Any thoughts on Maximum Hydration Method

Just to update that my WnG is almost fully dry (only a section of my nape left). My WnG NEVER dries this fast usually. In fact, it's very common that I do the style in the early morning and still go to bed with a wet crown - not damp, but wet and soggy with gel. That seems resolved, happily.

And the curls are very defined even though I didn't use much gel at all, and they're very soft and moisturized. Tons of movement and they fall exactly in the same place if I shake my head.

I'm really loving this method. I strongly encourage everyone to try it. If this is how things will continue, it will change my life (no joke!!).

So I think that I forgot to add the pics from when I tried this method a few weeks ago. I might try the full thing this weekend with the baking soda step included. If/when I do, I'll be doing it with my hair in twists since that's how I normally wash.

Question ladies. The glass of water test; the one where you get a glass of water and put some hair in the water and if it sinks or floats. Is that for the porosity? Will that tell me if I have too much moisture?

pelohello said:

Question ladies. The glass of water test; the one where you get a glass of water and put some hair in the water and if it sinks or floats. Is that for the porosity? Will that tell me if I have too much moisture?

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Yes that test is what people use for porosity. I'm not sure how accurate it is but that is what they use.

It will not tell you if you have too much moisture. If your moisture/protein balance is off and you have too much moisture, they usually say do the stretch test when wet.

This is what I found on the web. http://primroseorganics.com/2012/02/12/wet-stretch-test/

The wet stretch test is simple, quick, and easy to perform. It is the number one way to determining the proper treatment plan for your hair. The results of the Wet Stretch Test are indisputable and very clearly demonstrates what products you need to achieve and maintain healthy hair, and why.

Step 1. Separate about 10 strands of hair and spray with water. For best results, make sure the hair is well saturated.

Step 2. Hold hair firmly between both hands.

Step 3. Gently but firmly pull hair away from your head. Ensure you pull with enough tension to assess if the hair strands stretch.

Step 4. Observer how the hair stretches and returns.

Analyzing the results:
Hair which stretches and 30% of its length and then returns is healthy.
Hair which stretches but doesn’t return to its previous length is weak in protein.
Hair which doesn’t stretch is low in moisture.
Hair which stretches and breaks is low in protein and moisture.

I read the complete MHM thread on BHM..woah!..lol
it is so recommeded that you initally follow the steps as it states and then modify as you continue. Many who chose to change things up in the begining may not like the results, or at least read the blog with Pinke herself dispelling myths, siting articles to back the recommendations and providing the reasons behind each step. The Yogurt and molecules are too big to give you protein overload..the treatment is really good and so many who are protein sensitive come back and praise the results

bajandoc86 said:

Well this upcoming weekend is my weekend off. So I have decided to give MHM a try.

I am trying to decide which components to keep. From previous experience as I stated before my hair is not a fan of ACV or yogurt (both are part of the cherry lola treatment - yogurt makes my hair feel like protein overload). So I will skip that part.

Step 1 - Baking soda + warmed conditioner for 30 mins.

Step 2 - DC under steamer for 20 mins, let it cool and then finger detangle.

Step 3 - rhassoul + bentonite + moisturising tea clay rinse (marshmallow root/burdock root/irish moss/slipperyelm/ fenugreek) for 30 mins. NB: may use steamer for this step.

Step 4 - Use the LIs I have available as part of my usual LCO (not MHM approved - I will try to get the KCKT and do half with my regular LI and half with KCKT to compare).

Step 5 - Seal with oil. I will my hand at making flaxseed gel to use as part of this step as well.

Step 6 - braid my hair into celies.

I simply do not have the time to do this more than once a week. A more realistic time interval is once every 2 weeks.

We shall see. My fine strands also do not like manipulation - so I will be paying lots of attention to how my hair behaves.

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MizzBFly said:

I read the complete MHM thread on BHM..woah!..lol
it is so recommeded that you initally follow the steps as it states and then modify as you continue. Many who chose to change things up in the begining may not like the results, or at least read the blog with Pinke herself dispelling myths, siting articles to back the recommendations and providing the reasons behind each step. The Yogurt and molecules are too big to give you protein overload..the treatment is really good and so many who are protein sensitive come back and praise the results

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The yogurt cannot give you protein overload but for some hairs that are fine or protein sensitive, the clays act as a protein.

Best,
Almond Eyes

faithVA said:

Yes that test is what people use for porosity. I'm not sure how accurate it is but that is what they use.

It will not tell you if you have too much moisture. If your moisture/protein balance is off and you have too much moisture, they usually say do the stretch test when wet.

This is what I found on the web. http://primroseorganics.com/2012/02/12/wet-stretch-test/

The wet stretch test is simple, quick, and easy to perform. It is the number one way to determining the proper treatment plan for your hair. The results of the Wet Stretch Test are indisputable and very clearly demonstrates what products you need to achieve and maintain healthy hair, and why.

Step 1. Separate about 10 strands of hair and spray with water. For best results, make sure the hair is well saturated.

Step 2. Hold hair firmly between both hands.

Step 3. Gently but firmly pull hair away from your head. Ensure you pull with enough tension to assess if the hair strands stretch.

Step 4. Observer how the hair stretches and returns.

Analyzing the results:
Hair which stretches and 30% of its length and then returns is healthy.
Hair which stretches but doesn’t return to its previous length is weak in protein.
Hair which doesn’t stretch is low in moisture.
Hair which stretches and breaks is low in protein and moisture.

Click to expand...

Thank you soooooo much!!! You are awesome

pelohello said:

Thank you soooooo much!!! You are awesome

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Your welcome. You are too easy to please

My take...
Since I regulary DC for years being on this journey, when I first did this method I saw definition/clumping immediately! 2nd time the defination stayed after the clay treatment.. I do NOT do the gel step, I use Camille Rose Almond Jai Butter..meh(I believe after the impurities leave the butter may feel better or NOT..I have other to try out). I have 6 inches of relaxed hair that does not like the BS step and the recovery from the BS and clay is not pleasant (I put my normal conditioner on my relaxed ends and it feels alot better). I did my third round yesterday doing the modified option2 version, (my relaxed hair really need the DC step) but my 7 inches of nautral felt great!
to reitterate..after the 1st time doing this detangling was a breeze i could go straight to my scalp. Now my natural holds its defined curls, and I do a braid out on damp hair MINUS the gel, in total I am MBL. My nautral swells more than before so doing a ponytail was hard. I know my hair will love this the relaxed ends are off, I'm still twerking this so I can maintain my length but this is making me sissor happy...braid outs and twists maybe my go to style until I chop because not having to detangle is EPIC

SN: I cut off the relaxed ends of my nape on my 2nd trial to watch the progress of my hair

Products:
TJTT Condish(great)

Approved Tresemme lemongrass orange peel (great)

KCNT(used full strength as leave in/ leaves a stripped feeling didn't feel good, attributed to impurties on strands possibly)

Almond Jai(smells great, leaves a stripped feeling didn't feel good, attributed to impurties on strands possibly)

Giovanni LA Style( the debil!, left hair hard- I rewashed the next day)

Flaxseed+MarshmellowRoot Gel(IDK..haven't made yet hehe) I hope that it will be staple as gel goes

1st pic chopped off nape with clay(don't laugh at my face)
2nd pic of daughter hair(the difference with taking my time to seperate is essential)

Hello
I am so glad I stumbled upon this active forum. I too have noticed that BHM seems very dead

Hey I wrote this long post about my MHM so far and it just cut me right off. Anyway I've been doing the regimen since mid September when I had 2 weeks off work and am on my 12th full cycle as I type (sitting here with my clay on).
I use KKNT and KKCC and alternate between the full, and bald spot version. Baggying most days for GHE. I am loving the progress of my hair so far.
I must say I suffered an epic fail of a twist out though. My hair was really flat. I don'the know whether it was too wet or too much product but I really didn't like the results.

AbsyBlvd said:

Hello
I am so glad I stumbled upon this active forum. I too have noticed that BHM seems very dead

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Welcome. Glad to have you with us.

I'm starting early. I'm about to start my weekly MHM and in order this time. I think I'll make some flaxseed gel too b/c I think the eco styler is causing me some frizz. And I'm going back to using my giovanni leave-in. The alaffia did not mix well with the eco styler gel. I plan on using my curlformers tomorrow too.

I'm running around with my dc in under a hat, contemplating doing a roller set instead of a w&g ala protective princess.

I typed up this long response on the other thread a/b this method and was about to submit my reply but I just deleted my response. I just can't deal

I mixed my clay with the remainder of my acv/water mix. I don't know if it's an established 'thing', but, well, it was there and I figured it might do something positive for my hi po hair. When I finished, I wasn't feeling well, so I just let it air dry a bit and then put on my scarf. Last time I did that, disaster. This time, once it dried, I was able to part it with my fingers quite easily and twist it up, no problem.

Conclusion: Unsure, but acv+water+clay may lead to improved manageability for hi po folks.

My sister is about to start the MHM and I can't wait to see her results!!

Honey Bee said:

I mixed my clay with the remainder of my acv/water mix. I don't know if it's an established 'thing', but, well, it was there and I figured it might do something positive for my hi po hair. When I finished, I wasn't feeling well, so I just let it air dry a bit and then put on my scarf. Last time I did that, disaster. This time, once it dried, I was able to part it with my fingers quite easily and twist it up, no problem.

Conclusion: Unsure, but acv+water+clay may lead to improved manageability for hi po folks.

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honeybee

I am keeping this in mind. I don't think my hair is high porosity but it looks like a simpler way to do it that my also have more slip to it.

I washed my hair with baking soda and shampoo to clarify. No matter how much I tried to clean the scalp with just conditioner and BS, I just couldn't get it clean. I've always had this problem and it's the reason I can't break my shampoo habit. Granted I only use it every 3-4 washes, but I really would love to completely stop.

Anyway, my hair is SIGNIFICANTLY frizzier, bigger and less curly now. It doesn't feel as soft either, but that always happens after shampoo/BS clarifying. I'm not bothered though since I plan to do MHM consistently and continue minimizing my shampoo use.

Does anyone have any tips on washing the scalp without shampoo??

fasika said:

I washed my hair with baking soda and shampoo to clarify. No matter how much I tried to clean the scalp with just conditioner and BS, I just couldn't get it clean. I've always had this problem and it's the reason I can't break my shampoo habit. Granted I only use it every 3-4 washes, but I really would love to completely stop.

Anyway, my hair is SIGNIFICANTLY frizzier, bigger and less curly now. It doesn't feel as soft either, but that always happens after shampoo/BS clarifying. I'm not bothered though since I plan to do MHM consistently and continue minimizing my shampoo use.

Does anyone have any tips on washing the scalp without shampoo??

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fasika

Maybe the apple cider vinegar rinse? It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and it contains malic as well as traces of lactic acid. The malic acid and lactic acid are alpha-hydroxy acids that help slough off dead skin. So basically the rinse controls and minimizes the causes of dandruff while helping to slough off the dandruff itself.

If you like using honey in your hair, there was a study that found that using it daily for a week alleviated dandruff.

I am thinking of doing an acv/honey rinse as my clarifying step. I'll use ph strips to make sure the ph stays the same so it still complies with the method.

Hm, I didn't think of that. I'll go ahead and try it next week and report back.

I've only done an ACV rinse twice before. Once, I forgot to dilute it and ended up with a MASSIVE afro . I mean, that thing made the craziest rustling noise as it rose. I really thought my hair would fall off. The second time, it made my hair feel a bit 'hard.'

I'll still try it again. Maybe my hair will like it better now.

fasika said:

Hm, I didn't think of that. I'll go ahead and try it next week and report back.

I've only done an ACV rinse twice before. Once, I forgot to dilute it and ended up with a MASSIVE afro . I mean, that thing made the craziest rustling noise as it rose. I really thought my hair would fall off. The second time, it made my hair feel a bit 'hard.'

I'll still try it again. Maybe my hair will like it better now.

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fasika

Adding a bit of honey might make the hair feel softer. That is why I am doing it I don't like hard hair.

I will try it and report back with results.

Honey Bee said:

I mixed my clay with the remainder of my acv/water mix. I don't know if it's an established 'thing', but, well, it was there and I figured it might do something positive for my hi po hair. When I finished, I wasn't feeling well, so I just let it air dry a bit and then put on my scarf. Last time I did that, disaster. This time, once it dried, I was able to part it with my fingers quite easily and twist it up, no problem. Conclusion: Unsure, but acv+water+clay may lead to improved manageability for hi po folks.

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honeybee Was this a combined clarifying/clay step? Or just a modified clay step?

DoDo said:

honeybee

I am keeping this in mind. I don't think my hair is high porosity but it looks like a simpler way to do it that my also have more slip to it.

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I'm in agreement with you. Before starting this method, I used to put apple cider vinegar in my clay and I still put at little in my clay mix now, along with a little olive oil, honey, cayenne, as well as enough water to make a good consistency. Among other things, the vinegar helps to make the clay extra smooth. It also doesn't make my hair feel dry either on of once it's rinsed off.

I meant to quote honeybee, still new to this thing

fasika said:

I washed my hair with baking soda and shampoo to clarify. No matter how much I tried to clean the scalp with just conditioner and BS, I just couldn't get it clean. I've always had this problem and it's the reason I can't break my shampoo habit. Granted I only use it every 3-4 washes, but I really would love to completely stop.

Anyway, my hair is SIGNIFICANTLY frizzier, bigger and less curly now. It doesn't feel as soft either, but that always happens after shampoo/BS clarifying. I'm not bothered though since I plan to do MHM consistently and continue minimizing my shampoo use.

Does anyone have any tips on washing the scalp without shampoo??

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Are you willing to try a combination of castille soap and conditioner or maybe even try mixing your shampoo and put a little. conditioner in it.

MsEveMarie said:

@honeybee Was this a combined clarifying/clay step? Or just a modified clay step?

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MsEveMarie, A modified clay step. I had already done the ACV rinse/ clarifying step.

Woooow, just took out my 'test twist' and it's so moist, I had to double check that it was fully dry. Yep, fully dry and moist. Even if I never get any definition at all, this method kept my hair nice and moisturized (and I didn't even use an approved gel).

Just finished putting in my twists. I used eco for my styler, but this time i added alot more water. I loved the consistency! When i do MHM next week, i will def have to do sum protein.

I think ill take down the twists on wed & then pick it out to be a fro

I'm going to get started in about 30 minutes.

I experimented with the pink clay and rhassoul clay tonight.

Pink clay: its definitely messy. The same amount of pink clay doesn't make as much as the same amount of rhassoul clay. Its also very thin. It showed very defined curls while on. But it makes my hair feel tangled and is hard to work through my hair like the bentonite clay.

Rhassoul: Not nearly as messy. It goes on very smooth. I was able to easily work it through my hair and finger comb. My curls didn't seem to be as defined but they were elongated.

I was able to leave both in for thirty minutes without any dryness. Both work better than bentonite. After rinsing the pink side felt curlier but I couldn't see a difference.

I will continue to play around with both and useless oil and try to make the pink thicker and less messy.