I Let Subscribers Guide My Wash And Go – Max Hydration Method

So what is the Maximum Hydration Method? It’s actually a hybrid of many popular techniques and is specifically geared toward those with low porosity hair who’d like to achieve ultimate moisture retention. Sounds like it’s made for me!

This treatment is a combination of The Cherry Lola and Caramel Treatments.

The Recipe

• 2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 tablespoon avocado
• 2 tablespoons liquid soy aminos (or coconut liquid aminos)
• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 1/2  tablespoon raw honey
• 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
• 1/2 an over ripe banana (or plantain)
• 1 egg (optional)
• 2 tbs baking soda

Blend ingredients together thoroughly and apply to dry hair. Cover your hair with a plastic cap and let mixture sit for at least 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Rinse throughly with warm water.

Note: This treatment has been very affective for many alone. For some, the following steps may not be needed.

Choose One:

Apple Cider Vinegar Mix:

• 1:1 ratio of water
• 1:1 ratio of organic apple cider vinegar. 

Leave on for 30 min to 1 hour.

Baking Soda Mix: 

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda
• 1/3 cup conditioner
• 4-8 Ounces of water

Mix together, leave on for 10-30 minutes, then rinse with warm water. I recommend mixing it with water first, then adding it to conditioner. 

I chose to clarify using apple cider vinegar because I have previous experience using the mixture. I have a problematic scalp that breeds sebhorreic dermatitis quickly, so I wanted to clarify my scalp so I could reduce the potential of a flare up. My hair felt dry and rough to the touch after the Cherry Lola Caramel Treatment, so I chose the ACV rinse in an attempt to smooth the cuticle of my hair strands. Looking back, perhaps I should not have been afraid to try the baking soda mix, seeing that the act of mixing baking soda (alkaline) and apple cider vinegar(acidic) neutralizes the PH and basically creates salty, fizzy water.

Cleanse hair with conditioner and detangle. Alternatively, you can use a deep conditioner like I did. The goal is to add moisture and nutrients back into the hair.  It’s best to add heat by either heating up the conditioner, sitting under a dryer, or deep conditioning over night. I don’t like the idea of leaving product on my hair for too long due to the risk of bacteria growth and buildup.

• 1 cup bentonite clay
• 1 tsp of honey (optional)
• 1 tsp of olive oil (optional)
• 2-3 cups of warm water (I used 2 cups)

Some simply mix the clay with warm water and apply directly to their hair. This is the route I took, but because my hair felt dry afterwards, I will try adding oil and honey next time.

Layer a slippery leave-in conditioner and gel or custard in sections. I’ve found that very wet hair and small sections work best. Next time I’ll apply this step in the shower as well. 

It is recommended to repeat steps 2-5 every day for 7 consecutive days. I’ve also read that the original creator of the method didn’t achieve maximum hydration until day 30. Alternatively, you can try every 2-3 days if that works best for you.

Some methods for drying your hair

• Air dry loose
• Band the hair and air dry overnight
• Sit under a dryer
• Blow-dry with a diffuser attachment
• Use a blowdryer and a soft bonnet hair dryer
• I chose the last option and you can see me using it in the video if you’d like a visual. Ultimately, do the method that feels comfortable to you.

Hair has reached maximum hydration if it coils from root to tip. Apparently, I still have a ways to go because my roots were still very frizzy.

Here’s a video I found by ProtectivePrinces on her Maximum Hydration Journey.

Here’s a helpful video on baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinses. The maximum hydration method goes against her recommendation of only using the rinse on the scalp.

Side Note: Type 4c hair DOES have a curl pattern. Most people refer to the strands as “coils”. My hair is mostly 4c with touches of 4b and some 4a around my hair line and edges.

Check out my hair typing video below for more context.

Check out 4c Chizi Duru’s wash and go results as well: