Hello everyone
Today I wanted to write about something I have been testing since a while, and loving -- fermented rice water. Now there are lots of rice water rinse recipes out there, but today I want to talk about the fermented kind as it has done wonders for my scalp.
Fermented rice water is great for boosting hair growth when used on the scalp, not so much because it makes the hair grow faster, but it slows down shedding which means you get to retain your longest hairs. It also cuts down on hair breakage. So it's a great simple solution for those of you who are would like to boost the process.
This rinse has an acidic pH level, which is especially important if you have hard water, dandruff, or use hair soap. It works as a scalp detox, like a chemical exfoliation -- it loosens all the dead skin on the scalp. I recommend rubbing it on the scalp, keeping it on for 15 minutes, then using a scalp scrub to get rid of the flakes that have been loosened. Or you can scrub them off with shampoo and your fingers, briskly rubbing your scalp in circles (I usually count slowly to 120 to make sure I did it for two minutes). It makes my scalp feel so clean!
Finally, the starch in the rinse absorbs excess oiliness and make the hair smoother to the touch. It smooths the cuticles which makes the hair easier to detangles and minimises rubbing and breakage.
Today I wanted to write about something I have been testing since a while, and loving -- fermented rice water. Now there are lots of rice water rinse recipes out there, but today I want to talk about the fermented kind as it has done wonders for my scalp.
Fermented rice water is great for boosting hair growth when used on the scalp, not so much because it makes the hair grow faster, but it slows down shedding which means you get to retain your longest hairs. It also cuts down on hair breakage. So it's a great simple solution for those of you who are would like to boost the process.
This rinse has an acidic pH level, which is especially important if you have hard water, dandruff, or use hair soap. It works as a scalp detox, like a chemical exfoliation -- it loosens all the dead skin on the scalp. I recommend rubbing it on the scalp, keeping it on for 15 minutes, then using a scalp scrub to get rid of the flakes that have been loosened. Or you can scrub them off with shampoo and your fingers, briskly rubbing your scalp in circles (I usually count slowly to 120 to make sure I did it for two minutes). It makes my scalp feel so clean!
Finally, the starch in the rinse absorbs excess oiliness and make the hair smoother to the touch. It smooths the cuticles which makes the hair easier to detangles and minimises rubbing and breakage.
How To Make Fermented Rice Water
Any sort of rice is fine. Give it a quick wash to get rid of any dust and dirt, and to remove excess ground rice which can leave a white coating on the hair.
Pour half a cup of rice into a jar and add 1 cup water. Close the jar (!) and let it stand for two days. If you don't close the lid, it will go off instead of fermenting. When the liquid smells slightly sour, put it into the fridge to stop the fermentation process. To use, dilute it (ca 2-3 tbsp to one cup of water). It can be stored for a very long time.
To use, pour it over the hair after washing and squeezing out excess water. Use a bowl to catch the rice water dripping down the hair and pour it over the hair again. Or even dip the length of the hair in the bowl for a few minutes. I like to not rinse out the rice water if I'm not going anywhere the next day (it has a vinegary smell).
I recommend trying the rinse solo, later on you can add other things -- honey to moisturise and to hold the curls, lemon juice for an acidic pH,
cheers
To use, pour it over the hair after washing and squeezing out excess water. Use a bowl to catch the rice water dripping down the hair and pour it over the hair again. Or even dip the length of the hair in the bowl for a few minutes. I like to not rinse out the rice water if I'm not going anywhere the next day (it has a vinegary smell).
I recommend trying the rinse solo, later on you can add other things -- honey to moisturise and to hold the curls, lemon juice for an acidic pH,
If you have been reading this far, and have wondered about the radio silence on this blog -- a lot has been changing in my life on many levels. I went through a very turbulent personal phase, which has been hard but paved the way for a lot of personal growth. I also began a new job and then a new vocational training, which absorbed a lot of time and energy. So I wasn't blogging much. My posts can take up to 3-4 hours to create (I like to research very thoroughly before I post, googling information in several different languages, and even a photo like the one above can take surprisingly long to take and to edit). And since I don't like to half-ass my posts, I wasn't very active. But don't worry -- I don't plan stopping to blog anytime soon.
cheers
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