Any thoughts on Maximum Hydration Method

[Guinan]

I'm prepping for my weekend MHM. I've made my gel, clay & DC. I usually start on sat, but i think ill begin it Friday night.

 

[intellectualuva]

I dyed my hair and did the steps except clay last night and got really decent results. I slathered the gel on sopping hair and it took forever to dry, but I had my coils clumps. It was shiny and black.

Love the MHM. My hair is very happy.

 

[myfaithrising]

I've completed my 7 days of mhm and this is a side by side comparison of my hair in a twist out pre and post treatment. My hair is very low density and I'm not so sure about the porosity, but I'm thinking it's normal to low, 4a. Moisturizer used to leave my hair feeling stiff the following day, but this time my hair was very soft and kinda bouncy. I am a BELIEVER!!! (and will continue on with treatment until i die!) http://s279.photobucket.com/user/Marigold97/media/PreandPostmhmTO.png.html ETA Post is on the left, pre is on the right. I hope ya'll could tell.

I could definitely tell, twists on the left are super juicy!! Very nice results IronButterfly!!

 

[myfaithrising]

I think im going to do this eveb though I have ramen noodle hair already lol.....just my very front and sides need work Also, I have to figure out how to still incorporate the aryuvedic powders ive come to love with this. And question. ...can I skip the cherry lola treatment entirely.....sry if its been asked already

ChocolatePie 777, I love Ayurveda too and I've managed to slip it in my gel and my oils. I use a tea base for my flaxseed gel and I also infuse my oils. Fenugreek and Amla are a couple of my favorites. I also henna every couple of months using the 9 herb blend for the additional benefits.

I don't think that you have to do the cherry lola if you believe that your hair will hate it, although it is recommended that you kick off the regimen with this treatment.

 

[Guinan]

I got my DC in. I plan on doing a wng 2morrow. I'm gonna see how long it takes me to do the wng. If it takes less than an hour, i may be able to do this method during the week.

For the wng, I'm going to use eco styler in the clear jar, cause the flaxseed gel is just so, so. It's not bad, but it's just something i don't like, plus i can't seem to get the consistency right.

 

[AJellyCake]

It doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong. If you are a low po 4b/c, it could take you a couple of months before your hair hydrates enough not to shrink into a fro. I think sometimes we look at people with quick results and think that our hair will do what their hair does. It isn't that way for a lot of people, they just aren't posting. 4 days isn't enough to say how your hair is going to do long term. For days 2, 3, 4 what did you use for steps 1 and 2? If you wanted to continue you may have to style your hair in something other than a WNG until your hair hydrates.

I totally agree! Also, KCKT might not provide enough moisture for your hair. Or your hair might prefer a different dilution. My hair seems to like it better when I use the Trader Joe's (instead of KCKT) and also prefers a dilution that's not extremely watery.

Don't give up!

 

[IronButterfly]

I got my DC in. I plan on doing a wng 2morrow. I'm gonna see how long it takes me to do the wng. If it takes less than an hour, i may be able to do this method during the week.

For the wng, I'm going to use eco styler in the clear jar, cause the flaxseed gel is just so, so. It's not bad, but it's just something i don't like, plus i can't seem to get the consistency right.

Thank gawd it's not just me. I was beginning think I was kinda special.

Yeah, I'm going back to my xtreme gel, glycerine and all.

 

[Guinan]

Rocking my wng 2day! The eco styler was alittle too thick, so next time I'm gonna dilute it with water. I still prefer my twistout though. I'm gonna do the MHM again tonight, but 2morrow, ill be twisting my hair

 

[Rae81]

I tried this today it took me two hours to do the whole process. After the baking soda rinse my hair was extremly soft and after the clay wash I can tell the curls on the side and back are really moisturized they have definition from root to tip. The crown of my hair and the front are going to take alot longer to get there they were very frizzy. I will do this again tomorrow but I dont know if I will have time to do this two hours every night so I might do it again on Wednesday and again next weekend. I used Giovanni direct leave in and gel and put my hair in a puff and it is so soft.

 

[SpiceUpMyHair]

I am slowly gathering all the things I might need to start this method in a week or two after I take down this weave install. Keep up the updates and good work guys.

 

[Guinan]

Thank gawd it's not just me. I was beginning think I was kinda special.

Yeah, I'm going back to my xtreme gel, glycerine and all.

Nope, def not just u. I've learned with this method that it's definitely a trial & error. Like i still use my Herbal essence & i only do this method on the weekend. However if my hair feels like it needs more moisture I might add it in the middle of the week

 

[blackbarbie986]

I have my twist in but I'm going to try the method anyway.

 

[snoop]

Is anyone doing this APL or longer?

 

[Adiatasha]

Is anyone doing this APL or longer?

That's what I want to know

 

[AJellyCake]

Is anyone doing this APL or longer?

Do you mean has anyone gotten past apl with this method? Or just do we currently have the length? I'm waist length, 3c/4a.

 

[crimsonpeach]

Is anyone doing this APL or longer?

I'm less than an inch from APL. Probably APL now.

I thought I would have major tangles when I started but I was able to wash and go from Day 2. I'm about a month and half in.

 

[preciouslove0x]

Is anyone doing this APL or longer?

I'm a little past bsl

 

[blackbarbie986]

I'm aplish. I started last night but feel a asleep with the clay still in my hair. Didn't do the gel step bc I fell asleep before I made the flax seed but my twist feel coated and a bit hard. Anyone else ever hard their hair feel like this?

 

[Froreal3]

Ok I just tried this.

Clarified with AO Swimmers
"DCed" under Hair Therapy Wrap with watered down Trader Joe's TTT
Bentonite clay rinse left in for about 30 minutes
"Leave in" Trader Joe's TTT watered down, "sealed" in with Alikay Naturals Aloe Berry Gel

Was not impressed with the results. I will give it another try tomorrow but this time I'll use the baking soda/conditioner. This also took freakin forever. Not sure if I will have the patience.

 

[DarkJoy]

^^^ hopefully it will work for you. It might take a few times. Also it reeeeaallly makes a diff to continue finger detangling during the clay step. And yea. Long process. I'd love to get or done in under 1.5 hours.

I did both the AO and soda/condish and the end results were the same even days after. However, I can control more how much the cuticle opens with the soda depending on how long its left on.

 

[roxydeegee]

This is a labor of love. This treatment gets easier and yet it seems interminably long and complicated. On day 4 now, and day two was when I flipped this into a one night treatment with the help of a heat cap. But today (I began at 9:45pm on Sunday night, now its early Monday at 12:40am - I just finished treatment 4) and I am looking forward to treatment 5 like i need a hole in my head.

But i say to myself "Stay the course. Claim your right to healthy, hydrated lustrous soft hair with some definition and shake" I've been on my hair journey since 2010. I have moved from hair that was so starved for attention (GOOD attention - because I had a plethora of mistreatment practices for it big time, because prior to that time - my hair was only for hanging weaves on! LOL)

But I has finally graduated to this Byzantine dance to save my naps - and I believe I am up for that noble task. I owe it to myself. But man o man, that clay step (MESSY!!)

but one tip, you may be tired and want to rush thru it all..but take the time to detangle. take the time to part that hair like you about to apply a perm to it ! It HELPS immensely. My mane is not the stuff of legends, but it is pretty legendary how good i'm finally treating it now!

Thank god for this MHM...Already I can finger part my hair (especially when i take the time to follow those steps)

 

[Rae81]

I'm aplish. I started last night but feel a asleep with the clay still in my hair. Didn't do the gel step bc I fell asleep before I made the flax seed but my twist feel coated and a bit hard. Anyone else ever hard their hair feel like this?

I did this on Saturday and on Sunday my hair felt coated

 

[Guinan]

I made some more flaxseed gel and I finally have a consistency that I like. I like to use the flaxseed gel when I do my twistouts. I was getting watery results b/c I was re-using the flaxseeds too much and I couldnt gage(sp) how much water to add for already used flaxseeds. What I did this time for the used flaxseeds, was that I used 1 cup of water and if it was still too thick, I added more & more water.

 

[snoop]

So I decided to try a modified version of this since I do most other steps anyway.

I'm still skeptical about the baking soda so I skipped the Cherry Lola/Baking soda rinse steps and opted for a clarifying shampoo instead. I did all other steps.

I finished around noon yesterday and my hair at the roots is still wet this morning.

I've been using clay for the last 2 years, so I've included a before and after of my hair close up. I think that the difference in how my hair reacted in terms of the clumping is based on two main things 1) separating the strands during the clay wash -- normally I paste it on, but I think that limits how much clumping at the roots I would normally see; 2) the use of heat -- I used a steam cap for the DC and mud wash steps which I think helped a lot.

One question that I have is how do you tell what percentage hydration your hair is at? How do you know when it reaches "max" hydration?

** Also, thanks to everyone who replied about the length of their hair.

 

[crimsonpeach]

One question that I have is how do you tell what percentage hydration your hair is at? How do you know when it reaches "max" hydration?

** Also, thanks to everyone who replied about the length of their hair.

Max hydration is root to tip definition when hair has no product. Most of my strands are from 50 -75%. My front and nape have taken the longest.

So I switched over to the ACV for a week and have gotten good results. I think I will reserve the baking soda for Cherry Lola treatments or when I need a boost.

I also skipped the clay step for my midweek wash and all was well. I'm washing my hair twice a week. I think I'm going to do the complete method with the clay once a week and skip it during the midweek wash.

Otherwise all is good. My next experiment will be using a cream instead of the gel.

 

[faithVA]

I played around with adding castille soap to my conditioner versus the baking soda. I still need to play around with the ratios. I put in 2 oz of conditioner, 6 oz of water and 1 tsp of castille soap and the ph was 9. Since I wasn't going to DC for a long period, I put in a little acv to bring the ph back down. It ended up somewhere between 7 and 8. I will play around with the ratios to try to get it to 8.

So far I like the mix and it also suds up a bit so I can concentrate on my scalp. The conditioner prevented the major shrinkage I get when I try to use castille soap. I left it on for 20 minutes and it did just fine.

My hair is not progressing quickly probably because I'm not consistent. But my hair is better than it has ever been in my life. Wearing a flat twist out today that is soft and fluffy. I can now use minimal product to keep my hair moisturized.

 

[Rae81]

Maybe I did something wrong on Saturday. My hair felt good all the way until I rinsed out the clay that's when it felt coated

 

[faithVA]

Maybe I did something wrong on Saturday. My hair felt good all the way until I rinsed out the clay that's when it felt coated

You probably didn't do anything wrong. The clay detoxes the hair and sometimes it may take several applications for the clay to completely remove things from the hair. The coated feeling is product the effect of clay not being able to remove all of the product in the one treatment. As you continue with the clay more and more impurities will be removed and your hair will feel nice and clean.

 

[SimplyWhole]

I wonder if I can use KC come clean for step one. The baking soda makes my scalp itch.

 

[fluffyforever]

I haven't don't this in a while since I've been working 70 hour weeks. But I came in to add that even though I have not done the steps since I last posted a week ago, my hair still shows a longer length and the coils still come out after setting my hair. I can't wait to get back into the routine, but I am catching up on much needed rest.

Also, I'm waiting for ProtectivePrincess on YouTube to come out with her update routine vid. She stated she had a setback from over manipulating her strands and that the gel was not working for her. I'm eager to know what she is doing to continue her progress. I also don't believe this gel thing and I are ever going to be BFF. But I believe in the reasons behind each step in the method are still gold.

This process has shown me that I need to clarify more than 1 time every few months and that my hair absorbs watered down conditioner better than straight out the bottle. The clay is definitely needed, but maybe for me only once a week.