Photo Credit: Skims
As far as breakthrough trends go, no one could have expected a jar of fermented rice water to be the secret for super-strength hair. But hey, stranger things have happened this past year.
Way before the viral TikTok videos or the Kardashian blog article was released raving about the benefit, it was used centuries ago by women in Asia. Popularised in Huango, a small Chinese village, The Yao women were famous for their 6-feet long hair and only going grey when reaching the ripe old age of 80. What used to be an esoteric beauty secret has now rapidly spread across the globe but, is there scientific backing? Or is the proof solidified in the history and tradition of these ancient women?
According to expert and board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Jenny Liu and Richy Kandasmy, a successful colourist – the short answer is yes. “Scientifically, 18 amino acids have to come together to create the protein to grow hair. Rice water contains eight of these amino acids, so when rice water is used on hair, you experience more regeneration” explained Kandasmy when talking to Harpers Bazaar.
Good news for the men too, as Liu elucidates “We have limited studies, but few out of Korea demonstrate it may help with male pattern hair loss, Rice bran, in particular, has lots of fatty acids—linoleic acid and oleic acid that have been proposed to possibly inhibit the 5-α-reductase enzyme that is the cause of male pattern hair loss.” Pass it on.
How to make your DIY rice water concoction:
Step 1. Gather a bowl of organic rice – it doesn’t matter what type.
Step 2. Rinse your uncooked rice and drain. Then, add the clean rice to a bowl with 1-1.5 cups of water. Let it sit for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
Step 3. Strain the rice and save the water. You can save the rice for cooking as well.
Step 4. Wash your hair with shampoo and rinse as you normally would.
Step 5. Take the rice water and massage it into your hair and scalp. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes to an hour.
Step 6. Rinse out and admire your now gleaming hair.
This will work on any and all hair types. So if you’re in the market for tangle-free hair with strength and length, you may want to pick up a bag of organic rice and jump on the hype.
Words By Rosina Findlay
