The Best Rice Water Hair Products

By Toia Barry

Rice water can do wonders for your hair. However, it can get a bit tedious to make a batch regularly. Lucky for you, there are several natural hair products that contain rice water as the main ingredient that offer convenience and rice water benefits, without the work. So, if you love what rice water does to your hair but don’t want to make it yourself, don’t worry! We got you, boo.

What is Rice Water?

Rice water is traditionally used in many cultures by women with long, healthy hair. It was an ancient tradition in Japan and the women used it to care for their thick, floor-length hair. Plain rice water was also used by Chinese women for healthy hair and hair that didn’t lose its color well into old age.

Fast forward to today, and you’ll find influencers on YouTube and TikTok raving about this ancient hair care remedy and making videos about how to use rice water for hair. They say using rice water for hair retention has made their hair get long so fast and become so thick and shiny, often in a matter of weeks. 

Benefits to Rice Water Hair Products

Rice Water Hair Products Save You Time

There are many recipes floating around describing ways to make your own DIY rice water hair treatments. However, using a rice water rinse or other hair products already made for you is much more time-efficient. Plus, there are some side effects of rice water on hair, and using a professionally made treatment could help minimize the risk. 

This is largely because making your own rice water is a process. You have to boil your own uncooked rice, you have to wait for the water to cool off, and if you’re making fermented rice water, the process takes even longer because then you have to wait at least a day to let the rice ferment. 

The beauty of rice water products is that they are already made for you. That means you can just grab it from your shelf and use it immediately, no fuss, no muss. 

Rice Water Hair Products Smell Lovely

There’s no question that fermented rice water may offer even more benefits than regular rice water. But the pungent smell can be a problem, especially if you want to use it consistently. You obviously don’t want to walk around with an odd odor emanating from your hair! Some women like to add a few drops of essential oil to try to mask the smell. 

However, if the smell doesn’t bother you, there’s nothing wrong with opting for homemade fermented rice water. Especially if you have time on your hands to wash your hair later on. When that isn’t possible, hair products with rice water are the perfect solution that can help you achieve healthier hair that’s fragrant and on fleek.

Rice Water Hair Products are Customized

Hair is different in more ways than one. For instance, girls with curly hair have different hair woes than ladies with straight hair. Different treatments will offer different results, depending on the individual’s hair needs. 

There is “no one size fits all” with treatment options for your hair, whether you’re pampering it with a DIY treatment at home or hitting up the salon. A rice water treatment could make one person’s hair feel silky smooth, while another’s hair doesn’t respond to the treatment at all. 

That’s because everyone has different hair porosity that can affect their results from a rice water hair treatment. People that have low porosity hair typically have dry hair. In this case, a homemade rice water treatment could make dryness worse.

Additionally, how your hair responds to protein is important to know. Rice water is high in protein and its protein content could be too much for some hair types.

Rice water products are created to accommodate different hair types. That means if you have hair with low porosity, you can look for products that provide extra moisture. If your hair doesn’t like proteins, you can look for a formula with low protein content. Many rice water hair products are enriched with additional nutrients that can give you even more bang for your buck, with superior results. So, if you're still asking yourself, “is rice water good for your hair?” Our vote is yes! 

Rice Water Hair Products We Love

1. Mielle Organics Moisturizing Milk

Our very own Rice Water Moisturizing Milk is made with rice water, castor oil, and coconut oil for maximum nourishment and moisture retention.

2. Mielle Organics Rice Water Clay Mask

Our Rice Water Clay Mask does not have protein. That means you can use it even if your hair is protein sensitive, and still reap the benefits of rice water.

3. Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating Shampoo

This is a great shampoo made with avocado and rice water designed to help soften and moisturize your hair.

4. Rice and Wheat Volumizing Shampoo

An excellent hair product choice that combines the benefits of rice water and wheat to give you voluminous, sexy hair.

5. Mielle Organic Rice Water Split End Therapy

Our Rice Water Split End Therapy is the perfect solution for those looking to repair damaged hair. A lightweight product containing rice water and yuzu, it’s sure to nourish your roots from top to bottom. 

6. Mielle Rice Water Shine Mist

For you naturalistas, you can try this hair mist made with rice water and yuzu. Our Rice Water Hair Mist is perfect to hydrate hair and prevent flyaways.

The bottom line is that rice water products make your hair look and feel great. If you’re a woman that appreciates a little convenience in life customized, hair products with rice water from Mielle are the way to go. 

Sources:

1. The Zoe Report. 12 Rice Water Hair Products That Don’t Require Boiling, Measuring, Or Mess. https://www.thezoereport.com/p/10-rice-water-hair-products-that-promise-longer-stronger-hair-19300927
2. Stylecaster. The Rice Water Debate Persists—Does It Actually Benefit Natural Hair? https://stylecaster.com/feature/rice-water-hair-products-1123860/#slide-6
3. Medical News Today. What does rice water do for your hair? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321353#history
4. Healthline. Can Rice Water Make Your Hair Stronger and Shinier? https://www.healthline.com/health/rice-water
5. Natural Hair Insights. is rice water good for low porosity hair? https://naturalhairinsights.com/is-rice-water-good-for-low-porosity-hair/#:~:text=The%20amino%20acids%20found%20in,water%20gives%20to%20the%20hair.