It all started with a new cut.

My hair had grown thick and healthy over the past few years but the long mullet in the back wasn’t cute. I kept thinking the rest of my hair would catch up to the other parts but it didn’t.

It has been about 4 years since I cut my hair so we were ready for the change.

I bought new shears and got busy. I’ve cut my hair into this stye before, usually shorter, but I was happy with my results. 

and all was well.

I LOVED the cut and still do!  My hair had new body, it was thick and luscious, but very grey in the front. Which would be great if it was that shiny, shimmery, silvery grey.

 

Nah, my grey has the nerve to have little hue to it, like a brownish hue…

and those are never #hairgoals. 

So I decided to use my semi-permanent Adore color. I thought it would be a healthier option than straight color (HA!) I’d used it before with some success so I thought I’d try it again. 

I followed the instructions, rinsed it out and had a dry frizz ball on the top of my head when I was done — WITH NO COLOR!

My hair was dry as a bone I tell ya. DRYYYYYYYYYYYY. Dry like after a bad henna treatment. I tried a few things that I just knew would work.

• I tried my go-to moisture re-balancers (As I Am’s Hydration Elation, Oyin Handmade’s everything) — nothing.
• Made my best clay recipes — something would happen for a minute, like maybe this will work, and then nothing.

Anything I tried would work for a second but the dry was always waiting on me the next day. I had some Mielle Organics products I’d bought a few months ago and decided to give them a try. Anything with pomegranates, honey, and ginger has to be good right???

Right, except maybe not on partially damaged, dry hair that is having an experience!

The products just sat on top of my hair and then turned white. I put way too much on and this low porosity hair (and all that oil I’d been using) kept anything from getting through.

I’m not holding this against Mielle Organics. They’ve been working great for Team Lavish. Asia LOVES her twist outs (only in the front) and they last super long with the Honey & Ginger Styling Gel. 

I think they’ll work better on my hair when it’s more hydrated. Take a look:

Here’s what it looked like after I washed, conditioned and applied the products.

Not a total loss, just not the look I was going for (but at least the grey blended in well:)

So I set out on a new mission to moisturize my hair back to life. And quickly before the hair I had left began to break off. 

Enter the Max Hydration Method.

Maximum Hydration = End of Dry Hair Drama???

I’d heard of this method before but never got past the baking soda. But I was desperate and frizzy and completely sucked into the successful results I’d seen other naturalistas experience. Plus, I had nothing to lose with this growing straw patch on my head.

The Max Hydration Method (also referred to as the Maximum Hydration Method or MHM) is a regime designed to bring hydration and moisture to dry hair. It can be used by all hair types and textures, and has been effective for many 4C naturals looking for healthier hair and curls that pop.

The method was developed by blogger/vlogger goddess Pinkecube and is a variation of the Cherry Lola Treatment created by British Blogger Cherry Lola.

It is suggested that you use the Cherry Lola Treatment before starting the max hydration challenge so that your hair can absorb and maintain products better. I didn’t have all of the ingredients so I decided to start the regime and do the treatment later.

The Max Hydration Method involves 4 steps: 

1. Clarify
2. Condition & detangle
3. Do a clay rinse
4. Apply a leave-in conditioner & botanical gel

The 7-Day Challenge

I didn’t check the ingredients list before starting the challenge. I was already on Day 3 before I realized my leave-in had glycerin which is on the no-no list while doing the max hydration method (it works as an astringent and can be drying to the hair — it’s #4).

Not a whole lot happened the first few days and I was done with this method by Day Three. 

My Results

I completed the seven days and did not achieve maximum hydration all over. My hair was becoming less dry so that’s a ++++++++

The front and the top are still a bit frizzy, but it feels softer and smoother — less dry. I did achieve hydration in some parts and more definition all over.

I’m still working with the dryness, but I’ve found success bringing Camille Rose Natural’s Curl Love Moisture Milk back into the mix with her Curl Maker. 

Back With Flax

I’ve had even more success from an old friend — flaxseed gel!

This has been better than the other gels I’ve been using put together (that curl maker is pretty good tho:). Maybe because i can use it as a conditioner and wash most of it out before styling. I would never do that with the $22 Curl Maker!

Here are some photos from the challenge. This one is a bentonite clay rinse. Those red spots you see are amla and hibiscus powder in the mix.

My hair completely dry, no products, Day 5

By Day 7 I could tell something was happening, but Day 9 was when most of my hair was hydrated. 

So far, I LOVE my results and I’m still doing the method. I’m on Day 11 and after doing the Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment, my hair retains moisture much better and I can wear my styles a lot longer.

For more about the Cherry Lola Recipe, check out my version of the Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment.

What are your thoughts? Have you tried the Max Hydration Method?

Links & Resources

1. Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment
2. 4C Max Hydration Wash-N-Go
3. Lavishly Natural’s Max Hydration Experience
4. Max Hydration Method Feature
5. Max Hydration Method
6. My First Bentonite Clay Wash
7. My Experience With The Cherry Lola Treatment (The Precursor to the Max Hydration Method) on 4C Hair - BGLH Post
8. Terresentials Detox Protocol
9. Video: Detangling Bentonite Clay Wash for 4b/c Hair