Have you ever wondered if rice water is good for your hair? We can see that rice water is indeed often considered a miracle of hair growth. A lot of people are advertising that rice water is good for hair, so is rice water good for hair, or is it just hype? Read on to find out the real answer!
Is Rice Water Good For Your Hair?
The use of rice and water to enhance and beautify hair is nothing new. According to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Chemists, it dates back to the Heian period in Japan, when court women had beautiful long hair. Their secret is rice and water. Yao women in China are also known for having hair that is on average 6 feet long. And they keep their hair color longer, not starting to get gray until they're in their 80s. They credit them with washing their hair with rice water.
Rice Water hair care, used by women centuries ago, contains vitamins B1 and B6, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, manganese and many other ingredients. Rice soup is also packed with vitamins. It also contains trace elements -- potassium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, manganese, and lots of fiber. Inositol, an important substance in rice, is used to treat different diseases and is believed to balance female hormones and help reverse thinning hair.
Studies have found that inositol in rice water can penetrate damaged hair and repair it from the inside out. It may even protect hair from future damage. So rice water is indeed good for your hair.
What Are the Benefits of Rice Water For Hair?
Using rice wash water regularly has many benefits for your hair.
Rice contains small amounts of the amino acid cysteine, which is a hair protein that helps supplement nutrients. This helps to nourish the hair and provide nutrients for the scalp.
Another beneficial ingredient in rice soup is inositol, a vitamin-like substance commonly found on the ingredient list of hair growth supplements. Studies have shown that inositol can prevent hair damage and repair weak, breakable hair.
Rice water is rich in vitamins and contains vitamins B and E. This means rice water helps to add shine, soften and smooth hair without the use of chemicals or heavy products.
Starch in rice water naturally coats the outermost layer of hair. This not only helps to add volume and thickness, but also creates a smoothing effect for frizzy hair types and split ends.
Due to its antioxidant properties, rice water helps to remove toxins that may accumulate in the scalp, thus preventing premature hair loss and grey hair.
So rice water helps remove dandruff, strengthens hair strands, stimulates their growth, energizes and significantly improves their appearance. Women also notice the benefits of rice water on their hair, such as shine, volume, smoothness, and easier combing.
How To Make Rice Water?
There are 3 most popular and effective ways to make rice water for hair. Soak, boil and ferment.
Soaking:
1. Take 1 cup of uncooked rice; Rinse thoroughly.
2. Add 2-3 cups of water; Leave for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the rice water into a clean bowl.
This method is great for people who are very busy and don't have much time.
Boiling:
1. Take ½ cup of rice.
2. Add 1 cup of water.
3. Cook rice in boiling water.
4. Strain the rice water into a clean bowl before use.
This is a concentrate that you can dilute before rinsing your hair. The amount of dilution depends on the length and greasiness of the hair. Usually, it's 1:10. The oilier the hair, the lower the concentration should be.
Fermentation:
1. Take two cups of rice.
2. Add more than twice as much water.
3. Let the rice soak for 20-30 minutes.
4. Pour the water into a glass bottle, seal it and leave it at room temperature away from light for 12-24 hours (no more than 2 days).
5. When a sour taste appears, stop fermentation and refrigerate to preserve all the beneficial properties gained during fermentation (can be refrigerated for up to a week).
Fermentation reduces the pH of the rice water to that of the hair and nourishes the hair better due to the vitamins effectively penetrating into the scalp and hair structure. Also good for oily scalp.
How To Use Rice Water On Your Hair?
1. Wash your hair with shampoo.
2. Rinse thoroughly with water from the tap.
3. Pour rice water onto your hair.
4. Massage the rice water into the hair and scalp.
5. Leave on for up to 20 minutes.
6. Rinse hair thoroughly using warm water from the tap.
All in all, washing your hair with rice water is a helpful treatment because it is a hair cuticle enhancer, a great antioxidant, and one of the best scalp nourishers. You can try this method.