Rosemary and Ricewater *updated* in Tales from the kitchen witch

It sounds like an odd blog haha.

Im making rosemary and ricewater for hair.

First ricewater is known in China to promote hair growth and health.

You will need aprox 1/2 to 1 cup long grain white rice. Rinse well 2-3 times till the water runs clear.
Pour the rice into a jar with a lid. Add aprox 2 cups of distilled or filtered water. Dont use tap water as too many minerals or water treatments will cause the fermentation to stall or not at all.
Cover and allow to sit for 48 hours in a cool dark place( under the bathroom sink is a good spot for me) The water will turn cloudy and begin to ferment causing a stronger smell. After 48 hours you can store your liquid in the fridge and rinse your hair 1-2 times a week after washing.
Ive ready multiple ideas on how long to allow your hair to sit with the fermented water on it. Anywhere from Shampoo, Rinse, Conditioner to Shampoo, Rinse and allow to sit up to 45 minutes and then rinse with water. TO dilute every use, to spray on your hair and let sit as a leave in conditioner daily

Its really interesting because the internet is so wild back and forth with its recipes and uses. I like THIS link as it has a bit about the history of it.

Rosemary is another well known herb for hair growth and strength. This one I have made before.

Put several springs of rosemary in a half a cup to one cup of distilled or filtered water. Boil until the color leeches from the herb and then strain as much of the bits as you want from it. I actually like to leave the leaves in the water. Dilute with water and use as a hair rinse. I happen to love the smell of rosemary.

I plan on using the rosemary rinse with the ricewater rinse and seeing if the rosemary scent helps tone down the ricewater fermented scent.

Update
I made my rice water with 2 cups rice and 4ish cups filtered water. I allowed it to sit for 48 hours. I didnt notice so much of a sour smell but there was a yeastish smell. It was very mild and I figured ill let it sit another day. However I took a 8 oz cup full of rice water. I washed my hair with some of my regular shampoo then poured the rice water on. That was COLD haha. The birds were in the shower with me, so it was easy enough to hang out and talk to them while i let it marinate on my hair for a bit. Then I rinsed that out and used my Rosemary tea
.
I Simmered my rosemary in a cup of water for about 20 minutes till it was seeping like tea. Then placed it in a canning jar and put it in my kitchen window where the sun can “marinate” it a bit longer. The water is a rich tea like color. So after my ricewater rinse, I ran back to the kitchen and put about a quarter cup of the consintrated tea in the cup. I dilluted it with warm water. Rinsed the rice water out of my hair then poured the rosemary water over my hair. After another 5 or so minutes, i rinsed it out. I thikn next time I try this, I will not be in the shower. Maybe wash my hair, get out then do the rinses over the tub. I dont have a spray spout attached but i can pour water over my hair with my little cup lol.
My hair feels fine. Nothing out of the normal really. Perhaps a bit oily feeling right at the back of my scalp. That is where my oily hair seems to start. Normally not till later in the day.

Im having a devil of a time to find decent shampoo for my new hair type. Before i cut it all off. It was easy enough to care for. Of course thats before my move, before the new climate and before the autoimmune disease progressed. My hair is so thin that when braided, a nickel is wider then my braid. Its bad. But since I had covid last summer, its breaking off, becoming very frizzy. I wonder if my hair texture is changing more so then just going grey. I had the silky sleek hair that rarely needed to be brushed, that always looked slick down. Like in commercials. Even dyed regularly, it was silky and sleep like that. Now the texture is different from the grey. But occasionally it will curl. Its more textured instead of stick straight. So I wonder if its overall texture is changed to where its going to be more frizzy? Is that from the random curl texture? Or just because my hair has broken off so much. I dont know. I thought about buying a straightener and see if that would smooth it out nicer. But really It was never that thick to start, but now its just so thin and fine and ugly. The color is interesting sure. But the lady that cut my bangs butchered it and now they are all frizzy around my face and over an inch short. T went to a place where he got his hair cut and the lady does extensions. I’m considering it, but only if my hair is strong enough to support the weight. Because I would want them long lol. She refused to quote him without feeling my hair texture though. Im all, its white girl late 30s hair that is mostly grey haha. But I also realize that matching my hair color may be REALLY hard! Its really streaky. While I say its grey. Its white, dark brown with random lighter brown streaks. so you have to match the color and that may not be as easy as say someone with brown hair or blonde or a various shade of it. Its all virgin hair. I would say its strong, but im not sure. Im loosing a lot.. So I dont want to risk damaging what i have either. I just want to wear a hat for the next few months. Till it grows in and I dont look so fat faced and frizzy… If that will happen.... I dont know. Maybe more length will make it look better. Maybe im just not used to it being THIS grey. Afterall. last time it had length ( and bangs frankly) my hair was either purple, black or dark red. Bangs are not working on me but i like the longer layers around my face. So maybe longer bangs will work? In maybe 6 months when it grows longer. Sigh. Im so over it. Pony tails and hats it is… :(

Welp If anyone has any Shampoo suggestions, I would take it lol.

Last updated January 31, 2022