The Maximum Hydration Method For Natural Hair: A Step-by-Step Guide

What is the Maximum Hydration Method?

The maximum hydration method is a hair regime that involves six steps to moisturize the hair and achieve maximum hydration. The goal is to ensure your hair is well-moisturized, strengthened, and has defined curls and volume.

The maximum hydration method was created in 2014 by Pinke Cube of Black Hair. According to PinkCube, when your hair is "clumping and curling" at the ends, then you will know this method is working.

Another indicator that the method is effective is that even when your hair is fully dry, your curls will still be defined.

This method is particularly great for those with low porosity hair, which means hair that does not retain moisture for long.

To determine if you have low porosity hair, perform the following test:

Pick a strand of hair and feel it from the end down to the root. If you feel any bumps on the hair shaft, then you have high porosity hair (hair that retains moisture for long).

However, if your hair strand feels smooth from end to root, then you have low-porosity hair.

How Often Should You Use the Maximum Hydration Method?

For low-porosity hair, it is recommended to use this method once a week. Once you begin to see good results, you can reduce its use to two or three times a month.

If you have high-porosity hair, you can do the maximum hydration method twice or thrice a month.

How to Do The Maximum Hydration Method

Below, I have outlined a breakdown of the six steps involved in the maximum hydration method.

Step 1: The Cherry Lola Treatment

The Cherry Lola treatment, created by natural hair blogger Cherry Lola in 2009, involves using certain ingredients to hydrate, strengthen, and make your hair easier to detangle.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of organic Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of baking soda
• 2 tablespoons of raw coconut amino acids or any other amino acids
• 1 egg (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of unsulfured molasses
• ½ tablespoon of raw honey
• ½ overripe plantain or banana
• ¾ tablespoon of avocado
• 1 wide bowl
• Kitchen blender

How to do the Cherry Lola treatment

1. Put all of the ingredients listed above in a blender and blend until they reach a paste-like consistency.
2. Make sure your hair is dry and properly detangled before applying the mix. Starting at your roots and working your way down to your ends, coat your entire natural hair thoroughly with the mix.
3. Next, cover your hair with a shower cap and let it steam for one to two hours.
4. Finally, rinse out the mixture from your hair with warm water.

Step 2: Clarify Your Hair

In this step, you can choose to either do an apple cider vinegar rinse or a baking soda rinse to clarify your hair. Clarifying your hair will help you deep cleanse it and get rid of excess product buildup and dirt, without stripping your hair of its moisture.

Ingredients:

• Apple cider vinegar
• Baking soda
• Shower cap

How to Clarify your Hair

Apple cider vinegar rinse

1. Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
2. Spritz the mixture all over your hair.
3. Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave the mixture on for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Rinse off the mixture with water.

Baking soda rinse

1. Mix 1½ tablespoons of baking soda with ⅓ cup of conditioner.
2. Apply the mixture to your hair.
3. Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave the mixture on for 15-30 minutes.
4. Rinse off the mixture with water.

Step 3: Co-Washing

In this step, you will be doing a co-wash, which means using only conditioner to wash your hair.

Shampoos can be harsh on the scalp, stripping hair and scalp of their natural oils. A conditioner is gentler on the scalp and will leave your hair feeling softer and well-moisturized.

Ingredients:

• Hair conditioner
• Shower cap

How to Co-wash Your Hair

1. Apply your favorite conditioner thoroughly to your hair, from root to tip.
2. Cover your hair with a shower cap and let the conditioner steam for 15-30 minutes before rinsing it off.

Step 4: The Bentonite Clay Mask

This involves using bentonite clay as a mask on your hair to get more defined curls.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of bentonite clay
• 1½ cups of warm water
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• A bowl

How to Make a Bentonite Clay Mask

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until you get a paste-like consistency.
2. Part your hair into sections and apply the bentonite clay mask from root to tip.
3. Leave it on for 15-30 minutes before rinsing it off.

Step 5: Moisturize Your Hair

To moisturize your hair, start by applying leave-in conditioner from the roots to the tips. Next, apply moisturizing cream or gel throughout your hair. Afterward, shake your head from side to side without touching your hair with your hands.

Step 6: Diffuse Your Hair

To add volume and enhance your curls, you will need a diffuser or blow dryer. Put your blow dryer or diffuser on the lowest setting and avoid touching your hair with your fingers as you dry.

Flip your head over and shake your hair as you dry, but make sure not to touch your hair with your fingers.

In this helpful video tutorial by OnlyOneJess, you will learn how to achieve well-moisturized hair using the maximum hydration method.

Conclusion

Although this method can be time-consuming and stressful, the results are well worth the effort. Make sure to try the Maximum Hydration Method (MHM) soon!