Over the next few articles, I will be discussing the best 5 products for every step of the max hydration method based on my experience, research, and budget.
You can read the previous max hydration method articles here:
- Does the Max Hydration Method Live Up to the Hype?
- How I Modified the Max Hydration Method for My Hair Type
- Collage of Max Hydration Method Results for My Hair
The conditioner is step 2 in the max hydration method and helps to bring down the pH of the hair after it has been raised by the baking soda or castile soap in step 1.
Usually, the conditioner is diluted with lukewarm distilled or rose-water followed by overnight DC or steaming and co-washing. This then prepares the hair for the clay step.
There are many recommendations for this step but I have found below to be the best. They are arranged in order of greatness:-
Best Conditioners for the Max Hydration Method
TRADER JOE’S TEA TREE TINGLE CONDITIONER
This conditioner is very thick and creamy and smells delightful. It’s composed entirely of certified organic botanical ingredients and can be diluted significantly for this step.
The tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint in the conditioner also gives a nice tingle particularly if you use a steamer.
Additionally, it contains nettle oil, yarrow oil, and horsetail oil, all great ingredients for hair growth. It comes in a 16 oz bottle that will last for quite some time. Pricing – $$. BUY FROM AMAZON.
Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner Ingredients
Water, tea tree, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, nettle oil, thyme oil, birch leaf oil, chamomile oil, clary, coltsfoot leaf, yarrow oil, mallow, horsetail oil, soybean protein, cetyl alcohol, vitamin e, trace minerals, citric acid, sodium hydroxymethylgycinate, grape seed oil.
JESSICURL DEEP CONDITIONING TREATMENT
This conditioner is also thick and creamy and comes in 3 types – fragrance-free, island fantasy and citrus lavender.
I have tried all 3 and I don’t see any major difference apart from the smell, which is very subtle. It can also be diluted although not as much as Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner.
It contains shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil and aloe vera, all deeply moisturizing ingredients. It comes in an 8 oz bottle worth and is more expensive than Trader Joes. Pricing – $$$. BUY FROM AMAZON.
Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment Ingredients
JESSICURL TOO SHEA! EXTRA MOISTURISING CONDITIONER
This is not quite as thick as the deep conditioning treatment and didn’t work quite as well when diluted.
It comes in 3 types as above and contains shea butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil and aloe vera. It packs a better punch undiluted, which can make it become real expensive quickly if you have hair longer than shoulder length.
It also comes in an 8 oz bottle. If your hair is on the long side, I recommend sticking with a conditioner you can dilute.
Your wallet will thank you for it in the long run. Pricing – $$$. BUY FROM AMAZON.
Jessicurl Too Shea! Extra Moisturizing Conditioner Ingredients
Water (Aqua) infused with Equisetum Maximum Lam (Horsetail), Mentha Piperita (Peppermint), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary), Laurus Nobilis (Bay Leaf), Ocimum Basilicum (Basil), Arctium Lappa (Burdock Root), Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow Root), Origanum Vulgare (Oregano), Cymbopogon Flexuosus (Lemongrass), Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) and Urtica Dioica (Nettle); Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, Soy Lecithin, Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.
GIOVANNI NUTRAFIX HAIR RECONSTRUCTOR
This product is for strengthening hair and isn’t necessarily a deep conditioner. However, for the max hydration method, it works.
It’s not a hard-core reconstructor but it still strengthens while conditioning. It contains rosemary oil, nettle oil, yarrow oil and thyme oil in addition to other certified organic ingredients.
It is very thick and is better used diluted. However, even when diluted, you can run through an 8.5 oz bottle within a week – bad news for ladies with longer hair.
I have heard it comes in 32 oz bottles as well but I’ve never seen it. Pricing – $$. BUY FROM AMAZON.
Giovanni Nutrafix Hair Reconstructor Ingredients
Aqua (purified water) cetyl alcohol, stearalkonium chloride, tocopherol (vitamin E), citric acid, phenoxyethanol, natural fragrance, *helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, *glycine soja (soybean) seed extract, *betula alba extract, *malva sylvestris (mallow) extract, *achillea millefolium extract, *chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, *equisetum arvense extract, *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract, *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, *salvia sclarea (clary) extract, *thymus vulgaris (thyme) extract, *tussilago farfara (coltstool) flower extract, *urtica dioica (nettle) extract. *USDA Certified Organic.
CURLS CURL ECSTASY HAIR TEA CONDITIONER
This conditioner is a cross between thick and creamy. It’s rich and moisturizing and leaves your hair soft and detangled.
It doesn’t detangle as well when diluted but I suspect this may depend on the type of hair you have density wise.
It also works better with a steamer than without. I’m not too crazy about the scent though. It comes in a 14 oz bottle and is a bit on the pricey side. Pricing – $$$. BUY FROM AMAZON.
CURLS Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea Conditioner Ingredients
Purified Water, Stearalkonium Chloride, Soybean Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyl Palmitrate, Certified Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Certified Organic Sunflower Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonum Methosulfate, Certified Organic Ho Shu Wu Extract, Certified Organic Green Tea Extract, Certified Organic Chamomile Extract, Certified Organic Calendula Extract, Certified Organic Mango Butter, Certified Organic Shea Butter, Bean Tree, Polysorbate 60, Panthenol, Soy Protein, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Natural Fragrance.
There are other conditioners but these are the ones that stand out for me. I will add more later on if I get round to testing and finding them worth. 🙂
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