Didn't see that coming....

I ordered a hair analysis from Live Curly Live Free several weeks ago and just received my profile. My results:

Texture: coarse
Porosity: normal
Elasticity: low

Shocked the heck out of me. I had my hair properties all wrong. I thought my texture was normal, my porosity was a little higher than normal, and my elasticity was normal to high. Most of the recommendations fit with what I've been doing based on the way my hair responds, but I will be changing a few things.

Since I have coarse hair, I'm supposed to avoid protein. Guess what? I thought my hair liked protein, and I've been doing protein treatments once a month or so! I haven't noticed a drastic difference afterward (good or bad), but my hair does tend to be very dry in general. I haven't experienced that straw-like feeling protein-sensitive curlies talk about, so I'm wondering how much of an issue it really is for me.

After taking inventory of the products I use, it turns out more than half of them are protein-free, and almost all of the ones I use most often are. Unfortunately, a few of my favorites are not, like the Gudonya shampoo and conditioner. At least my most beloved Shea Moisture products (Raw Shea Shampoo and Conditioner, and Curl Enhancing Smoothie) can stay in the rotation. Sadly, I now have two buckets of Eco Styler that are verboten. At least they were cheap.

Most of the results made sense to me: while my hair doesn't seem to conform to all the properties of coarse hair (not being able to hold a style or wet set - my hair holds an artificially-induced curl like nobody's business), most of the descriptions were spot-on.

My hair is dry (but not brittle), very thick and strong, and is somewhat resistant to coloring. I always have marathon salon appointments because it takes longer than usual for color to process, and because my hair is really dense it requires two batches of color to cover it all.

The elasticity thing is more mysterious to me. My hair isn't especially brittle as far as I can tell. I don't experience a lot of breakage, but I treat it gently. Looking at it, it seemed to me like it stretched pretty far before breaking, but I really don't have anything to compare it to. However, it does explain why my hair doesn't always hold its natural curl. I always thought it was strange, because my curls mostly vary between thumb and pencil diameter. You'd think it would hold, wouldn't you? Not so much.

According to the analysis, low elasticity is caused by over-processing and/or excessive heat styling. I color my hair, but I've never thought of it as "over-processed" since it doesn't look damaged. I have a lot of grey, which I'm not ready to embrace, so I have it dyed to match my natural color, which is very dark. I do have a few highlights (like 12). I've straightened my hair maybe five times in my entire life, but I do diffuse it every few days. I guess that and the color must cause more damage than I thought.

I'm definitely glad I ordered the analysis. While it won't cause any drastic changes in my routine, it does give me some explanations for certain things - like why I need to remoisturize between washes and why it's difficult to get my curls to boing. I will make some minor adjustments, like focusing more on emollients and avoiding protein. I'll be interested to see if I notice any changes.

Nail polish digression

I love nail polish. Another side effect of my love of color. I go through phases where I stop doing my nails (usually when I'm too busy or doing a lot of jewelry/metalsmithing - hell on a manicure). But I always come back to it. I have a vast (read: ridiculously large) collection in almost every color of the rainbow. And I'm not choosy: I have polishes that cost anywhere from $.99 to $18 a bottle. Yes, you read it right. In various moments of sheer madness, I purchased some Rescue Beauty Lounge shades (I'm not sorry - No More War is the most perfect swampy olive green ever).

This post was prompted by a couple of ladies on NC.com asking about base coats, top coats, nail treatments, etc. So rather than cluttering up the thread with a long response, I thought I'd write a blog post instead. I've tried a lot of products, but these are the ones I use regularly and go back to again and again.

Basecoats

• Qtica Nail Growth Stimulator (HG status): My nails are brittle and have a tendency to peel and break. Treatment base coats have become a necessity, and I tried many before stumbling across this one. I don't use it to promote growth, because my nails grow fast anyway. For me it's more about strengthening. It's expensive ($20 for a half ounce bottle), but for me it's worth every penny. When I use it regularly, I have no peeling or breakage.
• Orly Bonder: My polish chips quickly, which drives me batty. I'm lucky if I can go three days without chipping, in spite of being careful, wearing gloves when I do dishes, etc. You can't wear gloves in the shower, and that's what usually does them in. Top coats don't seem to make a difference. Bonder does. I've tried other sticky base coats, and this is the only one that works. My nails don't stay perfect, but it does minimize the chipping.

Top Coats

• Seche Vite: I'm a hurry-up, don't-have-time-to-sit-around-waiting-for-my-nails-to-dry kind of girl, so quick-drying top coats are mandatory. Seche is thick, which bothers some people. I'm not one of them. It's also self-leveling, which is great. It dries fast and gives a really glossy finish.
• Poshe Super-Fast Drying Top Coat: This is thinner than Seche Vite and has a smaller brush. My nails are wide, so it's more work to apply. Like Seche, it gives a nice, glossy finish, but since it isn't as thick two or more coats are required over glitter polish. 
• Qtica Half Time Polish Drying Accelerator (HG): I won't do a manicure without it. After applying my topcoat (Seche or Poshe), I put a drop of this on each nail. It coats the nail and feels like a light oil. It's another layer of (temporary) protection against dings, and it makes quick-dry top coats dry even faster. 

I haven't noticed a big difference in drying time between Seche and Poshe, and I can't say I prefer one over the other.

Cuticle Care

• Poshe AHA Cuticle Care (HG status): My cuticles have always been a problem area. They are always dry, regardless of how much hand lotion I use, and I have excessive cuticle growth. I am the hangnail queen, which is both annoying and unattractive. Not to mention painful. I use the Poshe AHA cream every night, and the problem has disappeared. This stuff has changed my life. No kidding. Someone actually admired my cuticles a couple of months ago.
• Qtica Intense Cuticle Repair Balm (another HG): This is the strangest cuticle cream I've ever used. It's thick and sort of sticky, and smells kind of odd. Not bad, just odd. It's pricey ($16 for a .5 oz jar), but it lasts me forever. It's the only thing that makes any difference in the moisture level of my cuticles. Bonus: it sticks like nobody's business. One application lasts me through several hand washings. Love this stuff.
• CND Solaroil: Cheap, easy to apply, and available in tiny little bottles I can stash all over my home, in my bag, in the car. It's mostly sweet almond oil, so it isn't greasy. It soaks in pretty quickly, and I use it whenever I can remember. It doesn't do a lot for me on its own - it's more of a maintenance product, and great when I don't need (or have time to apply) the Qtica balm.

I think that's pretty much it. Hope someone finds it helpful!