Unhappy with your hair? Then this centuries-old hair rinse technique using rice water might be your saving grace.
For years, women in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia have used rice water as their secret hack for long, strong, and shiny hair. Since then, beauty gurus and researchers alike have studied this ancient practice to see: does it really work?
As it turns out, studies have found that inositol, an ingredient found in rice water, is able to penetrate damaged hair and repair it from the inside out. Moreover, researchers also found that rice water is good for preventing future damage.
Here’s how to use rice water on your hair
What you will need
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup water
How to make it
- Rinse and strain your rice to remove any impurities that you don’t want to apply to your hair.
- Mix the strained rice in a medium-sized bowl with the water. You should mix until the water becomes pretty cloudy.
- Strain the rice, saving the water in another container. Store the rice for later, or cook it up!
- Put the rice water in a plastic container and cover it. Let the rice water sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. This allows it to ferment and all of the yummy vitamins and minerals to come out. Don’t let it sit for over 24 hours, or else you risk letting it go bad.
- After letting it ferment, store the rice water in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- Fill a small container, like a travel-sized shampoo bottle, a small jar, or a small spray bottle, with rice water for application. Keep the rest in your fridge.
How to use it
Simply incorporate the rice water rinse into your normal shower routine, applying the rinse after shampooing and conditioning, whether that’s once a day or once a week.
When applying the rice water, focus on working the water into your strands by honing in on your scalp and then letting your fingers work their way out. After thoroughly working it into your hair, let it sit for two to five minutes, and then rinse. Your strands should feel a bit stronger, almost like their “coated” in the rinse even after washing it out of your hair.
