Thanks to this trick you will no longer throw away the rinsing water or the rice cooking water. Anti-gaspi at the service of your manes.

Last week I told you about a rice-based hair mask for less than 1 euro and yes you read that right, rice! What if I told you that the water that we get rid of after rinsing or cooking is a real elixir of youth for our hair?

The benefits of rice water for hair

We could compare rice water to a treatment with silicone but without the occlusive and harmful side of silicone because it simply does not contain any. This 100% natural rinse water is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. It coats, softens, strengthens brittle hair, shines and boosts growth. Rice water is ideal for dull, dry and brittle hair.

How to collect rice water?

There are two ways to do this. The simplest is to use the rice rinsing water, let me explain. Before cooking, the rice systematically goes through the washing box to remove any bugs, dust or other small undesirables. We also rinse it to remove the excess starch responsible for the "sticky" rice when cooked.

Except that for our hair elixir it is this starch that we need. The starch in rice water reduces frizz and gives hair elasticity. Thus, it is best to rinse the rice first to clean it, then add water to the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes to recover water full of benefits. Then just strain to separate the rice from the water and it's ready to use all over the hair.

The second way to go about it is to collect the cooking water from the rice. Generally there is none or very little left. So, remember to add a little more water at the start so that there is some left over at the end of cooking to use it on your hair. And especially wait for the complete cooling of the liquid!

Whether you use the rinsing water or the water after cooking the rice, know that you can ferment the preparation for 2 days at room temperature. The rice water will be richer in antioxidants and the benefits will be increased tenfold. The results will only be better!

How to use rice water for hair?

Rice water can be used as a last rinse or as a mask after - shampoo. After doing your hair washing routine (shampoo, mask, conditioner) you can rinse your hair and end up pouring rice water all over your hair. From root to tip to cleanse the scalp, shine the hair fiber, tighten scales and eliminate dullness.

You can also use it as a mask after - shampoo to take advantage of its moisturizing and purifying benefits. After having poured it on your scalp and your lengths, proceed to a circular massage and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse with clear water. This mask is to be done once a week to have results on hair growth and dandruff reduction.

And the smell in all this?

It's a bit the same principle as the cider vinegar acid rinse, the smell gradually fades as the hair dries.

Preserving rice water for hair

The preparation will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Prefer the preparation of a fair amount to use minute.

Hummingbird Tip

Use a cleansing and gentle solid shampoo so as not to attack your scalp like the one in my range with argan, jojoba and shea.