If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, your For You Page has probably been filled with countless beauty tips, and more specifically, hair care tips. It seems that hair care has started to become a new “trend” on social media.
There are thousands of hair products on the market claiming that they’ll cure your dead ends and bring your hair back to life. So you go to the store, get home, and it does nothing but add extra grease to your hair. The commercials and marketing tactics are just so convincing that you keep spending the money on these products, and your hair is still lifeless. Social media often provides consumers with a real, honest review of how well a product or DIY hack performs.
Then, rice water entered the haircare game. A cheap, easy haircare treatment that anyone can do at home. The hype around rice water claims that it will strengthen your strands, improve shine, and make your hair smoother. But can it really save your hair?
What will it do for your hair?
There are hundreds of TikTok videos that show amazing transformations from dull, brittle, lifeless hair to beautifully soft and healthy locks. Infusing natural ingredients into your haircare routine is important, because you know exactly what you’re putting onto your scalp.
Rice water is full of important vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial towards the efforts of keeping your hair healthy or reviving the brittle strands, including starch, minerals, B vitamins, Vitamin E and antioxidants.
Although there isn’t much scientific evidence as to whether or not rice water will magically make your hair grow, there is a large community of haircare lovers saying it’s given their hair some life again. So, consider these TikTok transformations proof of what rice water can make your hair look and feel like.
How to use rice water in your hair
It’s as simple as it sounds. All you need is rice – any kind will do – and water. There’s no fancy technique or special products you need to be using. Rinse one cup of your rice thoroughly, and then mix the rice into a bowl with one cup of water.
Once the water in the bowl turns a cloudy color, strain the rice out, but save the water. Put a cover on the bowl, and let it sit out for up to 24 hours at room temperature.
Once you’re ready to shower, and your rice water has sat out for the designated time, it’s time to put it to use. Follow your normal routine of shampoo and conditioner, and rinse. Then, pour the rice water over your scalp and ends, letting it soak into your hair for at least 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and allow your hair to dry. You can use rice water as little or often as you’d like, whether it be once a week or every time you shampoo and condition your hair.
When you’ll see results
I put rice water to the test, and saw results after just one week of use. My hair didn’t grow three inches in one use, but it felt fuller and stronger. As someone with thin hair that’s been color-treated for years, this new and affordable trend is absolutely saving my hair. The breakage is noticeably less visible, and my split ends are thanking me after each use.
Strong and vibrant hair has always been a struggle for me in the past, but rice water has come to save my hair care game, and it won’t break the bank. Maybe it’ll save yours, too?