Bestie, think twice before tossing rice water down the drain when you are cooking. This simple and overlooked ingredient has been said to be a miracle worker for skin, hair, and overall health.
“I’ve been using rice water for about a year and a half now after coming across an article on hair growth secrets online and decided to give it a try,” states Sthethelelwe Hlongwa from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
“It promotes a lot of hair growth in length, so the hair seems to be growing at a faster rate. After consistent use, my hair looks so much healthier, fuller, and longer; I can definitely see the difference myself.”
Sthethelelwe Hlongwa
Hlongwa says there have been no side effects except for a smell that is easily solved by shampooing.
After experiencing hair loss following pregnancy, Nosipho Ndlovu from Pretoria says she embarked on a quest for natural remedies and has since found rice water to be a game-changer.
‘I tried it on my hair and skin’
“I initially started using rice water for my hair and made a groundbreaking discovery when I used it on my face. I can confidently say I was able to see results much quicker when I incorporated rice water into my skincare routine. My hair would be fuller, and it gave me smoother, more youthful-looking skin,” Ndlovu explains.
She adds, “After some time of using rice water on my hair, it would become extremely dry and brittle. I was able to combat this by adding a leave-in conditioner. I, however, have no disadvantages when I use it for my skin.”
For the past year, Marubini Mutavhatsindi from Gauteng has been using rice water with a hair growth goal in mind, and it has since become a less expensive way for her to enhance her hair health and growth.
“Using rice water for my hair was effective to the point where I had to stop using it as my hair was growing faster and I already had a full head of afro hair. My hair became softer and longer with the use of rice water.”
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Anti-ageing and sun-protection properties
Dietitian Kulani Mtileni from Limpopo explains that a 2013 study showed that rice water can help improve skin damage from the sun and it increases collagen in the skin, which keeps skin supple and helps prevent wrinkling. He says rice water also appears to have natural sunscreen properties.
According to him, other studies show strong evidence for the anti-ageing benefits of fermented rice water because of its antioxidant properties.
“Rice water is known to help with skin irritation caused by sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), an ingredient found in many personal care products. Anecdotal evidence has shown that using rice water twice a day helps skin that has been dried and damaged by SLS,” Mtileni explains.
“Plenty of people claim that applying rice water topically can soothe the skin, clear up blemishes caused by skin conditions like eczema, and help it heal. Based on what we know about the properties of rice water, there’s reason to think that some of these claims are true. However, hard evidence is still lacking.”
Dietitian Kulani Mtileni
Mtileni says hair that’s been bleached can be helped by inositol, a chemical in rice water. “Rice water can help repair damaged hair from the inside out, including split ends.”
While there’s solid evidence that rice helps with diarrhoea, he warns that it often contains traces of arsenic.
“Drinking a lot of rice water with a concentration of arsenic can also lead to cancer, vascular disease, hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.”
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How to prepare rice water
He explains the different ways to prepare rice water, which all require thorough rinsing of the rice before working with it.
“Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain. Use about four times more water than rice. Stir the rice and water together and bring to a boil. Remove it from the heat. Take a spoon and press the rice to release the helpful chemicals; strain out the rice with a sieve; and refrigerate the water in an airtight container for up to a week. Dilute with plain water before using.”
“You can also make rice water by soaking rice in water. Follow the same process as above, but instead of boiling the rice and water, let it soak for at least 30 minutes before pressing the rice and straining it through the sieve. Finally, refrigerate the rice water.”
Mtileni suggests adding a little essential oil to give your homemade rice water a pleasant aroma. “You can apply the rice water to your hair from the roots to the ends, leave it on for at least 10 minutes, and rinse it out.”
“Rice water is very popular right now. While not all claims about how it can help your skin and hair are proven, there’s evidence that it helps with certain types of skin problems and repair damaged hair.”
While it’s not recommended to drink a lot of rice water due to its possible arsenic content, he says applying it to your skin and hair may bring positive benefits.
“Speak with a dermatologist or dietitian first before beginning any skin regimen or using rice water as a home remedy.”
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