Can chickpea brine REALLY give hair shine?

Today, food waste is almost as frowned upon as failure to recycle.

But while we might be flaunting our eco credentials with a clever ceramic countertop food bowl or a steaming compost pile, food waste expert Sophie Trueman, managing director of the UK’s leading food-saving app Too Good To Go, has other ideas: transforming leftovers and excess food into free, planet-friendly beauty treatments.

So can chickpea brine really make my hair shine and will banana peel rejuvenate my face?

Here I test Sophie’s suggestions, and aesthetic expert Dr. Mervyn Patterson gives his professional verdict…

NB: It is recommended that you do a patch test before trying any of these.

RICE WATER BATH

Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes and drain (or just boil the rice and wait for the water to cool). Eat the rice and add the water to your bath

SOPHIE SAYS: Rice water is known for its skin and hair benefits – it contains antioxidants such as vitamin C and the starch can help irritated skin.

Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes and drain (or just boil the rice and wait for the water to cool). Eat the rice and add the water to your bath.

RESULT: Fermented rice wine has been found to help with sun damage and many believe rice water can reduce skin irritation. I soak the rice and add the remaining water to my evening bath instead of my usual Neal’s Yard Remedies. It smells pleasant enough and feels silky smooth.

After half an hour I emerge as a middle-aged Venus. My dry skin feels softer and looks less flaky.

DR PATTERSON SAYS: There is some evidence that topically applied rice water may have benefits and it is a popular ingredient in beauty products. 3/5

YOGURT MASK

Mix a tablespoon of end-of-pot yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten skin and a bit of honey to gently exfoliate, then apply

SOPHIE SAYS: We throw away 18 million usable meat and dairy products every week. Greek yogurt can be used as a face mask; lactic acid helps with skin tone and probiotics boost hydration.

Mix a tablespoon of end-of-pot yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten skin and a bit of honey to gently exfoliate, then apply. After 10 to 15 minutes it can be rinsed off.

RESULT: What is basically my leftover breakfast on my face feels kind of strange, but it’s cool rather than tacky. I use a thin layer, so you can barely see it, and then only on half of my face.

When rinsing off, the right side feels more moisturized and looks a bit brighter than the other side.

DR PATTERSON SAYS: Lactic acid is a well-known skin brightener and honey has humectant properties meaning it is an effective moisturizer. 4/5

PEACH SKIN

It kind of works – my skin feels fresh afterwards. But it is labor intensive and I did not get a fine powder

SOPHIE SAYS: Scrub the skin with crushed peach or apricot kernels. Crush until fine, then add to a creamy cleanser and rub on your face.

RESULT: I struggle to grind up a stone (with a bit of meat still on it) and put it in my blender, which I don’t recommend. I get a bit of ground residue that I rub on my face.

It kind of works – my skin feels fresh afterwards. But it is labor intensive and I didn’t get a fine powder!

DR PATTERSON SAYS: I do not recommend this. Stick to exfoliating with AHAs (natural alpha hydroxy acids). 1/5

AQUAFABULOUS HAIR

Surprisingly, this is perhaps the best result of all: my hair is softer and looks shiny

SOPHIE SAYS: A lesser-known use for the brine left over from chickpeas — called aquafaba — is to make a hair mask. Aquafaba is full of protein and is said to make dull hair thicker and shinier.

Drain the chickpeas and whisk the aquafaba until it thickens and foams. Massage the mask over the hair and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Shampoo and rinse.

RESULT: The smell of chickpea brine on my hair is not particularly pleasant. I sit in the kitchen fermenting for 20 minutes and then wash it off with some relief.

Surprisingly, this is perhaps the best result of all: my hair is softer and looks shiny. Well worth it!

DR PATTERSON SAYS: Some hair care products do contain aquafaba; the hair strengthening benefits seem well documented. 4/5

AP-PEEL-ING FACIAL CARE

I’m not a fan of bananas, but banana peel masks have been a huge TikTok trend

SOPHIE SAYS: Leftover banana peel can create a nourishing face mask with antioxidants and fruit enzymes to exfoliate and brighten the complexion.

Rub the peel directly on your skin or mix with water to make a paste. Apply to the face, leave on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse.

RESULT: I’m not a fan of bananas, but banana peel masks have been a huge TikTok trend. I duly mix the peel of a browning fruit with some water and smear it on my face.

I wondered if it might sting, but all I feel is a little silly. After 20 minutes I rinse it off.

This is actually good – my skin is softer and looks radiant.

DR PATTERSON SAYS: It sounds messy, but there will probably be an exfoliating effect. 3/5

POTATO HAIR RINSE

It’s not really a keratin rinse, but my dry hair looks a bit more nourished. I consider this a win

SOPHIE SAYS: Potato water is good for gardens, or you can even put it on your hair. Run through damp strands as a post-wash rinse; the nutrients help to give the hair extra shine and support the health of the follicles.

RESULT: I boil some potatoes for lunch and drain the yellowish water. After washing my hair, I comb through the potato water and rub it firmly into my scalp. Although the water smells like potato, luckily my hair doesn’t.

It’s not really a keratin rinse, but my dry hair looks a bit more nourished. I consider this a win.

DR PATTERSON SAYS: I’ve never heard of this – but massage is definitely good for scalp health. 3/5

• Too Good To Go is a free app that connects consumers to nearby stores with food surpluses – from independent bakeries to Aldi. Pay a fiver and get a surprise bag worth at least £15. They have already saved more than 22 million meals from the bin, avoided about 550,000 tons of CO2 equivalent. Good To Go.com/en-gb, or @toogoodtogo.uk