I’m on my 5th week of doing a variation of the Maximum Hydration Method. Last week I discovered the necessity of a clarifying step with each wash to minimise gel build-up. I tried the conditioner and Bicarbonate of Soda (BS) mix initially but although a good clarifier, I found that it disturbed my definition a bit too much for my liking. I went on to try two clarifying clay mixtures in place of the conditioner. The first was a BS/Bentonite Clay mix and the second was an ACV/Bentonite Clay mix. The BS/Clay mix worked better as a clarifier but not so well as a coil definer. The ACV/Clay mix worked really well as a coil definer but wasn’t so great as a clarifier. This week I wanted to try using both, like a two-step clay system, to see whether that would give me the results I’m looking for, which is no gel build-up with good definition. Here’s what I did:

Week 5 Regime

Day 1

• Thorough Finger Detangling – Tresemme Naturals Conditioner
• Cleanse – Cleansing Conditioner Mix (Tresemme Naturals Conditioner, Cocamidopropyl Betaine & Water)
• BS/Clay Mix – Applied in sections, covered and left on for 15-20 mins
• ACV/Clay Mix – Applied in sections and left on, uncovered, for 15-20 mins
• Styling Products – Eco Styler Gel, Light Oil Spray (In the morning)

Days 2-7

• BS/Clay Mix – Applied in sections, covered and left on for 15-20 mins
• ACV/Clay Mix – Applied in sections and left on, uncovered, for 15-20 mins
• Styling Products  – Eco Styler Gel, Light Oil Spray (In the morning)

I finger detangle mainly with the BS/Clay mix. I’m doing all the steps at night so I don’t have to go out with soaking wet hair during the day.

My thinking behind the two-step clay system was that the BS/Clay would clarify, soften and lift the cuticles to deposit moisture into my strands and the ACV/Clay would bring the pH of my hair back down, smoothing and defining my coils. After tinkering around with them here are the recipes I settled on:

Recipes

BS/Clay Mix

• 3/4 Cup Water
• 2 Tbs Bentonite Clay
• 1/2 Tbs Bicarbonate of Soda

Measure the water into a lidded container or applicator bottle and add the clay. Cover and shake well. Let sit for a few hours or until needed. Shake periodically if you can. When ready, add the Bicarb of Soda (I started with 1 Tbs and later reduced it to 1/2) and mix well, which will bubble up and thicken the mixture a bit more.

ACV/Clay Mix

• 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup
• 3 Tbs Bentonite Clay
• 1 tsp Glycerine or Honey
• 1 tsp Soya Oil

Measure the ACV and water into a container with a lid (or applicator style bottle). Add in the Bentonite Clay, close, and shake well. Let sit for a few hours or until needed. Shake periodically if you can. When ready to use, add in the Glycerine/Honey and Oil and shake well to incorporate. I find the ACV thins out the mixture a bit more than usual.

7 Day Snapshot

I missed a day (day 4) because it was my birthday and I went out to celebrate with my hubby and siblings and it was just too late to wash it that night when I got home.

On day 7 I used a Cuticle Mist I made up a while ago but never got around to using. It’s basically an acidulated water mixture (Deionised Water, Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerine, Citric Acid & Preservative) that brings the pH of the hair down to it’s optimal acidic level. I figured that with all the baking soda I was using, my hair could use it. After rinsing out the ACV/Clay mix, I sprayed it onto the sections before applying the gel. It really helped to smoothen my coils and I’m not entirely sure why but it worked great under the gel, like a leave-in, to produce less crunchy and stiff, more bouncy and fluffy (maybe slightly less defined because of this) kinks & coils. In combination with the light oil spray in the morning, my hair felt much softer. The softest it’s felt so far dry. I really like it. I’ll continue using this product from now on.

Conclusion

The two-step clay system worked really well to keep my strands free of build-up and my coils nicely defined. The downside of this system is that if you’re looking for good ‘hair-feel’ (where your priority is soft feeling hair), then this might not be for you. The BS/Clay mix goes on well but makes the hair feel rough once rinsed out. This is due to the Baking Soda lifting the cuticles due to it’s high pH. The ACV/Clay mix works well to smoothen out the strands by closing the cuticles and when rinsed out the hair feels smooth and soft(ish). Because there’s no conditioner in this system, your hair will not feel ‘conditioner-soft’ at any point. So it’s something to consider if you’re thinking about giving it a try. For me right now, I’m focusing more on hair definition than hair-feel, which this system seems to deliver really well, so I’m quite pleased with this weeks results.

Next week I’m going to continue with the two-step clay system but reduce the frequency of washes to every other day and see how I get on.

Join me next time for the results of that!