There’s been a growing interest in natural beauty products for some time now, with the likes of honey, olive, and coconut oil replacing conventional haircare.
Winter can cause hair problems for some people. Their hair becomes more fragile due to the dry weather.
Hair that grows more than half a meter in length tends to become yellowed and frayed.
But this is not a problem among the women of Huangluo village in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which the Guinness Book of World Records has called “the world’s longest hair village”.
Women from the Yao ethnic group who live in this village have an average hair length of over 1.5 meters. Even grannies in their 70s sport shiny black hair, instead of the typical silvery gray color.
What’s Yao woman’s hair growth secret?
You have probably never considered washing your hair with fermented rice water—the milky-colored liquid leftover from washing or boiling rice.
For one thing, they use rice water – the water after rinsing rice – together with natural ingredients such as tea seeds and ginger. The fermented solution is Yao women’s shampoo.
The Yao minority ethnic women from Huangluo Village, in Guangxi Province, in southern China, have one striking feature in common – their extraordinarily long hair that stays black until they are around 80 years old.
The Yao people consider their long hair their most valuable possession. They believe that it represents wealth, prosperity, longevity, wealth, good fortune, and good luck. To mark important milestones in their lives, like marriage, they wear their hair in different styles.
Rice water is good for your health
Rice water can be used on your body, hair, and face. Rice water is a great way to soften your skin and improve your complexion.
Fermented ricewater is rice water that has been slightly sour. It is high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These nutrients help heal scars, reduce wrinkles, inflammation, and fine lines. The rice water leaves skin glowing with healthy vitamins.
Hair with fermented rice water adds more to its shine. It leaves hair soft, healthy, and strong.
Inositol, a very special nutrient, is available. This carbohydrate can be used to repair and prevent hair damage by improving elasticity and decreasing friction.
Inositol may be a great option for hair care, regardless of whether you regularly use styling tools or dye your hair. Best of all, it needn’t cost you a fortune – you can find it in rice water.
Fermented Rice Water: How to Make It
You might be curious to learn how to make fermented water from rice.
- Rinse one cup of rice and then discard the water used to wash it.
- Stir the rice for 20 minutes in 2 cups water, stirring once every five minutes.
- Afterward, strain the water into a bottle and set it aside for a day until it turns slightly sour & starts to ferment
- Boil it & allow it to cool
- Add a few drops of your preferred essential oils such as lavender essential oil & store it in your fridge.
Fermented rice water wash
- Rinse one cup of rice to remove any dirt.
- Place in a bowl and cover with water for 15 minutes – stirring occasionally.
- Strain the water into an empty plastic bottle.
- It can be left at room temperature for up to a day, or until it becomes slightly sour.
- Place the ingredients in a saucepan. Boil it for a few minutes, then let cool.
- Add a few optional drops of tea tree, lavender, or rosemary essential oils.
- Apply the water to your hair as a shampoo substitute by gently massaging it along your hair’s length.
- Rinse thoroughly.
Rice water is a great way to get the best results. Thicker, shinier, and more voluminous hair won’t happen overnight and you’ll need to use rice water regularly to really see a difference.
Try and make a habit of using rice water to wash your hair – rice is an extremely cheap and healthy food source, so this shouldn’t be too much of a problem! It is a good idea to wash your hair at least three times per week.
