Rice Water Challenge for Longer Stronger Hair

Monday, April 15, 2019

Rice Water Challenge for Longer Stronger Hair



Hi Divas

Do you know that rice water is the miracle liquid for long Rapunzel flowing hair? Well, I had no idea either until I came across a YouTube video showcasing this. There is a tribe deep in the heart of China called the Red Yao and their women are held in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest hair in a village. They say their secret is plain old rice water. By old I mean fermented rice water. How crazy is that? For centuries, women in Asia have been washing their hair in rice water and have achieved beautiful long, thick and strong hair. It is not just an old wives' tale. There are actual scientific proof and results that rice water is extremely beneficial in keeping your hair healthy and growing super long. I did some further research, and saw that many women around the world, have been incorporating rice water into their hair wash routines and saw results. I showed the YouTube Red Yao video to my mom and sister and they were equally amazed. We collectively decided to take on the hair challenge and start using rice water. Once you see that video, I swear you will start using it too. I cannot believe that I have been eating rice all my life and just thrown valuable nutrient water down the drain when cooking it. Not anymore! By the way, this is going to be the longest blog post of life so grab a snack!


Benefits of Rice Water
So, you may be thinking, how on earth can rice water help my hair? Let me tell you, when you soak rice or cook it in water, many valuable nutrients are extracted. When you let it ferment for a day or two a concentrated yeast called pitera and a carbohydrate inositol forms which contains valuable vitamins, minerals and amino acids. These all regenerate the cells and stimulate hair growth while strengthening the actual hair shafts of your existing tresses. They stick to the hair and form a protective layer thus keeping it from further damage. When you wash your hair in rice water, all these valuable nutrients penetrate and shield your hair. This is also true for skin, as rice water is known to act as a moisturizing and anti ageing benefit. Both your skin and hair will be radiant, glowing, healthy and strong. 


Benefits of oranges for Hair Health
To prepare your rice water and get all the benefits, you will need to let it go through a fermenting process. This is where all the magic happens and the nutrients are absorbed into the water. Unfortunately, fermented rice water smells really pungent. It's so bad that some people compare it to toilet odours and you don't want to walk around with a stench in your hair. To combat this, Red Yao women would boil the rice in tea leaves but you can add orange peels, ginger or essential oils. I prefer oranges as it has awesome nutrients for your hair too. Did you know that orange juice is an excellent conditioner for your hair? It activates hair growth too as it contains inositol, folic acid and vitamins A and B. These all aid in treating dandruff, stimulating hair growth and conditioning your hair. The juice and the white fibres of an orange peel are wonderful for cleansing the scalp. I therefore use orange peels to ferment with my rice water. It completely eliminates the smell. All I get is a fresh citrus scent on my hair. It's amazing!



How to Prepare Rice Water
 There are two methods to preparing rice water. You can either cook your rice as you would normally for a meal and keep that left over water, or you could take uncooked rice and soak it in water for a day or two. I have been using the last method. Here is the recipe:

1. You will need a 3/4 to half a cup of rice, depending on hair length, and rinse it off thoroughly in water to get rid of dust and any impurities.
2. Place your clean rice in a jar and fill it with orange peels or ginger to get rid of odours and add extra nutrients from these ingredients.
3. Fill the jar with plain old water and seal it tightly. Use a glass jar as this will help the fermenting process.
4. Keep the jar in a cool dry place, away from sunlight for one or two days


Rice Water Application
1. When using rice water, first wash your hair thoroughly with your shampoo of choice to clean the scalp and get rid of dirt and oil.
2. Strain the water from the rice and put it in a squirt bottle. You can spray the rice onto your scalp or let it slowly run on your head. Coat the hair in the water. I like to do this over the bath for a mess free application.
3. Place a towel around your neck and wrap your hair in a bun. I like to use a shower cap to keep the water from running down my face.
4. After 30 to 40 minutes, rinse your hair with normal water. Apply your favourite conditioner and proceed your hair washing routine as normal.


Results to expect
I have to stress that hair growth is dependent on genetics, hair type, diet and lifestyle. According to genetics some people's hair might grow an inch faster in a month compared to others. This does not mean that if you experience extremely slow hair growth, your hair is not growing. If you are alive, it means your hair is growing. You just have to be patient and take extra care of your hair. Another point is that no matter how many times you wash your hair with rice water, it won' help if you don't drink any water and eat a balanced diet. Hair grows from within and you need the valuable nutrients and proteins to make healthy hair. You can even incorporate vitamins into your diet if you feel you not getting enough. Lastly, your existing hair won't grow if you are not taking care of it. Be gentle with your hair. Avoid breakage by not using too much heat tools, over processing treatments, and harsh hairstyles such as tight buns or pony tails that may make the hair weak and break. Research what works best for your hair type and proceed from there. Deep conditioning treatments are very important to keep the hair moisturised and strong too. I will do a blog post on my absolute favourite deep conditioners.

The important thing to remember is that you want healthy, strong hair and not just long hair. Results may not be like the Red Yao women as we all have different hair types but your hair will be in the best condition it has ever been. I am currently doing the challenge right now and my hair does look and feel healthy. I will update on the hair growth in months to come. I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe learned something new. Let me know if you have tried the rice water challenge and if you will. Also don't forget to watch any rice water videos on YouTube for more information.



Thank you so much for reading!  
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

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14 comments

  1. Aaah I never knew about this ! Thanks for sharing Desle - really want to try it too.

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    1. Thanks so much Lynette. Let me know if you try it. 💚💙⭐️

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  2. Wow, this is awesome and such a great post. I had no idea that oranges and rice water was so good for hair. I recently cut my hair because of damage from bleaching it. I want to try this to get my hair healthy again. Xxx

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    1. I was so surprised at the benefits of oranges too. It's amazing!!

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  3. I have heard of this but never tried it. You got me convinced! Great hair tips. 💕💕

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    1. Thank you Salma. Let me know if you give it a go. 💜💙

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  4. I've never heard of this before but I'm going to look into it more as it sounds amazing xx

    Gemma • GemmaEtc.com ❤️

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    1. It really is worth looking into and give it a try. It's natural so you got nothing to lose. 😊💜

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  5. Replies
    1. It works on all hair types. That is what is so great about it. There are many videos on YouTube showing results on all hair types and textures. 😊💕

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  6. Wow!! I will definitely try this. Thanks so much

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  7. Can u tell me if i can use lemon peels instead of orange peels cuz we dont hve oranges in this season!!..pls do rply

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  8. I have a long hair and i love my hair.Those are really an excellent tips for the healthy hair.I always look for natural products for my hair.Thanks for sharing this amazing blog with us.
    Check this out

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