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Hair Series: Rice Water for Natural Hair Update

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It has been over three months since I challenged myself to experiment with applying rice water on my natural hair. I wanted to share my thoughts and my results with you – so that you gain better insight on the rice water treatment.

Disclaimer

Before anything else, I am going to be frank and tell you that I failed miserably with regards to documenting my hair progress since incorporating rice water into my wash day routine.

I attempted to take my hair measurements and before pictures prior to starting  the challenge, but it was a struggle and I was over it.

In any event, I do apologize if you were expecting a more elaborate update from me (pictures and measurements included). I plan to do more hair challenge content on my platform in the future, and with the right assistance, rest assured, you will get quality from me.

Purpose of the Rice Water Challenge

If you have not read my post on Rice Water for Natural Hair Growth: Everything You Need to Know, I conveyed useful information and the intent behind the why I decided to participate in this hair challenge. Basically, I wanted to determine if rice water improves hair quality and promotes hair growth.

How it Started 

I commenced the Rice Water challenge on July 30, 2020 with the hopes to achieve primarily hair growth and thickness for the duration of three months (90 days).

Application:

The rice water treatment was applied on my wash days which is typically once every two weeks.

Using a spray bottle, I would mist the treatment directly onto my scalp and throughout my hair after shampooing, and let it sit (uncovered) for about 20 minutes before rinsing. After, I proceeded with my wash day routine as normal.

How it Ended

I concluded the Rice Water challenge with a final rinse on November 7, 2020.

Results Noticed:

As previously mentioned, I applied the rice water treatment once every two weeks, which is about eight usages during the challenge.

First and foremost, there was absolutely nothing luxurious about this treatment. The smell was horrendous and it most certainly did not improve after each use, but I digress.

Like with any challenges, there are advantages and disadvantages, and truth be told I had my fair share of both.

Advantages:

I was quite astonished with how my hair felt after the first few usages of the treatment. Surprisingly, it softened my hair for easy manageability which made the detangling process so much more efficient.

Additionally, I noticed instant shine and definition once the treatment was applied and after.

On the contrary,

Disadvantages:

Apart from the awful stench (don’t worry, once you carry on with your wash day routine/products the smell subsides), as I continued to apply the treatment during my scheduled wash days, I started to notice a difference in how my hair felt; stiff, dry and brittle.

Based on my observation, I believe that I was experiencing protein overload (protein overload occurs when there is a moisture/protein imbalance in the hair. When the hair consists of too much protein it feels coated/dry and brittle. For that reason the hair is more susceptible to shedding and breakage). Also, I experienced more shedding than usual, and the products that I would have conventionally applied on any regular wash day, were not effective as they usually are. However, we move.

Before and After  (pICTURES) 

Rice water for natural hair challenge. Before and after picture. Picture to the left was taken in Aug 2020 and picture to the right was taken Nov 2020. 90 day results.

Final Thoughts

Rice water for natural hair challenge. Natural hair tied with a black scrunchie, showcasing results after the 90 days. Picture was taken of  heatless stretched 2 week old natural hair.

In short, based on my experience with the rice water treatment; I personally do not think it aided much, if at all, to my hair growth. Yet, it probably would have helped if I had taken my hair measurements. In any case, I did notice slight thickness, shine, and that my hair shade appeared rich in colour. Do I intend to continue to incorporate rice water into my wash days? Probably not. If so, once every 6-8 weeks as a protein treatment.

rice water for natural hair challenge. Picture taken on heatless stretched 2 week old natural hair, showcasing thickness and length after the 90 day challenge.

It is important to note that there are so many factors that can influence hair growth (such as nutrition, genetics, age, products, etc.), so do not be alarmed if you tried rice water treatment and achieved no results.

My hair goal after the 90 days was to achieve 3″ inches of hair growth, but that was a fail. Hey, at least I can say I experimented with rice water and it did not necessarily work for me in terms of hair growth. And that is expected as; “what works for others might not work for you.”

In the Comments Below…

Let me know if you have experimented with rice water for natural hair? What were your expectations? And was it attainable? And for those who have not, would you give rice water a try?

Until next time!



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HELLO!

I’m Abigail ―
A Christ follower†. A sporadic Natural Hair & Lifestyle Blogger. If you're anything like me and have a passion for achieving and maintaining healthy natural hair, welcome! Not only am I all things pertaining to hair, I'm also a pizza lover topped with wanderlust. I hope to inspire and be inspired throughout my hair journey & life in general.


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