4 Reasons You'll Probably Want to Start Washing Your Hair With Rice Water

There are so many ingredients that have amazing hair benefits—and a lot of them you've probably heard about before. In fact, you might have seen products upon products that feature these ingredients. Think argan oil, apple cider vinegar, charcoal, castor oil, rosemary, coconut oil… These are just some of the many ingredients that can keep your hair healthy and strong.

But have you ever heard of rice water? Yes, rice water is an ingredient that can help your hair (and your skin!), too. "Rice water is the water resulting from soaking rice in water," explains board-certified dermatologist and founder of Avant Dermatology & Aesthetics Sheila Farhang, MD. "It mainly consists of starch but also contains protein, minerals, vitamins such as folate, and antioxidants. The rice water tradition for hair has been used in Asia for centuries."

So, how exactly does rice water benefit the hair? "The part we do know is that rice contains amino acids, B vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. … The thought is how could this not benefit hair?" says Jill Buck, a senior stylist at Nine Zero One. "By soaking, the hair absorbs the nutrients causing stronger, shinier, and smoother hair." She adds that since it's a newer treatment on the market, its benefits are not exactly scientifically proven yet, which she's honest with her clients about.

With all that in mind, take a look at some of the benefits below.

1. It strengthens hair: "The starch and protein are thought to be absorbed by the hair which can add strength. The B vitamins such as folate and minerals are an added bonus in potentially strengthening the hair," Farhang adds.

2. It adds shine.

3. It de-frizzes.

4. It detangles.

And the good news is that most hair types can try rice water for its benefits. "Rice water can be used on all hair types because everyone can use some good vitamins from time to time," Buck says. "However, as a professional and colorist, I would not recommend this to my clients who are extremely blonde because of the tone or someone who just recently had their hair colored."

And Farhang says that some people might experience too much residue if they use rice water. "Some hair with lower porosity or absorption due to the outer cuticle layer may accumulate the protein and starch on the outer layers of the hair which results in a residue," she explains. "Also, just like anything else, while it may work for some people, if you don't see any benefits maybe it's not for you. There are far more advanced ingredients and technology that can strengthen the hair! Also, rice water would not be my first recommendation for treating dandruff as some claim."

You can go the DIY route when testing out rice water for your hair. "I recommend to my clients that want to try this to make it at home," Buck says. "For the full benefits, why not just go for it. But like anything that is adding strength it is not meant to be used every day."

But, Farhang says that if you don't know what chemicals or additives are added to the DIY blends (i.e., is your rice all-natural and organic?), you can also try products that are formulated with rice water. Since it's a newer ingredient to the mainstream market, there aren't too many products just yet, but take a look at some options below.

And there are also skincare products with rice water too, here are some highly-rated ones below.