hair beauty hit

Published on 09/13/2022 at 10:46 p.m.
Updated 09/13/2022 at 10:46 p.m.

Rice water: unsuspected benefits

Did you know ? Rice is 80% starch! Once rinsed or cooked, this starch ends up in a solution that is very easy to recover. “Starch is a carbohydrate rich in pre and probiotics that help balance the pH of the skin and scalpexplains Malika Lemzili-Costil, consultant in cosmetic sourcing and expert in holistic hair care. This is thanks to saccharomyces, non-pathogenic micro-organisms that digest the sugar and starch in rice and create proteins and group B vitamins that our hair loves just like our skin and our nails! The same ones found in brewer’s yeast, excellent for the hair fiber too”.

As a result, this starch-rich water has the properties of closing the scales of the hair, which gives it a smoother, more supple and therefore more disciplined appearance. It is the number one enemy of frizz, which is so hard to get rid of simply and naturally without using fixers. By polishing the fibre, the hair also becomes shinier. Malika Lemzili-Costil also says that “it would also have effects on hair growth, according to the myth of Yao women in Asia who are famous for having the longest hair in the world thanks to rice rinsing water in particular”. To date, the only scientific data available has been shared by Medical News Today.

The good news is that all hair types can afford the benefits of rice water! Unruly, difficult to comb, curly, frizzy, frizzy, dry or dull, your hair will love this rice water loaded with beneficial starch.

In no time, you will concoct an elixir of youth for your hair. First of all, you have to choose the right variety of rice, organic or not, because not all are created equal! Risotto rice and round rice are indeed richer in starch than basmati or even brown rice whose fibers do not bring any benefits to the hair. To optimize the results, bet on the most concentrated in starch.

Expert Malika Lemzili-Costil shared her miracle method with us! There are three preparations of rice water to make it a beauty ritual for hair care. Whatever the expected benefits – hair growth, shine, etc. – the recipe is the same. It’s up to you to choose your camp according to the time you have.

• The rice rinsing water, i.e. the water used to clean it: rinse the rice before cooking it and use this solution which has become engorged with starch. For this, mix 1/2 cup of rice with about 2 cups of water and soak for 30 minutes before collecting the white-tinted milky liquid.
• Fermented rice water: using the same process as before, soak for 2-3 days at room temperature before straining the starched water to store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. The water turned sour, rich in probiotics, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Rice cooking water: after having boiled the rice in an excess of water, recover the cooking liquid from the rice, which is white and starchy.

Frequently Asked Questions

So plain or fermented rice water? What’s best for your hair? “The cold water soaking technique contains less starch than cooking water because the heat brings out the starchunderlines Malika Lemzili-Costil. However, the heat will also destroy other valuable nutrients for the hair. So I will recommend fermented water, the starch concentration will be denser, without the negative counterpart“.

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Can you salt the rice cooking water? Malika Lemzili-Costil answers this question in the negative: “if in some cases the salt can be beneficial for the hair by activating the microcirculation at the level of the hair bulbs and therefore the growth of the hair, it can have a deleterious effect on certain types of hair because it dries out the hair fiber and can turn the color”. If in doubt, it is best to avoid salting the water before cooking the rice.

Once prepared, rice water is a great natural product to integrate very easily into your hairdressing routine!

• In conditioner: After washing your hair with your usual shampoo, rice water easily replaces conditioner. Apply to towel-dried hair, massaging the scalp, leave on for 10 minutes and rinse.
• In rinsing water: use plenty of rice water to rinse out your conditioner. Perfect with clear water.
• In mask: apply the rice water as for the conditioner but leave to act for a good hour.
• As a daily lotion: pour the rice water into a spray bottle and apply daily as a spray above the head. Brush. This option is rather recommended for textured hair, that is to say really frizzy or curly hair. This technique will tend to weigh down other types of hair fibers.

Malika Lemzili-Costil’s tip: “For more convincing effects, I recommend the last two options of use”. Application after application, the hair is more and more beautiful and shiny, in full health. You have to arm yourself with a little patience, the effect is not instantaneous. Week after week, curls are better defined, hair shines and growth is activated.

Rice water also in our cosmetics

The benefits of the starch contained in rice water have not escaped the attention of cosmetic brands, which are more and more numerous to closely study its benefits. For the hair but not only. Rice water is as excellent for the skin as it is for the hair.

Rice water for facial care is prepared in the same way as for hair. It is applied with cotton or reusable wipe on cleansed skin. It offers softening virtues. For acne-prone skin, it can be applied topically to unwanted pimples. Finally, before makeup, rice water can replace a lotion or a tonic. In short, the new essential for your bathroom.

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