What Are the Benefits of Rice Water for Hair? How to Use it?

We would be lying if we say we have not tried out every possible hair treatment to keep our tresses in their best shape. From homemade treatments to expensive hair products, we have used it all. Rice water for hair is one of the oldest methods used as a natural hair fall treatment.

Its use dates back to the Heian period (794 to 1184 CE) and at the latest used by big names as Cardi B and Kardashians. This blog will tell you all about its benefits.

Rice water can be extremely useful for hair growth. Pollution, an unbalanced diet, and our lifestyle these days eventually lead to hair fall or hamper its growth and at such times rice water for hair comes to the rescue.

It has essential vitamins, proteins, and minerals that contribute to hair health. It is natural, safe and it has absolutely no side effects. We can either use boiled rice water for hair or a fermented one. Read to know about how to make and use rice water for hair and its benefits.

How Do You Make Rice Water for Your Hair?

There are two kinds of rice water which you can prepare for hair treatment – boiled and fermented. However, their preparation does not have much difference and they are used almost in the same way, that is, after shampooing and washing your hair.

How Do You Make Boiled Rice Water for Your Hair?

1. Take one cup of rice and rinse it thoroughly to remove any kind of dirt and impurities.
2. Add this clean rice to a bowl and add 2 cups of water. Let it sit for half an hour.
3. Meanwhile, boil 4 cups of water. Strain the rice and put it in the boiling water. Let the rice cook as you do generally.
4. When rice is cooked, strain the rice water in a clean bowl.
5. This rice water will be concentrated, so dilute it with plain water until it is just slightly cloudy.
6. When the water comes to room temperature, pour it into a jar and store it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to a week.

How Do You Make Fermented Rice Water for Your Hair?

1. Take one cup of rice and rinse it thoroughly to remove any kind of dirt and impurities.
2. Add this clean rice to a bowl and add 3 cups of water. Let it sit for an hour.
3. When the water gets cloudy in color, strain the same, and collect it in a tumbler. Leave that as it is for a day or two for fermenting.
4. When you start noticing a sour smell coming from the jar, stop the fermentation, and put the jar into the fridge.
5. Add a cup or two of warm water before you use the fermented rice water as it is highly potent and direct use is not recommended.

What Are the Benefits of Rice Water for Hair?

The benefits of applying rice water on hair are many. One of the prominent benefits of rice water is that it decreases hair fall and aids in hair growth. Rice water contains amino acids and vitamins B, C, and E, which help in the regeneration of hair and fasten the speed of growth of hair. Not only that, but it also strengthens your hair roots, adds shine to your hair, and makes it smooth and silky.

The strained rice water also contains inositol, a type of carbohydrate which helps in repairing hair damage and protects hair in general. Rinsing your hair with this water after shampooing also tames the dryness and frizziness in your hair.

Apart from this, you can use rice water as a hair conditioner too. Add 3-4 drops of essential oils like olive, rosemary, lavender, or almond oil into the rice water and apply it to the entire length of your hair. Leave it for 20-30 minutes and then wash it off.

Research conducted by NCBI has found that rice bran extracts and rice water are helpful in reducing hair fall and enhancing hair growth when used as a cosmetic product. Rice water contains vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, and minerals. And this is one of the reasons many companies who manufacture hair products have started including the same in their products.

How to Use Rice Water for Hair?

The best part about including rice water in your hair regime is that you do not need to change anything in the regular hair washing process. Neither you will have to change the shampoo you are using nor you will have to increase/decrease the number of days when you generally wash off your hair.

Dilute the strained/fermented rice water and store it in a glass jar or any spray bottle. Shampoo your hair, and pour the rice water over it. Leave it for around 20 minutes and gently massage your scalp during this time. Rinse your hair properly after you are done. Use it once or maximum twice a week.

EndNote

Rice water can be your miracle hair potion. It is packed with all the necessary ingredients that your hair needs to flourish. However, there are a few underlying conditions that need expert intervention as they cannot be treated with the help of a natural ingredient.

We, at Advanced Hair Studio, can help you in understanding your hair texture and your scalp health. No treatment can work on an unhealthy scalp. We custom-make every treatment according to our client’s needs. Maintaining a beautiful head of hair is a reality and not a dream with us. Reach us to know more.

FAQs on Rice Water

If you are still confused about the benefits of rice water for hair or how to use it, these are the frequently asked questions and their answers:

How Long Does It Take for Rice Water to Grow Your Hair?

While using rice water for hair treatment, one must remember it does not fix the hair problems quickly. You must first let the solution set for 24-48 hours and then use it at least once a week. The amino acids and vitamins contained in it increase the speed at which it produces results. It takes around 30 to 45 days to show positive results.

Can I Leave Rice Water in My Hair Overnight?

No, you should not leave rice water in your hair overnight especially if your hair is protein sensitive. Leaving the same in your hair overnight will lead to an excessive amount of protein in your hair which might make your hair brittle. The maximum amount of time for which the rice water must be left in your hair is 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off.

Does Rice Water Help Baldness?

Rice water is a great technique if you want to reduce your hair fall. It helps in hair growth too. But one must always consult a hair care expert for problems like baldness. Rice water only plays a supporting role in hair growth.

Do You Put Rice Water on Wet or Dry Hair?

Rice water is always used in wet hair. You first wash your hair with shampoo as you do generally. After that, you pour or spray the rice water on your hair. Keep the same for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off.