Men and women in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia have used rice water as a hair treatment for ages. Though does rice water have scientifically proven beauty uses?

Rice water is the starchy water left over after boiling or soaking rice. It is believed to make hair smooth and shiny while helping it grow faster.

Here we explore the beauty benefits of rice water hair treatments and whether scientific study backs up the claimed results.

Use rice water for hair

Rice water can increase hair shine, make it stronger and detangle it. Rice grains contain 75-80% starch. Rice water is the starchy water left over after soaking or cooking rice. Rice water is believed to have many of the vitamins and minerals found in rice. These include:

• • amino acids
  • vitamin B 
  • Vitamin E
  • minerals
  • antioxidants

History

According to researchers, Trusted Source, women in the Heian period (794 to 1185 CE) in Japan had long hair that they kept healthy by bathing it in rice water.

A modern equivalent of this story is discovered in China. Yao women, who live in a village called Huangluo in China, are famous for having hair that averages 6 feet in length. 

In addition to its stunning length, Yao women’s hair holds its color longer, as they don’t start to gray until they reach their 80s. Yao women attribute the size and color of their hair to the fact that they bathe it in rice water.

Beauty advice areas and product developers have embraced this tradition in recent years. Now the rice water trend is spreading. 

Benefits of Rice for Your Hair

1. detangles the hair
2. makes hair softer and fluffier
3. increases glow and shine
4. makes hair stronger
5. supports hair grow long and healthy

What the research says

As the popularity of using rice water for hair grows, there is growing anecdotal proof of its advantages. But are the claims scientifically proven?

At first glance, a 2010 paper from Trusted Source suggests they may be. The authors note that rice water can reduce surface friction and increase hair elasticity. However, the study relies on historical examples to draw unfounded findings.

Elsewhere, a research center in Japan has developed an imaging procedure that pictures the fortifying effect of inositol on hair. Inositol is contained in rice water.

It is important to note that this research is published directly by an institution with retail interests.

To date, the benefits of rice water for hair stay unproven. More research is needed to back up anecdotal evidence on the benefits of rice water for hair.

How to use rice water

You can use rice water instead of a hair conditioner. To do this, an individual must:

• wash hair with shampoo
• rinse absolutely with tap water
• for rice water on their hair
• massage the rice water into the hair follicle and get all the benefits of rice water.

Do you want to skip the above process and need a perfect solution? Use our Incredible Man Rice water hair shampoo that will moisturize and make your hair healthy and shiny.