Johannesburg – Dozens of women, unable to venture into the hair salon during lockdown level 5, took the drastic route and went bald.
But now they are seeking ways to grow their luscious locks back. A trend that many have caught on to is using the age-old method of rice water, said to be a tradition of Chinese women going back centuries.
Many are of the opinion that it works.
The science behind rice water for growth is that is contains an ingredient called inositol, which penetrates the hair follicle and repairs it from inside out.
So, even if you’re looking to hydrate hair that has been chemically treated, this is a cheaper method of achieving that goal.
How to prepare: Pour one cup of rice in a cup of water.
Rinse the rice thoroughly using cold water, then soak it overnight. Strain the water into a container that breathes as it will further ferment and keep the rice to cook for a meal later.
Refrigerate the cloudy water.
You can use it before or after you shampoo and condition.
Beauty blogger Tasneem Ben says she uses it once a week on the scalp and leaves it on the entire day before rinsing her braided hair the following day.
She says that when she did it after a month and removed her braids, there was considerable growth. Many others use it after their shampoo and conditioner routine and leave it for two to three minutes before rinsing it out.
Influencer Maryam Hamptom says on her YouTube Channel that the method also works for natural-haired black women as it does for Chinese women who would in ancient times show off their flow-length strands.
She boils her rice and lets the milky water cool overnight before boiling it again the next day. She says she puts the warm water on the roots of her crown.
Other beauty tricks found in your kitchen cupboard:
• Tumeric: This yellow Indian food spice has antibacterial properties that help heal wounds and is said to calm the skin.
It is great for lips, teeth and skin tone. Mixed with Vaseline, it exfoliates dry and chapped lips.
• Maize meal and sugar make for excellent face scrubs and exfoliants.
• Olive oil helps with surgical scars, moisturises the skin and hydrates hair.
• Rubbing raw coffee on the skin helps with the appearance of cellulite.
• The juice of a lemon lightens dark spots on the face and gives instant highlights to hair.
• Potato peels help with dark circles under the eyes. Rubbing the peel on unsightly warts helps them dry and fall off.
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