Rice water has been around for centuries, but this hair rinse has exploded on the internet over the last year. A rice water hair rinse may potentially have life-changing benefits like improving hair growth and strengthening the strands.

Rice water can be tricky to use, and it’s time-consuming if you want to follow the correct method. However, some people have seen significant improvements in the health of their hair since incorporating rice water into their routine.

On the other hand, others have not been able to reap the benefits of rice water. So, does the porosity of our hair affect the ability to benefit from using rice water? Porosity allows us to understand how the hair holds and retains moisture. 

So, is rice water good for low porosity hair? Rice water has the potential to penetrate the cuticle of low porosity hair and offer various advantages. However, rice water should be used sparingly to achieve the best result for low porosity hair. 

The porosity of our hair can definitely impact how rice water and other hair products affect our hair. Low porosity hair won’t absorb moisture easily, but it can retain moisture. High porosity hair can absorb water easily but has trouble retaining moisture.

So let’s get into the best ways to use rice water for low porosity hair.

What Is Low Porosity Hair?

The porosity of your hair refers to your hair’s ability to hold and retain moisture. In addition, there are three levels of porosity which are low, normal, and high. The cuticle of your hair will determine your hair porosity. 

For example, cuticles that are much more open or expansive result in high porosity hair, allowing moisture to enter very quickly. 

However, it will be challenging for high porosity hair to hold onto moisture because open cuticles won’t lock in moisture easily.

On the other hand, low porosity hair has tightly packed and sealed cuticles. These cuticles make it extremely difficult for moisture to penetrate the strands, but once the moisture is in, it won’t leave your hair anytime soon.

How To Find Your Hair Porosity?

Thankfully, figuring out your hair’s porosity is quick and straightforward. All you need is a strand of your hair and a glass of water to conduct a float test. 

This test will quickly tell you if you have high or low porosity hair, and it can be done anywhere.

To achieve the most accurate results, wash and dry your hair without using additional products to get a precise reading of your hair porosity. Now it’s time to prepare a glass of room temperature water so you can start the float test.

Drop your strand of hair in the glass and let it rest anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Once the time has passed, evaluate where the strand of hair is located. If the strand of hair is floating, chances are you have low porosity hair. 

If your strand of hair has wholly sunk, chances are you have high porosity hair. Finally, if your hair is floating somewhere around the middle of your glass, you could have normal porosity.

Characteristics Of Low Porosity Hair 

In addition, there are other tell-tale signs that you could possibly have low porosity hair. They are easy to indicate and can help you adjust your hair routine for your low porosity hair.

• Your hair takes some time to get wet.
• Hair products sit on top of your strands rather than absorbing into the shafts.
• Your hair could be soft, smooth, and silky in texture.
• It takes a long time to dry your hair, whether you air dry or blow dry. 

Because it can be challenging for moisture to penetrate low porosity hair, can something like rice water benefit this hair type?

What Is Rice Water?

Rice water isn’t a new treatment. In fact, it’s been used for centuries dating back to the Heian period in Japan. Women all over Asia have been using rice water to strengthen and grow their hair forever.

According to Healthline, “Rice water is the starchy water leftover after rice is cooked or left to soak. It is thought to make the hair smooth and shiny, as well as help it grow faster.” Rice water offers various excellent benefits to your strands. 

The Yao women in China are known for their long, strong, and gray-less hair due to fermented rice water rinses. 

Unfortunately, too many articles have misinformation regarding rice water, so it’s always recommended to conduct extensive research.

However, one of the most cohesive and consistent recipes for rice water takes time and dedication. In addition, because fermented rice water is potent, it’s recommended to use it only once a month. 

How Do You Use Rice Water For Hair?

First, rinse your rice until it’s clean, and let it soak in a bowl of water. After some time has passed, remove the rice, and you should be left with cloudy water. Next, boil the water, and add some pomelo peels for fragrance.

Then, transfer the water to an airtight jar and let it ferment anywhere from a week to a month. 

This water will be your alternative to shampoo, except you can soak your hair in rice water to achieve the maximum benefits, which are particularly interesting for low porosity hair.

Rice water can encourage healthy hair growth, increase shine to your strands, and potentially cure dandruff. In addition, these are all factors that low porosity hair can benefit from.

Another option is to experiment with a rice water product. We’re fans of this rice water and rosemary spray that can be used on your hair and skin.

Is Rice Water Good For Low Porosity Hair? 

Rice water can be highly beneficial for all hair types, including low porosity hair, as long as it’s used correctly. Rice water can ruin your hair if you aren’t careful and don’t research beforehand. However, it can also be an excellent hair treatment if used correctly.

One thing to limit is the number of times you use rice water on your hair. Using rice water frequently can cause dryness and hair breakage, so when you use it, it’s recommended to let it sit for 20 minutes and use it once a month.

Our hair naturally has proteins, and rice water also infuses the hair with proteins. However, too much protein can cause your hair to break or fall out, especially for low porosity hair.

Rice water will also leave a protective protein coating on the hair, which is good every once in a while, but low porosity hair can hold onto those proteins longer than other types. So, it is crucial not to cause a protein overload that leads to breakage. 

However, if rice water is used correctly on low porosity hair, this hair type can gain tremendous benefits. In reality, anyone can get amazing results from rice water with the right recipe and procedure. 

So, how does low porosity gain benefits from rice water?

Benefits of Rice Water For Low Porosity Hair

According to Femina, “rice water has a multitude of components with nutritional value…proteins, triglycerides, lipids, carbohydrates, inositol, and vitamins are present in rice water.” All these components can benefit both your skin and your hair. 

We know that rice water can promote healthy hair growth. If you are thin or want your ends to grow long and strong, rice water can aid you in the process. In addition, the rice proteins will increase the strength of your hair shaft and boost shine. 

The protective coating that rice water offers will help create smooth, silky hair and even reduce frizz. These are all the main benefits of using rice water, especially when considering low porosity hair.

However, what are some other benefits that low porosity hair can reap from rice water?

Loving Kinky Curls lists the following benefits:

• Boost the elasticity of the hair because it contains inositol
• It helps manage your hair because it makes it easier to detangle and requires less effort to style.

In addition, Expert Home Tips states that rice water can cure dandruff: “fermented rice water can fight the fungi which causes dandruff, and rid you of those white flakes.”

Surprisingly enough, there are multiple benefits that rice water can offer for low porosity hair. Allowing the rice water to soak on your strands for 10-20 minutes once a month will provide the best results. 

Pros & Cons 

Rice water can be challenging to work with. If it’s used too frequently, it can cause more harm than good and lead to scalp issues, breakage, and dryness.

It’s crucial to conduct your research on rice water to find the ideal recipe. In addition, always perform a patch test to ensure you don’t have a surprise allergic reaction. 

However, when used correctly, rice water can be transformative for low porosity hair types. Rice water can increase hair growth, improve the strength of your hair, increase shine, cure dandruff, boost the hair’s elasticity, and so much more. 

Overall, rice water can be highly beneficial for low porosity hair when used in moderation and with caution.

Up Next: The Best Low Porosity Hair Routine