Using rice water as a technique to grow hair has been around for centuries, where ancient cultures would utilise this ingredient as part of their haircare routine. This makes sense when looking at the health benefits of rice water, as it contains amino acids, minerals, and vitamins that can host a wide potential of benefits to both hair growth and the scalp.
Many companies are now cashing in on this ancient trend, where claims of reduced breakage, increased hair strength, and faster hair growth offer an all-natural way to grow hair. Now, while there is limited scientific evidence on the benefits of rice water for hair growth, consulting a professional haircare establishment may be the best way to get the low down on what this product can do for you and your hair type.
How to make rice water at home
If you do decide to go ahead and see if rice water can contribute towards your hair goals, running a preliminary patch test will help you get a feel for the product while avoiding a potential hair emergency if the product doesn’t seem to work out so well for you.
Instead of buying it in a bar or pre-made concoction, many people also make their own rice water at home. This is a relatively simple process and shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes of your time, although you can leave it to soak for up to 2 days as we’ll see here.
To prepare the rice water, thoroughly rinse from ½ to 1 cup of rice to remove impurities. Once done, add 2-3 cups of water to a bowl with the rinsed rice and let it soak for up to 30 minutes. Then you can strain the rice water into a clean bowl or container for use. You can also ferment the strained rice water for up to 48 hours to increase the concentration of the beneficial compounds.