Rice Water: Facts, Myths, & Lore

Homemade rice water has been all the rage lately! The easy to make recipes accompanying photos of women working in rice fields with 5 feet plus worth of long, pitch black hair is eye catching and awe inspiring. But how beneficial is it really?

Background:

(photo courtesy of TopChinaTravel.com)

The village of Huang Luo is about 347 miles inland from Hong Kong and located amongst rice terraces. The Yao tribe are one of the recognized ethnic minorities in China with a last known number of over 2 million residing in mainly the south central parts of China. While one can attribute the use of rice water and herbs used to grow long shiny hair, there are 2 things to also keep in mind. Culture and Genetics. The women of Huang Luo only cut their hair once in their lives. On a special day in their 18^thyear of life. From there, they keep their hair long and worn in a beautiful bun on over their forehead or covered (depending on their marital status). This attributes to a town full of stunning long flowing hair. Genetics, hormones, and diet play a VERY large role in hair texture, thickness, and stability.

Benefits:

(Photo courtesy of Foto T)

Many have been posting at home recipes as a great way to get the benefits of a Rice Water Rinse. Rice contains a commonly found carbohydrate called inositol which is touted as providing moisture, increase elasticity, closing the cuticle. All wonderful things! Rice also contains many nutrients such as Vitamin B which is known for its melanin producing qualities. This could explain, at least partially, why many of the women of Huang Luo are still rocking luscious dark locks deep into their golden years. Traditionally, the rinse is made by boiling rice, water, fresh ginger, and herbs, then cooled and placed into a clay pot to ferment. The hair is then dipped into the bowl and combed through using a large tooth wooden comb.

Cautions:

Too much of a good thing can be bad. Overuse of Rice Water can cause an overload of proteins making the hair look and feel dry and brittle. This can happen with any protein rich hair treatment and you should always start out using a product once or twice a week and seeing how your hair feels.

Also, any water-based product WILL grow mold and bacteria if not properly preserved. So, any homemade concoctions will need to be used much sooner rather than later.

Conclusion:

Thoughts from Owner and Hairstylist Amber Morrow:

I’ve been looking into this trend for a few years now and while I think it can be super beneficial to hair that is damaged and in need of some TLC, I’m on the fence with how much it actually boosts growth (not to say that it doesn’t). So many factors play into this, and everyone’s hair is different. If you do choose to try your own at home recipe, please consider using organic rice to lower the amount of pesticides you’ll be exposed to.

Have you tried Rice Water Rinses before? Let us know how it worked out for you!