If you haven’t heard of using rice water for your hair, you’ve been missing out. Women in Asia have been using it as a hair treatment for hundreds of years, most notably in Japan during the Heian period (794-1185). Beauty standards for women in the Heian period included super-long hair as an absolute must. They grew hair so long that special kimonos were designed to keep hair from dragging along the floor!

An essential part of a court lady’s beauty regimen during the Heian period was to comb their hair every day with rice water, which is the starchy water that results from rinsing rice.

While your hair aspirations might not reach so high (or low, as the case may be), tons of people are talking about the great benefits of using rice water, though very little research has been done as to the actual science behind it.

Benefits of rice water for hair

When it comes to whether rice water will help your hair grow faster, there is sadly very little hard scientific evidence. What we do know, however, is that rice water contains inositol, which has been shown to penetrate, repair, and protect damaged hair.

Stronger, healthier hair means that there will be less breakage, which results in you being able to grow your hair longer and much faster than if you were constantly dealing with breakage and split ends.

Though studies are few, women all over the world are calling rice water a gift from the hair gods. They claim that its benefits, which are in part due to its inositol content, include hair that is:

♦ Easier to detangle

♦ Smoother

♦ Shinier

♦ Stronger

You’ve probably heard of the same claims from expensive products with a long list of ingredients, most of which you can’t pronounce. In the trend toward safer, cleaner beauty products to try, rice water should be at the top of your list.

Did we mention that rice water is also super cheap and easy to make? Yes, there are several products that contain rice water that you can try, but this may be the simplest DIY you’ve ever tried.

How to make rice water

All you need are two ingredients: rice and water. The easiest way is to simply soak the rice, though you can also use the water leftover from cooking if you want.

1. Mix 1 cup of rice with 1 cup of water in a medium bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes, until it is very cloudy. You can also stir occasionally.

2. Strain the rice and store your fresh rice water in the fridge! You can cook the rice with fresh water. 

Easy, right?

How to use rice water

Using a small container works best for application, and be sure to remember to bring it with you into the shower!

People have different methods when it comes to how to use rice water, but it basically boils down to one of these:

♦ Massage it into your hair and scalp after you’ve shampooed and conditioned and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse.  

Or

♦ Massage it into your hair and scalp after shampooing, then condition and rinse as normal.

Try both ways and see what works best for you and your routine!

But, what about my hair growing faster…

While rice water can help support stronger and shinier hair from the outside, you can really help promote healthy hair by giving it what it needs on the inside.

Your hair grows from the root, so all of that growing-faster action happens underneath the skin. Hair follicles need certain nutrients in order to operate at their best. Vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, B vitamins, niacin, and pantothenic acid all play a role in healthy follicles, and healthier follicles mean healthier hair.

The easiest, fastest way to make sure that you’re giving your hair what it craves is by taking a supplement that is designed to support hair growth. Look for a high-quality product, like Hair La Vie’s Revitalizing Blend Hair Vitamins, which includes natural, clean ingredients for healthier, beautiful hair.

Final thoughts

Giving rice water a try is really a no-brainer. You can make it for mere pennies, and at the very least, you can find out if it works as well for you as it does for the thousands of bloggers and vloggers who swear by it. Of course, you'll want to be sure you're eating a diet rich in nutrients. Hair La Vie's Revitalizing Blend Hair Vitamins are an easy way to ensure you're getting the vitamins and minerals your body and hair need to look and feel their best. 

But wait, since this easy beauty regimen of rice and water is made from just literally rice and water, it’s safe to use and you likely already have what you need waiting in your pantry. So really, what are you waiting for?