One of the most common kitchen commodities is a secret ingredient to clear, radiant skin and lush, long hair.
Rice is the basic necessity for making rice water which is a solution with a number of various benefits.
I started experimenting with rice water on my face and hair and by Jove the difference is remarkable. Not only does it clear away old acne scars, but it also prevents acne itself, evens out the skin tone and cleanses the skin.
Rice water contains a variety of vitamins, minerals and amino acids essential for beautiful hair and skin.
Benefits of Rice Water
For skin.
The acids, minerals and vitamins in rice water have a variety of benefits on the skin, including being anti-stringent, and even anti-inflammatory.
Rice water can be used as a daily cleanser to clean skin pores and clear away old scars. It also evens the skin tone giving the look of beautiful skin. Rinse out your face, massage the mixture into your skin, let it air dry and moisturise as desired. This gives the face a translucent, clear appearance and your skin appears radiant with frequent use.
Rice water is great for dealing with sunburns and acne. The properties of the water prevent acne breakout on the skin and lessen the damage of sunburns. Rice water has antioxidants, moisturizer properties, and UV rays absorbing properties among other benefits to reduce skin damage by acne and sunburn.
Rice is rich in a complex of B vitamins called ‘inositol’ that helps in promoting cell growth, slowing down the ageing process and stimulating blood flow. This is great for reducing the appearance of skin ageing. Rice water has the ability to bind to naturally occurring copper in the skin; therefore it prevents hyper-pigmentation and age spots.
Rice water also works to soften skin giving you younger skin which is better for not only appearance but also for maintenance. When your skin is younger it heals scars faster and reduces the effects of skin damage. Vitamin C and collagen are ever-present working to improve skin quality.
Rice water also lightens the skin and brings out the skin tone at its best. Rice water is more effective than most artificial products in skin lightning and it does so without destroying the melanin present in skin. It does not lighten as bleaches do but does so in a natural way, it works to improve the quality of skin tone and balances melanin distribution throughout the skin.
Soaking in a rice water bath once a week is recommended for improvement and betterment of the skin. The use of this heaven-sent miracle is not only for facial skin but for the overall body. Soak in a water bath with a muslin cloth containing rice for fifteen minutes weekly. Your skin is bound to be radiant and glowing in a matter of no time.
For hair.
It is the wish of every woman to have luscious long flowing hair that is healthy and shiny. Rice water could make this wish come true with little to no work. A research facility in Japan has developed an imaging technique that visualizes the strengthening effect of inositol (contained in rice water) on hair, hence marking scientific evidence of the strengthening effect of rice water on hair. Another research done in 2010 showed that rice water exhibits hair care properties, such as decreasing surface friction and improving hair elasticity.
Rinsing or washing your hair with rice water will improve manageability and protect it from future damage. In addition, the amino acids in rice water strengthen the hair roots, add volume and sheen and even make the hair silky smooth. These remarkable benefits explain the 6 feet, healthy, long and beautiful hair of the Yao ethnic women in Huangluo in China, the village is a rice farming village and most water they access is mixed with rice hence making their supply rice water. They also don’t experience grey hairs until late in their 80s.
Their beauty secret was uncovered to be fermented rice water. They use the water to cleanse their hair making them have long black healthy hair. The water improves the elasticity of hair preventing damage and breakage of hair, this ultimately promotes hair growth.
How to make Rice Water.
There are three ways to make this precious water and all methods involve minimal to no effort. You could have as much as you want in a matter of minutes.
Boiled rice water.
This produces the most concentrated mixture of rice water.
Prepare rice as you normally would but add an extra two or three cups of water as you bring it to a boil. Once the rice is cooked, strain it out and collect the water. This solution contains a concentration of nutrients. It can be used as is at full strength or one can dilute it with a cup of water. Refrigerate and use as desired.
Uncooked rice water.
This is the easiest and fastest way to make rice water.
Rinse one cup of rice twice to wash away impurities and toxins. Place in a bowl and add one and a half cups of water. Let it sit for thirty minutes and strain. Collect the milky solution and refrigerate. Use as desired.
Fermented rice water.
This is the best solution to use on hair as it contains more vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Use boiled or uncooked rice water. Place the container of solution in a cool, dry place and let it sit for three to four days. Fermentation depends on the temperature of the room, if it is warmer it will ferment faster and vice versa. You can then use the solution.
This may have some pungent smell but is totally worth it.
Rice water has proven to have a variety of benefits and it costs you nothing to make. My journey with rice water started as an experiment and it has gotten me to the utmost belief in the solution. Daily use on the face leads to visible changes in about two weeks. It will have you throwing out every other store-bought product you may have.
