The secret of shiny hair for Japanese and Chinese women: a simple and ancient recipe

Rice + water = rice water. Yes, it’s as simple as that. Rice water is the liquid left over after soaking rice, which is used to sing odes to Kim Kardashian and Cardi B: according to stars, it’s this vital moisture that makes their hair look great. No wonder rice water has become a trend on TikTok.

“Using rice water for hair is a centuries-old Japanese and Chinese practice,” says New York dermatologist Jeannette Graf, MD. The infusion is also used to treat hair in Southeast Asian countries, including Korea and Thailand, she said.

“Rice is rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants,” says Dr. Graf. “But how many of them end up in the water, and how it will then affect the hair, is unknown.” Some research is being done, but science rarely pays close attention to social media trends, adds Jeannette.

However, Graf thinks the water probably contains the same nutrients as brown rice and therefore may be good for the hair. For example, vitamin B5, also known as panthenol, can soften it, while fiber can coat and add volume to your hair.

Antioxidants, including ferulic acid, may provide protection against oxidative stress. Rice is also rich in amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, including the keratin that makes up our hair. This is why rice water can be a good tonic.

“Rice contains inositol, and there is scientific evidence that it can promote healthy hair growth,” says Dr. Graf. However, she believes that more research is needed: so far, the effectiveness of inositol for the treatment of baldness has only been tested in mice.

Simply soak half a cup of dry white rice in about two to three cups of water for 30 minutes to an hour. The liquid should look milky and cloudy – the less transparent the better: this means that the water has taken up the maximum amount of nutrients from the grain.

The resulting solution can be used to rinse while washing your hair, or you can pour it into a spray bottle and spray the curls until they are completely wet. Wash off the rice water after 20-30 minutes. If you decide to make a mask at night, do not apply liquid to the scalp – only to the hair itself.

Rice water should not be used more than once or twice a week, otherwise the proteins it contains will accumulate on the skin and clog the pores. In this case, instead of hair growth, you will experience hair loss and inflammation of the scalp: the rule “the more, the better” does not work in the case of water. rice.

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