Women
Amazing Hair And Skin Benefits Of Rice Water
One of the most significant food grain is rice. It is a staple food for almost half of the world’s population, supplying as much as half of the daily calories.
But, rice is also known as a beautifying ingredient. For centuries, Asian women have used rice water to beautify their face, body and hair.
Traditionally, female rice farmers in Japan, China and other South-East Asian countries use to bathe and wash in the water used for cleaning rice. The Yao ethnic women from the village of Huangluo in China is testament to this tradition.
With their average hair length of about 6 feet, these women made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s longest hair village”. Thus, these women do not have grey hair till late 80s. The Yao women believe that the fermented rice water which they use to cleanse their hair, is what helps to keep their hair long, dark and clean. Rice water enables these women to de-tangle and manage their long hair, which they wrap around their heads in an elaborate high bun that is often described with names such as ‘grazing god’s bun’ or the ‘cloud bun’.
Rice water has amazing hair and skin benefits. A recent research has shown that rice water exhibit hair care effects, such as decreasing surface friction and improving hair elasticity.
Rice water has inositol, a carbohydrate that can repair damaged hair, as well as protect it from damage. Specialized imaging technique shows that inositol stays inside the hair even after rinsing, offering continuing hair protection and beautifying effects.
Rinsing or washing your hair with rice water will improve manageability and protect it from future damage. In addition, the amino acids in the rice water strengthens the hair roots, add volume and sheen and make hair silky smooth. These awesome benefits explain the 6 feet, healthy, long and beautiful hair of the Yao women.
Rice water also has many skin benefits. Due to its cooling and soothing effects on skin, rice water is often prescribed by avurv edic practitioners as an effective ointment to cool off inflamed skin.
Rice water also has moisturizing, antioxidant and healing properties that help to improve circulation, prevent or fade age-related spots, and ease inflammation to give you healthy, lasting moisturized and clear skin. As long as it is left on the skin, rice water is even believed to offer mild protection from the sun.
Fermented Rice Water:
The effects of rice water is further enhanced if it is left to ferment and slightly sour. It is rich in antioxidants, minerals, B vitamins, vitamin E and traces of pitera, a substance produced during the fermentation process. ‘Pitera’ has grown in popularity recently, and is touted as the anti-aging elixir due to its ability to promote cell regeneration, and help skin stay young and beautiful,
This fermented rice water can be used as face cleanser, skin toner and hair rinse. The nutrients in the fermented rice water is believed to shrink pores, reduce fine lines, tighten and brighten your skin – this is a perfect recipe to look radiant and youthful.
Washing or rinsing your hair with fermented rice water may be better than rising with unfermented or plain rice water. Fermentation lowers the PH of the liquid, and this is similar to our hair’s PH, which is also on the lower side (slightly acidic).
So, this slightly acidic PH, plus the added nutrients through the fermentation process, help restore hair’s pH balance, nourish hair follicles to promote healthy hair growth, and improve overall condition of hair.
Making Rice Water Plain And Fermented:
To enjoy these wonderful beauty benefits of rice water, all you do is just collect the water that you use to rinse your rice. And if you do not want to cook the rice then just grind the left-over rice to make a body scrub or face mask.
To make rice water and, you need half cup of uncooked rice (brown, white long grain, white short grain, jasmine or whatever you have). 2 to 3 cups of water. There are two ways to make rice water-boiling and without boiling.
Steps To Make Rice Water With Boiling:
Firstly, wash a cup of organic rice with clean water. Cook the rice in an uncovered pan with three cups of water. After the rice is cooked, strain the water into a clean container. Allow the rice water to cool down, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto a week.
Dilute one to two tablespoons of this concentrated solution in a cup of water. Stir it to get barely milky-looking mixture as needed in your beauty regimen.
Once you have collected your rice water, leave it at room temperature for a day or until it turns slightly sour, implying that it has started to ferment. It can take from 24 to 48 hours, depending on how warm it is. The warmer the room temperature, the faster the fermentation process. To decrease the fermentation time, leave the rice sitting in the water and strain once it has fermented. (Leave it covered for 12 to 24 hours).
To boil or not to boil: The recommended use is to boil the fermented rice water, but some people don’t. Everyone’s hair is different, so you may want to try out both methods to ascertain what works for you.
Bear in your mind that fermented rice water is very potent, so you may need to dilute it with a cup or two of warm water before use. Adjust according to your hair’s needs, use more for dry hair and less for oily hair.
Boiling Method:
You can also boil the rice to extract rice water. For this, boil the rice using more water than you would normally do.
Of course, once it starts boiling take out the excess water and use, or you can also let the rice fully cooked, strained, and used as excess water. This rice water will be very concentrated, so make sure to dilute it with plain water until it is slightly cloudy.
Storage:
You can store the rice water in the fridge and allow to stay for up to a week. Shake it before application.
Bethel Sam Toby
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
