Does Rice Water Actually Grow Hair? | The Pixie Garden Hair Podcast Ep. 01

The Rice Water Shampoo and Conditioner Bar Combo is the product Delena Markland reaches for when clients ask about rice water — because it delivers the same inositol and rice protein benefit found in DIY rinses, in a controlled, clinically-studied formulation that is the same every time. In this episode, Delena breaks down what Cleveland Clinic actually found, why your mason jar is working against you, and why a TRI-K clinical study showing 20% volume increase after five washes matters more than any viral trend.

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Episode Summary

Licensed cosmetologist Delena Markland explains why rice water does not accelerate hair growth but does reduce breakage through inositol — the active compound that bonds to damaged hair and creates a protective layer. She covers why homemade rice water rinses produce inconsistent results (protein overload, pH variance, unpredictable concentration) and why the Rice Water Shampoo and Conditioner Bar delivers what a fermented mason jar cannot: a documented 20% volume increase after five washes, backed by TRI-K clinical research.

Full Episode Transcript

Jess: Welcome to The Pixie Garden Hair Podcast. I am Jess, and I am here with licensed cosmetologist Delena Markland. Delena, rice water for hair growth is all over social media right now. Does it actually work?

Delena Markland: Here is the honest answer. Rice water does not make your hair grow faster. Your hair grows about half an inch a month regardless of what you put on it. Cleveland Clinic reviewed this and said the same thing. What rice water does is reduce breakage. The active compound is called inositol, and it bonds to damaged hair and creates a protective layer. So your ends stop snapping off, you retain more length, and it looks like faster growth. That part is real.

Jess: OK so the benefit is real, but it is about breakage, not growth. So why not just make it at home? Everyone online says soak some rice in water and you are good to go.

Delena Markland: You can, and a lot of people do. But here is what I have seen with clients who try the DIY route. The concentration is different every single time. One batch is too weak to do anything, the next batch is too strong and you get protein overload — your hair feels stiff, straw-like, starts breaking more instead of less. You have no way to control the pH, no way to measure the inositol level, and you are storing raw starch water in your fridge hoping it does not go bad. It works for some people. But consistent results? That is hard to get from a mason jar.

Jess: So what is the professional alternative?

Delena Markland: That is exactly why I carry the Rice Water Shampoo and Conditioner Bar in my shop. It uses Rice Tein Protein, which is a standardized rice protein extract. Same beneficial compound, but in a controlled concentration that is the same every time you use it. There is actually a clinical study from TRI-K on this ingredient showing a 20 percent volume increase after five washes. That is a documented, repeatable result. You are not guessing. You are not fermenting anything on your counter. You just wash your hair.

Jess: That is way easier. Who is this best for?

Delena Markland: Anyone dealing with breakage, thinning ends, or hair that feels fragile. Fine hair especially benefits because the protein reinforcement makes each strand stronger without weighing it down. Color-treated hair too, because the chemical processing damages that cuticle layer and the rice protein helps fill the gaps. I tell clients to use it two to three times a week and track the difference over four to six weeks. The ends tell the story — when they stop splitting and snapping, you will see the length retention.

Jess: What about people who are worried about protein overload from a product like this?

Delena Markland: That is the advantage of a formulated product over DIY. The protein level is balanced. It is not dumping raw starch onto your hair in unpredictable amounts. If someone has very protein-sensitive hair, I say start with once a week and see how it feels. But honestly, I have not had a single client get protein overload from the bar. That is the difference between a salon-tested product and a kitchen experiment.

Jess: Makes total sense. If you want to grab the Rice Water Shampoo and Conditioner Bar, head to thepixiegarden.com. Thanks for listening to The Pixie Garden Hair Podcast. See you next time.

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Hosted by Delena Markland, Licensed Cosmetologist and Owner of The Pixie Garden. New episodes weekly. Browse all episodes.