Rice Water for Hair Growth

These days it seems like we are all on a mission to find simple, affordable solutions to grow healthy hair. We spend tons of money purchasing hair products that make the “right” claims or list the “right” ingredients.  At one point, the desire became so intense that it pushed some people to use feminine hygiene products, cough suppressants, and products intended for horses to promote hair healthy hair growth. No shade whatsoever – most of us have heard about these trends, and I think we are all guilty of succumbing to one wacky trend or another.

What if I told you there was an inexpensive way to promote hair growth and support the overall health of your hair? What if I told you adopting an ancient Southeast Asian hair secret could guarantee popping curls, a significant reduction in breakage and shedding, and stronger healthier strands resulting in long healthy hair? Two words: “Rice Water.”

THE HISTORY

Although the practice of washing hair with fermented rice water can be traced back to ancient times, the Red Yao ethnic women of the Huangluo village in China are known for utilizing this method to grow and maintain long hair. The Guinness Book of World Records verified the Yao women’s ability to grow long hair when it named their village the “world’s longest hair village.” Because they are able to grow hair that surpasses their height, the Yao women are likened to the fictional character Rapunzel.

THE BENEFITS

1. Reduces surface friction and improves elasticity – making it easy to detangle and reducing incidents of breakage.
2. Contains Inositol, which penetrates the strands to repair existing damage and offers long-term extended protection from damage. Basically, Inositol is capable of remaining in your strands long after the rice water has been rinsed out thereby preventing and protecting your hair from future damage.
3. Contains amino acids, which strengthen your roots and thicken your hair strands – increasing overall body and volume of your hair
4. Reduces inflammation
5. Increases Circulation
6. High in antioxidants, which are essential for cell regeneration and growth

Together these benefits help PROMOTE GROWTH and RETAIN LENGTH. Length retention is the key because, unless you have a medical condition, are taking meds, or not getting the right nutrients, everyone’s hair grows at a constant rate. Often times, we just don’t know how to retain the length that has grown from our scalp…The truth about length retention is a conversation for another day. Bottom line is regular use of rice water can assist with your growth and length retention efforts.

HOW TO PREPARE IT

There are 3 ways to prepare rice water, but I am only going to speak in depth about one because I believe it is the most effective method of the three options.

1. The Boiled Water Method. With this method, you place rice in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, strain the rice and save the rice water to use on your hair after it has cooled down.
2. The Instant Mix. Literally, you let rice sit in water for 15-20 minutes, strain, and use.
3. Fermented Rice Water. (THIS IS THE GOLD STANDARD… scratch that, the PLATINUM STANDARD that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND). Place Organic Rice in a mason jar with water. Let it sit in a dark place for 24 hours and then use it as a rinse.

If you want to see my process, check out my short video below.

Basically, my combination Type 4 (low porosity) natural hair loves fermented rice water. It’s also very affordable, so it doesn’t hurt my pockets. I highly recommend it, period!