5 Reasons to Incorporate Rice Water Into Your Hair Care Routine

First and foremost, let’s figure out how rice water is made. There are three main ways to make it: you can soak rice in water for several hours; you can boil rice and use the water once it cools down; or you can soak rice in water for several days until it starts to ferment. For more detailed instructions, please check out this article.

Now that you know how to make rice water, you’re probably wondering why you need to make it. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of rice water for your hair and the reasons to incorporate it into your hair care routine.

Reason #1: It Controls Frizz and Gives Shine

One of the key benefits of rice water is that it has high starch levels. When you use rice water as a hair rinse, the starch it contains coats each hair strand, protecting it from the environment, reducing frizz, and giving your hair a natural shine. Unlike silicones contained in many commercial hair care products, rice water doesn’t weigh the hair down or make it look greasy.

Reason #2: It Acts As a Detangler

In addition to reducing frizz and making your hair shinier, the invisible layer of starch acts as a natural conditioner, making your hair smoother, boosting its elasticity and flexibility, and keeping it from getting tangled. Rice water smooths down hair cuticles, which results in soft and manageable hair.

Reason #3: It Strengthens the Hair

The starch in rice water not only remains on the hair surface, forming the protective layer, but also penetrates into the hair shafts, adding strength from the inside and making your hair appear thicker. Rice water won’t repair severely damaged hair, but if your hair is relatively healthy, it will help to keep it this way.

Reason #4: It Nourishes and Moisturizes the Hair

In addition to starch, rice grains are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants. As a result, rice water provides your hair with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, as well as locks in moisture, keeping the hair hydrated from root to tip. Additionally, antioxidants that can be found in rice water protect the hair from the harmful effects of free radicals.

Reason #5: It Improves Scalp Health

The health of your hair strongly depends on the health of your scalp. If you rub rice water into your scalp, it will nourish hair follicles, reducing hair loss and stimulating growth. It also soothes inflammation in the scalp, prevents itching and flaking, and helps to balance the scalp.

How to Use Rice Water on Your Hair

There are two main ways to incorporate rice water into your hair care routine: you can use it as a hair rinse or you can pour it into a spray bottle and use it as a detangling hair spray. In both cases, it’s better to keep rice water in the fridge in between uses. You can also use rice water as an ingredient in DIY hair masks, substituting it for regular water, green tea, and other liquid ingredients that recipes call for.