Key Points
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Rice water has become a lasting hair-care favorite because it helps make hair stronger, smoother, and healthier over time.
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Packed with amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, rice water repairs hair from within and protects strands from breakage.
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While it doesn’t speed up growth, it supports a healthy scalp and keeps hair from breaking so it appears longer and fuller.
Each year, beauty innovators unveil new ingredients promising stronger, shinier hair. But some trends prove they’re more than passing fads—and rice water is one of them. Once a viral DIY treatment, this centuries-old ingredient has shown real staying power, evolving into a mainstay in hair products. It’s still touted for its ability to strengthen strands and support growth—but does it actually live up to the hype? To find out, we asked the pros.
Meet Our Expert
Dr. Gaby LongsworthPh.D. scientist, certified hair practitioner, and the founder of Absolutely Everything Curly
The Benefits of Rice Water in Hair Care
According to Dr. Gaby Longsworth, a scientist, certified hair practitioner, and the founder of Absolutely Everything Curly, rice water is known for its protein and vitamin content—both of which can lead to a stronger, healthier head of hair.
Nutrient Rich
“Rice water is packed with proteins, vital vitamins, such as vitamins C and E, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants,” she says, noting that where vitamin C boosts sebum, which moisturizes the scalp, vitamin E coats the hair, creating soft, silky hair. “
Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, are small and able to penetrate the strand where they aid in strengthening and repairing the hair from within.” Longsworth also calls out inositol (which is often how rice water shows up on product labels), a naturally occurring carbohydrate that’s prevalent in rice. “Inositol benefits your hair in three ways: It increases elasticity, decreases surface friction (when the hair strand’s surface is smoother, the strands glide by each other with less friction, leading to fewer knots and tangles), and remains inside your strands even after the rice water has been rinsed out,” she shares.
Effectiveness
It’s no wonder, then, that this ingredient has become so popular in hair care formulations—particularly those suited for curls. “If you suffer from over-moisturized, limp, mushy, gummy, lifeless hair that is unable to hold a curl for very long past wash day, a weekly rice water rinse is highly effective,” Longsworth affirms, noting that rice water makes for the ultimate strengthening protein hair treatment, too. “You will not see results overnight, but should see the benefits after four to six weeks of continued use.”
And that goes for just about any so-called miracle worker: “It takes patience and consistency to see long-term improvements in the hair,” she says.
Rice Water and Hair Growth
Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images
However, full disclosure: Rice water creates the appearance of longer, thicker hair, but it doesn’t necessarily boost growth. “The larger proteins in rice water are too big to enter the hair strand and instead create a thick protective coating over each one,” Dr. Longsworth clarifies. This phenomenon is why so many people connect this ingredient with growth: “The coating minimizes breakage, allowing your natural growth to show more clearly—but this treatment does not cause your hair to grow faster,” she shares. With that said, Longsworth points out that if you have scalp issues—such as dryness, itchiness, flakiness, irritation, sensitivity, or oiliness—rice water can help. “When the rice water is massaged in, it promotes a healthy scalp and encourages hair growth in this way,” she says.
The Pros and Cons of Rice Water
The best candidates for rice water protein treatments are those with damaged hair that has been chemically processed, bleached, or colored. “The rinse acts as a strengthening agent and aids in repair,” Longsworth explains. Those with already-healthy or fine strands, on the other hand, should steer clear. “If your hair is already healthy and protein-rich, adding rice water can make it dry and stiff,” she warns, explaining that this result is generally referred to as protein overload. “In general, protein treatments, such as rice water rinses, are unnecessary if you have low porosity hair (healthy hair with a strong cuticle layer) or fine hair strands that are easily overwhelmed.”
How to Use Rice Water in Your Routine
For optimal efficacy, Longsworth notes that rice water should be used on freshly washed, towel-dried hair that is free from buildup (you can also apply the rinse on dry strands). After letting the treatment sit for 10 minutes (or the recommended time by your specific product), rinse it out to prevent over-treating. “Always deep condition after a rice water rinse,” she says. “Or mix the rice water with your deep conditioner.”
Using a clarifying product in between sessions is also key, she shares: “If the old coating is not removed, it will prevent moisture from reaching the core of the hair strand,” she warns. “Protein overload will result, and hair will feel dry and stiff, and be prone to breakage.”
And if you’re on the hunt for a product that contains this hair-boosting agent? Longsworth advises paying close attention to ingredient lists. For the best results, she recommends using only formulas that contain rice water in the first five slots. “This means that rice water is present in a high amount,” she explains.
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