reading time: 8 min

Did you know that Yao women cut their hair only once in their lifetime? And that they never use shampoo on their hair?

If you are wondering what the Yao women have to do with this rice water recipe, and who the Yao women are in the first place, let me explain: The trend of using (fermented) rice water to achieve long, strong and healthy hair has been going around on the internet for a while now. The use of this method was first recorded in the Heian period (794–1186), when Japanese women use the water leftover from washing rice to attain beautiful floor-length hair as well as soft plump skin. Today the Red Yao women of the Huangluo Village in China are known for keeping their hair long, strong, shiny and jet-black even at the age of 80, using the fermented rice water method. The Yao settlement actually received a Guinness world record certification for the "world's longest hair village", with an average of 1.5 meters and a record of 2.1 meters of hair.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, the women of Huangluo only cut their hair once in their lives, when they turn 18, as part of a coming of age ceremony. After that, the Yao women wear their hair in a "twist and tie" hair style where they twist their hair into a long rope and wrap it around their head. This protects their hair from wind, tangles and split ends.

What's So Great About This Rice Water Method

Rice water contains a lot of nutrients beneficial to our hair and scalp, including amino acids, minerals, antioxidants, selenium, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins B1-B6, vitamins C & E, niacin, vitamin K and inositol. The inositol carbohydrate has the ability to penetrate into the hair and repair cuticle damage, adding shine and reducing frizz. Rice water helps promote hair growth due to the amino acids, reduces dandruff and scalp problems due to the healing properties of the starch, and makes your hair stronger, smoother and shinier.

The pomelo or grapefruit peels in this rinse contain antioxidants that help promote hair growth by increasing the blood flow to the surface of the scalp, as well as being anti-septic, anti-allergic and anti-fungal, making them a mild treatment for dandruff, an itchy irritated scalp and scalp infections. They also help getting rid of product build-up, and bring shine to dull, dry, lifeless hair.

In short: This boiled and fermented rice water promotes hair growth, nourishes the scalp, cleanses and conditions your hair with only 3 ingredients! In fact, you don't have to use a conditioner or even shampoo when using this recipe. Plus, it gives your hair an amazing orange smell!

So stop tossing away the water from washing or boiling your rice, and start making this wholesome hair conditioner! (No really, I always use the rice that I am about to cook anyway 😃)

Below I share with you a quick version that is ready within a day, and the traditional version that takes 1 week but is my recommended method.

  reading time: 5 min

After watching Galatea's witty and insightful video on Why Are Christmas Movies So Bad? and the kind but fierce Warrior/Magician archetype of Santa Clause or rather Father Christmas last week, which really inspired me in an unexpected way, I felt called to celebrate the dark and cosy, mysterious atmosphere of Christmas once again. (Honestly, go watch her videos, she's awesome!)

A close relative to the pesto flower bread, which I have made before but never shared on the blog so far, I have been wanting to make a sweet variation of this twisted pull-apart bread for a while now, which uses sweet, buttery, caramelized cinnamon as a filling instead of pesto.

This festive cinnamon snowflake bread is not only super cute, but also very delicious. And, of course, vegan!

It's warm, sweet, soft, doughy, with a crunchy exterior, and a fragrant Christmasy interior. It's similar to cinnamon rolls, but in a pull-apart style and also generously dusted with powdered sugar to give it that characteristic snowflake look!

Looking impressive, but actually being not that hard to make, it's the perfect recipe for the holiday season, but also for any other dark and gloomy Sunday morning or afternoon, and a fun thing to make on snow days – or on winter days where I wish it would actually snow. So basically any day, lol!

I highly suggest serving this with some milk tea or hot chocolate, too.

TIP: The dough can also be made a day in advance and can be kept in the refrigerator before proceeding with the assembly. This is very handy if you want to serve this fresh and warm for a brunch.

 reading time: 7 min