositol remains in the hair providing a shield.
- Hair Growth: The amino acids present in it help in the regeneration of hair and aid the faster growth of your hair. Additionally, it contains vitamins B, C, and E, which further help in hair growth. The best way for growth is to rinse your hair with it after a wash. Follow the process at least twice a week.
- Cures Dandruff: It has an antifungal property that can work on dandruff.
- Adds Shine and softness: Use rice water as a hair mask and rinse it using your regular shampoo and conditioner after leaving it t0 set for 20 minutes.
- Works as a Conditioner: Rinse your hair with rice water after shampooing instead of using a conditioner. This will increase the volume and elasticity of your hair and make it frizz-free.
How to Apply:
- Massage the strained water in your scalp with your fingers or put it in a spray bottle and spray it on your scalp and leave it for 20 mins or more depending on the volume of your hair.
- Rinse your hair using your regular shampoo and conditioner
Fermented Rice Water:
Take rice water in a container and leave it for 12 or 24 hrs at room temperature. Store it in the freezer. Fermentation brings out all the vitamins and minerals and pH levels of the rice water and when you use it as a rinse, it restores and balances the pH of your hair.
Also, during fermentation, a substance called ‘Pitera’ forms in the rice water, and it is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and organic acids. Pitera is known to promote cell regeneration and keep your skin and hair healthy.
It has more benefits than plain rice water as it has a higher amount of antioxidants which help combat cell damage. which is why they can be found in a lot of beauty products. *throw the water after 3 days*.
Why does Rice have great value in terms of Beauty?
Rice grains have a high starch content (70-80%) and are packed with amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and soaking it brings out all the nutrients and when it is massaged in your scalp, your scalp receives the pure and saturated amount of nutrients. Starch in rice adds volume to your hair and makes it shiny. Rice water works amazingly on colour bleached hair and slow growth.
Is Rice Water Harmless?
Well, actually no! Overdoing anything is bad. Whatever you’re applying rice water or fermented rice water, it is a saturated nutrient, applying too much protein and if there is not enough moisture in the hair, it can cause hair to look and feel very dry and brittle.
This is one so far has been of my favourite article. I hope you all find this article on rice water for hair: how to make and use it correctly, to be helpful. Tell us your experience in the comments down below. Thank You Matildas.
Faq of Rice Water for Hair
How long does it take for Hair to Grow after using Rice Water? Rice Water is a saturated protein and vitamin B8 which increases the growth-related cells and penetrates through and protects damaged hair. Visible results can be seen after 30-40 days of use. How long can I store Rice Water? It is advised to throw away the rice water on the third day of use. Can I keep Rice Water sprayed in hair overnight? You should at least keep rice water applied for 15mins before washing it off and yes there are people who keep it overnight and wash it off the next day. Does Rice Water work on grey hair? Rice Water can work as a cleanser and conditioner but does network at all on grey hair. Can Rice Water damage hair ? Rice Water is full of Nutrients. Too much protein and lack of moisture can cause the hair to become dry.

