live free test

wannabe · 02-03-2013, 01:03 PM

Newbie here! I have been using deva curl for about 2 months. And my hair still looks terrible. I am so unsure about proteins, and a few other things I was thinking it may save me money to do the live curly live free test rather than fork out a bunch of money on trial and error products. At least it would give me a better starting point, I know there will still be some addiction to trying new things.

Question is, have any of you done this test and did you find it helpful or fairly accurate on the suggestions?

rbb · 02-03-2013, 01:07 PM

the test is a good starting point as it will tell you your hair properties and that makes selecting products to try easier. i did the hair test and it was accurate.

fyi -- i started on deva products back in 2006, but they changed their formulas around 2009 and they made my hair extremely dry, so i had to find other products. a lot of people here use deva and a lot of us find it drying.

so, it's not cg, it's the products we use. the sooner you find out your hair properties, the easier it will be to find products.

dusalocks · 02-03-2013, 01:53 PM

How does your hair feel? Stiff? Dry? Producty? Mine too when I use deva. See I own the devacurl gel and the way it (and many of their products are) is formulated right now is not great for arid climates because of the humectant content. That might be able to be avoided if you apply said humectants to sopping wet hair when you style (so the hair is well hydrated to begin with) but that's up for debate. A lot of people say glycerin and the like dry them out regardless. Also deva products have a lot of protein and citrus content and if you're protein sensitive that will dry out your hair and I think aqua_lily (sorry for referencing someone you might not know, but she's a curl pro who frequents this forum and has been helping me a lot) said some people are citrus sensitive too. I had the analysis and it was a real eye opener. Worth the money and the three week long wait to receive the result. That said, I'm still trying to figure my hair out, but it's worth noting that several of the products recommended to coarse haired curlies on the Curl Whisperer's pinterest account seem to agree with my hair. A lot. For now, put down the deva and do some inexpensive experimenting. Go get yourself a protein free CG approved conditioner for co-washing like Tresemme Naturals ($6 at the drugstore) and a protein/humectant free gel. I only know of three, sorry-there is not much there: Kinky Curly Curling Custard which I love, Aubrey B5 Design Gel which I like, Curl Junkie Pattern Pusha which I just ordered and am going to try, and maybe you could try Aussie Instant Freeze which is drugstore, CG approved, and supposedly lighter on the humectants and the proteins. I might try it but while I'm trying things out that are inexpensive right now, I also prefer organic products with less chemicals and preservatives. I also love Shea Moisture as brand. It really hydrates my hair and they're all organic.

dusalocks · 02-03-2013, 01:56 PM

P.S. Another issue might be polyquats? Supposedly they can build up the same way silicones do and make your hair look, again, matted and producty. Although they are not as difficult to rinse out.

Rustina · 02-03-2013, 03:57 PM

I had the hair analysis as soon as it was available. Best money I've spent on my hair.