On this episode of under the turban we take a closer look at the rice water trend hitting social media and the natural hair community.  Before we get into it I would like to implore everyone to remember that no one method works for all hair types. Your genetics, diet and overall health impact this more than anything else. With anything I suggest that start slow by testing a small portion of hair or use on whole head a few times a week to see how your hair reacts to it.

The recipe I include in this post is from Josiphia Rizado and it is by far the best tutorial I have see. She has done a lot of research and I have to say that I have seen thicker and faster hair growth over the last 2 months of using her method. What makes her method different is the addition of citrus and other herbs into the mixture to further the growth potential of the mixture. 

You can follow her on instagram here: Instagram

Her website: Website

History

Using rice water as hair care is said to originate from the Heian period (794 to 1185 CE) in Japan where the women had hair down to the floor.  

In modern times the Yao women in the village of Huangluo in China use rice water for their hair with many having an average of 6 foot of hair.  Along with hair length many of the women do not begin to gray until they reach their 80’s. 

The hair community have caught wind of these techniques and you will find many videos and testimonials of the “miracle” of rice water.  

Steps

1. Add water to rice- It is suggested you use long grain white rice but you can experiment with any rice except instant rice. 
2. Rinse the rice lightly. I skip this step and she mentions you do not have to do this step. 
3. Wash the rice thoroughly rubbing between the palms. This allows the nutrients to be expelled from the grain. 
4. Pour the liquid into a cup or directly into a small pot
5. Peel your citrus, you can use orange, grapefruit, lemon ect. Remember whatever citrus you use will be the dominate fragrance of your final mixture. 
6. Pour rice water liquid into pot, if already in pot add citrus into pot. 
7. You can also add your other additives here. I add rosemary, garlic and mint. Start off simple with just the citrus and add as you go along. Remember that whatever you add will alter the fragrance. 
8. Bring mixture to a boil this should take 5-10 minutes. 
9. Let sit for a few minutes and add liquid, citrus and other ingredients into a container with a lid.  like using mason jars.
10. Let sit for one week-a month.  What I like to do is let sit for a week and then transfer some of the mixture into a spray bottle.  I let the remainder of the mixture sit longer  in the mason jar and add new rice water to the jar as I make it. 

BENEFITS

• detangles the hair
• makes hair smoother
• increases shine
• makes hair stronger
• helps hair grow long

Warnings

• Too much rice water can cause protein overload which can harden hair. Because of this it is suggested you use it only monthly. 
• I have 4c bleached hair so using this as a spray a few times a week has not shown any negative effects. I also use it along with LOC method and regular scalp massages. 

How to use rice water 

• wash hair with shampoo
• rinse thoroughly with water from the tap
• pour rice water onto their hair
• massage the rice water into the hair and scalp
• leave on for up to 20 minutes
• rinse hair thoroughly using warm water from the tap

My Tips

• I’ve played around with the original recipe. I do add citrus by way of lemon or orange, whichever I have in hand. 
• I only make rice water when I’m about to cook rice which is usually every other week or so. That way I don’t waste the rice. You can put a label on your rice container to serve as a reminder. 
• I’ve added dried rosemary, mint, garlic and even onion as they are all natural hair growth ingredients.  
• Remember that adding other things will effect the scent of your mixture. You can add a few drop of essential oil to help with the scent but start small and work your way up. 
• Create two container one you keep in a mason jar that you can let sit for weeks at a time. Another in a spray bottle that you can use regularly  and refill as you add new rice water into mason jar. 
• I use the L.O.C (liquid, oil, cream) method whenever I use this mixture. Liquid is the rice water, followed by and oil and then a cream. I massage my scalp and go on with my day or pop on a shower cap and turban to do a deep conditioning treatment.