The next time you boil the rice, think twice before throwing away the water. Rice water is rich in minerals and vitamins that make it fantastic for skin and hair. Asian women have used rice water for centuries to beautify hair, face and skin. Read on to find out how to make rice water and how to use it for beauty.
What is rice water?
Rice water, in its simplest form, is the water left over after washing the rice during preparation for eating. It can be concentrated or diluted and even fermented to carry out most of its benefits.
It contains nutrients that can fortify hair and renew skin when used as a hair wash or facial rinse, and unlike many skin or hair care products on the commercial market, it serves as an easy and natural way to skin and hair care.
In a research proposal detailing a project aimed at creating more effective hair care products at Japan’s SPring-8 facility, a specific substance found in rice water, called inositol, demonstrated great utility in improving hair elasticity and reducing friction, leading to noticeable improvements in overall hair health.
Rice water is Asia’s best kept beauty secret
Water from this grain has been used since ancient times in Oriental medicine in many places on the Asian continent to keep skin supple and youthful looking and grow strong and shiny hair. You won’t find any kind of sulfate or silicate in a container with rice water, and the best part is that you can make easy and quick use from the comfort of your own home and for a price that can’t be beat.
Traditionally, women who produced rice in Japan used to bathe and wash in the water used to clean white rice.
According to an article, the secret to keeping hair dark and clean, is to wash it with rice water. It is a natural shampoo and a good conditioner for hair.
Rice water is prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors as an effective ointment to cool surfaces of inflamed skin.
3 methods to prepare rice water for skin and hair
If you want to test whether using rice water in your own hair and skincare routine can be beneficial for you, here are some quick and easy recipes for preparing a batch of rice water:
What rice to use?
Brown, long grain and white, short grain white, jasmine, or whatever you have.
Method 1: Boiled rice water
To make a rice water concentrate to use all week in its diluted form as a face wash or hair rinse, prepare the rice as you normally would, but use two to three times the amount of water you would normally use.
After the rice has been cooked, you can strain it. The excess water will be a bright white color, and will contain a high concentration of nutrients. However, do not use it in full force. Instead, dilute a few tablespoons of this concentrated rice water in a cup of clean water, making a mixture of an almost milky look.
Use this diluted solution to wash your face or treat your hair, and store what you over the concentrate in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to a week.
Method 2: Fast method without boiling
If you want to extract rice water quickly and don’t want to go through the hassle of diluting and storing, simply drink two cups of water and add half a cup of rice for 15 minutes. Strain the rice and use this rice water to wash your face, hair, or both.
Method 3: Fermented rice water
Fermented rice water is thought to be especially good for hair because of the pH change that occurs in the water during the fermentation process (the process makes the pH of rice water more in line with the natural pH of the hair, and causes the release of a chemical called pitera that can promote cell regeneration). Achieving this method calls for some additional measures, but the results are totally worth it.
To make the fermented water rice, prepare rice water according to the fast non-boiling method listed above and let it rest in a jar at room temperature for one or two days (in warmer climates, the fermentation process will take less time). When a slightly acidic odor arises in the rice water, boil the water and then cool it in order to stop the fermentation process. When it cools, use this rice water for skin toning or as a hair rinse.
This fermented rice water is very potent, so it is best to dilute it with 1-2 cups of warm water before using it.
Wash your face with rice water every day, before bedtime, and use it in your hair as a final rinse no more than once or twice a week, think of it as if it were a deep conditioner, where just a little can make a big difference.
The benefits are maintained even after it has been rinsed, so you can wash and rinse yourself as you normally would without any fear of unsightly buildup that may occur.
How to use rice water for skin and hair?
You can use rice water every day as part of your cleansing and skincare routine, in the morning or evening. For hair, it is recommended to use once or twice a week, either to wash the hair or as a rinse.
