Chinese women are envied for their flawless skin and healthy, shiny hair. The secret to their strong, healthy hair originated from the ancient Chinese village of Huangluo. Nicknamed “The Long Hair Village”, the Yao women are famous for their long and shiny hair. Most women in this area have hair longer than 1.4 meters!

Bright Side wants to share the secret to their Rapunzel-like hair with you. Don’t miss our useful bonus tip at the end!

Without further ado, let’s share their biggest hair secret: fermented rice water.

Since ancient times, the Yao women, as well as imperial princesses of China, have used the water they cook their rice in to wash their hair. For the Yao women, their long and shiny hair is their most prized possession, symbolizing longevity, prosperity, wealth and good fortune.

The Yao women considered their hair to be sacred and allowed no one to touch or even see it except for their husbands and children. If someone from outside the family caught a glimpse, they would be forced to spend 3 years with the woman’s family as their son-in-law. This outdated law was scrapped in the late 1980s.

How to make this magic potion:

Here is how you can make and use this magic concoction at home:

How does it work?

According to studies, the fermented rice water has many benefits:

Bonus: Benefits of rice water for skin

Rice water is beneficial not just for the hair but also for the skin. The vitamins, minerals and amino acids present in it work wonders for the skin. Rice water also contains ferulic acid which is a great antioxidant. The various skin related uses for rice water are:

What are the traditional beauty secrets in your family? Share them with us in the comments below.

Preview photo credit Ladies & Gentlemens Hair Studio / facebook, Yami Herbals / facebook