Categories: Recipe

Rice Water for Hair Is Buzzy Right Now—Here’s What the Science Says

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James marcus

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Simply soak one-half cup of dry, uncooked white rice in about two to three cups of water for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour; any longer and the rice will get soggy and hard to strain out, says Wellman. (You could also use brown or black rice, although keep in mind that these may lead to grayish water that could discolor your hair, particularly if it’s naturally light or dyed blond, he says.) The water should look milky and cloudy: the milkier the better, as that’s a likely indication that all of the good stuff has been pulled out of the uncooked rice, according to Wellman and Dr. Graf.

Strain out the rice, then use the remaining water as a hair rinse. You can either stand in the shower and pour it all over your hair from roots to tips and massage it into your scalp, or pour it into a spray bottle and spritz it on until the hair is fully saturated. (If you don’t use it all right away, you can also store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for a few days, Wellman says.)

Be sure to do your rice water treatment before you shower: You’ll want to apply it to dry hair, which, again, is more porous than wet hair and will be better able to absorb all of the nutrients, Wellman says. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes, and then wash your hair and condition it as usual. You can sleep with rice water in your hair, although, if you’re going to go this route, Dr. Graf advises applying it on the mid-shafts to the ends of your hair only. “You don’t want to have it on your scalp overnight, as it can potentially clog the hair follicles,” she explains.

Try this treatment once or twice per week; any more frequently and you run the risk of the proteins in the rice water creating buildup on the scalp. This could potentially cause inflammation and end up negatively impacting hair growth, Dr. Wendel adds.9 Instead, think of a rice water rinse as part of a hair care routine, swapping it in place of a strengthening or reparative type treatment, like a hair mask that you’d use every few weeks.

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So long as you don’t overuse it—and you’re not allergic to it—there really are no downsides to trying a rice water rinse for your hair. Is it a magic solution for achieving Rapunzel-like strands? Probably not. But it’s a cheap, easy DIY treatment that has the potential to make your hair look and feel better.

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Sources:

  1. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, A Formulation of Face Pack and Hair Products of Rice Water for the Use of Skin and Hair Problem
  2. Antioxidants, Phytochemical Profile of Brown Rice and Its Nutrigenomic Implications
  3. International Journal of Trichology, Oxidative Stress in Ageing of Hair
  4. PeerJ, The Structure of People’s Hair
  5. Antioxidants, Fermentation Affects the Antioxidant Activity of Plant-Based Food Material through the Release and Production of Bioactive Components
  6. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, Relationship of Pantothenic Acid and Inositol to Alopecia in Mice
  7. Food & Nutrition Research, Rice Bran Mineral Extract Increases the Expression of Anagen-Related Molecules in Human Dermal Papilla Through Wnt/Catenin Pathway
  8. Skin Appendage Disorders, Hair Breakage in Patients of African Descent: Role of Dermoscopy
  9. Journal of Inflammation Research, The Inflammatory Aspect of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss

Related:

  • Do Facial Lymphatic Drainage Massages Actually Do Anything?
  • Are There Any Real Benefits to Using Castor Oil on Skin and Hair?
  • Does Facial Lymphatic Drainage Massage Actually Work?

James marcus

Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.

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