Is Rice Water Good For Low Porosity Hair?

June 25, 2024 by Mani Pandey

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The water left after rinsing the rice before cooking, is known as rice water. Using rice water for hair is an age-old practice that helps to keep the hair smooth, shiny, frizz-free and strong besides balancing the pH levels and promoting hair growth. Before using it, you need to know the porosity of your hair to understand if the rice water will be beneficial for your hair type. Read on to know more.

Article Contains

Rice Water Good For Low Porosity Hair
Checking Your Hair Porosity
Making Rice Water For Low Porosity Hair
Frequency Of Using Rice Water:
Can Everyone Use Rice Water For Hair?

Rice Water Good For Low Porosity Hair

Checking Your Hair Porosity

Low porosity hair can’t easily gain moisture. The hair strands have an outer layer known as the cuticle, having tiny compactly placed cuticles which don’t allow moisture to penetrate in.

You can check your hair porosity by dropping a hair strand in water. Floating in water indicates its low porosity and if it sinks, this indicates high porosity.

[ Read: Best Essential Nutrients For Healthy Hair Growth ]

Making Rice Water For Low Porosity Hair

Here are the simple processes for making rice water for your low porosity hair:

1. Overnight Rice Water:

Take some uncooked rice and rinse well to remove the dirt and impurities. Drain off this unclear water.
Again add 1-1.5 cups of water and leave it overnight.
Strain the water and store it in a container to use after showering.
You can massage it from the roots to tips after pouring some on your scalp.
Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse well to avoid build-up.

2. Boiling Rice Water:

Rinse the rice to remove impurities.
Strain the rice and transfer it into a cooker to boil in 2 cups of water in medium heat till the rice gets cooked.
Strain the remaining water, cool and store it to use in the same way as above.

[ Read: Flaxseeds For Hair: Benefits And How to Use? ]

Frequency Of Using Rice Water:

There is protein and starch in the rice water which is larger molecules. The space between the cuticles on the hair is small, and these molecules can accumulate there quickly, resulting in protein overload.

So, after using the rice water for some days, if you notice the hair becoming dry and brittle, it indicates that you are using excess rice water. Make sure to use it not more than 20 minutes and not 2 times per month. You can do a patch test to see if the hair feels brittle after the process and accordingly dilute the rice water. Thus, with a little trial and error, you can have the routine verified and have healthy hair.

Can Everyone Use Rice Water For Hair?

Rice water can be used for any hair type. In general, the porosity of straight hair is low and when excess rice water is used in this case, it can damage the hair. Those having highly porous hair can increase the frequency of rice water usage. For best outcomes, the usage should be individualized.

Before using rice water, make sure to check your hair porosity first. Though it is safe to use, damage can be caused when used on low porosity hair, when overused. So, following the tips while using it, can result in the best outcomes.

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