by
Christina Patrice
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| Photo courtesy of maxhydrationmethod.com |
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, 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.
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| Photo courtesy of maxhydrationmethod.com |
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 maximum results. As far as products are concerned, you’ll need:
How do you do the Max Hydration Method?
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| Photo courtesy of missdeekay.com |
As mentioned previously, the Max Hydration Method is aimed at being a 7 day cycle, but can be adjusted per time constraints and the needs of your hair. The method goes a little something like this:
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 a list of Max Hydration Method-approved conditioners here.
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| Photo courtesy of missdeekay.com |
The big question: does the Max Hydration Method actually work?
From a personal standpoint, I don’t know. There is a strong possibility that I will experiment with it in the coming weeks, to satisfy my own curiosity. However, there are dozens of ladies on maxhydrationmethod.com’s testimony page offering visual proof of their success with the method. You can also search Instagram for the hashtag #maxhydrationmethod to find ladies who are actively participating in the Max Hydration Challenge. For an incredibly detailed breakdown of someone who has and continues to use the Max Hydration Method, visit Miss Dee Kay’s blog. For a more scientific approach/breakdown, check out this post by Jc of The Natural Haven.
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| Photo courtesy of maxhydrationmethod.com |
From the sampling of devotees to the Max Hydration Method, the results look incredibly promising. One thing to take into consideration is the amount of time, energy, and product the method requires. It is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Have any of you tried the Max Hydration Method, or will you be trying it? Share your thoughts and results below!
232 Responses
My mom and I did the MHM for a month and let me tell you the results were incredible. In order for you to understand I’ll start from the beginning. My mom and I have been relaxed for almost 16 plus years. The first time my mom relaxed my hair was for her wedding, I was six years of age, because my hair was too thick and long. At the time we didn’t know about any natural haired products and if any they were way too expensive and time consuming to keep up with. So, we hopped onto the boat of relaxed beauties. My hair could never take with the perm. At one point they used two whole perms on my hair and it still didn’t take. After about two to three months, all of my hair fell out and i was rendered short haired. After that, my hair never reached my shoulders. It would just barely reach and then, it would fall out again. However, for my mom, her hair thrived on the perm and she did it for years and years until around last year when i finally talked her into becoming a natural. The only reason that happened was because her hair fell out at the front and the back of her head, it also thinned out around her crown. She was thoroughly embarrassed. When I big chopped my mother’s hair after around 4 months of transitioning she was extremely happy, at first. After time drew on and we tried product after product to no avail of her ever feeling like her hair thrived being natural, I found out about the MHM and I jumped on it. I experimented first. She had to work and decided she would do it on her day off. We mixed up everything for the cherry lola treatment and i completed everything following Ms. Dee Kay’s guide. Let me tell you. That morning, my mother’s eyes lit up and she was truly excited. My hair is extremely thick and I sweat through my hair a lot. So the first thing I noticed was how my hair did not itch after. Then , I noticed how my hair was clumping together and actually looked shiny. It was super soft and it actually moved. My mom couldn’t stop touching it and I practically begged her to let me try it on her hair that night. I did and she nearly cried. She has this unlikeable patch of hair that she calls peas. She always shaves them when she gets her hair done and they were growing out. That area had reached maximum hydration the third day I did the MHM on her hair. She was finally happy with her hair as long as I did it for her. Her 3 strand twist came out beautifully and she was super confident when she went to work and wore her hair out. She loved it. Her hair texture wasn’t even 4 c as we previously thought. We just didn’t have the right products. Her hair texture literally changed into 4a with a mix of 4b in a span of a week in a half. My hair thrived and it has now reached down my back. I have not reached maximum hydration because i put my hair into a protective style and flew to The VI. However, I can’t wait to start the MHM again. I just need my botanical conditioner and I am set to do it all again. Oh and My mom is now a year natural and i am 2 years.
It’s so sad to see so many negative comments. One of the issues with kinky, coily hair is hydration. This is a method to improve that. The more delicate the hair, the more work it takes. Obviously this is for someone who wants healthy hair, not for people who like to complain about the effort it takes. Some people will spend a lot of time on their outfit, some on their makeup, so what’s wrong with spending extra time on your hair? My hair is 3C and I used this method and loved it. It works very well, even with shortcuts. Conditioning overnight (if you can tolerate it), works wonders. If you already take two showers a day, this isn’t that hectic or time consuming. If you haven’t done it, I highly recommend this for any type of hair. I got more compliments after just the first day of doing this than any other natural hairstyle I’ve done. Good luck! PS I don’t care for the Lola treatment and only did it once. Don’t see the point when the apple cider vinegar works well.
Thanks for the site. I know another site for hair styling products(http://www.myhaircarecoach.com/.Hope) it help you.
Maybe you’re using too much baking soda
I’ve been trying it for a week now and my hair is just as dry and frizzy as before. I don’t know if it’s because my hair is only about an inch long. It’s quite curly when wet but once it dries it’s super dry. I’m at my wits end cuz I’d been trying many things before this so this was supposed to have been my hair saviour…..
It works. Period.
this sounds cute…but the way my job is set up…………….
I swim regularly because of my job, so would I just not use chlorine away shampoo and just follow all of the steps instead?
I’ve been doing this process on and off for months now but since my hair has gotten some length, I’ve decided to do it faithfully. HUNTY let me tell you, this method WORKS! It’s a process but it’s worth it to me.. My hair is about 5 inches long on the top and shorter on the sides. It’s take me about 3 hours,depending on how long I keep the DC in. The more I do it, the more curls appear. I don’t even do it everyday and my curls are POPPIN!!!
I’ve been doing it on and off for months now. Now that my hair is getting some length I started doing it faithfully and HUNTY this method WORKS! It’s a process but I think it’s worth it, for now. My hair is still short so this process takes about 3 hours, depending on how long I leave the DC in. My curls are POPPING!!
I Love it!
I love it!!
Who has time for this??
For those who are having an issue with the amount of steps and time involved, I would like to offer my time saving version. I would also like to preface this by stating that I believe I have high porosity hair so I don’t use the baking soda, I wash my hair on Sundays and Wednesdays (my typical off days from work), and I have dense 4b/4c bsl when stretched hair. To save time, I skip some rinsing steps and products, and I start the process in my kitchen sink until I’m ready to get in the shower. Here are my steps per wash day:
Sunday
1. Spray diluted acv on scalp and hair, do not rinse
2. Apply heated conditioner (I just add hot water to mine to dilute and warm it)
3. Do a very quick rinse, it doesn’t have to be thorough
4. Apply mud/clay wash (I use Terressentials Lavender Garden)
5. Detangle and rinse in shower
6. Tshirt dry wet hair until damp
7. Apply leave in (I use diluted KCKT in a spray bottle) and gel (KCCC)
My Sunday routine takes me 45 minutes in total, as the only time limit I apply is leaving the conditioner in for 10 minutes and the mud wash for 5 minutes. The other 30 minutes can be reduced if you work faster.
Wednesday
1. Spray diluted acv on scalp and hair, do not rinse
2. Apply heated conditioner (again I add hot water to dilute and warm it)
3. Detangle and rinse in shower
4. Tshirt dry wet hair until damp
5. Apply leave in and gel
I skip the mud wash midweek to save more time. When I do this, my hair is less defined than if I had used the mud, but it is still very soft. This wash day takes me 30 minutes max, if I’m not going very fast.
Other tips
When applying the leave in and gel, I twist my hair like I’m doing a Bantu knot to quickly distribute the product throughout the section.
To heat the conditioner (I use Tressemme Naturals Avocado and Aloe Vera as that is all I can find locally), I put what I need into a small container with a lid, add hot water and shake it a bit.
I’m sure most naturals use this tip already, but I section my hair before beginning the entire process. One section at my crown, and two sections on both sides of my head for 5 in total.
I would also like to note that I never did the Cherry Lola Treatment, I never did the seven days in a row, and I never attempted starting at night and finishing in the morning. I have found the Max Hydration Method works wonders for my hair, even though I modified it. I don’t really care about curl definition as I don’t do wash and gos, but I could if I wanted to with the moisture I’m retaining (even my 4c sections clump and stay detangled). The only con I’ve found is that my curls pop too much when doing stretched styles. For example my curl former sets are highly textured when they didn’t use to be. I’ve never used brushes to smooth my hair before curl sets, so that’s probably why, but it doesn’t bother me too much.
To me, my modified version is a time saver because I used to have wash days that spanned over several hours, even when my hair was shorter. Even though I didn’t stick to the exact structure of the method, as promised by my seventh wash I had more curl definition. So for those not wanting to do it seven days in a row, you don’t have to. Just complete seven washes in total, and try not to let more than three days go in between wash sessions to ensure the leave in conditioner is still in your hair. The biggest benefit I’ve received is that my ends have stayed moisturized and stopped breaking off. That’s initially all that I wanted out of this method, and I got it!
Thank you! I have high porosity hair also and I greatly appreciate your time saving tips. I will be trying your modifications my next wash day.
How do you know if you have high porosity hair?
i like your version, I think I could do this one
I discovered my max moisture while clay washing I used Terressentials clay wash and was completing the detox and my results were like the pictures above. I thought I was a 4c because my hair was super dry, frizz and unmanageable. but at the end of the detox I had totally different hair and am actually a 3b/c. I didn’t use all those products though. Terressentials lavender clay wash, Raw ivory shea butter and castor oil where the items that I was using at the time. It does work though.
That is A LOT to be doing every day and every night consistently.
I have been using the MHM for the last Month and I LOVE IT!!! I’m able to rock my hair and have a nice curl for a week or so before I have to re-wash!! The best part is even at the end of the week my hair is still super soft. My hair appreciates the MHM and I’m a fan all the way!!!!
I just found out about this today. I have the most basic hair routine shampoo, dry condition and oil when required.
I also should mention that I have dreadlocks and I was wondering if anyone with locs has tried the method…I’m curious.
I’ll talk about MHM from the perspective of someone who has done each of the elements separately (except for the baking soda). Despite the intimidating instructions, it’s really not that hard and saves time in the long run. I don’t do the exact time’s Pinke prescribes, but I do all of the steps and ingredients, and I do leave each item on for some amount of time. Again, I’ve used all these items separately, and they do seem to work better all together and in this order. I also use less than half of the recommend amount of product at each step.
Here is my comparison of my current MHM regimen, my previous twistout regimen. The process compares start through styling time, and I’ll explain dry times separately. If I had to type my hair, it’s somewhere in the 4a/b range, a mixture of tightly coiled hair and sections of somewhat looser coils, squiggles and waves. This is the regimen I actually do, not something I’ve made up. I’ve had natural hair for going on 12 years. My hair is a bit longer than ear length, and growing out of a tapered cut. It does not look like a Jherri Curl, nor does it look wet.
TWISTOUT REGIMEN (performed every 5 days)
-Deep conditioner (30 minutes)
-Wash, cleanse, conditioner, shower (30 minutes in shower)
-Product Application and Detangling (10 minutes)
-Neatly Flat Twisting Entire head (60 minutes; and I’m fast)
-Undoing Flat Twists once dry (15 minutes)
-Nightly retwisting of select sections (5 minutes each night, or 20 total)
-Morning prep (fluffing, oiling, etc) (5 minutes each morning, or 20 total)
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
MHM REGIMEN (Performed every 5 nights)
-Mixing products (5 minutes)
-Clarify/Lola (20 minutes)
-Deep Conditioner and Detangling (30 minutes, under hood dryer )
-Clay wash (20 minutes)
-Product Application and Styling (10 minutes)
-Dry to 70% under a hood dryer (25 minutes)
-Nighttime routine (0 minutes, hair just goes under a silk scarf)
-Morning routine (shake, a little oil) (2 minutes each night, or 10 total)
TOTAL: 2 hours
The kicker here is that I counted the drying time for my MHM styled hair, but not the twistout, meaning that the twistout time is even longer. Either I have to sit under a dryer for at least an hour for the twists to dry completely, or I have to let it dry overnight. And, sure, if you dry overnight, you don’t have to “count” the dry time, but you’re also locked into styling your hair only at night. Also, I sometimes let my wash and style hair airdry, but it depends on the day and weather. On those days, it’s only slightly damp after 2 hours.
MHM works for me. My hair is much softer, and my style is much more intact after day 3, which is where I used to have problems. Day 4-5 hair used to be much drier and a bit stiff, and days 4-5 were not guaranteed, but going into day 4-5 now is a cinch, my hair still has movement, still feels soft, and the coils are fluffy but defined. Also, I’m very active (long distance running), and MHM has passed a key test, my 3-4 intense workouts each week. The roots no longer puff up then mat after I sweat…it does shrink, but looks much less puffy. Generally, it does look more defined throughout, but not longer.
But, for real, on another note, we have to stop with the “supremacist frameworks” or whatever fancy terms we come up with to talk about our body politics. It’s absolute hogwash. It’s hair. If we were meant to never augment or otherwise alter our hair, then let’s stop with wigs, braidouts, twistouts, dreadlocks, combed out fros, because that’s not the way it grows out of our heads. Why not take that a step further: stop removing body hair, wearing makeup, and deoderant, because those are all part of heirarchical and largely male structures set up to dominate us as women. Of course we don’t, that would be silly, and extremely un-fun. Wearing makeup doesn’t mean I wear it because men like it. These things CAN be related, but it doesn’t mean that they are.
I think this Max hair hydration crap is simply a FAD that will either be forgotten about next year or the detrimental hair effects will be exposed from the current guinea pigs. Simply deep condition, trim and care for ends, moisturize, and cleanse hair weekly…Boom. No one with a full time job, family, and/or common sense would go through this weird time consuming process for a Jerry Curl.
Who died and made you the Queen of Everything?
Just because it 1. doesn’t work for your or 2. you don’t feel like putting in the effort; doesn’t make it a stupid endeavor. Swerve back into your line, your arrogance is leaking all over the place.
this is the best comment ever
LOL. thank you Naturalista Diva, for removing that silly paper crown from HairQueen’s head.
I think this method is awesome. There’s nothing wrong with defining your natural curls. It’s not about loosening your natural curl pattern.
For those wondering abt the harmful affects of baking soda and it’s very alkaline PH, there is an option to add honey (average PH of 3.9) to the baking soda rinse… Along with water (neutral). I think this would help with bringing down the pH. There is also the option to neutralize the baking soda to a PH of 7 by diluting 1 tbsp of baking soda in 20 cups of water, then taking 1 tsp of that mixture and diluting it further into 1 cup of water.
So is this regiment 7days a week (or every 2-3days) for the rest of your natural hair life? In other words is it personal hair health judgement that determines when you seize doing the regiment daily?
If you’re concerned about having to do this elaborate regime everyday for the rest of your life, don’t be. According to the MHM site, you can alternate steps 1,4 and 5 or even just a simple co-wash, leave-in and gel regime with the full regime. You don’t have to do it every day either. You can wash every 1-3 days once you have reached 70% hydration, and you can go as long as 5 days without washing once you’ve reached max hydration.
It seems that maintaining max hydration is a lot easier than getting there. I’m on day 3 of the method, and it’s definitely taking 3 hours a day, minimum – NOT sustainable in the long-term! I am seeing great results already, though. I had, ever never seen my hair curl except a little at the ends, despite being natural almost my whole life. I’m trying to think of this first week as an investment, and it’s already paying off!
I did the first step of this method starting yesterday night and completing today. I must say I do see a slight difference. My issue was my roots would be bushy with some curly and then I will have coils on the ends. So I figured my hair is not hydrated enough so I was hoping this method would help. So ‘i’ve done wing’s before with good results, but always the bushiness neat the roots and water mixed with gel pooling on my tips! So with the MHM the bushiness is lessened and no pooling of water & gel on my tips! SO clearly the MHM allowed my hair to absorb the moisture/water easier. So I’m very pleased. Not sure If I will continue this everyday as it is winter and pretty cold here, but I’ll see.
This method makes me wonder if true African textured hair would need all this hydration if the hair had stayed pure in its African-ism. For example, if sulfate shampoos, relaxers, hair weaves/extensions, poor diet, etc. had never been introduced to the “pure” African. This also includes environment. The African climate is far different than it is in, let say, Iowa. For many of us, our hair is wonky because of a lifetime of Westernized practices. I mean, think of photos of Africans with hair so tightly coiled to their scalp, each individual curl stands alone like a black pebble. In the States, that kind of hair would be brushed, combed and sandblasted into submission.
Things that make you go hmmm…
I am Ghanaian and people there don’t always use shampoos and conditioners in their hair. If they are poor and live rurally, they just use basic soap and oils etc. Their hair still gets dry as heck. They still need to hydrate it. The texture of the hair is what it is. Living on the continent is not some magical elixir. There is no such thing as no maintenance hair. So whilst I agree, there are modern products which dry out hair (any hair) living on the continent, will not mean your hair is never dry, especially if you live in a country where there are dry seasons, where there is no moisture to be had in the air. Also, it can get cold in Africa, especially in the southern countries, so there’s that weather too, that some people contend with.
I also don’t know what photos you are referring to, but I’ve met real life Africans and watch a lot of African media. The image you describe, I’m yet to witness.
The ladies who do it know that the method is about much more than a wash and go. While I find the full step method too time consuming, the benefits of the method can’t be argued with. However there are some valid concerns regarding the long term effects of frequent baking soda use that the creator of the method avoids addressing. In fact, She will cop a little attitude if you present her with scientifically based studies that detail the negative effects of long term baking soda use. She won’t approve the baking soda challenging comments on her website to keep the valid questions from being asked. I understand the skepticism folks have regarding the method when the creator of it can’t provide any long term effects because she has been doing it less than 14 months. Also, only posting the praise on the website instead of openly addressing the VALID concerns is cowardly.
if youre so concerned about the baking soda, just use acv
cant hurt to try
Interesting…I wonder if this curl definition is from max hydration or is just simply curl loosening from repeated baking soda use.
Some of these comments are ridiculous. This method makes your hair the best it can be in it’s natural state, it’s not like a relaxer. So therefore those who don’t have ‘curls’ actually do have them, it’s just their hair was too dry for it to show. People are so sensitive. If you like your hair in it’s more dry state, ok your choice. If this is ‘too much’ for you cool, your choice. But do not say things like this takes too much time for anyone with a life. I am a full time student, I have a job, I am in a sorority,I volunteer, and I have a social life AND I have time because I make time. Jeez -____- Can’t we all just lift each other up instead of complain and slander others? Healthy hair is beautiful!
But that’s just it – ‘the best it can be in its natural state’ is not an objective statement – it is loaded with a huge number of preconceptions, the clearest being the notion that hair with kinks is undesirable, and curls are the best that our hair can be. There are many black women who do not feel this way – they love their hair in its dry and magnificent state. We’re not all looking for curls. You make time because it is clearly highly important to you. Others don’t wish to embark on that journey – their wishes should be respected and they shouldn’t be expected to align their priorities with yours.
As you said, healthy hair is beautiful, but there’s nothing to say that curly MHM-derived hair is healthy. The long term effects of MHM are yet to be identified. Note that I am not maligning MHM – I stand by the right of every black woman to do as she wishes with her hair. However, I expect other black women to respect the existence of the various types of black women who do not wish to change their hair. Curls are not synonymous with either moisture or health. It’s a white supremacist framework that conditions us so, so when I see my fellow black women falling over themselves to heap abuse on our beautiful hair whose only crime is to exist, I can’t help but be sad.
Hydrated curls are pronounced. Dry hair frizzes. No one says anything when you do a twist out to “manipulate” your texture. Calm your nerves.
…all this over water, hydration, moisture.
Those who prefer dry, frizzy hair can, and will, keep it.
Calm down. You sound like a hater. There is nothing wrong with wanting curls sometime and kinky hair other times. Nobody is saying kinky hair is ugly actually dry hair suck. So promote moisture and stop promoting dry hair.
The MHM is not the best your hair can be. If ‘MHM’ is the healthiest your hair can be, that means your hair is producing unhealthy hair! If the MHM ‘restores’ hair to its full potential, why doesn’t the scalp produce maximum hydrated hair.?
This method is the epitome of artificialdom. It is artificially manipulating the hair, to look like something IT IS NOT. Your hair is not poorly hydrated without the MHM, it’s fine. The MHM hydrates the hair to excess and the person has to upkeep that. That is not natural. Your scalp is not producing rubbish hair that cannot be hydrated properly. One is choosing to excessively moisturise the hair artificially, doing damage that is YET to be reported.
If your hair does not have curls, it does not have them, end of story. The MHM is an artificial manipulator- just like any chemical mixture, which is what this is- it’s diluted acid essentially. My hair is not naturally straight, but when I use the right chemicals, hey presto!
Reading through my previous comment, I realize I need to make my point better and not spread negativity. There’s nothing wrong with trying out new things on our hair – I think it’s fantastic that we black women are taking our hair care into our own hands, and helping one another. What I don’t agree with, however, is creating hierarchies whereby those with fuzzy, undefined hair, are yet again classified as less than – just for being. I don’t want to see kinky hair described in the unfavorable terms that have already been used in this comment thread, in what should really be a safe space for black women. There are black women who absolutely adore their fuzzy kinks – they should not be made to feel like they’re not following someone’s idea of the ideal black woman mandate because they don’t wish to develop curls. So let’s respect the various types of black women. Promote the hair care method, but leave the bashing of hair type out of it – MHM should be able to stand on its own without needing to be offset by the denigration of a hair type almost exclusively associated with black women. All the best.
I’ve been saying this forever!! I’ve even mentioned it on JCs blog naturalhaven but she totally barked at me that her blog is for 4 range hair types who’s hair does not clump
BUT I DO HAVE 4 RANGE HAIR AND WASH AND GOES WORK FOR ME
And I believe they can work for many others as well, not to long ago I took a firm stance against wash agos for my hair type. I never believed it could work. A few things:
1. I became completely heat free before I wash n go successfully
2. I stopped stretching my hair as much or balanced my stretch style with shrunken wash n go. My hair is really fine and the stretching I noticed was causing some damage similar to heat damage, I think cause by heightened porosity and tension. Wash n his have lowered my porosity which helps the hair clump and curl better.
3. Had to learn and still learning to keep hand out of my hair!
4. Forgot the comb or any hair tool
Although I don’t follow this regiment and I’ve never heard if this. I clarified with Terressentials, which is already ph balanced they provide directions for clarification and I make my own conditioner using avocado and olive oil. For leave in I mainly use oil and Shea butter mixture when my hair is sipping wet and I use kinky curly curly pudding occasionally. THIS DOES BOT ACHIEVE TYPE 3 CURLY LOOK. DEFINITELY JUST A DEFINED TYPE 4 FRO
just my two scent ladies. Just wanted to bust a myth here.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/image-36.jpg[/img]
Thank you I have been looking for good DIY recipes for Deep condish and leave ins.
I am actively trying this method.Ive been natural for a year and still having a hard time maintaining moisture.I wish I had found out about this method before big chopping again.
So much professed pride in our hair, yet the slightest hint of being able to get rid of said hair and not only do people jump on eagerly, but disturbingly develop mob mentality when someone says “Hey, this does not seem right”.
Also interesting that hair that does not naturally clump into conventionally desired curls is already being actively associated with negative words: “unmanageable”, “challenging”, “fighting.”.. and people are falling over themselves to ‘prove’ that our kinks are actually inferior s’s: you might think you’re a 4C, but if you do this and that, you’ll find you’re actually a 4A! But no, no, the method is not about the curls – it’s about the moisture! Someone asked why people don’t just wash every day and seal – if they’re prepared to go to this amount of effort – but no response. Which tells you about the real motivation.
I’ll make a prediction: Soon there’ll be a product that builds on this method, promising to condense these complex steps into a more manageable routine, promising us defined curls, oh pardon me, moisturised hair, with pre-pictures of frizzy 4c hair and post-pictures of 3c/4a curls. When do we accept ourselves and grow?
To me, this is just another symbol of the internalisation of black inferiority – closely linked to white supremacy! This is why it’s not just about hair – we need to look deeper.
Sorry, you’re wrong. I don’t do this method I do another, but all the product gets washed out there is no build up at all.
And doesn’t stretching and braiding constantly to have another look more like not accepting your hair as it grows??
I’m arguing that our hair can “clump” naturally as our hair does grow in curls. Constantly combing and manipulating my hair caused it to appear frizzy and that was fine but just because I have learned to care for my hair as it grows to become clumped curls does not mean I have an inferiority complex.
That’s just silly.
I do my hair (meaning finger combing with homemade conditioner ) for about 3 hours once every 7-10 days. It is the least amount of effort I’ve ever put into my hair.
Although I do agree that the primary reason for people with tight curls feeling inferior and having “hair envy” of type 3’s has to do with white supremacy and all that awful nonsense that continues today. But, I also think it has to do with learning about our hair because that knwledge and self-love as taken from us. The knowledge and self-love was passed down to a few because they had people in their lives who kne how to care for tight curls. That being said, I am researching this method not for myself (I have 3c/4a/4b), I think) but for my daughter who has a tighter curl pattern – maybe 4b/4c. I love her hair and have been learning how to care for it from the internet! I was raised by a white woman who knew nothing about black hair and I’ve had to learn. It has been a struggle because i just don’t know what is the best way. ALOT of trial and error but also a lot of] tears (using combs and brushes). I want her to love her hair as I do but she dreads detangle and wash day 🙁 I am looking for a regimen that will help us make the process easier and more enjoyable for her and ultimately for her to some day be able to care for her own hair some day without having to research and struggle as I did with my own hair. I think it is a wonderful thing to have a method that takes the stress out of caring for your hair. After all it is beautiful but it is JUST hair.
I don’t agree with any of your comments on here. I’m not trying this out of some sense of inferiority with my hair and I resent that your comments make a blanket statement on those who use this method. My goal is to try didn’t methods so that my hair stays moisturized not heavy or greasy. I’ve tried the LOC method, washing and sealing, being a product junky and making my own products. nothing thus far made my hair feel healthy. My hair would be heavy one day then totally dry and flaky the next. I just want consistency and if this methods does that. ..so be it. I’m not trying to “prove that our kinks are inferior” I just want my hair not to break or split. If I could achieve that by not adding anything to my hair then I would go that route but that doesn’t work for me.
Are there people who feel the way you describe. …of course, but you go from saying everyone has a right to choose what they want to do with their hair to implying that anyone who doesn’t leave their hair in an untouched natural state hates themselves and is brain washed by white supremacy. Don’t make blanket statements about why people decide to do their hair one way or the other. If they relax, do mhm, leave it kinky, weaves, braids…it’s their CHOICE. Everyone and all hair styles are equal… just because someone likes their hair a different way then you do doesn’t make them better or worse than you.
All that doesn’t seem necessary. The cherry lola treatment is pretty much a protein treatment so thats ok but everything else is too much. You dont need to clarify your hair every time you wash it. Clay cleanses so it doesnt make sense to cowash beforehand. The clay helps the curls clump and so does finger detangling. If you finger detangle enough your curls tend to stay clumped. I think the main thing that helps the moisture levels with this routine is the cowashing and/or clay rinse and layering products to keep moisture in.
Cosign. I clarified once with Terressentials clay wash for one week. One bottle last me now about 2 mos.
Looks great but it takes too much effort.
Jaz, Chrissyjam and Denise,
Thank you all for the wondeful advice! I am in day 2 of the MHM and I am doing everything at night. It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes but i really like the results. I’m finding that I’m a little heavy handed with the leave in and gel but I’m working through it. Findings after 2 days: noticebly less frizz and hair is longer due to the moisture. I wish that i knew about this when I was younger, so much angst I put myself through!
After all these years, i’m realizing that the 3c hair I’ve always admired in others is really the control and moisture they were able to retain In their hair. Now that I’m starting to see control and moisture im mine through the MHM, I’m very happy with what I see.
Well done T, keep up the good work and keep those curls popping! It will get quicker with each day you complete the regime. I know over 2hrs may sound like a lot of time to spend on your hair but for those of you who haven’t tried it, please don’t be confused. (All that time is not spent with your hands in you hair, ok. You can do other things while the products are working on your hair). :)I spend about 30mins every 3 days on my hair.
To help with product application, I dilute my leave in and use a spray bottle to apply it, I find I use less product that way. I also add a little oil to my leave in as I find that it gives me a bit more slip so then I use less gel, try and see. Good luck 🙂
I have type 4a/b hair for the most part, and I started the method. I recently cut my hair into a tappered cut. Because twist outs is time consuming at my current length I decided to try the method. However, I modified the method. In most of the videos, the women dedicate 30 min to an hour for each step. Aint nobody got time for that, so i dedicate about 10 min to each step for a 30min wash day and 5 min styling. Practical enough for me. My curls are looking better ans better after each wash, frizz is down, tangles are not that much of a problem, and I feel like i could continue as my hair grows longer. I believe this method is mostly about the ingredients you put in your hair over time. This method is actually quite similar to Naptural85 hair regime.
Is it possible to do all of the steps at night? I’m thinking that step 2 with the overnight deep conditioner can be shortened to 1-2 hours at night under a warm dryer so i can then do the clay and then finish with conditioner and twist(two strand) the hair for bed.
What do you think-can i get the same results?
Hi Tibard,
Yes you can, the regime gives you many options and the one that you suggested will work. The MHM is not set in stone, you can adjust it to fit in with your schedule. Results will vary but I believe they will be great all the same. It is not an overnight process but you will notice a difference from the first go.
In the short space of time that I have been doing it my hair has improved more than I could have hoped for or even anticipated. Good luck and enjoy your curls 🙂
Yes! Of course you can do it overnight. This method is very flexible, contrary to popular belief. Just remember to clarify, clay rinse, and condition. Depending on time, products, and hair needs I skip around the regimen ALOT. Still beautiful results. Once you try it you’ll learn you don’t have to be so rigid with it, and that you can customize it to your lifestyle.
I’m sorry but I just have to offer an alternate review to the African lady’s comments in the earlier comments. I too am African like her with 4c hair. For me the max hydration method has nothing to do with hair envy. I subscribe to all of it’s principles and like a previous comment said, it is revolutionary. I am on Day 6 of the method. My hair has never been healthier or more moisturised. I still don’t have fully defined curls and that’s alright. The point for me is moisture. If the curls do come, which is going to happen because I can already start to notice them then great! To label everyone on this method as a curl envier is just as ridiculous to me as saying everyone who wears straight or curly weaves suffers from hair envy. It’s about variety, allowing your hair to do everything it can do, busting through stereotypes such as that of my fellow african lady who believes her hair’s natural state is meant to be “hard” or kinky.I still love my twistouts, braidouts etc but my hair certainly doesn’t have to be hard. Defined or undefined, I just want my hair to be as moisturised as possible. If it chooses to be bouncy with every step I take thereafter then so be it but dont call me a “traitor” because I refuse to break free of a box of your construction. That is all.
Where do you find time to perform a clay rinse in the morning when you need to get the kids off to school and be at work at a certain time? I like the idea but it is not practical for most working citizens…
I keep a large bottle of pre-mixed clay which I then portion out into a smaller applicator bottle. As soon as I wake up, I rinse my hair in the sink and then apply the clay. I go off and get the kids ready then I rinse out the clay while I take a shower. If you really want something you will find the time…
As you progress with the regime you will find that it becomes quicker to style your hair. It is recommended that you do the regime every day for the first 7 days ( if you want to reach your goal quicker) and then progress to every 3 days. I do my hair regime every 3 days, so I just wake up an extra 20mins earlier on that day, simple.
I find it takes a lot less time than what I was doing before – twisting at night and untwisting in the morning and fighting to get it under control and then giving up and then tying it up with a scarf only to have it feel like steel wool by midday. Then fighting to detangle it it in the evening only to twist it up again and on on..not to mention all the broken off hairs on the floor and in my hands. 🙁
It took me a week to master this regime, how I wish I had known about it before. The hair, the time, the money I would have saved.
I’m excited about the option of having well-hydrated 4c hair (bye-bye breakage!!!), and I understand that the jherri curls are a by-product of having well-moisturized hair…but can I still do this and maintain a more fluffy textured, undefined look? A little curl definition doesn’t hurt, but I don’t want my hair to be looking so juicy, lol.
Anyone who has tried this…please offer feedback! Thanks!
Hi L.u, Yes you can, spray your hair with a little water and apply only a small amount of gel or none if you prefer. After you apply the gel, do a few big twists and allow to semi dry and remove, fluff n go. You are not limited to a WashnGo (the jherri curl look). You can do all your usual styles of twists, bantu, roller etc, your curls will still be able to be manipulated into a fuller fro 🙂
This is a fancy name for a wash and go. I find they don’t work for all hair types and I’m personally not that fond of slapping gel in my hair to get “curls” because my hairs takes hella long to dry. It’s takes more than 8 hours to air dry and don’t absorb gel in larges amounts very well without product build up. For some reason this wash n go is reminding me of jerry curls…I don’t know but good for the who makes this tutorial works for them. This is too many steps, I can’t work and do this to my hair.
Hi Cleo, The style used in the regime is a WnG because it is a protective style that requires the least amount of manipulation to your hair which means less breakage. You can choose to style your hair any way you want once the gel is applied – twist, bantu, roller etc. It makes a great sealant as it doesn’t create a heavy build up such as butters, cream. The gels do not give you curls, you already have them, the gel just seals them. You will not need to use a lot of gel as the hair will be very different from the first treatment. You just need enough to give you some slip. From doing the first CLT your curls will be more defined and elongated that you will only need a fraction of the gel you would normally have to use now…try it and see 🙂 Yes the curls are similar to a curly perm but this way they are natural not chemically altered. You don’t need to go to the salon every couple of months to get your scalp burned and your hair abused. Its just your natural curls showing because they got a nice drink of water, they are no longer dehydrated. You can do this regime, if you want to, here is a suggestion. Wash your hair at night & deep condition overnight in the morning do a clay rinse for 15mins, rinse and style. This you do every 3 days for a 2weeks. I am telling Cleo, you are going to be amazed 🙂
Thanks Denise for all the info. I am def. trying this method. Some people are just too closed minded to try something new so don’t bother with them. I will try it, if it works good, if not then I will keep doing what I am doing. But I think it’s worth trying.
In my opinion, any new method that does not save me time, effort and product is a no no. I am African and have type 4C medium porosity hair, I find that washing, deep conditioning,protective styling, wearing my full fro and the occasional twist out is good for me. I have no desire to have “more defined curls” because my hair does not “curl”naturally but is coiled and kinky. I am fine with its natural texture and my family and colleagues have eventually gotten accustomed to my natural hair and now see beauty in it. I think it would be a regression to suddenly have hair looking “curly”. I personally dont want my hair to always look like I just stepped out of the shower, I think its ridiculous. This MHM in my opinion is a subtle deception that could derail the Natural Hair movement. Kinky is beautiful, you can either live it or you dont. Simple
HI Jedilove, I have been doing the MHM for about 1 month now and I can honestly say the results are amazing! Let me clear up a few misconceptions: This method will save time and money as you only spend about 30mins every 3 days doing your hair. I make my own conditioner and gel as I couldn’t get the recommended products where I live. I am Jamaican with 4c low porosity hair. My hair wouldn’t accept moisture even after DC, LOC, PS, you name it. My hair would not curl unless brutally manipulated and even then it didn’t last. All because it was kinky – meaning dry! Your hair isn’t meant to be kinky, that is just a result of dryness. Same as if your skin was ashy, its not supposed to be that way, period. Your hair is curly but because its so dry the curls can’t form properly. This method doesn’t chemically alter your hair, it just allows moisture in which is the best thing for it. You don’t have to wear your hair in the Wash n Go style but can style anyway you want after the gel step. Your hair will only look and feel better than ever before. I too had gotten accustomed to my hair’s kinky state but honestly didn’t like it as not only was I fighting a losing battle, I was also envying others their lovely soft hair that did what they wanted it to do. That is no longer the case. For me MHM has been the best thing to happen to me in a long time, I don’t have to accept that my hair is always going to be dry and brittle and break before it even grows. I don’t have to spend lots of money trying to find the product or regime that will tame my hair. This regime isn’t about getting curls, we already have them but we just can’t see them as our curls are being abused but the products and styles that we do. MHM is revolutionary! It has freed me, seriously Jedilove, try it before you knock it! God Bless :)))
Hi Denise,
The method is a 7-day process, it says so in the article and on the website. I repeat my hair does not “curl” it is very tightly coiled also known as kinky. Although the coils vary in tightness on different parts of my head. My hair does not curl even when it is well moisturised, I emphasise moisturised not wet. The Kinky texture of my hair is not a “condition”, even when my hair is well moisturised it is still kinky, I emphasise moisturised again.
I have no hair envy for anyone, I accept what my hair can and cannot do, I keep my hair clean and healthy and try to style it attractively, and this is good enough for me (I have experienced faster hair growth since I went natural). If I want it longer, I have box-braids and twists and now crochet braids and very rarely I have weave (a kinky or afro one). It is this hair envy that has always made us black women feel like our hair was never good enough and we have to mimic some other races texture. I have learned to be comfortable in my skin and my hair, I don’t need a 7-day MHM to make me love what is mine. Thank you.
Hi Jedilove, let me give you a little background about my hair journey, my hair has always been fine thin even as a child with natural hair. From about age 10 it has been curly permed, relaxed, weaved, braided, BC, you name it! All because I didn’t know to to care for it. I avoided having to deal with my hair as it was always a disappointment as it couldn’t hold a style. After 20+ years I decided to go natural this New Year as I realised that I was going bald, my hairline was receding and my hair overall was thinning to the point where some parts of the scalp where shiny. 🙁 I removed my weave and decided to face reality and my fears, I was no longer going to be attractive. I could no longer hide behind my extensions. I had to face the world with this dry brittle bush on my head that was my hair. I went to the hairdressers here in Dubai but none of them knew what to do with natural hair apart from adding more extensions…so I went online for advice and I tried everything that was suggested, nothing worked until I tried MHM. I learned that my hair loves to be clarified, clayed and conditioned in that order, simple. I didnt do the 7day regime as I have 3 kids under the age of 7, I am a busy mom. A mom with mixed race children that have hair types from 1-3. I learnt how to take care of their hair and mine from this method. I did my hair every 3 days. The envy I had of others’s hair was never the hair type, it was the condition their hair was in. Somewhere I couldn’t get my hair to go as I didn’t know the correct steps to take. The MHM regime has been a learning process for me in many ways. I have learnt that my hair is good hair, we all have good hair, we are just treating it badly. I thought my hair was moisturised, it should have been with all the products I was slapping on it. I thought my hair couldn’t curl as it was naturally “kinky’. I I thought that my hair was in cable of a WnG. All these things and many more I thought were wrong. So Jedilove to finish off, I am finally able to have hair that I can love. I am glad that you already do but for those of you out there who don’t, try MHM 🙂 God Bless
Hello Jedilove,
For some reason you thnk that this method was created to try to get our hair looking like people of other races. What? That is absoutely ridiculous. Everyone’s hair has coils, curls, or whatever they wish to call it. Hair just appears ‘kinky’ because it is not fully moisturized. Now, you might consider moisture to be some butters, creams and oils, but really, water is the only thing that TRULY moisturizes our hair. This method is just trying to get as much moisture into the hair as possible so it can look uniform and clumped. That is in no way trying to get the hair to look like that of a different race, because in the end, it’s still 4c hair. Their hair doesn’t get much looser. It just gets DEFINED. It is in no way hair envy, it would be hair envy if they were trying to get their hair to look like 3c or 3a, and that’s impossible. So, basically, you’re saying that because they’re trying to moisturize their hair doing this method, they are striving after what is not theirs. Do you also consider twist outs and braid outs to be striving after a look that is not ‘naturally’ yours?
Why do you call this hair envy?
Thank you Dayna! You get it…and that was all I was hoping for when I joined this discussion, that someone out there would also get it. 🙂 I have never been one to join in such topics as I believe that – if you don’t have something good to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all! I didn’t have anything good to say about previous regimes that I had tried because they didn’t work for me but I didn’t advertise that as I didn’t want to discourage someone else that it might work for. The MHM has been for me about dispelling MisleadingHairMyths regarding 4c hair. I learned about the (3 Cs) for 4c hair – Clarify Clay Condition. I have had such a breakthrough with this method that I felt compelled to spread the word as I am sure that there is someone else who is suffering like I was. I now stop every sister I see and tell her about the method. I went to my local salon yesterday and they were all shocked at the improvement in my hair and couldn’t wait to hear how I had done it. My hair has improved so much that yes you can question if it is 4a/b/c? Is there really such a thing as type 4a/b/c or is it just curly hair with different levels of moisture? God Bless
When you first start out it is 7 seven days, but then after that it goes to 2-3 days. This information is in the article.
Hi,
The 7 day (express) cycle is recommended if you want to reach your goal quicker. The original cycle was based on re doing your hair every 3 days as that is how long the conditioner will keep working on your hair.
If you have time then by all means do it daily but if not every 3 days will still give you great results. The regime isn’t set in stone…:)
Also please do not get hung up on the days, as it will take a few months to reach MHM if your hair is very dehydrated but the great thing is you will see a marked improvement from the first day. God Bless
I don’t want to start a hair type war… but I don’t think her hair is 4c.
My natural hair seems similar to hers but my natural hair is type 4a. I heard that 4c hair doesn’t form curls, I’m not sure of how true that is.
But when I was washing my natural hair with shampoo, my curls were barely( if at all ) visible so I thought that my hair type was 4c for a long time.
When I started using Bentonite clay to wash my hair, it seemed like my hair was getting healthier with each wash and later on, my curls started showing. Judging from the fact that I stopped using shampoos because they made my natural hair too dry, dryness may have been the culprit all along.
Lorraine Massey( Curly girl handbook ) states that dryness from shampoos affects curl definition and hair health which is why she is a strong advocate of using the No poo method( she even cited an example of one of her stylists who was going bald but this stopped when he stopped using shampoos ).
I think that the person in the pictures, used for this article, may actually have type 4a or 4a/4b hair though she thinks that she has 4c hair.
But who knows, I’m judging from comparison to my hair which seems to clump whenever I use anything but shampoos( conditioner, Bentonite clay, milk… etc ).
Although, Lorraine Massey also stated in her book, that frizz is a curl waiting to happen… and the curl will happen through moisturizing of the hair. The max hydration method involves applying a lot of moisture to the hair so I believe that this can also enhance curl definition.
I’m eager to learn more about type 4c hair. I think my natural hair is 4a based on the hair typing system on http://www.naturallycurly.com . The lady pictured with type 4a hair on their site has natural hair that looks similar to mine and that of the lady in the pictures used in this article: curly but also with a high level of shrinkage.
Thank god I was blessed with that “good” 4a/b hair! A little water, condish and gel and…VOILA! Curls for days. LOL
BTW, I used to suffer from mega splits, both end and mid-shaft. Since I started using a clarifying shampoo once a month followed by a moisturizing shampoo, protein and moisturizing condish, I dare say my splits have gone to splitsville! In other words, they are gone. At least drastically reduced. In between shampoos, I follow the curly girl routine as much as possible.
There is such a thing a moisture overload which will eventually weaken and break the hair. I would be interested in seeing the long term results of the MHM. Not that I’ll be using it, but I wonder if it’s really worth the hype…in the long run.
Healthy hair is good hair, no such thing as good hair.
With all of these “steps” could one consider this a “wash n go”? It takes 7 days for goodness sake. I think it can be considered a good process for retaining moisture.
I am trying the MHM right now, but I’ve modified it. 1) I don’t need to have baking soda in my hair for half an hour to an hour. No one does. In fact, the times on much of the process are way too much (also, ain’t nobody got time for that), and I agree, use of baking soda or ACV on your hair every day will surely do more damage in the long run. I am only on the second day (I did the Cherry Lola yesterday [I did need a protein treatment, so no problems with that] and skipped step 2, for reasons I will explain in bullet 2) and I do have baking soda in my hair, with just a pure baking soda and water mixture of 2 tablespoons and 6 ounces of water. I think this will be the last day of pH craziness – from now I my modified MHM will involve a steamer for step 1, instead of a stripping salt. [[Interesting to note, Deekay has explained that ‘salt’ is one of the no no products for the MHM, but uh… Baking soda is Sodium bicarbonate, so…]].
2) There is a lot of conditioner use in the MHM that I find wasteful and unnecessary. There is no need to (or, more accurately, I do not understand the need for) conditioner in step 1 (if you go the baking soda route), or step 2. They could cross off step 2, in my opinion, and here is why I think it is an unnecessary step – step 3 is a clay rinse. You do step 2 to co wash the hair (why you need to wash the hair after washing your hair is beyond me), which I understand, adds moisture back. However, step 3, the clay rinse, is meant to purify the hair and remove any left over ickyness that step 1 may have missed – see my point here? You are putting conditioner in your hair to… remove it with clay and then put more conditioner in your hair?
So, for me, the MHM is too much. So I modified, and will further modify.
My [I have 3b/3c/4a hair if anyone was wondering] modified MHM is
Day 1
Cherry Lola, 1 hr max
Clay Rinse, 10 minutes (in shower)
Warm conditioner, this you can leave on forever, if you want, but truly only a max of 30 minutes it needed [I cannot remember the article I read about that, but it stated that 30 is max conditioner penetration time] (in shower)
Gel
Day 2
Baking soda [2 TBSP with 6 -> 8 oz water, leave on for 10 minutes max]
Clay rinse, 10 minutes (in shower)
Warm conditioner, again, 30 min. max
Gel
Day 3+ [I am hoping]
Steam
Applicator bottle of just water (warm) to help detangle
Clay rinse, 10 minutes (in shower)
Warm conditioner, 30 min. max
Gel
I will be back to let you know the results.
Maybe it won’t work as well, but I just don’t trust such a swinging pH. OR using that much product.
Also for the LOVE OF GOD NEUTRALIZE YOUR CLAY.
If you decide to do the MHM, whether by the book or not, NEUTRALIZE YOUR CLAY. This stuff is BEYOND BASIC, pushing 10 on the pH scale, NEUTRALIZE YOUR CLAY.
Remember, you are acidic.
NEUTRALIZE. NEUTRALIZE.
Misha what do you mean by neutralize your clay? Can you please tell me how to do that? Thank you in advance for your response. I’m still new to the MHM and did the CLT last night.
Clay is alkaline and we are acidic so we need to lower the ph by neutralizing the clay meaning adding something acidic to the clay like apple cider vinegar.
THE REAL GOAL ABOUT THIS METHOD IS TO HAVE HEALTHY HAIR NOT DEFINED CURL LIKE TYPE 3 HAIR. Max Hydration helps ladies with type 4 hair to fight dryness and tangles. When detangling, you don’t have to struggle with your hair, you won’t waste 2-4 hours styling your hair and still look like a hot mess and this method define your TRUE texture. If you love your hair the way is it and you want to keep it simple, that’s fine but don’t call people doing this method self-hater because “we don’t love you hair blablabla” . In fact, we do love them that’s why we want it to achieve is full potential. ***Sorry for my english, I’m french :L
I’m happy that some have found a method that works for them and gives them the overall hair results they need to feel more comfortable and in love with their hair. I don’t knock it because we all have to do what’s best for our hair and lifestyle. I do however, have concerns about the long term effects this may have on one’s hair. From first glance this reminds me a lot of a chemical process but with less harsh ingredients.
Like most texture altering chemical processes you need to raise the pH extremely high to lift the cuticles to allow penetration of whatever material you want to add. You then infuse with a protein base so that the hair doesn’t break from over elasticity, then moisturize to counter the over proteinization, then lower the pH (neutralize) with something highly acidic to harden/close the cuticle back down. This is nothing different you can just buy the chemicals over the counter. I worry that this could in the long run cause serious damage such as hygral fatigue and rapid porosity changes that may ultimately lead to hair that can’t hold moisture, and color fading to a ruddy brown. IDK.
I’m sure this could be done with less damaging products and under less time. Clarifying shampoo and shampoo bars have a high porosity generally at 8+, follow with your normal protein conditioner, followed by a moisturizing condish, followed by an ACV rinse, then your favorite gel. You could even throw your clay somewhere in the mix before the ACV rinse. I probably wouldn’t recommend doing this more than once a week and I would most definitely suggest applying heat to the moisturizing condish phase. Low porosity hair needs heat to soften and raise the cuticles. Large swings in pH balance aren’t good for the hair. A good shampoo then deep conditioning regimen including heat and clay could also probably get you the same results.
Beautiful hair ladies!
Meant to say “Clarifying shampoo and shampoo bars have a high pH…”
Though I appreciate this write-up, the writer may want to remove any mention of wash n go from the title of this here article. I’ve been ignoring all other articles about this method for weeks now because they all tout it as a way to get a defined wash n go for type 4 hair and I doesn’t make sense for a girl to work so hard to achieve the ‘wash n go’ look. After finally giving in for curiosity’s sake, I think the founder of the method was ultimately more interested in finding ways to moisturize her 4c, low porosity hair and THAT I can understand.
That said, it’s interesting all the things type 4 hair can do, and I think I will try this out just to see if it is so!
Well, I looked at this method and also thought that it would be way too much work, so i decided to only do it once a week on my normal wash day. I skipped the gel and did a 3 strand twist out, and it was the most moisturised, and defined one i’d ever done. I didn’t have to put any moisture in it till the next wash day which was about 10 days later.
After this I decided to try it every other day to see how it would affect my hair. Now I have 4b/a hair and my wash n go is always partly defined and partly frizzy. The first day there was a bit more definition than normal but what struck me most was how easy it was to detangle afterwards. What would normally take me 60-90 mins was reduced to 20 mins flat!! I think i’ll reduce doing my hair to twice a week just because i’m lazy, but in this hot climate i need to frequently wash my hair anyways.
Either way, its not just about the curl definition for me, because I prefer the stretched look of a twist out anyways 😉
I have been doing this method since mid july. My reason behind it was not to have my hair look like anything other than what it is, but I do hate having dry brittle ends, and detangling for me was a mutha! Since trying the method I have had less tangles, less shedding, and less ssks. I have done a wash and go ( one of few) however, I prefer to do twist outs and I love the big, curly fro I get. If this is not for you pass, but by no means think that anyone or everyone is trying to change their hair texture, just trying a healthy alternative to their regimen.
Can I skip Step 1? Not really interested in taking my hair through the pH rollercoaster ie. Baking soda and vinegar. And didnt you all just show where someone proved that ACV rinse does NOT clarify the hair?
I think moisture can be be achieved without so many products. Hot oil treatments work great for my kinks. I leave it in over night after washing or just leave it in till next wash. I tried a couple treatments and lusters is the best. I know its old school and full of stuff naturals hate, but it works. Once or twice a week of this treatment is what my hair likes. No more crunchiness.
I am going to try MHM this week. I am currently transitioning and right now I have crochet braids in and I love them but I know I need to look after my natural hair underneath. I really hope it works for me because it looks like a method I can apply all by myself. Wish me luck!
I’ll probably get downvoted because we apparently can’t be critical about this method, but whatever. Be careful if you’re transitioning from relaxed hair– it’s way more porous than natural hair, and overloading relaxed strands with moisture can cause hydral fatigue and breakage at the line of demarcation. I would normally suggest protecting your relaxed hair with coconut oil, but I don’t think that works with the MHM system. You may want to ask an MHM expert on how to adapt the steps to your head.
I have to say I’m a little confused by some of the comments. Mainly the ones who are saying that these women are trying to make their hair look like 3c curls. No.
The point is to instill max HYDRATION. We should all know how well our hair behaves when its hydrated. If your hair is hydrated, your natural curl pattern will shine through rather than just having frizz. Water is not going to change your curl pattern lol.
I think people see it for what it is: giving people a different way to chase curls without feeling guilty about it.
The words and the imagery for this method don’t tell the same story. I went to the testimonial page and every single picture is of women who were able to achieve clumping, i.e. 3-type curling/coiling, after this process. The words say max hydration; the pictures say max curl definition. That’s my honest opinion because if the curl definition wasn’t the point, the before and after pictures wouldn’t make sense since curl definition does not equal health.
You can’t tell how hydrated someone’s hair is by looking at it. You could load your hair up with gel to achieve the same look that these women have, and your pictures would not be able to tell people how crunchy and unhealthy it is. Yet the “evidence” they provide of max hydration is the extremely clumped wash & go photos.
It’s not hard to see what’s really being advertised despite the claims of “doing it to combat my chronic dryness”. They’re equating defined curls with hydration, which is a false equivalence meant to target the women who believe there’s something better about hair that visibly curls/coils.
I’d be more willing to believe that “hydration” was the true goal if I saw pictures of the amount of shedding, or the detangling process, or the amount of single strand knots present before and after this method. But the ONLY pictures shown are puffy, unclumped hair before and defined, clumped hair after. The message is obvious to some of us, and that’s what’s causing the naysayers to comment.
Amen! You have said it perfectly. I will also add that many women will eventually abandon this method as it is just too time consuming and so heavy in products. It DOES NOT will NOT EVER take this much work to get some moisture into your hair. Kinky hair is dry by nature. Its not suppose to be “moist” and silky to the touch. How on earth are you going to maintain this if your life suddenly got super busy? Its methods and routines like this is what make many women believe natural hair (especially type 4 kinky )is hard to deal with. To do all of this for some clumped coil wash and go? No. Ladies and gents it doesn’t have to be this complicated!
So you’re suggesting that thirsty hair looks and behaves like hydrated hair? That is simply not true, but you know this already. Anyone who has ever washed their hair knows that they see their curls behaving differently when the hair is hydrated coated with conditioner. Hydrated hair clumps together, regardless of curl pattern. Hydrated hair is supple. The cortex of the hair is lush and elastic. Dry hair snaps when you try to manipulate it. Dry hair breaks, tangles and creates a mesh effect, especially on 4c hair.
Yes dry hair *looks* different than hydrated hair. That top picture of the woman with dark skin, 4b/c hair, and a blue phone shows hydrated hair. Are you telling me that her hydrated hair is now suddenly 3b hair? Girl, stop.
I get it that naturals believe in “texture discrimination”, but depriving your hair of water is just a bad hair practice. Water does not change the texture of the hair. This method doesn’t even require stretched hair. What do you say of women who never leave the house without stretched hair? Are they trying to achieve 1a or 2a hair? No. But you know this already.
All of that was nothing more than the Jheri Curl sales pitch. WET hair will behave differently than dry hair, yes, but 4c hair after it has dried, regardless of moisture retention does not naturally clump because the strands do not curl uniformly. This method is manufactured clumping. Everyone is acting like the only way you can tell your hair is hydrated is if you look like you just stepped out of a pool. I keep my hair well hydrated/moisturized and no ringlets are apparent from a distance. I don’t need to sleep with sopping wet tresses every night or pump it with amino acids to retain moisture. The more I read these comments claiming 4c hair is so extremely dehydrated that the only way to achieve moisture is through this process of soaking your hair multiple times a day, the more it sounds exactly like a Jheri Curl, complete with the requisite spray on activator and night time shower cap.
OMG stop it already! No one’s walking around with SOPPING wet Jheri Curl hair trying to manufacture curls! All these ASSumptions about a method you’ve NEVER tried is annoying and insulting. It’s not necessary– just agree to disagree and move on and stop bashing with exaggerated statements that simply aren’t true. With the MHM you are able to retain your natural curl pattern while moisturizing your hair. What’s with the unspoken rules about 4c hair that I am supposed to be following? And it’s alright to spend HOURS twisting, HOURS untwisting, HOURS braiding, HOURS unbraiding, HOURS doing Bantu knots and knots outs etc etc to manufacture curls BUT it’s WRONG to retain my actual curl pattern because it means I’m ‘chasing curls’ ?!?! Who makes this ish up? Show me where it’s written in stone that when our hair type is properly hydrated it DOESN’T curl. You state that as fact and the MHM challenges that long held notion. You’re entitled to believe whatever you want but don’t project your fixations about Jheri curls and wet hair on us and the MHM. Just stop. Check out protective princess on youtube – she gives a well documented example of the MHM during her 5 year natural hair journey that you can visibly see AND she takes you through each step – easily dispelling all the craziness you have been stating as fact about this routine. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mWSVrrXYUbl. I came on here to share a positive experience but I’m done beating a dead horse. Peace out.
The thing is you can tell how hydrated someone’s hair is by looking at it. That’s a cosmetological fact. Just like if you look at your nail are they brittle and think with yellow or black streaks or clear and strong. Is your face supple and glowing or pasty, blemished and dry? Our outer bodies are signs of what’s going on inside. It’s the same for hair. Clumped, uniform, shiny curls or waves vs. greasy, frizzy, straw like, broken, split, patchy hair. We all know what healthy hair looks like and if it comes with curls so be it. It’s been repeated multiple times that clumped curls is just a by product of this process. As well it’s stated in the beginning the ills that plague type 4 hair and it’s been repeated in the comments as well. It always baffled me as to why type 4 hair was so different and why dryness is an inherent characteristic. It’s been one of the main frustrations of being natural: “why won’t my hair stay moisturized?!”, “why is my hair curly in the shower but not outside?!”, and “why are type 4’s pigeon holed into certain styles?!” These are not vain questions nor desires and I know other girls with my type of hair have these questions. Slowly but surely it’s all starting to make sense. Our hair needs are no different than a white girl’s hair no matter the type. I grew up like other black girls thinking oh we don’t wash our hair everyday that’s a white girl thing. No! It’s a person with hair on their head thing. Our hair isn’t “stronger b/c it’s kinky”, it still needs water frequently. Though I have my critiques for this method, I believe in the keystone of MHM and that’s washing your hair frequently so that it can be what it’s supposed to be at it’s full potential. Dassit! I don’t think you need to dumb down valid reasons to superficial ones. The type 4 dilemma is way more than superficial. Speaking for myself I don’t desire curls, I KNOW I have curls but why do they behave the way they do? What am I doing wrong that’s keeping me stuck in set styles or always stretching my hair b/c it’s type 4? Those are questions that are being answered with this method, so assuming women are just chasing an image is a reach.
Can people with sisterlocks use this method?
For someone who’s been struggling with dryness for years, and always feeling like I can’t achieve wash n go’s because of my type this challenge is interesting. I am going to go along with most the women here and say this regimen is exhaustive! Sheesh that’s a lot of product and steps. It’s taken me 4-5 years to make my process efficient and simple and now I’ve found this and it just seems daunting. lol
However this summer I had plans of experimenting with wash n go’s and it failed. When my hair is sopping wet straight out of the shower I can see my curls. But as soon as the water evaporates my curls lose definition and my kinky/coarse texture takes over. Plus, afterwards I spent 3hours detangling. I can’t do a wash n go like these other girls, just raking gel through my hair and moving along.
That being said, I’ll do more research on this method and see if it fits me. I can see it being an initial/occasional regimen. I don’t see myself adopting this routine, it’s too much. I’ll def tweak the steps/products. I will say though one way I’ve successfully combated dryness and retained length is: wash your hair often! I don’t wait 2 weeks anymore to wash my hair. My hair is being soaked, conditioned and slathered in product twice a week. On Sunday’s and Wednesdays I wash my hair if not I don’t let no more than 4 days pass w/o washing my hair unless I’m traveling. I’ve found my hair stays supple which makes detangling easier and almost non-existent. I have less knots, shed hair and overall time doing my hair decreases. So yes, black women really do need to fix this fear of water.
I understand what you mean because I struggled with dryness during my entire natural hair journey and believe me I’ve tried almost everything. I have read blogs and watched so many youtube videos than I can’t even count! I think what many readers are forgetting is that for such a long time, type 4 hair, especially 4c hair has been so under represented in the natural hair world. Heck for the longest time, many didn’t even want to accept that there was a 4c category. It is only recently that you are even seeing a lot of tutorials for 4c hair. Now it seems like the usual comment when 4c naturals express frustration is that we have curl envy or we can’t accept our kinky hair the way it is. Even worse is the disdain in their comments when giving their simple solutions on how to easily care for our 4c hair. If it was so darn simple or easy there would be no need for all these blogs or youtube videos!
We already know type 4 hair tends to be the driest because of how kinky curly or coily it is. I’ve done clay washes, I’ve used gels, butters, oils, sealants, leave-ins, cowashes, pre-poo’s, and deep conditioning– you name it and I still struggled with dryness and breakage. After all, aren’t these all the things that almost all naturals do? Well guess what, throught the maximum hydration method, I learned that type 4c hair plays by a slightly different set of rules meaning you still do these things BUT THE ORDER in which you do them matter! Why? because the maximum hydration method also takes hair porosity into consideration. Many type 4 naturals and especially 4c have low porosity hair, so products often just sit on the hair strand rather than being absorbed because the cuticles are always so tightly shut. The MHM gets around this by frequently clarifying the hair EACH TIME you wash to temporarily open the cuticles and remove product build up, that’s where the baking soda added to conditioner and clay wash comes in. It seems that with low porosity hair, even weekly or monthly clarifying isn’t often enough to prevent build up and allow moisture in. Gel is used in place of butters and oils because they build up too easily on low porosity hair and block moisture absorption. Because low porosity hair is often also protein sensitive, the cherry lola treatment is recommended since it is mild, moisturizing and does not cause build up. I also learned with the MHM that type 4 hair thrives on water and thus the recommendation to wash at least every three days. I wish the article had taken more time to explain all this and not just the regimen itself. Since I do the routine every 3 days, I am able to do a ‘wash n go’ in between: I simply wet my hair slightly while in the shower and then finger comb my hair when I get out. I can also do twists IF I want to do a different style. The twist outs that I get are the best I have even gotten and lasts on 2nd and 3rd day hair.
I tried the mhm because I was tired of dry hair. It’s as simple as that. The maximum hydration method delivered and soooo much more. First, my hair is ALWAYS MOISTURIZED, it no longer has that dry crunchy feeling. Secondly, my hair STOPPED SHEDDING. When my hair was up in protective styles for the last 2 years, you could always see my scalp, so my hair not shedding is a BIG deal for me. Third, my hair STOPPED BREAKING which means I will finally begin retaining length, something that was a challenge for my fine strands. Fourth, my hair NO LONGER TANGLES. I kid you not. It’s the one part of this regimen that still amazes me. Since the 4th of July when I started the MHM, I have worn my hair out EVERYDAY and yet it still only takes a few minutes for me to detangle. Do you know what that means??!!??!! I no longer have to do protective styles to protect my hair! No more wigs, no more weaves no more braids!!! I no longer have to spend HOURS detangling my hair, HOURS twisting back into a protective style or HOURS untwisting my hair a week later! The fifth thing about this method that amazed me because I wasn’t expecting it was the tiny pen spring sized coils! My fine 4c hair actually started to clump and curl WHEN DRY. The MHM states that when type 4 hair is properly moisturized it will automatically clump and curl and fall into it’s natural coil pattern. I had always mistakenly believed that if my hair was soft, that meant it was moisturized, but now I know better.
I am so glad I didn’t let the negative comments stop me from trying this method because NOTHING I have tried in the last 5 years of being natural compares to this — NOTHING. I saw results after two days. My son (4a), relative (3c) and coworker (3b) are doing the MHM with the same great results. This is a game changer! If you do want more info before taking the leap, go to the maximumhydrationmethod.com or read this article by someone who actually tried the method BEFORE reviewing it. http://www.blackhairinformation.com/beginners/finding_a_regimen/maximum-hydration-method-ultra-defined-wash-gos-hair-types/
this comment is long..
I know, I am sorry, got a little carried away trying to give a good explanation lol.
Thank you for this review of the MHM. It was clear and gave me the confidence to try it. Wish me luck!
Thank for you this! I have pen like springy curls too but only when soaking wet!! It’s funny you say that as soon as you started the challenge the benefits of mhm eliminated the “extra time'” it would’ve took to detangle, and twist. I actually went through the same thing when I started washing 2x a week instead once a week or two weeks, my detangling time went way down. I can’t wait to give this a go and I’m hoping the seemingly daunting process is only a silly fear.
Aside from the Cherry Lola caramel treatment, you need one conditioner to water down, one gel, bentonite clay, honey, EVOO, baking soda, ACV, water. The products pictured are hydration-friendly options. One wouldn’t buy all of them.
I’m with you… It seems interesting but the process seems to be too much. I’ll wait for simplified version.
It seems interesting but the process seems to be too much. I’ll wait for a simplified version.
I have kinky frizzy 4a hair, I just use coconut cream & coconut oil as a deep conditioner. I use a deep conditioning cap for a little bit of heat. This leaves hair feeling super softs and coils poppin.
Smh @ all these negative comments. If this method is not for you then so be it, but don’t knock the other women who have tried it. If someone would like to acheive a wash n go once in while means they don’t love their hair?? I could careless if my hair was 1c, 2c, 3c or 4c, hell I don’t even really know what texture my hair is lol. But honestly that doesn’t matter, my goal is healthy moisturized hair as I stated b4 and this method helps me achieve just that. And no, you don’t have to only wear your hair in a wash n go style, many people wear twist and braid outs while doing this method as well. Its not only about CURLS… Stop being so damn negative sometimes, gosh.
I’ve tried this method and it does work. My hair is is more moisturized and shiny. I wouldn’t suggest it for people pressed for time, but the benefits cannot be argued.
I’d like to emphasize that the method is about maximizing the moisture in your hair. Curl/coil definition and clumping is just a byproduct. I don’t understand why anyone would disparage the method based on the fact that the hair just happens to look different after MHM. Healthy, moisturized hair is what everyone wants. If curls come with it, then so be it.
I do fake wash-no-gos, meaning washing my hair, twisting and next day unraveling. And it’s rare I wear that style.
Repeat steps 1-4 daily or every 2-3 days?
Nah son.
Can we just talk about how, once again, women with natural hair who are supposed to be “embracing their hair as is fully” are still on this quest for “clumped curls”? It defeats the purpose. Comparing a braidout or twist-out to this is not the same. This is almost comparable to a “texture softener. I love me some kinky hair on black women. If I had kinky hair, you better believe I would wear the hell out of an afro instead of finding new ways to get “clumps”. As a girl with “clumped curls” let me tell you, it’s not all that. I pick my hair out just to even get that beautiful frizz and afro look. I think black hair is just super dope to be doing these super long methods to conform to more accepted hair.
How can you try to compare this to a texture softener ? This method does not do anything to alter your natural texture it actually help enhance your natural curls while adding moisture. And no one is conforming to more accepted hair, we are trying to achieve healthy hair. Stop being closed minded and see that its more than just a wash n go method.. The key word is hydration!
Since you have “clumped curls” why are you mad at those that want it? You’re missing the point that no matter the texture, you want moisturized hair. What exactly are you arguing against lol?
nope.
With all the mayonnaise, avocado, honey, yogurt, and other lunch foods naturals put on their head, you’d think WATER wouldn’t be this controversial, but it is. That’s why naturals suffer from breakage and dry hair.
I am so shocked that many of the comments are against the max hydration method. Some of you are missing the point when you say the method’s goal is to “get 3c curls” or “get curl definition”, especially because many naturals have curly hair to begin with (although some have more of a zig-zag pattern). If anything, the goal is the exact opposite. Max hydration doesn’t even require one to stretch their natural hair pattern. It celebrates the natural hair texture. The goal is to get the most moisturized hair possible. It’s totally a fair critique to say that there are lots of steps and ingredients, but you could always tweak it to your liking with your own products. What’s at the core of MHM is WATER.
Naturals hate the idea of wetting their hair daily, but for many of us, that’s the key to healthy hair. I drench my hair daily because it is the only way that I can maintain healthy hair. Cynthiarf-Afro Care on Youtube is a great advocate of similar techniques. Expand your mind ladies, especially when many of us suffer from extremely dry hair. I have high porosity, 4c hair. So, my hair can absorb and lose a lot of water, and it shrinks up to 75% in the process. Yes butters help slow the lose of water, but at some point (no later than 48hrs) my hair needs to be drenched with water again in order to be super healthy. Don’t knock it until you try it.
I have tried this method and it works! it has made me love my hair for the first time ever in all my 37 years! I have only been wearing my hair out for the past 6 months and I will never be tempted to wear a weave or relaxer again. I also used the MHM on my daughter’s type 3 hair and it was stunning better than its ever been. Please try and tell all your friends. no more wasting time and money on products that dont work. Once mastered the method is easy and not time consuming, you will only need to do your hair every 3 days. It will be soft and manageable.
Having your hair not like your texture has made you love your hair for the first time?
It IS her texture, just hydrated. My dry fro has a curl pattern as evidenced by shedding. I now want to experience those curls uniform and hydrated, not dry and frizzy.
Yes, I can honestly say that I hated my hair, not because its 4c but because of its condition…Nappy? From about the age of 10 my hair has been abused by relaxers, weaves, braids, products etc, basically anything that avoided me having to deal with the dry, brittle, thin excuse of a bush that was my hair 🙁 Then I started losing my hairline and so I decided to face reality and my fears…I decided to go natural. I removed my weave at the beginning of the year and have been wearing my hair out since. It has been a nightmare, really I tried everything, pre poo, co wash, DC, LOC, wearing a silk scarf, Henna, you name it – nothing worked, apart from my debit card as I had become a product junkie, searching for the one. This past month since doing the MHM, I feel has if I have begun a “hair affair”. I am in love with my hair for the first time in my life! I mean my own actual hair not just the styles I have worn. It has given me the hair that nature intended, its soft manageable and my curls are defined. I don’t get anymore SSKs, I don’t have to twist, bantu or braid to get definition. Yes I get more shrinkage if I don’t stretch but thats fine has it helps to conceal how thin my hair is. This method for me has been an educational and informative process, I have learnt about what is good and bad for my hair. How to retain moisture and gain length. How to save money by cutting out unnecessary products and how to really go natural. I now make my own conditioner and gel! My daughters are mixed with 2 different hair types. One is almost straight with a little wave and the other is a type 3. I used a modified version of the MHM on their hair and it worked, better than anything the hair stylist ever managed, silky and frizz free. I am no scientist or hair stylist but I would say I finally found ‘what my hair wants’. I urge anyone who has dry curly or straight hair to try this method and see the beautiful results. We were not meant to have Nappy hair, its a condition not a hair type! Bless
In the long run its even cheaper, than all those products that wont penetrate even with a steamer. As a low porosity naturalista, the MHM has been sent from heaven. The only flaw would be, that baking soda used daily for 7 days, was to much for the weakest the portion of my head, on the front and the crown. But problem solved when i switch to clarify my hair with the apple cider vinegar.
I don’t understand the comments accusing those of us who do wng of wanting our hair to look like type 3 hair. And why is it that twistouts & braidouts-which certainly don’t look like my curl pattern-are ok but the wng is the devil? I have type 4b/4c hair type & I do wng in 10 to 30 mins-much less than it takes to twist/plait my hair-andI don’t get ssk or tangles or breakage. Furthermore, shrunken, matted wash & fros look unkempt & unattractive on me & are he@$ to detangle. Whatever works for YOUR hair is YOUR business. If MHM gives folks the results they desire, no matter how time consuming, then I’m all for it. Seems like ppl who can’t achieve a wng like to find fault with those who can. It’s only hair, after all.
It might just be me, but I feel like i’m wasting food whenever I put a LOT of it into my hair just for a treatment, and since this is the type of thing to be done more than once in a while… Nah. :/
Also, i’m allergic to dairy.
I’d rather just DC with a natural store bought product and get the same effect.
Its not just you. I love bananas, I’m not putting them in my hair lol. I’d rather eat my food then use it as a hair treatment. Honestly, my hair doesn’t respond well to food products anyway. I don’t love the way it feels afterwards.
Technically, if it’s really natural, it should be edible. The best products for your hair and body should not be toxic if ingested. If it’ll make you sick to eat it, it’s probably also doing damage when applied topically because your skin, hair, and nails absorb everything you put on it and it goes straight to your blood stream. Just because we traditionally think of some things as “food” doesn’t make it any less of a “hair product” or “skin product”. Coconut oil is great to cook with and moisturize with. Avocado is a great fruit to add to a sandwich and a deep conditioner. Etc. The best way to know if you should trust a particular product is if it’s good on the outside, it should be good for your insides too, and vice versa. Personally, I don’t put anything in my hair that I’d be afraid to get in my mouth.
when will type 4cdefg….naturalistas learn? your hair is beautiful why are you changing it…you can get your hair max hydration, no ssk, no tangles AND it does not need ‘curl definition’ the 3C look…dang ladies
I personally have no interest in wash and gos. Can this method be used for twist-outs, braid-outs. Also, it has yogurt, which for me may be a no-no. I am protein sensitive. Is it just the addition of the amino-acids in the cherry lola treatment that alter the curl pattern vs. adding moisture? Can the Cherry Lola method be skipped and moisture still be attained? If anyone has tried any alternatives to this method please let me know?
What is the big deal with wng.
Step 1 Wash
Step 2. Go
If you hair get dry take along a spray bottle of water for hydration.
LOL @ Deedeemaha –
I have no idea why so many people gave you a thumbs-down. Your response made me laugh (for real).
For some people, WnG requires a bit more than that in order to keep the hair from drying out and breaking, but some folks do act like it’s rocket science or something. It really isn’t.
If a WnG requires 18 steps, your hair probably doesn’t want to do it – find another style/ method.
Yes, you can use this method to create the most amazing well defined twist outs ever that lasts on 2nd and third day hair. That’s the longest I have gone before washing my hair again. My relative used soy yogurt with no egg in her cherry lola treatment with good results AND this is for those who are protein sensitive. The cherry lola treatment does NOT alter the curl pattern, it’s supposed to act as a deep moisturizing conditioner that jump starts the moisturizing process for your hair. I am sure you can skip it and you can probably skip washing every day for 7 days as well. That is done so that you can IMMEDIATELY build up moisture in the hair strands.
I followed this method but the cherry Lola caramel treatment wreaked havoc on my protein sensitive hair and it was so time consuming. So now I follow DanaBNatural on YouTube. She combines these elements in a different way that is working great for me. She is protein sensitive as well. For the gel I make mine from flaxseed. My hair is looking and feeling great
This process is much too involved for me. I already use Aztec Indian Clay and that alone give me great moisture and shine.
As someone with type 4c hair, I completely agree with you. The clay is actually the KEY step in this process. I honestly think just completely switching out shampooing and co-washing for clay washing will give you the same results. Several type 4 naturals have used Bentonite and Rhassoul clay on their hair and noted the above results without anything extra.
I’m not trying to discount the hard work and research of PinkeCube, but if you really think about it, the clarifying and co-washing steps are completely unnecessary since the clay (esp if you’re using Bentonite) is such a powerful clarifier/cleanser/de-toxifier/deep conditioner in itself.
In the method, they even say that the time to check for max hydration is right after you rinse out the clay. All in all, just use clay on a more regular (preferably weekly) basis, and your hair will thank you for it, especially if you have chronically dry, frizzy hair.
One thing I should mention is that people still seem to think that 4b and 4c hair is frizzy/undefined/unclumped by default and has no curl pattern, and that is just simply not true. Hair that has no curl pattern is STRAIGHT hair. Period. The reason 4b/4c hair shrinks the most is BECAUSE it has the MOST curls. Kinks = lots and lots of curls.
If you want to know what your hair is supposed to really look like in optimal condition, use clay on it. It’ll clean your hair without drying/frizzing it out or causing build-up like most commercial shampoos and conditioners do.
Also, this whole zig-zag shape people keep talking about in 4b hair? If you think about it, a ‘Z’ is just a slightly stretched ‘S’. It’s still a curl, and its not exclusive to type 4 hair, either. I’ve seen plenty of 3bs and 3cs with zig-zag hair patterns.
That is me in one of the above pictures and I definitely recommend this method to anyone with dry unmanageable hair. Yes this method does help with defining curls, but it also helps with moisture. I noticed instant results after my 1st day using the MHM. My hair has never been this moisturized since I been natural, the added curl definition is just a plus. But at the end of the day its about having healthy hair, and dry brittle hair is not healthy in my book.
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It seems most of everyone is missing the point. The method is called MAX HYDRATION METHOD what’s wrong with that ? As a 4c hair type, I keep my hair in protective styling most of the time. Why? Bc 4c hair type is challenging to manage and prone to tangles and breakage. I consider my hair to be healthy and have managed to find ways to keep it moisturized. With that being said, I still struggle with breakage bc it’s nappy as hell !! I think I will try this method I don’t care about having a defined curl pattern and to be honest I don’t like how it looks. HOWEVER, I am interested in finding a new way to reduce breakage and increase moisture. I’m sick of doing 2 strand twist !!! Just bc someone doesn’t want to wear there hair the way it is after it’s been washed doesn’t mean she has low self esteem. Trust me, I’m confident and love my kinky texture. At the same time I don’t look or feel attractive without doing some type of twist out after washing my hair and that’s ok !!!! Yes this max hydration seems time consuming but so are twist outs and taking hours to detangle my hair for fear of inevitable breakage. Not to mention the money I spend on braids or sew-ins. And for all y’all who are thinking ” why won’t she just wear her hair the way it is” you really don’t know understand how time consuming and stressful it is to care for 4c hair without having broken off strands all over your bathroom floor. Being able to wash my hair and leave my house without having to wear a scarf or do another damn twist out would be a dream come true !!!
Amen!
The whole ‘wash and go’ thing is totally lost on me. It’s not like anyone simply washes and goes anywhere fast like the name suggests.
Ladies, let’s not down this method because it looks tedious and nonsensical to us. If it can help some women overcome dryness (which is a big problem with kinkier hair) then I say go for it!
This to me looks like a stricter version of the Curly Girl Method (botanical conditioners, constant cowashing, etc). I will say if you do have kinkier hair and this method seems too tedious and expensive for you, then modify it or try the Curly Girl Method. I’ve been doing a “modified” CG Method for all of summer (from May to present) and I gotta say it really helped my hair increase the moisture levels and enhanced curls I didn’t know I had. The difference is that it cost me a lot less money and at current I only use 3 products in my hair. Also, I realized that it took me almost two months of consistency to see the same results as these ladies got in less than a few weeks.
So if you are suffering from dry kinky hair that is always breaking and you find this method to be too much for you, then modify it or try the CG Method. Just remember that with both these methods takes time and consistency. If you don’t see the results you were looking for right away, stay consistent and wait it out for at least a month to get a clear comparison.
Hope this helps someone today 🙂
Still dont think it will work if your strands dont have a natural curl pattern. It can’t MAKE curls.
The curls and coils are already there. You just can’t see them because the hair was chronically dry and as a result, frizzy. Hydrated 4c hair is curly/coily hair.
That’s silly. “Frizzy” is nothing more than hair that hasn’t clumped into organized naps/coils/curls. There’s nothing wrong with unclumped hair.
What a lot of people refuse to accept is that 4-type hair coils on an individual basis. Each strand grows in it’s own direction, which is why it tangles so easily. It’s almost like having a headful of snowflakes: no two strands will coil in the same direction for the entire length of the hair.
There is no such thing as “frizz”. You’ll see a lot of women with 2- and 3-type hair claim that they don’t comb their hair after showering so that it doesn’t frizz, but what they’re saying is that they don’t want to separate the clumps that naturally happen when their hair is wet.
There’s clumped hair, and there’s unclumped hair. Neither are indicators of moisture or health. 4c hair is coily, yes. But it doesn’t coil in a defined pattern unless forced to. I wish people would understand and accept that instead of chasing hair traits that belong to someone else.
I am copying and pasting directly from the maximum HYDRATION website:
“…….Nappy hair is chronically dehydrated hair that never seems to absorb or retain enough moisture. All the symptoms of “nappyness” (ie. dryness, roughness, brittleness, and frizz) are solely caused by lack of moisture.
It is not a hair “type”. A hair type is your porosity, density, thickness, and your coil/curl/zigzag pattern. Dehydrated hair is not a type, because it can be overcome, and your hair does not want to stay dehydrated, the same way chronically dry skin doesn’t want to stay dehydrated.
This method allows you to understand, manipulate, and control the factors that cause your hair to remain chronically dry. It allows you to absorb moisture and retain it, changing your hair dramatically. Now imagine what will happen as you build up moisture retention levels within your hair shaft. The water won’t just be sitting on your hair anymore, leaving your hair temporarily soft while it’s sitting on the closed cuticles, and evaporating and leaving your hair dehydrated. The effect is going to be from the inside of your hair, and more permanent. So even when your hair isn’t sopping wet, or has product, it will be able to stay soft and have significantly less frizz while dry. This is maximum hydration.”
It is when I looked at it from this point of view and opened my mind to other possibilities that I got the courage to try the maximum hydration method. After all, isn’t it SO EASY to prove the method doesn’t work by actually trying it and then posting the results? That’s what I had hoped had happen when this article was written….
I’m not claiming this method doesn’t “work”. It does exactly what it sets out to do: clump hair. The point is that those clumps on 4c hair are manufactured, not a result of what the hair does by itself. The claims on the website don’t change the fact that “frizz” is nothing more than unclumped hair. 4c hair does not naturally clump, as evidenced by the fact that the only way these women are able to get their hair to clump is by going through this 8-hour process on a daily basis. This is a nonsensical argument to say that 4c hair is meant to behave a certain way, but then charge women with 4c hair with a daily multi-hour procedure in order to actually get their hair to behave that way. People are fooling themselves into thinking it makes more sense than the obvious, which is that what your hair does unmanipulated, is what it was designed to do. Yes, 4c hair is in fact naturally, characteristically dry and non-clumping. Those are the traits of 4c hair. This MHM is meant to obtain a “wash & go/3c curl”, first and foremost, which is what a majority of the women doing this method are chasing. It just happens to also moisturize your hair in the process, which is what people are trying to disguise their intentions as being. That doesn’t make the state of your hair after all this manipulation your natural state.
Pls I know this is off topic, but I’ve been lookin into buying JBCO. I was almost about to purchase it and discovered it was the sunny isle brand and not tropical isle. What is the difference. And which on works better pls
Pardon the typos – I’m just annoyed! 😉
Me too.
Like, seriously??!! Are we still so obsessed with type 3 defined curls that we will undertake such a time-consuming method of hair washing in order to achieve it? Are we really prepared to walk around with wet hair 24/7 like some ridiculous Soul-Glo advertisement and use a multitude of funky products? The whole thing is ridiculous. Ladies, please, we need to let it go. Some of us have cottony, undefined hair – and that’s a beautiful thing. We should embrace it instead of chasing what is obviously a European standard of so-called good hair. And what’s with the wash and go fixation? Some hair types can W&G, some can’t – so what? That whole concept began with naff 1980s Caucasian hair commercials such as VO5 and John Frieda or whatever, and many of gobbled up it up and now we believe it is a marker of black beauty. Looks like many women would be better of spending more time reconditioning what’s in their head and not just what’s growing out of it.
You know what, you are right! I didn’t see it at first but its true, their hair looks like type 3 hair curls in the after pictures. So now I’m wondering, is the real trick of it that your hair is just wet for so long that it temporarily wears down some of the hydrogen bonds? Or maybe there really is so much moisture in your hair that it curls and elongates it-like when you are washing it. Because seriously, I have 4C hair and I just dont feel like its THAT hard to get my hair moisturized. Although, maybe my hair has simply never had “max hydration” haha.
Um no, that’s NOT what the MHM is about. I will say that I am obsessed with MOISTURE not some ‘3C defined curls’. I am also grown enough and woman enough to not only appreciate my natural beauty and not some European standard but to also know that my hair will NEVER look like or be a 3c. Please don’t insult your kinky haired natural sistas or make incorrect assumptions about a method you have never tried. What multiple funky products are used with this method that aren’t staple to natural hair routines already? Clay washes, conditioners, leave in and gel?! Really? The MHM allows me to embrace my fine strand 4c hair in all it’s moisturized shrunken glory MINUS the dryness, tangles, breakage and shedding! That’s the message that keeps getting lost with this method when it gets written by someone who hasn’t actually done it. The MHM debunks all the misinformation out there that our hair type CAN’T do wash and go’s or is SUPPOSED to be undefined and frizzy. It’s NOT about changing your texture, strand thickness or curl pattern. IT’S ABOUT ABSORBING AND RETAINING. PERIOD. The WAY in which the MHM does so, is through wash and go’s.
‘drops the mike and walks away’
I’ve read these comments and the whole premise is NOT curls, it’s about retaining moisture, no matting, tangles and those dreaded knots. It’s Not about trying to be a 3c or wanting to disguise my hair texture or get a texturizer or not embrace your hair, low self esteem,not being proud to be natural,blah, blah blah. It’s not expensive, most Naturals already have the majority in their “beauty supply store”. I use the same bottle of Tresemme conditioner for EVERY step that requires conditioner and KKCC as my gel and bentonite clay. I actually don’t even wear wash and goes but follow the method and do twist outs,flat twists,etc. yes initially the process is time consuming but gets faster as your hair retains moisture, smells good and is healthy. I’ve seen women spend 2 hours doing twists only for hair not to dry or friz after an hour. I thought we were all sisters as we are all natural. Whatever is worth having is worth working for and maintaining. When the curly girl method came out a process not even designed for I us no one knocked the process down but now a natural “sister” creates a process (for us by us) and the criticism starts without even trying the method. If you have a process that works for you great but please don’t discourage others that are trying to have healthy and manageable hair ; if your child pained about their hairs unmanageability we would do a 15 step method to help them and encourage them every step of the way…let’s do the same for each other.
What is this nonsense? This is not a wash and go, a wash and go requires you to wash your hair then go about your day. If you’re not doing that, then it’s not a wash and go. This is just a method to define ‘your curls’. As a person with very nappy hair myself I know if I were to pluck a single strand of hair out of my head you’d be able to see the coil but when all my hair is out it’s completely frizzy and undefined and that’s ok. No, scratch that, undefined hair is freaking beautiful! Seriously I’m so tired of people trying to define their curl pattern some people such as myself don’t have one and that doesn’t mean that your hair is unmoisturized, unhealthy, unkept etc. Look ladies some of y’all just got nappy hair. Nappy hair isn’t the devil, however our attitudes towards it is.
Happy to be nappy! Yes I am. 🙂
AMEN, yea 4C!
Seems like a time consuming texturizer to me,
with touch ups in the future.
The whole point of MHM is to have hydrated hair. I mean how many naturals talk about shea moisture and coconut oil, and what else, coconut oil to seal in moisture. Esp for type 4 hair, all I hear is moisture, moisture, moisture! But when this comes along people are like, oh i donno i dont have time. Yet people spend so much time manipulating their curl patterns with twist outs, braid outs, bantu knot-outs and what not. It’s not about a wash and go it’s about being able to wear your hair as it is but without the annoying things like knots and tangles. Which bothers every natural. I’m sick of those articles of, how i have long type 4 hair, and then it has details like: I take about 3 hours detagnling my hair cuz it’s oh so fragile. Or, My hair is always in a protective style. Or, my hair is always straightened. White people don’t call washing their hair and going a wash and go. i don’t even know why it has a name. Do you call showering a shower and go? I mean it’s just what everybody does you wash your hair and go on with your day. This is just a way to get moisture into your curl. It’s like the Intermittent fasting for people with insulin insensitivity who just keep adding weight no matter how healthy they eat and how much they exercise. We finally see the root of the problem. The cuticles dont open up for moisture to get in, so find a way. Duh. You are not changing your hair to a different texture you are actually letting your hair be healthy. It’s like being sick and not wanting a cure. And you don’t have to do the tedious steps after a while. Or you can just alter it to something that best fits you. For example, I tried the cherry lola treatment on a few strands of my hair, which actually clump when wet, and they got so dry and frizzy and don’t clump at all now. So i was like nah i aint doing that. You can test it out and see what fits you. And it’s not as expensive as it seems because you don’t have to waste money testing out products that dont work. And besides, you’ll be using diluted conditioner anyways. I’m talking really diluted like 1/4 conditioner and 3/4 water. You save money in the long run.
I don’t care to see how this method works on looser or non-kinky/coarse textures of hair, tbh. Especially those who do frequent wash n gos.
The first pic kind of looks like what my hair looks like when I have a set of mini twists in and I wash them. The hair clumps and coils together and it looks like a defined wash and go. I think I will stick with doing that because this seems to have too many steps and I don’t like sleeping with wet hair. For others who are kind of hair lazy like me, try the mini twist wash and go, works every time and in the morning, I just lightly spritz my ends, shake my hair loose a little, and go.
Can you explain this more? Is it a twist out? or you leave the mini twist in?
Too much time!!! Not for me.
I would just go with knot today and kccc
I first read about MHM when PinkeCube replied to a CurlyNikki post. I looked it up and was convinced this was the cure! I have fine, medium density, porous, tightly coiled strands (4c, L-O cottony). My hair had been plagued by mid-strand (needle eye) splits and SSK since my big chop in 2009. I could NEVER retain length due to dryness and snapping.
I haven’t adhered to the twice weekly cleanses (I’m a dabbler) but my once weekly MHM pre-poo co-wash and clay treatment has given me a drastic improvement in the flexibility, suppleness, and tension strength of my strands. I even have better success with KCKT since I diluted it as Ms. Pinke demonstrated in her video! I never liked sleeping with a shower cap, but I had to start implementing the GHE because I really liked how my hair has responded.
I am not looking for curls – my 4c coils will never look like Tracee Ellis Ross or Corinne Baily Ray, I’m just happy as all heck that my isht has stopped snapping off!
If you have brittle, dry, tightly coiled strands and you do MHM, you will have supple, moisturized tightly coiled strands.
This is actually the most relatable explanation of why someone would do this. No breakage or mid-strand splits? I can understand that cause I’m sure that’s something that almost everyone has experienced and struggles with. Spending hours/days to achieve curl definition that will not last longer than my crossfit workout is not something I’m interested in. But no more clumps of hair in my comb or on the floor, you’ve peaked my interest.
I can’t say that I’ll soak my hair for 7 days but my hair could stand a mid-week rinse.
This seems like a lot of steps. I reject all these natural hair techniques that take forever. I can’t relate to naturals with long regiments. Also,I thought we were over this curl definition bull crap. If you don’t like your texture get some self esteem or just get a darn “texturizer”. Both of those seem less time consuming than this method. I’m not trying to make light of the struggle but I’m tired of hearing about it. Having perfect frizz free, fly away free, smooth hair isn’t the end all be all. I hate laid edges and perfect curls.
i love me some nappy edges…it’s real ,organic, it’s natural
This was on Curly Nikki a few weeks ago!
Ummm… Not to sound rude to anyone, But… So what? Who cares?
These look like 4a and 4b curls. The MHM picture at the bottom looks to be in the 3 range.
I went over some of the accompanying videos and links on the other sites listed, but the information is presented in a fairly slipshod way.
No one really cites any sources, there are “so-and-so said this” and no permalinks. Giant clumps of small text and over-exposed photos that are hard to see…
It makes it very hard to accept these claims as credible.
Some of the focus on humectant usage is very climate-specific, as well.
And there is no mention of water-quality.
It’s nice to see more methods of moisture-retention emerge, but I’d like to see better documentation of research and results before I throw my hat into the ring.
I’ve been reading up on MHM for a few weeks now, and I plan to give the method a try eventually. Based on all the testimonials and information I’ve read about it, I feel like it’ll really help my hair and is worth a shot. No matter what I do, my hair feels dry and matts up easily. I get a ton of SSKs and have breakage issues. But I feel like MHM can change that. I’m excited to give it a try and see my hair transform.
It’ll also be nice to do a wash and go and NOT have to worry about matting and SSKs and tangles. I have 4c hair. I have about 90% shrinkage and extremely small, very tight, undefined coils that love to tangle up on each other. I feel like I always have to fight against my shrinkage and am constantly stretching my hair, just because I fear the knots and matting that will result from me letting it shrink all the way. It seems like the MHM would allow me to be able to let my hair shrink up, without having to be scared of matting, breakage, tangles, all that…
OMG I know what you mean! My fine stranded 4c hair is shoulder length when stretched but shrinks right up to my scalp. I could never leave my hair in protective styles for more than a week because it matted up! I promise you this method works. I still get shrinkage BUT now with tiny defined coils (like a pen spring) AND my hair no longer tangles, sheds or breaks. I saw results on day 2. The results were immediate with my son who has 4a hair and a relative with 3c hair. You can also do twistouts that will easily last 2 or 3 days. My coworkers are still trying to figure out how my hair can be short one day and long the next lol! That’s has been my own personal experience since starting the maximum hydration method in July.
I know this may sound corny, but doing this method has given me a profound sense of peace and freedom I never had in my 5 year natural hair journey. Even though I love being natural, it was emotionally frustrating to care for and style my fine 4c hair because of how easily it broke no matter how gentle I was and how much the shrinkage caused my hair to tangle. With the MHM, there are more bad hair days, no more breakage and shedding, no more hours of twisting and untwisting to protective style,no more weaves, no more wigs, no more dryness -what a relief!!!
I think the real question here, is what in the world is a Cherry Lola Caramel treatment?? It sounds delicious. 🙂 But on a serious note, this process sounds so tedious….wash & gos shouldn’t be this hard. It’s called “wash & go” for a reason. It’s supposed to be easy & effortless! NOT hard work. If you gotta go through all this, you mind as well just style your hair another way entirely, minus water. Wash & gos don’t have to be for every natural. Stop trying so hard to fit in a box that your hair obviously does not want to be in.
I was too lazy to even read through the list, so I know that a actually doing all of these steps are out of the question.
1)It looks exceedingly time-consuming.
2)It looks expensive.
3)It looks like your hair’d be wet…like, *all* the time.
Na, I won’t give this a second thought.
Follow the drip! <<That's from Coming to America I think LOL
Just for the record the bentonite clay (or rhassoul) will give type 4a hair ‘popping curls’ after rinsing with all of this extra-ness.
It clarifies extremely well, and the definition stays even after DC’ing.
Exactly!
That’s true. HOWEVER, if you ‘seal’ that moisture in with oils or butters, it can block moisture from getting in and cause build up, especially with low porosity hair. That’s why spritzing my hair later on to remoisturize when it started to feel dry never worked for me. Clarifying, frequent washes and sealing with gel did the trick for me.
But maybe the oils lend to the problem. As a fellow low porosity sister I don’t use heavy oils and/or butters on my hair to seal because my hair doesn’t need to be sealed hence its low porosity state. Lighter oils can help with lubricity and allow for more daily mosturizing.
More type 4’s obsessed with curl definition and ‘defined wash n go’s’ who probably also complain that only taren-naptural-mahoganycurls types get catered to in marketing.
No ish…Really? wonder why that is.
I wish I would use baking soda in my hair for one, LOL. Never mind all this extra BS just for some defined hair. thanxbutnothanx.
I might try this as my low-po hair always looks dry. Don’t really like the overly defined look on my hair but the hair in the photo does look hydrated
“a 5 step regimen that systematically increases moisture levels in the hair until Max Hydration is reached.”
How do you know when max hydration is reached?
This is so long and tedious. But each to their own, as the saying goes!
After you rinse out the clay treatment your should see curl definition from the scalp(root) all the way to the ends of your strand of hair. It looks longer on paper than actually doing it. Also remember, this method makes your hair VERY easy to handle so even though you’re doing it every day for a week, it’s not your old hair care routine you’re doing. There are no hours of detangling or protecting styling afterwards each day that you do this routine.
I don’t understand why the baking soda and apple cider vinegar? Those items seem to be harsh. Unless you need it for clarifying the hair and scalp. It seems to me all you need to do is to make sure your hair is moisturize, no combs, clump with your fingers or hand and you will get a curl and define look. I think the name should be called Curl and define hair style not wash and go. Wash and go is just that.
wow thats alot and the way my life is set up I don’t have the time
As I’m seeing this more and more I’ve been wondering what the fuss was about–for me, I think that as I experimented with different products/methods and became better at getting moisture into my hair (which, as a low-porosity girl is the ballgame for me because once it’s in, it tends to stick around) my results were pretty much on par with the before/afters I’ve seen. I couldn’t understand why anyone would need to do this long, expensive regimen to do what a few years of product junky-ism seemed to do for me. I think reading the Natural Haven has solved the mystery for me: “I do not believe that hair gets more hydrated, but what I think is possible is that the moisture levels in hair are not allowed to drop far down and balance out with humidity. The hair is almost constantly surrounded by water with a regular washing cycle combined with the use of a leave in conditioner” This more or less describes the routine I’ve settled on, with daily co-washing and a leave in (Knot Today or Shea Moisture’s curl smoothie). So, yeah, sticking to what I got.
I don’t think it’s so much that anybody who tries this method is completely obsessed with the idea of “curls”. Perhaps they want the ease of doing a wash and go that doesn’t tangle as much (which seems to be why most 4c girls avoid doing wash and goes in the first place). I could see why to some people it may appear that the “ease” of the wash and go is lost if somebody is following this method to a T, but I don’t think so. Once the first week is completed, then it’s just cleansing your hair every 3 days or so, and the cherry lola treatment is only once every 2 weeks if you want. A lot of women cowash their hair every 3 days too, so it doesn’t seem like that much of a huge difference in routine. I’ve been transitioning for over a year, and I’m pretty sure my hair is in the “4a” category, but when I am fully natural, if “regular” wash and goes leave my hair too tangled or matted, I’m willing to give this method a try just to see if it works.
I’ve seen this before and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart like you said! It looks like a lot of work.
I have a method I use now (I even gave it my own name :P) that’s low(er) maintenance and relies heavily on honey and clay. I can confirm that clay is a great way to get definition and honey is a amazing way to retain moisturized hair! If anyone is interested it’s here http://bit.ly/1oKaEDG
This method is intriguing for the fact that it says it reduces knots and tangles. I like bigger hair so I’m not sure if I would be willing to sacrifice it for the tighter coils and the constant maintenance. Definitely food for thought. Thanks for sharing!
I am one of the many ladies that are doing the maximum hydration method. We dont all have the same type of hair. I have low porosity hair and found this method because I was searching for the curly girl method for people with low porosity hair. It is time consuming but for me it’s worth it. The nice thing about people who need to make adjustments, do. You can get different gels. You can use inexpensive conditioners. There are videos on doing different styles and helping your hair dry faster. Bottom line. If you do it great it has a great chance of working if not then that’s okay too. These articles are here to provide resources and options. One thing we can all agree on is hair requires moisture. Whatever way works best for you is what you should do. There isn’t one hard rule on how we need to do our hair.
A rose is a rose even by another name. “Max hydration” = curl loosening with natural products.
I’d say curl defining rather than curl loosening…
This process would be too time consuming for me. With ONE amla treatment every few weeks I get defined curls. I take a package of amla and add warm water to make into a paste then I apply it to my hair. I let it sit on my hair for about 30 minutes then I rinse it off and proceed with shampoo and conditioner. I deep condition and I am done.
HAhah! I do the same thing! Amla powder is amazing!
I am in Wk3 of the MHM and have completed 16 cycles (two PM steps, three AM steps). I have a short TWA that looks like a curl-less frizz cloud when dry and w/out product (think afro). At first I thought it was too time-consuming as well. But after evening clarifying (clay/acv) and DC/GHE overnight 2-wks straight on my own in an attempt to moisturize my hair, I realized I did have the time and patience for the MHM. Those two weeks showed me I DO have pretty curls after all, and I wanted to see them all the time…hence the MHM. The cherry lola caramel protein treatment was daunting, but I went ahead and did it. Being able to split the 5 steps is crucial for me. Honestly, I am surprised I still do it almost everyday (Sundays are more DC/GHE or clay days, but still moisturizing). I continue because settling for chronically dry hair (which is not a “hair type” but a condition) is no longer OK for “me”, and I want to experience MY true hair type (healthy, moisturized hair) all day, everyday. The MHM, w/every cycle, gets me closer to this goal.
I think this will work for anyone who has coils with very thin strands of hair. The first pic reminds me of my hair in the back and the bottom pic is my hair in the front..all after using Kinky Kurly Kustard. People with tiny coils like this have more breakage when the hair is in a drier looking state. I don’t like the fact that my hair looks like a Jherri curl when well hydrated but it just does. It is better than knots & unreal breakage that can come out in clumps.
One more thing: that woman’s before picture is gorgeous. Its gorgeous because it is effortless.
The after picture looks like a wet dog. Yeah I said it.
Was that necessary?
I know this is just one method but the more you look, the more I’m seeing that the natural hair community is very, very preoccupied with “defined” aka visible curls. It’s not about healthy hair or loving your hair as it is like it’s purported to be.
I think that if springy coils and curls are your goal, and you have enough time every morning to do the routine this regimen requires, you should go for it. I don’t think the after results are lying. Is it for me? Naw. I tried a version of it/the CG method. Because I’m a lazy natural, I tried to look for shortcuts, and my hair was not having it after 4 days. It seized up and threw a temper tantrum complete with all kinds of knots: single strand, 2-in-1, ladder knots (high shedders know what I’m talking about), those complex snarls that make you just want to sit down and cry… If you’re dedicated to the routine and don’t mind having wet hair all the time, I’m sure it will work fine. But for folks like me who just want to throw the fro up into a puff or a dozen twists and be done, pass on this one, y’all.
No thank you. I’ll stick to my fro. **holds up black power fist**
Seriously though, this is getting ridiculous. My hair is naturally frizzy and does not clump curls. And guess what, THAT’S OKAY. <— this is what the natural hair movement is supposed to be about. I do wash& go's anyway. And I'm just as beautiful as any other woman with looser curled wash & goes. I am not waiting for some magic "Hydration Method" to allow me to wash my hair and bounce. Things like this defeat the purpose of the movement, and it is insulting.
I loved my frizzy fro just as much as the next girl and I lived for Afro puffs BUT I was not ok with the dryness, tangles, SSK and breakage that came with it. Thank your lucky stars you can wear a fro and not have these issues but for many naturals these are real problems. Isn’t healthy moisturized hair the goal of EVERY natural? I am insulted that you would even insinuate that wanting moisturized hair somehow equates with trying to get looser curled wash n go’s! Really!?! I thought the natural hair movement was about supporting each other and sharing information not bashing those who struggle to achieve what apparently comes easy for you.
I am currently on day 2 of the Maxhydrationmethod. So far I love it. It is time consuming, but the 2nd day went faster than the first. My hair was much easier to detangle and already has a more noticeable curl pattern while wet with no product.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1407952908084.jpg[/img]
Thanks for sharing. I wonder if that “noticeable curl pattern” were not the end result how many would be on this bandwagon???? Food for thought.
Not sure I understand using appple cider vinegar or baking soda as step 1. I don’t see how they can be interchangeable when baking soda has a pH of 9 and apple cider vinegar has a pH of 2.4. Baking soda will open the cuticle and the apple cider vinegar will close the cuticle.
It’s baking soda & conditioner so maybe the conditioner lowers the pH? I don’t know but just a thought.
I already do a variation of this method on my hair…I condition my hair every 2-3 days…which is how long it takes my hair to completely dry out in the first place. I wash with shampoo every 1-2 weeks.
Even though KCKT is my preferred leave-in, I’m not convinced the product listing alone plays that great of a role in results. I also do not believe this method, as described, will provide the results that are shown. There’s no mention of styling technique. In general, I think hair’s aesthetic is 80% technique, 15% genetics, 5% product. For example, my hair clumps naturally; but, unless I finger detangle and smooth my hair, I will have a bunch of frizzy clumps.
Physiology alone suggests that the key to “maximum hydration” is the whole wetting your hair every 2-3 days thing. That concept was just borrowed from the curly girl method. And I think cg borrowed it from my mama because common sense…
There is something to this! I started experimenting with the Curly Girl Method a few years ago and found that I can do wash-n-go’s now because the hair is more moisturized. For me, it’s similar to the idea of heat training your hair, only this time it’s curl or clump training. I can even go to the beach and get in the saltwater and my hair keeps a curled structured for the most part as opposed to years before when it would just sort of mat on my head and frizz. I think that what most women with type 4 hair are believing to be an inability of their hair to clump or curl is really just a crap ton of frizziness. And I don’t mind the frizzy look sometimes. But it’s always nice to have options and I think methods like these are worth looking into. I actually wrote two articles on my wash-n-go regimen. I’m posting the links below.
http://www.reignelle.com/2014/04/wash-n-go-much.html
http://www.reignelle.com/2014/06/wash-and-go-product-review.html
I like the term “clump training” lol. @Sherrybaby, do you have 4c type hair?
lol, thanks! It’s a fun term. Yeah I have a mixture, like many women, of 4a-c.
I don’t like doing wash and go’s so I’m not sold at all.
I don’t really understand how this is feasible for those who need to leave the house or for those who live in a 4 season state. Your hair is wet all night long, wet in the morning (and dripping wet in the gym), then you apply a leave-in and a gel which will keep it wet all day long. Then at night, you wash out all these expensive products and do it all over again. For 7 straight days.
I’m sure it works as there are people who have sent in their before-and-after testimonies. But, why not just co-wash/DC and seal everyday if what we are looking for is actually max hydration and not a cute wash and go?
That’s what the maximum hydration method is, a method of hydrating the hair on type 4 low porosity hair. It actually uses the curly girl method to do so. If you take out the cherry lola treatment you are left with a DC and clay wash. When done you put in a leave in and gel. The MHM takes the curly girl method AND tweaks it to make it work for low porosity hair by adding the extra baking soda + conditioner step to clarify. I use to pre-poo so now I do the baking soda + conditioner, deep conditioner, mud wash then leave in and gel. The same conditioner I use with the baking soda is also used for the deep conditioner and leave in so that’s one product and even that is watered down. So basically you’re using watered down conditioner, clay and watered down gel. Those are all the ‘expensive’ products you use daily for 7 days and then every 3 days after the first week. There are no oils or butters used to increase the cost. I cannot give you an honest answer about the hair being wet all the time because I think strand thickness, density of hair and which way you choose to do the routine comes into play. I have fine hair and although I do the routine after work by night my hair is only damp and it dries within an hour or two of me waking up and although I work out for an hour I don’t sweat a lot so my experience may be different from other naturals with much thicker hair than mine.
From my experience by clarifying each time I wash and sealing with gel, I know longer get tangles, breakage or shedding which I still go DC and sealing with oils and butters. I hope this helps clarify some of the concerns you have about this method.
Looks like it will take a lot of time.
Will see if I have the time to try this out.
Thanks.
… I’m 4c and have great success with just using Lusters curl activator gel (work section by section), followed by eco styler gel (section by section). The max hydration method seems way too time consuming, not to mention the products (and price). My curls/spirals are always plump and springy and my hair is super moisturized for 5 to 7 days straight, without reapplying anything. I sometimes sleep with a satin bonet, sometimes I do not. In the morning, I just spray a little water with a spray bottle, shake my hair and go. Curls are still booming!!!!
My mom keeps getting me to try to use this!!! Is it actually a checmical?
Wow, that sounds great! Do you mind sharing your hair regimen?
Do you simply wet your hair, layer with the gels then spritzed throughout the week?
Do you wear your hair out everyday and not get tangles?
How long does it take you to apply both gels?
How long does it take for your hair to dry?
How do you deal with shed hair and detangling after 5-7 days straight?
Thank you for posting this and doing it justice! The world, especially type 4b and 4c hair, need to see this. I am documenting my journey as well on YouTube, screename: ProtectivePrincess. It works, my hair is proof!
Things get easier and faster for you as time goes on. It’s definitely worth it.
As a 4c natural, I have never been able to get my coils to define. I have constantly had to wear protective styles to gain any length. My hair was always chronically dry and frizzy. Twist-outs, braid-out, and roller sets never maintained definition. I tear up thinking about the struggle I’ve had and how much this has changed my hair.
PInkecube and MsDeekay2012 have been there for me every step of the way to answer any questions and concerns. The founder put a lot of time into scientifically researching why 4b/4c low porosity hair types struggle to thrive. Finally, there is method that scientifically addresses our issues.
Ms. Deekay’s blog is a wonderful resource that breaks everything down in a clear and very concise manner. I urge all to check this method out!
From what I’ve seen it does seem as if the system works. But that’s just way, way, wayyy too much stuff I’d have to do to my hair. And everyday for a week!? Definitely don’t have the time for that. And considering I’ve moved to streamlining my regimen, even doing it once a week would be too much.
Thanks for the post. I did try the MHM and my curls did look a tad bit more defined but its too time consuming to follow through for one week. I might try it again.
I did this once, but I think I did it wrong. Cause my hair did not come out like that. I’ll try it again when I have extra time.
My question is, what is the obsession with the wash and go and why do people obsess over ways in which to create this style? I am a person who literally washes and goes, no two hour shingling and smoothing BUT if I were not able to do this it would not have been an issue because there are so many other beautiful styles for our hair. I just feel like the wash and go is being viewed by some as the standard of success for people with natural hair and it should not be like that. Hair like people are diverse and different, and if this method works to keep your hair moist and most importantly healthy, that’s great, but all these steps and work to prove that you can have a fly wash and go is a bit much for me.
Agreed.
This isn’t a wash and go – it involves far too many steps and takes too long.
I tried this once…I don’t think I did the Cherry Lola Caramel treatment correctly…either way I didn’t see these results. It may be due to the fact that my hair isn’t lo-po.
My hair was super duper soft though! Maybe I can tweak this to fit my needs!
To be doing this every day is very time consuming for most people as I’m sure individuals wouldn’t want to be focusing on their hair every day…although I must say her hair does look very juicy in the after picture each to their own I guess
Lol yes her hair does look very juicy. I would love to try this, but I value my sleep too much to spend an extra hour on just my hair every morning.
Can someone please tell me when wash & go, stopped meaning wash “AND GO”? I get so irritated with people targeting 4-type hair with these “wash & go” which really means “wash & make your hair look like it’s a 3-type” methods.
My wash & go looks like a TWA. When I wash & go, that’s my aim and that’s my result. I’m not captivated enough by 3-type hair to spend an hour or more trying to get my hair to look like my genetics changed over night. I’m also not into loading my hair up with gel. And I’m not into the new aged “sleeping sitting up” where women spend unnatural amounts of time in very uncomfortable positions just so that they don’t disturb a hairstyle. I can’t be bothered with painstakingly preventing myself from messing up my hair until it’s fully air-dried just to get a spiral to be noticable to the naked eye.
Frankly, a lot of these manufactured wash & go’s look like and remind me of Jheri Curls. I’ll get off my soapbox now–I just needed to get that off my chest.
I’ll also add that this caramel method gives me flashbacks of perming. I’m leery of anything that I have to touch up every few weeks with a specific product just to keep my hair looking a certain way. It makes me question what that product is actually doing to my hair that I can’t achieve with other products/ingredients.
YAAASSSSSSSSSSSS. You know when I first saw the MHM method on youtube, I was definitely intrigued. I know how to take care of my hair, no question. But, I am always looking for ways in which I can keep my hair to be completely moisturized. Any technique that helps my hair naturally retain more moisture is what I search for. And I know my hair, as I was reading alot of these comments on this post where people are arguiing that clumped/more defined coils are a sign of healthy/well moisturized hair vs our hair is naturally frizzy as each hair strand tends to do it’s own thing.
And I have come to the conclusion from 4 years of natural hair that both are correct but both are wrong in some contexts. I won’t explain it, but I knew the results of seeing hair more supple and more defined from the MHM is a result that the regimen is doing something. What it is? I’m not sure yet. And after skimming the regimen, if I attempt to do some of it. I already know I’m cutting off the baking soda, acv, and etc… Basically, I’m not putting uncertain stuff in my hair I spent 4 years working on. And the rest is just fluff. It’s not a surprise that people should be conditioning and putting leave in conditioner on their hair. That’s not some miracle addition. And gel is for those who want it (not me). So, the only thing really different about this method, from my experience with 4b-4c hair is the clay treatment. Which I will be doing more research on to see what it actually does to hair, (making sure it doesn’t loosen pattern or dye it with repeated uses). And if it just a moisture treatment, then I will use it…
BUT LADIES, I have 4c hair and I’ve been doing WASHNGOS as my staple hairstyle for 4 YEARS nowww! With NO GEL. My hair shrinks. Point blank. I still look like I have a TWA if I don’t stretch out my hair by putting my wet hair in a hairtieafterwards. My BSL/MBL hair turns into 2 inches on top of my head. How much your hair shrinks/coils is also a sign of healthiness. While the appearance of frizz does not signal unhealthiness. But FRIZZ=/= broken off hair due to combing, overmanipulation, etc… They are NOT the same. And when I see broken off hair, that does signify lack of health somewaht to me. Plus, another thingthe appearance of defined coils/curls does signal that your hair has MOISTURE. DUH, just look at your hair in the shower with conditioner. But, like I said, your hair can be FRIZZY and still be moisturized. So just because your hair may not have perfectly clumped coils, does not mean it’s not moisturized (if you in fact moisturized it)…
Anyway, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve done a twistout/braidout on my 4c hair. I don’t have time for all these shenanigans. i’ve been rocking a shrunken wash n go for over 3 years. And now that my hair is mbl/bsl (when stretched), I can just put it in a cute afro puff in about 5 seconds and go on my day. OR I can just leave it to shrink to my TWA. It’s all the same. The secret for 4B hair to grow and be healthy, is basically washing it/conditioning it/finger detangling it/ moisturizing it/sealing it. THAT’S IT. AND NOT COMBING IT. That’s all you need. Whoever tells you different is lying to you.
Those results look great! But they do not look like type 4c curls at all honestly . Maybe more 4a?
Maybe I’m mistaken but my hair looks similar to one of the girls on here , is my hair 4c then?
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/image-13.jpg[/img]
4a
Maybe the curls are at max hydration. The more hydrated and moisturized your hair is the more the curls will pop. I can see that happening with 4c hair. Everyone’s 4c is not the same.
I would love to try this method, but, to tell you the truth, I haven’t got the time, patience, or money to be doing this. I’ve had too many bad experiences putting food items in my hair, and my parents have forbidden me from even mentioning clay! I’ll just enjoy other people’s results, it’s almost as much fun!