I thickened my hair at home – all I used was a three-ingredient DIY mix from the cupboard

LONG before rice went viral on social media as the miracle ingredient for luscious locks, it had been used for centuries by women in Asia.

And thanks to centuries of use, women figured out exactly what other products to mix with rice to help hair grow not just thickly, but very quickly. 

That includes London-based content creator Ella Heart, whose years of haircare experience have helped her figure out exactly what to stew in a jar for “strong and healthy hair”.

The 32-year-old shared her “magic potion” on TikTok and dubbed it a natural hair loss remedy. 

She mixes just three ingredients in a jar: rice, thyme and rose water. 

“Do you want long, strong and healthy hair?” she said. “I will give you a magic potion.

“Fill a cup with rice and wash the rice with cold water for about 30 seconds. 

“Add the rice into a jar or a container with a lid. Rice water strengthens your hair.

“Then add a few strings of thyme. Thyme promotes hair growth and preserves moisture. 

“Then add my secret ingredient – rose water. 

“Rose water has anti-inflammatory benefits and regulates the scalp pH levels.”

With all three ingredients in the jar, Ella said to top them with warm water, shake everything together and leave it to rest overnight. 

To get maximum benefits out of rice water and rice water-based hair elixirs, you should leave it on your scalp and hair for 20 minutes before shampooing. 

As you would with any other hair mask or treatment, dampen your locks first and make sure the solution is fully coating your hair. 

Ella added in the comments of her video that the organic product can last a while as long as it’s stored in a cool and dry place. 

People who are experiencing hair loss due to current stressors will benefit from Ella’s “magic potion”.

Hair loss is very normal, with experts estimating that we lose around 50 to 100 hairs a day.

However, it is a cause for concern when excessively shedding or coming out in clumps. 

This can happen as a result of stress put on your body, such as big weight loss, giving birth, excessive stress or illness. 

And while natural solutions may help some people’s locks grow back thick and strong, the NHS recommends speaking to your GP if you’re concerned about the volume of hair that you’re losing.