Chinese women are envied for their flawless skin and shiny, healthy hair. The secret of her strong and healthy hair originated in the ancient Chinese town of Huangluo. Nicknamed “The Long Hair Village”, Yao women are famous for their long, shiny hair. Most of the women in this area have hair longer than 1.4 meters.
We wants to share the secret of your Rapunzel hair with you. Don’t miss our helpful bonus tip at the end!
“The Long Hair Village”
Without further ado, let’s share their biggest hair secret: fermented rice water.
Since ancient times, Yao women, like the imperial princesses of China, have used the water in which they cook rice to wash their hair. For Yao women, their long, shiny hair is their most valuable asset, symbolizing longevity, prosperity, wealth, and good fortune.
Yao women considered their hair to be sacred and did not allow anyone to touch or even see it except their husbands and children. If someone outside the family saw him, he would be forced to spend 3 years with the woman’s family as a son-in-law. This outdated law was removed in the late 1980s.
How to Make This Magic Potion:
Here’s how you can make and use this magic mix at home:
- Rinse a cup of rice to clean it.
- Place the rice in a bowl of water for 15 minutes and stir occasionally.
- Strain the water into a bowl.
- Leave it at room temperature for a day or two until it begins to ferment and sour.
- Boil and cool.
- If you want, you can add a few drops of tea tree, lavender, or rosemary oil.
- Use this water as a natural shampoo, gently massaging your scalp.
- Rinse well.
How Does It Work?
According to studies, fermented rice water has many benefits:
- It is rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamin E that improves the elasticity of the hair, and has restorative properties
- Contains inositol, a carbohydrate known to repair damaged hair. It also protects the hair from any future damage.
- The amino acids in fermented rice water help strengthen hair roots.
Bonus: Benefits of rice water for skin
Rice water is beneficial not only for hair, but also for skin. The vitamins, minerals and amino acids present work wonders on the skin. Rice water also contains ferulic acid, an excellent antioxidant. The various skin-related uses of rice water are:
- Facial cleanser: Soak a cotton ball in rice water and, using it gently, massage your face for a few minutes. Let your face dry. Wash your face gently with lukewarm water. Use it every day as part of your skincare routine and you will begin to notice that your skin feels smoother, firmer, and more radiant.
- Acne treatment: rice water acts as an astringent and tightens pores on the skin. It also helps cool the redness of an acne breakout.
- Sunburn Treatment: Cold rice water is a great way to cool down inflammations and treat sunburned skin.
- Treat eczema: Pat the eczema-affected skin with a cotton ball soaked in rice water. Keep doing this for a few minutes and then let it dry. The starch in rice water is effective in mitigating the effects of eczema on the skin.
Preview photo credit Ladies & Gentlemens Hair Studio / facebook, Yami Herbals / facebook
