Fermented Rice Water Hair Treatment with Herbs

Fermented rice water has a long history of use in Asia as a hair rinse. When we soak or cook rice, we capture the natural inositol from the grain in the water. Inositol is a form of sugar that our bodies naturally produce to provide structure to our cells, and is also found in some foods, including grains and legumes like rice. Inositol-rich rice water, especially when fermented, also carries proteins, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids believed to support a healthy scalp, hair strength, and shine. Want to take it up another notch? Infuse rice water with hair-loving herbs! 

You can buy hair care products that include nutrient-dense fermented rice water, but you can save money by making your own with the rice you have on hand. Also— bonus!—making your own means you’re not bringing more non-recyclable plastic containers into your home. Best of all, you can plan your rice water rinse to correspond with your dinner plans to save time and effort.

Rice Water vs. Fermented Rice Water for Hair + Our Favorite Hair-Loving Herbs

You can use either rice water or fermented rice water as a hair rinse, so if you want a quick rinse, you don’t have to wait for rice water to ferment. You will still get the inositol, proteins, amino acids, minerals, etc. However, fermenting is gentler on your hair, boosts those nutrients, penetrates the strands, and nourishes your scalp better. Adding supportive herbs to the rice water is a simple way to increase the benefits even more.

Organic herbs we love for hair include:

Horsetail—The high silica content in Equisetum arvense stimulates scalp circulation, which provides extra blood and nutrients for healthy follicles and strong hair. Horsetail is a good choice for all hair types and is especially helpful when the scalp and hair are oily.

Lavender—As well as stimulating scalp circulation to support healthy, strong hair, Lavandula angustifolia is effective at soothing occasional scalp conditions, irritation, and dandruff. It is excellent for all hair types.

Marshmallow Root—The mucilaginous quality of Althaea officinalis coats, moisturizes and softens hair. It is appropriate for all hair types and is particularly beneficial for dry or brittle hair and unruly, flyaway hair.

Neem Leaf—The hair-loving minerals, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids in Zadirachta indica increase scalp circulation and clean and strengthen hair. Neem is an excellent choice when dealing with an irritated scalp or dandruff.

Nettle Leaf—Urtica dioica leaves have a high silica and mineral content and a natural astringency that supports overall scalp and hair health and can also be helpful with occasional scalp irritation. Nettle is a good choice for all hair types and assists in balancing sebum so hair doesn’t become too dry or oily. 

Peppermint Leaf—The menthol and menthone compounds in Mentha x piperita stimulate the scalp and increase circulation for an invigorating, refreshing, and revitalizing boost to healthy follicles. Peppermint is a good choice for all hair types and is particularly excellent for oily hair or to soothe occasional irritation and dandruff.

Rosemary—Rosmarinus officinalis is known to stimulate circulation at the scalp and increase hair health and beauty. Rosemary is appropriate for all hair types and is often found in formulations to support hair growth.

How to Make Rice Water for Hair (3 Ways)

Soaking Rice to Make Rice Water 

This is the easiest and fastest method to make rice water. Note that unfermented rice water can be too harsh for some hair types and should only be used intermittently to avoid drying out healthy hair.

Makes about 1 cup cooked rice and 2+ cups rice water.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 3 cups water + more for rinsing
• About 1 Tbsp. organic herbal powder of choice, optional (If you intend to eat the rice, use a safe culinary herb!)

Directions

1. Rinse rice well, then put rinsed rice in a quart-size or larger bowl.
2. Stir in optional herbal powder.
3. Cover with 3 cups clean water.
4. Soak for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing a bit on the rice to extract the starches.
5. Strain water through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve into a new clean bowl, jar, or bottle.
6. If you used culinary herbs, you can now put the soaked rice in a pot, add twice as much water by volume as you have in rice (a 1:2 ratio of rice to water), and cook as usual. Note that soaked rice cooks faster than un-soaked or just rinsed rice. If you used herbs for topical use only, compost the rice.
7. Use rice water immediately or store 1-2 days in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.

Boiling Rice to Make Rice Water

Cooking rice as you normally do, except with extra water, is a 2-for-1 way to make a side for dinner and a hair rinse.

Makes about 1 cup cooked rice and 1 1/2 cups rice water.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups water + more for rinsing
• About 1 Tbsp. organic dried culinary herb(s) of choice, optional

Directions

1. Rinse rice well and set aside.
2. Bring 4 cups water to a boil over medium heat.
3. Add rinsed rice and optional culinary herb(s) of choice.
4. Cover with a lid, bring to a low boil, and turn heat down to maintain a simmer with lid on.
5. Cook just until rice is tender, not until it absorbs all the water. Depending on the rice you’re using, this will take 15-25 minutes.
6. Take off the heat and strain rice water through a fine mesh sieve into a clean heatproof bowl, jar, or bottle.
7. Put rice back in pot, cover with lid, and set aside for 10 minutes.
8. Fluff rice with a fork. Eat immediately or store in refrigerator for 2-3 days and reheat when ready to eat.
9. Let rice water cool before using so you don’t burn your scalp, or store 1-2 days in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. 

Fermented Rice Water (AKA Sour Rice Water)

Ingredients

• Rice water from either method above

Directions

1. If you used the soaking method, leave the rice in the water rather than straining. 
2. If you used the boiled method, use water after straining.
3. Put rice water in a bowl, cover well, and set aside on the counter for up to 24 hours. You’ll notice a slightly sour smell when it’s ready; this is the sign that the starches are converting to acids. Don’t let it go much beyond 24 hours.
4. If you used uncooked rice, strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. You can try to cook the rice after, but it might make better bird food than human food at this point.
5. Use fermented rice water immediately or store in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Technically it will hold for longer, but it’s best to use the fermented rice water within 48 hours of making.

How to Use Rice Water as a Hair Rinse

1. Bring rice water or fermented rice water to the shower to have ready. Having a smaller container to pour with will make it easier to apply to hair.
2. Wash and condition hair as normal and rinse well. Alternatively, wash hair and use rice water rinse instead of conditioner.
3. Pour the rice water into your wet hair, being sure to saturate the under-layers as well as the top ones. Massage thoroughly into the hair and scalp.
4. Leave on for 5-20 minutes, but no longer because too much time can cause drying and scalp irritation.
5. Rinse hair well with warm water.
6. Towel dry or air dry if possible.

Considerations and Cautions

What Rice Do You Use For Rice Water Hair Treatment?

You can use whatever rice you have on hand, but remember that more nutrients in your rice equals more nutrients in your rice water. So whole grain rice serves your body and your hair better. Brown rice, brown basmati rice, wild rice, black rice, etc. are great choices. That said, rice is affected by increasing amounts of arsenic and heavy metals in soil and water around the world, so it’s important to choose the rice you eat from places with the least amount of inorganic-arsenic. According to a 2014 Consumer Reports study, white or brown basmati rice from California, India, and Pakistan, and sushi rice from the U.S. have the least amount of inorganic-arsenic compared to other types of rice. The best growers test soil and water for arsenic and heavy metals; check their websites or contact them directly to find out the results.

Are Rice Water Treatments Good for Dry Hair?

The high protein content in rice water, combined with a slightly acidic pH, can have very positive effects for many people, but if you have dry hair, the nutrient-rich water can cause an overload of proteins that dries your hair more and causes the cuticle (the outer layer of a hair strand) to lift and break or frizz. If you have dry hair or scalp, plan to use only fermented rice water, which is gentler, and use in moderation.

Can You Use Rice Water Hair Treatments with Low Porosity Hair?

Low porosity hair doesn’t easily absorb water or hair care products. You may notice that your hair takes extra time to get fully wet or dry and your hair care products tend to stay on the surface of your hair, which in turn means your hair doesn’t absorb all of the nutrients into the hair cuticle. This may cause tangling when using rice water because the starch stays on the surface. 

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