As I Am Rice Water Review: Is It Worth It?

If you’ve been on any hair-care forum in the last five years, you’ve heard the legends of rice water. You’ve heard the stories of the Yao women, with their hair touching the floor, all thanks to their “miracle” fermented rice rinse.

I’m here to tell you that I tried the DIY version, and my kitchen smelled like a sour-milk brewery for a week. It was messy, it was gross, and I quit. If you want the real, documented benefits of rice water without any of the hassle, then As I Am Rice Water is the product you should buy. It’s the “easy button” that finally made this legendary ingredient work for me.

My Experience With As I Am Rice Water

My hair has always been my biggest “problem.” It’s fine, but I have a lot of it, with a 2C/3A curl pattern that has a mind of its own. My main complaint, however, wasn’t curl definition—it was breakage. I was shedding in the shower. My brush was full. My ends were splitting. My hair felt “stretchy” and almost mushy when it was wet, a classic sign of over-moisturizing and a desperate need for protein.

So, like many of you, I went down the rice water rabbit hole. I made my own. I boiled the rice, I saved the water, I let it sit in a jar to ferment.

My apartment smelled awful, my partner was confused, and the “goop” I was left with was impossible to spray.

It went bad in three days. It was a complete failure.

Defeated, I saw the As I Am Rice Water spray at my local beauty supply.

As I Am is a brand I already trust for my curls, so I was intrigued. The ingredient list was the first thing that sold me. It wasn’t just fermented rice water.

It was a “complex,” with Biotin, Panthenol, and Inositol (the “hero” ingredient in rice water).¹ It was a professional, stabilized, pH-balanced formula. It was the “science” version of the DIY trend.

I bought the bottle and decided to use it as a pre-conditioner treatment, which is its main purpose. The first thing I noticed was the smell. It was a blessing. It’s not floral or fruity, but it has a very clean, professional, slightly sweet “salon” scent. It’s a million miles away from the “sour sock” smell of my homemade batch.

My first time, I used it as directed: I shampooed my hair, then saturated my hair with the spray. The mister on the bottle is fantastic—a fine, even cloud, not a “jet-stream” that soaks your bathroom. I left it on for the recommended 15 minutes. This is where I had my first “panic” moment. My hair did not feel soft. It did not feel “silky.” It felt stiff. It felt like it had a thin, invisible “cast” on it, almost like a light-hold hairspray. This was the protein at work. This was structure. I was so used to “moisture” that “strength” felt weird.

I rinsed it out and followed it with my thickest, most moisturizing, protein-free deep conditioner (this part is critical, as I’ll explain). After 20 minutes, I rinsed, and the stiffness was gone. What was left was… different. My hair felt… solid. As I was detangling in the shower, my strands felt more like strands, and less like “mushy” spiderwebs. My curls were clumping together more defined than I’d seen in months.

I used it once a week for six weeks. The real “Aha!” moment happened at the one-month mark. I was cleaning my brush, and I realized I only had to clean it once that week. The handful of hair I pulled out was a fraction of what it used to be. My shedding in the shower had visibly, drastically decreased. My ends weren’t splitting. My hair wasn’t “growing faster” from the root, but my length was being retained. The breakage had stopped. This little spray bottle did what all the expensive masks and oils couldn’t.

Pros Of As I Am Rice Water

• The Sheer, Unbeatable Convenience: This is the #1 reason to buy this product. You get all the fabled benefits of fermented rice water with none of the work. You don’t have to boil, ferment, or store anything. You don’t have to worry about it “going bad” (which DIY rice water does in 2-3 days). It’s stable, it’s preserved, it’s pH-balanced, and it’s always ready to go. The time, effort, and mess it saves is worth the price of admission ten times over. I can’t stress this enough: the convenience factor is what makes this a sustainable treatment you’ll actually stick with.
• The Smell is a Huge Plus: I have to dedicate a whole point to this. DIY fermented rice water is one of the worst things I have ever smelled. It’s a sour, starchy, “dumpster” smell that will cling to your hair and your bathroom. The As I Am Rice Water, on the other hand, has a very clean, pleasant, salon-quality fragrance. It’s a “neutral-fresh” scent with a hint of sweetness. It makes the 15-minute treatment time a pleasant, “self-care” experience, not a “hold-your-nose” chore.
• It Delivers an Instant Structural Feeling: This is not a “moisturizing” product, and it’s not supposed to be. This is a strengthening product. The moment it’s on your hair, you can feel it working. That “stiff” feeling is the Inositol and protein filling in the “potholes” (or “cuticle gaps”) in your hair shaft. For someone like me with high-porosity, over-moisturized hair, this feeling was a relief. It was the feeling of “armor” being added to my weak strands. It makes your hair feel less “stretchy” and “mushy” when wet, which is the prime state for breakage.
• Visibly and Measurably Reduces Breakage: This is the long-term payoff and the real magic. After 3-4 uses (so, 3-4 weeks), you will notice less hair in your brush. You will see less hair in the shower drain. You will experience fewer “snaps” when detangling. This is what “hair growth” really means for most of us. It’s not about growing more hair; it’s about keeping the hair you have. This product is a “length-retention” superstar because it makes your hair strong enough to resist daily wear and tear.
• The Formula is “More Than Just Rice”: This is a “complex,” not a single ingredient. As I Am has fortified this spray with a team of hair-health all-stars. It includes Biotin, which is famous for its role in hair strength.² It has Panthenol (Vitamin B5), which is a great humectant that helps pull moisture in (balancing the protein).³ It has Inositol, the key molecule in rice water that’s proven to penetrate and strengthen the hair.⁴ It’s a smart, well-rounded formula that is far superior to just plain, starchy water.
• The Sprayer is Excellent: This is a small, practical pro that has a big impact. The bottle’s atomizer (the spray nozzle) is fantastic. It dispenses a super-fine, even, cloudy mist. It’s not a “jet” stream that soaks one spot and misses another. This fine mist allows you to get an even, root-to-tip saturation without wasting product, ensuring every strand gets the treatment.

Read More: My Thoughts On Bare Anatomy Hair Serum

Cons Of As I Am Rice Water

• The Protein Overload Risk is VERY Real: (Sub-heading: This is a Warning, Not a Product)
  • This is the #1 Con: This is a strong protein treatment. If your hair is “protein-sensitive” (often low-porosity, coarse, or wiry), this product could be your worst nightmare.
  • The “Straw” Effect: If you use this too often (more than once a week) or if your hair didn’t need protein in the first place, this will make your hair brittle, stiff, dry, and more prone to snapping. It will feel like straw.
  • My Advice: You must know your hair’s needs. If your hair snaps immediately when you pull it (with no stretch), you do not need this. This is only for “mushy,” “stretchy,” weak hair.
• It is NOT a Moisturizing Product: (Sub-heading: This is Not a “Conditioner”)
  • Manage Your Expectations: People see “water” and think “hydration.” This is not a moisturizing product. It will not make your hair feel “silky” and “soft” on its own.
  • The “Stiff” Feeling is Alarming: As I mentioned in my experience, that “stiff cast” it creates is alarming if you’re not expecting it. It can make your hair feel “crunchy” and “tangled” during the treatment phase. This can cause you to panic and rinse it out too soon.
  • You Must Follow Up: You cannot use this and be done. It requires a deep, moisturizing conditioner afterward to restore the moisture/protein balance. It is an extra step in your routine, not a replacement for one.
• The Scent is Not For Everyone: (Sub-heading: The “Salon” Smell)
  • I listed the scent as a pro, but it’s a con for some. If you are sensitive to any kind of perfume or fragrance, you will not like this.
  • It’s Not “Natural”: If you are looking for a “natural, earthy” or “unscented” product, this isn’t it. It has a distinct “salon” fragrance. It’s clean, but it’s definitely there.
• The “Growth” Marketing is Misleading: (Sub-heading: It’s “Length Retention,” Not “Growth”)
  • This is a con for the entire rice-water industry. The marketing often implies this will make your hair grow faster or thicker from the scalp. This is not true.
  • The Reality: No topical product (short of a drug like Minoxidil) can change the speed of your hair growth, which is determined by genetics. This product only strengthens the existing hair shaft to prevent breakage. This is “length retention.” It’s a fantastic, important benefit, but it is not “new growth.”

Maintenance Tips For As I Am Rice Water

• Rule #1: Know Your Hair’s Protein Needs: (Sub-heading: The 10-Second “Stretch Test”)
  • Do This Before You Buy: Take a single strand of your clean, wet hair (one that has naturally shed). Gently pull it from both ends.
  • Test Result A (You NEED this): The hair stretches… and stretches… and stretches… and turns “gummy” or “mushy” before finally breaking. This is hygral fatigue. Your hair is “over-moisturized” and desperate for protein. Buy this product immediately.
  • Test Result B (Do NOT buy this): The hair barely stretches at all and snaps almost instantly. It feels stiff and “straw-like.” Your hair is “protein-sensitive” or already in “protein overload.” This product will make it worse. You need moisture, not protein.
  • Test Result C (The “Balance”): The hair stretches a small, normal amount, then snaps. This is “balanced” hair, and you can use this product… but sparingly (maybe once a month) to maintain that strength.
• The “Treatment Sandwich” is the BEST Method: (Sub-heading: This is My Holy Grail Tip)
  • Don’t just spray and rinse. This is the “pro” method that balances the protein and moisture perfectly.
  • Step 1: The “Clean” Base: Get in the shower and shampoo your hair as normal. This “opens” the cuticle and cleans the hair shaft, making it ready to receive the treatment.
  • Step 2: The “Treatment” Filling: Get out of the shower, gently squeeze out the water (don’t “towel-dry”), and saturate your hair with the As I Am Rice Water.
  • Step 3: Let it “Set”: Put on a plastic processing cap. Let the rice water sit and do its protein job for 15-20 minutes. Your hair will feel stiff. This is good.
  • Step 4: The “Moisture” Top-Layer: Do not rinse. Apply your thickest, creamiest, protein-free deep-conditioning mask right on top of the stiff rice-water-treated hair. This is the “sandwich.”
  • Step 5: Let it “Marinate”: Put the plastic cap back on for another 20-30 minutes. The conditioner is now balancing the protein, adding moisture and softness.
  • Step 6: The Final Rinse: Now, rinse it all out. The result is hair that is both incredibly strong from the rice water and incredibly soft and detangled from the conditioner. It’s the best of both worlds.
• Start Slow (Once a Week is Plenty): (Sub-heading: More is Not Better)
  • The bottle says “once a week.” I honestly think that’s the maximum. When you first start, try it once every two weeks.
  • Listen to Your Hair: See how your hair feels for the next 3-4 days. Does it feel strong and bouncy? Great! Does it feel a little “stiff”? That’s your sign. You’re at your limit.
  • My Cadence: After 6 months, my “sweet spot” is one treatment every 10-14 days. This keeps my strength up without ever tipping into protein overload.
• This is a “Wash-Out” Product ONLY: (Sub-heading: Do Not Use This as a Leave-In)
  • This is not a “leave-in conditioner.” The spray bottle might make you think it’s a leave-in. It is not.
  • Why? It’s a high-protein, pH-specific treatment. Leaving it in your hair will 100% lead to that stiff, “straw-like,” “snapping” protein-overload state. It is designed to be followed by a conditioner and rinsed out.

Comparison With Other Brands

• As I Am Rice Water vs. DIY Fermented Rice Water: (Sub-heading)
  • The “Real Talk” Comparison: I’ve said it before, but it’s the main comparison. DIY rice water is “free” (if your time, mess, and bad-smells are worth nothing). It is unstable, unpreserved, and has an unknown pH. It can easily go from “fermented” to “rotten,” which can introduce bacteria to your scalp.
  • The As I Am Advantage: The As I Am spray is a stable, safe, pH-balanced product. It’s been professionally formulated and preserved. It smells good. It’s fortified with other beneficial ingredients.
  • My Verdict: For me, this isn’t a comparison. The As I Am product is the only sane way for a modern person to get the benefits of rice water without turning their home into a science experiment.
• As I Am Rice Water vs. Mielle Organics Rice Water Milk: (Sub-heading)
  • A Different Tool for a Different Job: The Mielle Organics “Rice Water Milk” is not a “treatment.” It’s a leave-in conditioner or a daily moisturizer.
  • The Formula: It’s designed to be a lightweight, “milky” product that moisturizes hair, using rice water as a secondary, “softening” ingredient.
  • My Verdict: These are not competitors; they are for completely different steps. The As I Am spray is a weekly, high-potency protein treatment you wash out. The Mielle milk is a daily, low-potency moisturizing leave-in.⁵ If your hair is “mushy” and needs strength, you get the As I Am. If your hair is “dry” and you just want a light moisturizer that happens to have rice water, you get the Mielle.
• As I Am Rice Water vs. Shea Moisture Purple Rice Water Line: (Sub-heading)
  • The “Full System” Approach: The Shea Moisture “Purple Rice Water” line is a full system—a shampoo, a conditioner, a mask, etc. It’s designed as an “all-in-one” solution, primarily for color-treated or damaged hair.
  • The “Booster” Approach: The As I Am spray is a standalone treatment. It’s a “booster” that you can add to your existing routine, whatever that may be.
  • My Verdict: I prefer the As I Am “booster” approach. I don’t have to give up my favorite shampoo or my holy-grail deep conditioner. I can just “slot” this treatment in once a week. It’s more versatile and allows me to customize my routine, rather than buying into a whole new line of products.

Also Read: My Thoughts Pilgrim Hair Growth Serum

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

So, here’s my final word. The As I Am Rice Water is not a “magic,” overnight, “Yao-women” miracle potion. But it is an incredibly effective, convenient, and safe way to harness the very real strengthening power of rice water. If you are struggling with “mushy,” weak hair that stretches and snaps, and you’re sick of seeing your hair in the brush, you should buy this. It’s the “easy button” that finally let me keep the length I was working so hard to grow.