Growing Healthy natural hair is one step, keeping a healthy head of hair is a daily commitment. In order to retain length, you have to put in the work in taking care of it every day. The best way to do that is to keep a clean scalp and feed the strands to keep them strong.
A little secret from nature that helps to significantly improves your hair growth and health is rice water. Your hair needs 18 different types of amino acids to produce the protein keratin, they are essential to your hair growth.
Rice is rich in amino acids and proteins, you can ferment the rice to turn the protein into amino acids which will boost the nutritional value of the rice. Rice water contains 8 of those amino acids, a good amount to start out with to keep your hair and scalp healthy. That milk like colored liquid that forms after you boil your rice is the secret ingredient to long, beautiful hair. The amino acids in rice water help to prevent split ends while adding strength. Rice contains 'water-soluble vitamins and minerals' that is filled with vitamin B that help your cells produce black pigment and keep hair strong. It also contains vitamin E that helps prevent hair loss and improve the appearance of the hair by reducing frizz and adding luster and shine. Vitamin C helps produce sebum to keep the hair moisturized. Rice water can help cure dandruff that could be caused by stress to more serious diseases.
Rice water helps to boost the hair elasticity and decrease the surface friction between the hair strands to prevent unnecessary breakage. Rice is rich in carbohydrate and inositol that protects and repairs your hair from damage. The inositol stays inside the hair cells after you rinse your hair to continue to protect it. Your hair will be getting the best protection from damage and experience less breakage long after you use your rice water. Fermented rice water is acidic, which is a perfect environment for you to grow healthy hair. Rinsing hair with rice water regularly keeps your hair smooth and add shine to the hair shaft. Rice water helps to increase hair elasticity of the hair strands to improve the hair condition overall.
How to use rice water for hair
It is easy to make rice water to use to rinse your hair and to create your own natural shampoo to wash and treat your hair.
Boiling
- Boiling rice water is like cooking it to eat, but you are looking to get the water.
- Measure a cup of Organic Rice and rinse your rice just once
- Using 1 Cup of rice add measure 4 cups of water adding it to the rice in a pan, allow the rice to boil for approximately 20 to 30 minute
- After the rice is cooked strain the water from the rice in a clean bowl and allow the rice water to cool down completely before use
Fermented rice water
Using 1 cup of organic rice (you don't have to rinse the rice but you can if you want to) add it to a jar that can be sealed and add 4 cups of distilled water to your jar and close it up and place it in a cool dry place
Allow the rice to ferment for 1 or up to 7 days (the longer the rice ferment the more potent it will become with a sour, pungent smell that will take over the room). It's important to think of your lifestyle and the smell the rice water will leave behind, so plan for your lifestyle.
It is a good idea to check on your jar every two days when fermenting the rice water for a week or more to release the pressure building up, plus don't tighten the jar too hard when closing it. Allow the rice to ferment without disturbing it much throughout the week, only bother the rice when checking for pressure release.
After the week is up it's time to strain the fermented rice water to use it on your hair. Grab a clean bowl and place it next to an open window or be in a ventilated room and using a Sieve start pouring the water into it to catch any fallen rice. The rice water will look milkier, have a little thicker consistency than water, and smell strong at this point. The fermented rice water is stronger than the regular rice water, so it is important to do a patch test to avoid any scalp issues.
Once your scalp is ready to go use the rice water as a final rinse on your wash day. Leaning forward, pour the rice water in small amount, making sure you are covering the entire scalp and strands of your hair. After using all the rice water massage your head for 5 to 15 minutes and leave the rice water on for another 20 minutes. If you want even more out of the treatment cover your head with a plastic cap or bag. After your time is up, rinse hair with cold water or cold aloe Vera juice to seal the cuticles and lock in moisture.
How often should you rinse your hair with rice water?
To receive the full benefits of rice water you have to be consistent with it. Your hair doesn't grow overnight, and it will not get healthy overnight. Use rice water at least once a month or as often as once a week to see a healthier, stronger, fuller head of hair.
Rice water is an inexpensive treatment that is packed with vitamins and nutrients to keep your hair healthy.
Have you tried using rice water on your natural hair.
