Fermented Rice Water Hair Rinse

I was making organic brown rice flour and thought it was a shame to pour the soaking water down the drain. Surely it could be used for something? I googled and the most popular method using it as a hair rinse. Other uses were as a facial toner and for watering plants.

I was intrigued by the hair rinse because use as you may know, I'm obsessed with natural hair care. There were blog posts about it, referencing it's use with Chinese villagers who grow their hair super long. Apparently they cleanse their hair with fermented rice water. I'm not one to readily believe stuff from the internet but since I had the rice water, there was no harm in trying it.

I had a litre of water from rice that was soaked in it for 24 hours and let out to sit. There was foam on the top and it looked carbonated when it was shaken. I kept the bottle on the counter with the lid on and decanted a cup or two everytime I used it on my hair. To make the fermented rice water, you have to leave it for a few days. Allegedly the method the villagers use requires the water to be boiled before using and couldn't find an explanation as to why. I don't see the point of boiling it so I skipped that part.

After a day of letting the water sit, I poured a few cups on my head and let it run through my hair. This was done after it had been washed and conditioned. It smelt wonderful like fresh rice. I had feel-good vibes letting it sit in my hair for a few minutes. I rinsed it off although it smelt so good I didn't want to. After my hair had dried I noticed it felt shinier and softer.

Even my friend mentioned it, saying my hair looked glossy and healthier. I wasn't convinced it was because of the rice water. I intended to make a judgement after all the rice water was used up.

For the next wash which was two days later, there was a definite pong in the rice water. I was weary so I kept the bottle in the fridge at that point. I tested the pH with a test strip and it was at 7, which is neutral. Not acidic as I expected after fermentation.

When I poured the rice water through my hair, I started to regret it because it smelt a bit like horse poo. The bad bacteria had gotten to it and it was going rancid. The smell remained in my hair until it dried. The results on my hair were similar to the first time.  Although I noticed my hair strands felt not as weak or stretchy when I combed it.

I used the last of the rice water the third time and the smell was much more pungent. The pH was the same at 7. I was at the gym when I used it and I wish I hadn't because the person using the shower next to me must have thought I'd done something very nasty! The smell was revolting, like a fresh steaming cow pat. Again I got soft and shiny hair but no way would I ever use rice water that old again.

So the conclusion is that I think rice water is beneficial for hair. It's a mystery as to how but it worked for me. From now on I'll retain the rinsing water when I cook rice and store it in the fridge.  If you make rice, don't let the water go to waste-give it a try and see if it works for you too!

Mane N Tail - Will It Work For Me?

It's my new obsession although Mane n Tail has been around for ages.

I've got a new hair routine because my ends were beyond revival. My hair was falling out in chunks and took 10 minutes to detangle. I had to give it a proper trim and two inches came off. And there are still split ends!

Now I'm taking silica daily and oiling my hair ends everyday. I'm using Bawang shampoo (don't think it's doing anything but I got to use it up!) and Mane n Tail conditioner and Maximum Herbal Gro.

There are tonnes of reviews on Mane n Tail-the common theme is that it makes your hair grow fast. This is misinformation. The only thing that can make your hair grow is something you take internally. An over the counter shampoo and conditioner will not do anything except preserve your hair so you'll need less trims.

Mane n Tail products are cheap. I went to Paks Cosmetics and bought a big bottle of the Deep Conditioner £2.99 and Maximum Herbal Gro £2.99. The conditioner is thick and an unusual blue colour. I realised it has dimethicone in it and although it leaves the hair soft and feeling moisturised there was a slight residue so I went back to Paks to get the original conditioner.

The original is also called the Moisturiser and Texturiser. It's silicone free and smells lovely. It's a little runnier than the deep conditioner and it's a more pleasing pale yellow colour. You can use it as a leave in as well as a normal conditioner.

UPDATE: I've been using the Texturiser shampoo and noticed I'm shedding alot more than usual. My hair was dropping so much, I decided to stop using it. I've gone back to using shikakai and alma for hair cleaning.

4 Reasons Why Fine Haired Girls Hate Getting Hair Cuts

Look at those straggly hair ends. I finally got a decent amount chopped because my hair turned bad. It was falling out from the roots and the ends became limp.

I was going to write this post like an open letter to hairdressers but open letters are annoying and self indulgent. I'll just list the reasons why don't like my hair cut. I have very fine hair and not a lot of it. Hopefully fine haired girls understand what I'm saying here!

1) Hairdressers cut more hair than they say they will

Maybe they think I'm kidding myself when I tell them I only want 1/2 inch off and yes I know my hair is damaged. It's probably more obvious on fine hair. Most of time, an inch or more actually gets cut off. This happens when hair is cut while soaking wet. As I can't grow a lot of hair and it takes a long time to get it past my elbows, I'm not quick to trust hairdressers when they'll only take off half an inch. 

2) Paying above the odds for a blunt trim

Hairdressers don't even need to section by layer before cutting my hair. They separate it into left, back and right sections and cut straight across. For fine haired girls we only need a blunt trim to preserve volume. It takes 5-10 minutes to cut my hair. So why do I have to pay for an expensive "long hair" cut, or the same price as someone with mega thick hair or who's asking for a style cut?

3) Hairdryer fear

Professional hair dryers are so hot I've been burned by them. My hair barely shields my scalp so if a hairdryer goes near it for longer than a second, it bloody well burns. Most hairdressers don't get this and treat fine hair like thick hair. Fine hair is more venerable to heat and it grates me to see them fry my hair with the hairdryer. I'd prefer to walk out of the salon with wet hair. Especially since the slightest of moisture in the air causes my hair to go frizzy no matter how well it's been blow dried. As for point 3, why do I have to pay for a finish when I don't want one?

4) Hairdressers yanking through tangled hair

We fine haired girls know when hairdressers are yanking through our tangled ends after a wash. No matter how it's "concealed" by holding onto the lengths, I hear the comb smacking against the sink because the hairdresser's trying to save time. Fine hair snags easily and even though the ends are getting cut off, the lengths are undergoing stress by having a comb pull through the knots. Fine haired girls don't do this to their own hair so neither should hairdressers. We don't want to, nor should have to say this either.

  

Miss Sporty Peel Off Nail Polish

I'll keep this post brief because there are tonnes of reviews on this product. I bought it because it was 3 Miss Sporty products for £5 at Superdrug. The idea of peel off nail polish appeals to me because I hate taking off nail polish, especially dark colours and glitters. 

I tested out the other two Miss Sporty polishes bought. The peel off polish is basically wood glue. Takes about 10 minutes for it be dry enough the paint over.

Sadly only after 6 hours, the nail polish peeled off unintentionally. I washed my hands and noticed the index fingernail completely polish free! Once that happened I peeled the others off-it was a bit of an obsessive satisfaction watching them come clean off the nail.

This stuff comes off too easily-whether it's a good or bad thing is questionable. I think it's convenient if you want to wear a racy colour for a night out but have work the next day. Or if you want to mask cuticles when applying dark polishes. 

What it's not good for, is longevity. I'm passing this onto my sister who can let my niece wear nail polish from time to time.

How To Get Rid of Fabric Snags

I bought a dress from Ebay and the seller mentioned there were "unnoticeable" snags but it actually looked like it went through a wash with Velcro.

It wasn't worth my while to send it back and I really liked the dress. After google searching fabric snag fixes, I found the easiest method and it took next to no time to make those ugly snags disappear.

1) Tug the fabric on the opposite ends of the snag so it retracts as far as it can go.

2) Push a needle threader through from underneath, as close to the snag as possible.

3) Thread the snag through the threader and press the wire part against the fabric.

4) Pull threader through the other side. The snag is gone! 

Prepping For A Black Tie Event

I went to the Wimbledon Ball and it was my first proper black tie event since my high school formal. I did it on the cheap then and after shelling out for Wimbledon Ball ticket and dress hire, I tried to save my pennies for everything else. 

The Make Up and Nails:

I finally put my makeup and hoard of skincare products to use. Even the weird, practically useless lip Modelling Gel Pack I bought from Korea.

On the day I went in the steam room at my gym, did a hair treatment, and for my face, used microdermabrasion cream and Elemis Papaya Enzyme peel. I painted my finger and toenails with Nails Inc Alexa Cashmere. It's quick to dry and forgiving for smudges because it has a textured matt finish. 

I used Smashbox's primer for makeup longevity and for my eyeshadow I used a taupe and dark brown from my Sleek palette. I had no idea how well they work together until now! I contoured my face with the Sleek Contouring kit and put on super cheap fake eyelashes from Primark as below. It's easy to put fake lashes on once you trim them 3-4 mm shorter than you're actual lash line and wait for the glue to get gummy before sticking them on. The lashes are good value, weightless although they were over the top looking. I probably should have chosen the Natural look lashes. I also bought Seventeen's Falsifeye HD mascara in case the lashes failed.

The Accessories:

Cheap gold earrings from Primark as below, my already owned YSL Arty ring (as the blue matches my dress), and vintage watch from Favre Leuba.  I bought a jewelled hair band from Primark reduced to £1 but it wasn't worn on the night. I carried my little Miu Miu bag instead of buying a new clutch purse.

The Dress:

Dress hire cost more than the ticket to the ball. I left it to the last minute to find a dress and didn't have the space to store a fancy dress so I hired. I picked this short dress which was £150. It complements my short frame and makes a statement so I'm pleased with it.

The Hair:

The only thing I can't do with my hair is create a pouf so I had to get a half up-do at the hairdresser. Fortunately there was a half price discount at a salon which recently opened near me so the cost was only £20. Probably just as well I didn't pay full price because my curls dropped flat as soon as I walked out! By the end of the night my lengths had straightened which is a shame considering how much heat my hair endured from GHD use. The hairdresser did something creative at the end of the pouf but I can't really tell what. The pouf held up well throughout the night.

 The Shoes:

Were bought from Amazon Prime for £23. I was looking for satin slingbacks with a platform for comfort and a leg lengthening effect. Satin is fantastic for shoes because you can get away with buying cheap shoes but they don't look it.

Side view of my dress.

My hair has never been so tall before! All thanks to teasing, hairspray and bobby pins.

Black Cumin Seed Oil As A Nutritional Supplement

I booked a treatment on Wahanda and went to Edgeware Road for the first time. The area and it's shops intrigue me. So exotic, it's like being in the middle east. Similar to my Oz home in Auburn, I went browsing in the grocery stores.

I came in looking for tea and ended up with Alwazah tea which was very cheap (79p or 25 tea bags) and a bottle of black seed oil (100ml for £3.99). I've heard about black seed oil and I couldn't resist trying atleast one beauty product behind the counter.

The brand is "Sofra" from Pakistan and the shop guy assured me that it's decent although the packaging is of poor quality. There's a leaflet inside with arabic and english instructions. The seal on the cap is a bit of a joke. The safety ring, or the thing that supposed to remain on the neck after you've opened the bottle, comes off with the cap so you can't tell if it's been tampered or not. But at least it's in a dark glass bottle and it's supposedly cold pressed virgin oil.

I was planning on applying it on my scalp but after doing some research on the internet, I figure I'm better off ingesting this stuff, assuming it's pure.

The list of benefits in the leaflet are long, ranging from weight loss, increasing sperm generation, supporting the immune system, recovery of hair loss to curing asthma. This oil is said to be rich with anti-oxidants, vitamins, essential fatty and amino acids. It has been used for over 2,500 years as a food supplement or a cure-all. There are also scientific studies on it's effect on cancer cells but nothing substantial as I figure it would have been more well known if it was actually effective.

The oil is pale brown and I poured it in a teaspoon and drank it straight. The instructions say to take 2 teaspoons morning and night but I'm generally healthy and too lazy to do this. The smell and taste is fine in my opinion. As long as you're not expecting it to taste good that is. The scent is similar to it's taste, light fragrant onion. It's not bitter and leaves a slight oniony after taste. I didn't need a chaser like honey or an acidic drink but it helps it go down.

I'm going to take a teaspoon at night and will add to this post with results when the bottle runs out.

Just to note I put some oil on my eczema and there was no positive effect. I think there was even a slight reaction. Also I put some on the ends of my hair and it felt sticky and smelt like onion. I will not be using this oil topically!