What Is The Max Hydration Method For Type 4 Natural Hair?

19/11/2014

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I don’t normally accept guest posts, in fact, this is the very first guest post ever on this hair blog in over two years of writing.

Guest post from Allison Matthews, edited by Heather Katsonga-Woodward.

The Max Hydration Method (MHM for short) is, according to maxhydrationmethod.com, “a 5 step regimen that systematically increases moisture levels in the hair until Max Hydration is reached.”

This method, championed by Black Hair Media Forum VIP Member PinkeCube promises to turn the notion that wash and go’s don’t work on type 4 hair on its head. In addition to forum posts, and social media accounts dedicated to the Max Hydration Method, PinkeCube has launched a blog where everything about the method can be found — maxhydrationmethod.com.

So what exactly is the Max Hydration Method, how does it work, and are the results for real? Let’s explore:

Who is the Max Hydration Method for?

The Max Hydration Method is articulated as being designed for type 4 hair, specifically low porosity 4c natural hair.

What does it do?

PinkeCube, MissDeeKay, and other proponents state that the Max Hydration Method will transform dry, frizzy, undefined hair into coils and curls that clump — with or without product. Additionally, they claim that once your hair reaches max hydration, many of the issues that plague type 4 hair (dryness, styling, knots, length retention) will cease to occur.

What products are required, and how long does it take?

The Max Hydration Method initial period lasts for 7 consecutive days. You can stretch your re-wetting/styling to every 2-3 days, but daily is recommended for best results. As far as products are concerned, you’ll need:

Pre-step: Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment
Step 1: Baking soda rinse (baking soda + conditioner) or apple cider vinegar
Step 2: Detangle and co-washing with a good conditioner
Step 3: Clay rinse (bentonite clay + pure honey + olive oil + water)
Step 4: Leave-in conditioner
Step 5: Botanical gel

How do you do the Max Hydration Method?

As mentioned previously, the Max Hydration Method is aimed at being a 7-day cycle, but can be adjusted according to your time constraints and the needs of your hair. The method goes a little something like this:

Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment or Clarify: First-timers are to complete the Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment on Day 1 instead of clarifying. After the initial treatment, you can do the Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment every 2 weeks, monthly, or however frequently your hair requires. Days 2-7 call for a baking soda or apple cider vinegar rinse every morning, where the ingredients sit on your hair for 15-60 minutes.
Deep Condition Overnight: This step is optional, but recommended to facilitate increased hydration. If you skip the overnight deep conditioning session, simply condition your hair, allow it to sit for 15 minutes or so, then proceed to finger detangle your hair while rinsing it out.
Clay Rinse: After rinsing and detangling, apply your clay mix thoroughly to the hair and allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes.
Leave-in & Curl Definer: After rinsing the clay thoroughly, while hair is still soaking wet (preferably in the shower), the leave-in and curl definer are to be applied section-by-section from root to tip. If portions of your hair begin to dry out, simply re-wet them and move along. The Max Hydration Method allows for LCO layering of products underneath gels, but never LOC because oils are occlusive and will prevent water-based moisturizing products from penetrating and hydrating the hair.
Repeat steps 1-4 daily, or every 2-3 days depending upon your hair’s needs. After one Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment, the other days call for the baking soda or apple cider vinegar rinse.

Users of the Max Hydration Method are encouraged to use only approved/botanical products throughout this process. Although I am still trying to identify a consolidated list of products, the general idea is sticking as closely to the Curly Girl Method as possible (no sulfates, no cones, etc.). For starters, Miss Dee Kay outlines her list of Max Hydration Method-approved conditioners here.

Additional reference: The Max Hydration Method Detailed Regimen

Heather’s Opinion

This all sounds very interesting and I love that the natural hair community is always trying to come up with new solutions to dryness, however, whilst I haven’t yet tried the method I think there are four very important issues with it that will probably stop me from ever trying it:

There are A LOT of heavy products involved but no shampoo mentioned anywhere in the process. For my hair, I see shampoo as a very necessary step to remove dirt and build-up which all these products will inevitably lead to. My hair loses its gloss if I don’t shampoo build-up out. Importantly, I am a very regular swimmer and the max hydration method doesn’t seem to be too compatible with that.
Conditioners and other chemical ingredients are absolutely, 100% not supposed to sit in your hair for more than 30 minutes let alone over night. Some people who do this will get negative results, e.g. one fan wrote to me saying that she woke up with a bald patch when she slept with conditioner in her hair - ouch. Ask any qualified trichologist or cosmetics formulator about sleeping with rinse-out products – I doubt they will approve.
Baking soda and Apple Cider Vinegar have completely different pHs (Baking soda pH = 9.0, ACV pH = 3.0) so it doesn’t make any sense at all that they can be substitutes for each other. I personally disagree with the use of baking soda on dry hair types but ACV is alright as it is acidic like hair.
Last but certainly not least, is this a step too far in trying to achieve “the perfect curl”. As someone who has been sharing various images of natural hair for over two years now I know for a fact that the kinkier the hair, the fewer the likes it gets. Are 4Cs such as myself finally succumbing to the pressure to convert a kink into a curl or do users of this method just see it as another option. One of the reasons I love being natural is that I don’t have a laborious regimen such as the Max Hydration Method, I embrace the kink and the afro and I will continue to do so.

What I would really love to know is:

Have you used this method exactly as recommended for two months or more?
What was the impact on your hair?
Did you observe any negative consequence due to not shampooing?

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Muriel

18/11/2014 04:55:11 am

I actually tried the method, and it worked for me. I did it for the (7) days and found my hair to be much more managble and hydrated. Just with anything else, it may not work; however, I know for a fact that other than myself it has worked for others.

You have certainly made good points; however, that does not mean it will not work.

shannon

18/11/2014 05:19:27 am

I think the method is good for moisture. I'm concerned about the clay since it seems to stretch the hair. can the clay permanently alter your curl pattern?

Tia

18/11/2014 05:30:47 am

I have completed the abbreviated version and it works! Due to time constraints I did it every other day for a week and it dramatically transformed my hair. I repeated it two months later 1 week after a henna treatment. My hair is moisturized and I have noticed less fallen hair & knots. When I did it I used the baking soda/conditioner. To Wards the end I use acv as always to close the cuticle.

18/11/2014 05:38:24 am

The clay will not alter your pattern. It is also good for cleansing. I'm not sure if you have ever heard of terressentials mud wash. It's an excellent organic product and the base is also bentonite clay.

LadyBug

18/11/2014 06:06:21 am

I haven't tried this method step by step, but was doing something similiar already(using clays, ACV, cowashing) and notcing a difference in my hair health and manageability. I think the ingredients list is excellent on the site and you can skip some of the steps if your hair is high porosity.

sheena

18/11/2014 09:45:38 am

Yes, I've been doing the MHM since August. I like it. You don't have to sleep in conditioner over night after the first 7 days. Personally, I hate going to bed with my hair wet, so I do the abbreviated version - step 2 - I apply warm/hot watered down conditioner for about 10-15 minutes. According to the FAQ section, the clay acts as the shampoo by removing dirt and build up. One problem is that the clay I use - the benonite clay- is a little too stripping; I can counter act by doing another deep condition after the clay rinse or try another clay. Another problem I'm having - its getting cold and I'm getting lazy. I haven't achieved maximum hydration - yet, but I think if I continue, it might be possible. I give it a thumbs up!

Ray

18/11/2014 06:58:59 pm

What about using it on other "types" of hair like those in the "3" category?

Pam

18/11/2014 07:51:01 pm

It's wonderful how naturalist are creating techniques to improve hair moisture and curl patterns. Regardless , how good this technique may work for some it is not for me. Why? I find it is quite laborious and having to do these steps not only for 7 days but daily to maintain a wash and go is like being a slave to a hair style. I can hear myself singing daily "The Thrill Is Gone". Next, the technique lacks versatility in that it is only limited to one style. Women are fickle we don't like to be put in a box, self expression is part of who we are. You see it in how we communicate, in our love for clothes, shoes, makeup and yes, our "HAIR."
Personally, I prefer the freedom of expression, change is good and being tied down to one hair style to achieve hydration because your 4c hair doesn't look or act like another hair type is nothing more in my opinion than a mental struggle to accept the God given hair growing out of your head.
Please note, this is my personal opinion and it is in no way meant to offend anyone's freedom of choice. So, I apologize in advance if my self expression causes someone to get bent out of shape, quoting Shameless Maya , "Do You Boo" I believe that part of celebrating that you are wonderfully and fearfully made by the creator is to accept your uniqueness and give thanks that you cannot be duplicated.

Denise

19/11/2014 04:29:45 am

Thank you Pam!!!
I was thinking the same thing. How can any women, inthis day and age of crazy business find time to do this?!
I'm "new-ish" to the ol' natural community and have had a great experinence so far, but ever since the colder weather is here and we have had to turn on the heat, my poor kinky-curls are as dry as sawdust! I have oil-treatedwith all of the following alone and together, castor/coconut/olive/avocado, deep con-ed, co-washed, and have my home humitifyers blasted on high all over my place. I VERY use heat either.
Any and ALL sugguestion for my 3 A/B/C 4 A/C ish hair are welcomed that do not have a million steps.
Thanks in advance,
Denise
#singlemom
#limitedselfcaretime

Richelle

20/11/2014 01:54:55 am

Amen Pam!

19/11/2014 09:52:33 pm

Your welcome Denise😉

I feel you with this weather change. Although back in the day I had a fro(telling my age), it was way easier to care for. Hit it with some afro sheen, braided or platted it nightly and comb it out the next morning. Dryness was never an issue. I think when you get a perm it really breaks down the hair drying it out. When we go natural after having a perm for years we have to overcome this vast dryness due to our hair structure being altered by the perm. It takes a good couple of months or more to revert back to Gods original design. But natural hair is dry but not that dry you get in the beginning when transitioning.

I experienced the same issues when I big chopped last December. I kept thinking I never had this dry hair problem back in the day prior to getting a perm. A good shampoo, conditioner and afro sheen gave me soft moisturized hair.
One pledge I made to keep when I decided to go natural was not to become a product junkie. I came to the realization that the YouTubers reviewing the products over 85% of the time are not purchasing them, the companies will send them their products free of charge to test. As a newbie don't waste your money purchasing every product because some utuber says it is great, every ones hair is unique.

Denise, what has helped me is, the fruits of the spirit, faith and patience, keeping my routine simply, DIY products, protective styles and not comparing my hair growth and type to others.

Wash your hair with a conditioning shampoo, for me Shea moisture manuka and mafura oil intensive hydration shampoo is good. Next condition your hair, for me this is where the DIY comes in. When I am lazy I use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle which you can add Greek yogurt and olive oil or any oil that works best for your hair to convert it to a deep conditioner.
Then use the loc method (liquid, oil, cream) or lco (liquid,cream,oil) and you're done. It takes time to learn your hair. It's like a newborn baby, it takes times to care for a baby and even then you are learning your baby's likes and dislikes .(Gerber green peas or Gerber carrots the baby lets you know their preferences 😁)

I apologize for this long post. Closing, it's your hair and your journey don't let anyone put you in a box. Take time to learn who she is and what she likes and dislikes. When she has a temper tantrum and refuses to cooperate put her in protective style time out, this will give you both a break. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day, and your hair won't grow 5 inches in a month or two. "Let Patience have its perfect work in you that you may be whole and want for nothing".

Enjoy your journey girlie.

20/11/2014 07:02:21 am

Lol
Thanks for the love and great words of support.

Alex

27/2/2015 11:46:53 pm

I've been using the method for three months. It's awesome. I think some ppl have confused curl pattern and moisture. When your hair is truly moisturized and balanced your hairs actual, natural curl pattern will appear. No one is turning a kink into a curl, that is actually how your hair looks moisturized with water. MHM does require shampoo because the products you use are not filled with heavy and harsh chemicals, they are more organic and much easier to wash out. Clay has detoxifying properties to remove chemical build up (which with the acceptable products) you'll have less of. Also you can style your hair however you'd like after all the steps....and it works for all hair "types" the point of MHM is to infuse your hair with mositure utilizing Ph balancing and protective styling.

Ré

25/4/2015 03:56:34 pm

I doubt ill be able to do this myself. Do you know anon that offers this in the UK? I know theres a lady on youtube that does it but she's in Dubai or something.

26/4/2015 01:01:36 am

Ummmm this is a few steps and really easy treatment ppl do at home, I never heard of stylist doing it. It's really easy, all you do is take each step of treatment through your hair.....wait then rinse and keep moving.

Nifa

11/5/2015 11:48:20 pm

My question is this: If it is true, that MHM will swell the hair with as much moisture as possible, does that mean that everyone else who is not doing the MHM, including Type 1-3 people, have dry hair?

If it's the case, that the MHM provies hair with 'proper' moisture levels, is it the case, that Type 4's have 'defective scalps' which produce hair that is not properly hydrated? Does this mean that type 4's have 'defective hair?

If it's the case, that the presence of constant moisture in the cortex is what makes type 4 hair curl, does that mean that ype 3's and some type 2's, aer constantly at MHM? Does that mean they were born with hair that is never dry?

If someone could answer these questions, I'd be grateful.

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What Is The Max Hydration Method For Type 4 Natural Hair?

By Heather Katsonga-Woodward

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