How Do You Make Rice Water For Your Hair?

According to Medical News Today, Japanese women living during the Heian period kept their hair healthy by bathing it in rice water. Today, Yao women living In the village of Huangluo in China claim rice water is the reason for their long hair, which has an average length of 6 feet. Though there is no scientific evidence of rice water's growing power, dermatologist Neil Sadick, M.D., of Sadick Dermatology believes it can help hair look healthier and feel stronger. "Rice proteins can strengthen hair strands and seal split ends," Sadick told Refinery29. "It contains carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins that can foster a balanced environment in the scalp to keep your follicles healthy."

If you're feeling curious and want to give it a go, you're probably wondering how you make rice water for your hair. Lucky for you, it's one of the more simple beauty treatments to mix up in your kitchen.

Rice water is as just as it sounds — it's the water that comes with cooking white rice. However, making rice water for your hair is very different from making rice to eat as there is no actual need to cook it. Instead of adding one cup of rice for every two cups of water, add two to three tablespoons of rice to two cups of water. The next step is to mix the rice and the water before allowing it to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes. You're waiting for the water to turn a milky, cloudy color, which lets you know that this is when it's ready to strain and use on your hair. 

Some rice water advocates believe that you will achieve better results if you allow the water to ferment for up to three days (via Good Housekeeping). If you choose to go down this route, YouTuber Lana Summers suggests adding in citrus peels to avoid any sort of unusual smell. 

To use your DIY rice water, it can be used as a leave-in conditioner, or simply rinse it out in the shower when you're done.