This is a LONG post for lurkers. Please read all of it!!!
I just did the routine for the first time this morning. I can't describe the way my hair feels. It's so soft and my ends are super coily like when I first BC'ed over 8 years ago. Yes this routine has a lot of steps, but I already had a 5-step routine: detangle, Prepoo, wash, condition, style.
Here is how I modified with things in my stash:
-I raised my cuticles first with watered down baking soda mixed with AO GPB. This was my light protein in lieu of the Cherry Lola. 10 min
-I DC'ed with TJ TTT by heating up the conditioner. 10 min
-I used the Aztec healing bentonite clay mix per the recipe, used HOT water. 10 min
-I used the rest of my DC for a leave in after I added more water. 5 min
-I used KCCC for my styling gel. 30 min
The whole process took 1.5 hours. It could have been shorter, I was too busy staring in the mirror looking at my coils in the gel step. Wash day usually takes me 5 steps: 1 hour to detangle, 30 minutes to Prepoo, 3 min to shampoo, 3 min to add back moisture with conditioner, 2 hours to apply creams and style my hair for the week. MHM saves me about 2 hours.
Of course, I'll be doing MHM more often over the week so this method will be more time consuming. However, if my hair gets max hydrated and I can do this every 3-5 days, it would be so worth it. If my hair NEEDs water just like I NEED to drink water and eat food every day, why on earth am I only washing my hair on weekends and misting lightly throughout the week and slapping more creams in my hair??? If I'm LOW porosity, those rewetting sessions aren't doing squat for my hair if I don't raise the cuticle first, which is why my hair is always dry and dull looking.
I've done items in this routine before like having a light protein treatment, DC, using a leave in, using gel. But this method produced instant, noticeable results for me that I haven't had before.
Here is why I think it does: READ THIS IF NOTHING ELSE
- Using a substance to raise cuticles. I used very diluted baking soda. Others have used a clarifying shampoo. The REASON is more important than the PRODUCT. Don't get caught up on baking soda being mentioned and turning this method down for this reason.
- Watering down conditioner for DC and leave-in. I thought I loved creamy thick conditioners because I can feel it and see on my hair. I know I covered every last inch of my head. I was WRONG. Watering down the conditioner helps it penetrate the shaft better. If it is not in a message your hair is naturally responsive to (water), how is your hair going to receive it?
- Heating up conditioner. Instant softness and quicker DC time.
- Clay is a must. This is the true CLEANSER in the method. If you don't use a clarifying shampoo for step 1, this is the only thing that will actually clean your hair. It also encourages clumping and softness.
- AVOIDING ingredients that dry out my hair when styling: glycerin, hydrolyzed proteins, salts, silicones, denatured alcohols, aloe vera juice, caster oil, coconut oil. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. The MHM site stresses the avoidance of these and other items because even TRACE amounts can be DRYING or cause BUILD UP that the clay wont be able to remove!!!
