There’s been so many beauty trends circling lately that sometimes it’s hard to keep up. From applying egg whites to your hair to a mashed avocado hair mask, there seems to be something for everyone. But one trend that caught our eyes is applying rice water to hair. This TikTok trend has taken the Internet by storm. Women are taking rice water and using it to add shine, length, and elasticity to their hair.  People are claiming its amazing benefits, such as longer locks, stronger ends, and more hydration. We needed to dig to get to the bottom of this and figure out if this really works.

Getty Images/Xinhua News Agency/Xinhua News Agency

This viral TikTok trend is actually an ancient practice. This hair secret has been kept in villages in Ancient China for decades. There is a village called “Long Hair Village” located in the rice terraces of the region of Guangxi, China. It gets its name for the practice the women use of using fermented rice water on their hair that’s leftover from rinsed rice. Who knew that every time we’ve been rinsing our rice, we’ve been throwing out some amazing nutrients? The milky white water has antioxidants, minerals, and vitamin E. There are so many hair supplements, expensive shampoos, and other hair treatments out there, can a cheap household staple replace all of that?

Trichologist and hair specialist, Hannah Gaboardi explains, ““As rice water is high in starch, it can help the hair feel thicker and more voluminous. Rich in many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the hair’s follicles will be supported from the root and the scalp will have a nice environment for hair to grow. You should therefore see less breakage, shedding and a boost in shine.” It almost sounds too good not to try. Dermatologist Neil Sadick, MD adds that rice water, “contains carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins that can foster a balanced environment in the scalp to keep your follicles healthy.” So there might not be any scientific proof behind this magical liquid, but we are so down to try it out.