China is the country where women with the longest hair live. Red Yao ethnic women in the village of Huangluo in China have extremely long hair. Besides from being long, this hair is pitch-black and it is hard to see whites in it until its owner is in her late 80s.So what is the secret of these real life Rapunzels?
The secret is just rice water. First off, rice water is full of vitamins and minerals that create wonders on hair. Rice water also reduces friction between the hair strands as well as improve hair elasticity. Less friction means easier combing and less hair breakage which allows Yao women to grow their hair up to 6 feet long.
Rice water also has inositol, a carbohydrate, which repairs damaged hair. Inositol stays inside the hair even after rinsing and protects the hair from within.
Rice water can also be used for skin care. It can be used on all skin types such as dry, oily or normal skin. It has cooling and soothing effects on skin and even improve different skin conditions such as erasing age-spots and relieving skin irritations.
We can easily say that rice water is an effective and surely the cheapest home remedy with tremendous benefits and no side effects.
How to make rice water
First of all, rinse the rice and eliminate any dirt or impurities. You can get rice water when cooking rice in a standard fashion but this time we do not put any ingredients such as oil or salt. Boil the rice with double the amount of water you always use. Strain the rice water when the cooking finishes. You do not need to use the concentrated rice water. Dilute 3 tbsp of rice water in a cup of water. Dilute the amount you wish to use and keep the rest in the fridge. You can keep the rice water in fridge for 5 days.
If you prefer, there is a quicker method to make rice water. Put 1 cup of rice in a bowl and add 3 cups of water. Let the rice soak for 30 minutes. Your rice water is ready.
Let’s look at how the rice water can be used for hair and skin.
1. Make your hair gorgeous
Rice water prevents hair loss and helps with hair growth. For extra protection and a nice fragrance, you can add a few drops of rosemary, chamomile or lavender essential oils. Some green tea can be mixed with rice water if you have a hair loss problem.
Simply shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would. Then rinse your hair with diluted rice water. Massage gently on your scalp and hair, wait for 5 minutes and rinse. You can increase its effects by using rice water as the final rinse once a week.
2. Use it as a face tonic and everyday cleanser
Maybe the cheapest material you can find for skin care is the rice water.
Use rice water to clean your face. Apply soft massage to your face for a few minutes. Don’t rinse it off. Let your skin absorb the nutrients and dry on its own. You will see your skin getting softer and more radiant with each consecutive use.
You can use rice water as a skin tonic. All you need to do is to gently massage it onto your face. It will tighten your pores while giving your skin a shiny look.
3. Prepare a relaxing bath
You can enjoy the beneficial effects of rice water all over your body by taking a nice warm bath with it. Simply fill a small muslin bag with a half-cup of rice and 2 tbsp of lavender. Leave it in the warm bath water and enjoy.
You can also use orange peels, lemon peels, rose, chamomile, green tea or hibiscus instead of lavender to add fragrance.
4. Treat acnes
Thanks to its rich vitamin and mineral content, rice water helps heal acne and cools the redness of an outbreak. It acts as an astringent on the skin, tightening the pores.
Just dip a cotton ball into rice water and rub it over the affected area. Do not rinse and let it air dry.
5. Treat sun burns
You can cool down your sun burnt skin and alleviate the pain by using rice water. Just apply rice water on the affected area. Leave it on and let it air dry. Your skin will recover much faster.
6. Use it as a body scrub
The left over rice can be used to make a nourishing body scrub. Just grind it with a coffee mill and add these ingredients for a softer skin without blemishes.
INGREDIENTS:
– Ground rice
– 2 tsp of olive oil
– 2 tsp of coconut oil
– 2 tsp of lemon water
– A few drops of lavender oil
Use this scrub once a week to get the positive effects.
