Hair Analysis

[meteor]

Has anybody had an analysis of their hair properties done? Examples: Komaza Care Personal Hair Analysis (http://www.komazahaircare.com/personal-hair-analysis.htm) and GooseFootPrints on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/listing/158218594/hair-analysis-physical-properties-of).

I'd love to hear reviews and what LHC-ers think of such services.

[Firefox7275]

There is a lengthy thread on the Komaza Care analysis over on the Long Hair Care forum (with images if you are a member), a fair number of people on the Wavy Hair Community and Naturally Curly forum have used Goosefootprints. Also a review of Goosefootprints on the Wavy Library blog. I haven't seen a bad review on either that I can recall, people have been really happy with the information and images. Should be able to find these via Google: sorry I'm on decrepit phone.

[meteor]

Thank you so much, Firefox! I'll definitely look that up now!
I was surprised I didn't see any threads on the LHC yet.

[cathair]

I haven't yet, but I full intend to as soon as I have collected enough hair. I am finding the hair collecting a little hard going, since I find a lot of my shed hair when I am oiling it or washing and that won't do. Also my cat keeps messing up what I have collected, even when I put it in a box. Now it's in a box with something heavy on top :) If I get it done before you do, I will let you know what I think.

[meteor]

Yes, cathair! I find hair-collection really daunting, too. I also realized that I will probably have a huge range of porosity/thickness results depending not only on whether it's nape or canopy hair, but also if it's highlighted or not, above shoulders or below. If I have so much variation, I'm afraid it somewhat defeats the purpose of hair typing. :(

[serin blackwood]

I had the Goosefootprints analysis done in January, so here is my review.


I am very glad I did the analysis. Wendy examined 50 of my shed hairs under the microscope and took measurements to determine fine-ness vs coarseness, test the elasticity properties and assess kinking and porosity issues. By using 50 hairs, it gives good overall average. She provided (via email) a five page personal report, plus a 14 page general report to help understand the findings and filled with great info and suggestions.


Photos of my hair under the microscope were included. I also emailed her quite a few questions, after I read the analysis which she answered promptly and in great detail. I have to say that I was surprised by some of the findings and learned a great deal about my hair, and I have changed my regime because of it. I have a great respect for Wendy and her Science-y HairBlog, she is very knowledgeable in areas of product ingredients, both commercial and DIY/natural (which I am into right now) and she did not push any one idea, but was more than willing to work with me to help me find a regime that fit my goals and desires.


I believe she is providing a very helpful service at a fantastic, affordable price. I highly recommend giving it a try!

[serin blackwood]

I haven't yet, but I full intend to as soon as I have collected enough hair. I am finding the hair collecting a little hard going, since I find a lot of my shed hair when I am oiling it or washing and that won't do. Also my cat keeps messing up what I have collected, even when I put it in a box. Now it's in a box with something heavy on top :) If I get it done before you do, I will let you know what I think.



cathair - I told Wendy from Goosefootprints that I basically always had oil in my hair, so she instructed me to collect the hairs and simply swish them in some mild shampoo, rinse and dry before I sent them. It only took me three days to collect 50 hairs, just from combing and/or washing.

[meteor]

I had the Goosefootprints analysis done in January, so here is my review.


I am very glad I did the analysis. Wendy examined 50 of my shed hairs under the microscope and took measurements to determine fine-ness vs coarseness, test the elasticity properties and assess kinking and porosity issues. By using 50 hairs, it gives good overall average. She provided (via email) a five page personal report, plus a 14 page general report to help understand the findings and filled with great info and suggestions.


Photos of my hair under the microscope were included. I also emailed her quite a few questions, after I read the analysis which she answered promptly and in great detail. I have to say that I was surprised by some of the findings and learned a great deal about my hair, and I have changed my regime because of it. I have a great respect for Wendy and her Science-y HairBlog, she is very knowledgeable in areas of product ingredients, both commercial and DIY/natural (which I am into right now) and she did not push any one idea, but was more than willing to work with me to help me find a regime that fit my goals and desires.


I believe she is providing a very helpful service at a fantastic, affordable price. I highly recommend giving it a try!
Thanks a lot, Serin blackwood, for your detailed and informative reply! :)
I'm really happy that Wendy answered your email questions in detail. As far as I know, the hour-long phone conversation is the only serious advantage that the more expensive Komaza analysis had over Goosefootprints, so it's great to know that Wendy also takes questions.

[cathair]

Yes, cathair! I find hair-collection really daunting, too. I also realized that I will probably have a huge range of porosity/thickness results depending not only on whether it's nape or canopy hair, but also if it's highlighted or not, above shoulders or below. If I have so much variation, I'm afraid it somewhat defeats the purpose of hair typing. :(

I had been wondering about variation too. I am sure my front hairs are different to the back ones, one by my ears are kinkier and also that the white ones are different again. I am hoping to get some white ones in there, but they are more difficult to collect as I have less of them. I have been keeping ones for the right side of my head and left in different piles, now I am wondering why I didn't separate them front to back as well. Ahhh hair OCD :doh: I don't suppose it matters, she doesn't ask for them to be sorted anyway.


cathair - I told Wendy from Goosefootprints that I basically always had oil in my hair, so she instructed me to collect the hairs and simply swish them in some mild shampoo, rinse and dry before I sent them. It only took me three days to collect 50 hairs, just from combing and/or washing.

Thank you very much for the information, that's really helpful, should save me a lot of time :)

[serin blackwood]

Well, I feel that the Goosefootprint analysis also has the advantages of being a written report in PDF form- I find myself referring to it frequently. I also converted her email answers to PDF and added them to the report, to keep all the info organized.
As far as I can tell, the Komaza is only verbal, except for the online access to the photos. Also, Kozama is marketing their own line of products, which I am not interested in, so their advice might be a bit biased. IMHO.

I was actually inspired by the analysis to purchase my own microscope. I've been studying my damaged cuticles, comparing hennaed hair to virgin grey, wet to dry hair, effects of protein treatments, catnip, the quality of cut ends from different scissors, oh a bunch of other stuff - i've officially entered hair geekdom (:

[cathair]

Wow, getting a microscope is seriously enabled :D Did you hair analysis give you a good idea of what you are looking for with the microscope?

[Arwenlily]

cathair - I told Wendy from Goosefootprints that I basically always had oil in my hair, so she instructed me to collect the hairs and simply swish them in some mild shampoo, rinse and dry before I sent them. It only took me three days to collect 50 hairs, just from combing and/or washing.

Do you know if when she says "clean" hair. Is that shampoo only and no conditioner?

[serin blackwood]

Wow, getting a microscope is seriously enabled :D Did you hair analysis give you a good idea of what you are looking for with the microscope?

Yes - things like what a healthy cuticle looks like (compared to a lot of mine), how to focus on the "edge" to see if they are raised, what a twisted kink looks like ... but some things don't need an explanation. For instance, I wanted to see what a white dot looked like under magnification.... EEEEKKK!!!

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c354/cshprd/image_zps14d1d189.jpg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/cshprd/media/image_zps14d1d189.jpg.html)

[cathair]

Yes - things like what a healthy cuticle looks like (compared to a lot of mine), how to focus on the "edge" to see if they are raised, what a twisted kink looks like ... but some things don't need an explanation. For instance, I wanted to see what a white dot looked like under magnification.... EEEEKKK!!!

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c354/cshprd/image_zps14d1d189.jpg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/cshprd/media/image_zps14d1d189.jpg.html)

shudder::agape::couch: oh my that is scary!!!

Seriously though, sounds like you have learned a lot, just makes me want to get it done more :)

Very cool you have a picture, is your microscope on of those ones you can connect to a computer and take photos? How strong magnification is that?

[serin blackwood]

Do you know if when she says "clean" hair. Is that shampoo only and no conditioner?

Well, I was conditioning only with oil and Indian herbs, so she told me to just do the shampoo swish. You should email her and explain your situation and see what she says. You can chat with her before you commit to paying for the analysis.

[~Abi~]

For instance, I wanted to see what a white dot looked like under magnification.... EEEEKKK!!!

Well, if that doesn't motivate me to S&D regularly, I don't know what will! Now I kinda want a microscope just to look at my hair too....:D

[milque]

I'm actually meaning to send some hair to Goosefootprints for her to analyse. I just managed to collect about 50 hairs finally, and planning to send them over tomorrow. I'll try the shampoo swishing serin blackwood suggested, just to make sure they're all clean.

Will update with a review of the service!