First, I'm SO GLAD the boards are back. I almost cried when they went down. Yay!

Second, I remembered (and even, in my own journal) that someone said that catnip can help stop spilt ends. Well, my hair has started splitting like crazy (I just got to lower back and am heading towards tailbone- it's completely changing how my ends act).

What, exactly, should I DO with said catnip to make it help my hair? I have been playing with the bag but I don't think that's what needs to happen.

Should I make a vinegar rinse with it? Steep catnip tea? Stew it in alcohol? Run it through as a rinse? Use it as a leave-in spray? Eat it?

I have catnip. I have split ends. I wish to somehow combine the two so the former prevents the latter. Help!

ktani, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

Raederle

Copy that.

Ok - you make an infusion of catnip.

I have a sensitive scalp and my ends were dry so I do not want to make the catnip astringent. My hair is no longer dry.

I use 1 level tsp of cut and sifted catnip to over 250ml under 300ml boiled water.

I make mine in a bone china mug from the dollar store.

Catnip needs to be covered and steeped, never boiled.

I cover my mug with a bone china demitasse saucer. Covering it preserves the volatile oils.

I now buy my catnip - organic - from a pet store - it is fresher bought in see through containers than bulk which I used to buy from a health food store.

Let it steep for 30 minutes - you can steep it longer than that.

Then I deactivate it buy straining it into a 2nd mug to cool down, cover it and let it completely cool. When I uncover to strain, I tap the condensation from the inside of the saucer on my finger back into the mug - I do this each time.

I then strain it into a creamer - easier to pour - and strain a 3rd and final time into a washed out shampoo bottle and store in the fridge until use.

It will keep refridgerated 7-10 days.

I do not use the full amount on my hair each time - I use the remainder on my skin - face and hands.

Ok - method

I am covering grey/white as well as conditioning so I apply on freshly washed hair - hair forward - or upsidedown in the shower.

I apply small amounts - poured into my hand and applied contiuously to the back, sides and top underside plus the length - pin it up and bag it for 1/2 and hour.

I then take it down, and apply catnip to the front sides, top, and top back, leaving the length down and rebag it, leaving the length out of the bag - another 1/2 hour.

I then remove the bag - apply some more to my greyer areas, let it cool down and rinse.

Catnip does not build-up if it is washed, I find. I use shampoo - it removes enough that the only thing I use to condition is the catnip.

I have less breakage than ever before with this herb and method and I have no split ends - which I did used to get.

MadPirateBippy

If you are not using catnip to colour - it yields a light yellow dye - not red/yellow, not brown/yellow - light yellow, apply to your hair all at once - I have never used the pouring it over the hair 15 times and catching it in a bowl method.

Applying it a little at a time more than once to saturate the hair thoroughly works for me with no mess or waste.

If you want to condition after - use a smaller amount of conditioner than normal - you will find that you need less.

Catnip will not stain over conditioner - it blocks the colour.

My hair is a dark brown/red, so I am not worried about the light yellow staining it. I figured the blond won't stick around, and I only have three or four silver hairs, so I'm not worried about those either.

Should I be?

MadPirateBippy

No worries - catnip dye is not permanent - I reapply it every time I wash my hair - the colour does not completely wash out each time by any means but it would wash out eventually.

This topic facinates me as I have loads of splits for not apparent reasons ( My hair is moisturized, virgin and I keep it in updos most of the time)

Do you think it would be effective if I kept a strong solution in a spray bottle and misted my hair with it on a daily basis?

Stagecoach

I initially tried catnip all sorts of ways including misting it on and using it as a leave-in on my ends.

It can be slightly sticky not rinsed out and I did not find it helpful at all sprayed on the hair.

The key I believe is body heat - bagging it and definitely the timing - an hour all together, although iris used it for less time - I think 15 minutes or so and found that to be conditioning enough for her purposes.

It depends on your hair and what you need and want it to do.

I find I need the extra time for the colour although I may experiment with less time now that my hair is in so much better condition than before I started using catnip over 2 years ago.

Ok, thank you ktani!

I continue to experiment with catnip - not for conditioning but to intensify the colour.

I have discovered this.

Catnip from the pet store is fresher. You can still get organic.
It is more expensive than bulk but it is better quality, IMO.

It is sold in closed containers and usually has a higher turnover than bulk.

For more intense colour - steep the catnip longer than 30 minutes - the last batch I did - I steeped it for almost an hour.
The colour is a darker yellow (not gold or brown or reddish) and is still a light yellow on the hair - I just get better grey/white coverage.

Wow -- this is really interesting. I had no idea catnip would do more than stain the hair. Any idea why it conditions and strengthens? Is it a property of the volatile oil?

ktani, I have seen a similar process recommended for horsetail. Have you tried horsetail as well? Can you tell me how it differs from catnip?

Thanks!

Wavelength

Catnip also contains fixed oil and pantothenic acid.

One of my links - I keep a research stash. The catnip I buy is the leaves and flowers - that is how it is sold for the most part - the flowers contain more oils than the leaves.
http://www.monroecountymi.net/Medical%20Resources/Herbs%20&%20Vitamins/Herbs/catnip.htm

I am not sure exactly how it works but it does.

I got conditioning benefits from it straight away but I wanted more.

I have been using it for over 2 years now and within the first year - I forget at which point - I no longer got split ends.

I think I did find one tiny one in the last year or so.

Conditioners never did that for me.

It did take a while for me to get to where I am now - my hair is softer, shinier and most importantly for me - my ends no longer taper between trims.

I still get some breakage - catnip is not a miracle - but I have less breakage than I have ever had before.

Catnip will not stain over conditioner - I have sensitivity to many chemicals and I was determined to see if I could get catnip to the point where I would not need conditioner - I did.

Morag

I have never tried Equisetum arvense or horsetail.

The one thing I do before I try any plant is check out the constituents the same way I read ingredient labels - and of course check out its safety or toxicity.

After chamomile and my linden tea disaster, I avoid these things in a plant - mucilage, polysaccharides, resins - all of them can build up on hair.

Horsetail, from my research contains both mucilage and resin. Linden tea contains mucilage. Catnip contains none of the above.

I did find one reference on catnip that said it contains mucilage but only one reference and from my results - I would say that the amount is insignificant.

Chamomile built-up on my hair - breakage city and dryness (German chamomile, Matricaria recutita - the one I used, contains polysaccharides - Roman chamomile, Anthemis nobilis - which I never tried on my hair, contains resin). I was using 8-10 teabags at a time though, for colour.

So, part of what makes catnip work so well for me is that it does not have anything in it that would require me to clarify.

Enough of the catnip washes out with just shampoo so that I can reapply it each time I wash and get colour and conditioning.

From my experience, in reading constituent listings, if a constituent is in a high enough percentage, it shows up in more than one reference and is considered an "active ingredient". Apparently, mucilage is in most plants - it is the amount that makes the difference for use on hair, IMO.

You have to find what works best for you.

Thanks for all the info on preparation and application, Ktani! I tried it and am happy with the results. It gave my fine hair fullness as well as making it a little brighter.

I am wondering if anyone has tried adding a little 'catnip tea' to their cassia mixtures? I have had good results using chamomile tea in cassia obovata (with a squirt of conditioner and a few drops of olive oil). Cassia also made my hair a little fuller, the color a really nice, deeper gold.

I may try this tomorrow and post results if this is a new experiment!

GoldLady

I am glad to hear that you are so pleased with catnip.

My hair is fine/medium - catnip not only makes it fuller but increases my natural wave pattern - something conditioners never did.

I haven't gotten around to purchasing any cat nip yet, but I did have one more question.

Do you think it would effect my hair color? (Dark, dirty blonde/light brown.)

Stagecoach

Catnip does not lighten hair - it is can and does stain my hair light blonde and cover my grey/white.

It might "brighten" your hair a bit but probably not much.

I have some natural copper tones in my hair - they seem less deep in colour than before - but that is probably because I no longer use products with any dark colours in them - my shampoo is light yellow.

When my hair was very dry - years ago - it tended to absorb FD&C colours from products not designed to deposit colour.

Stagecoach, my natural color is similar to yours, and catnip didn't change it. I wasn't using the catnip the way ktani does, though. She leaves it on for a long time to get the color, I just left it on for five minutes or so.

I got PLENTY of conditioning by leaving it on for only five minutes. In fact, my length became extremely oily after a week of so of using catnip for five minutes a day (I was washing daily, I never shampoo my length, just the roots/scalp, and I was using the catnip every day instead of conditioner). I was baffled at how oily it apparently was. If I were to use catnip regularly (too lazy right now) I should either shampoo the length, like ktani does, or not use catnip every day.

So, you don't need to keep it in for long to get the conditioning, and if you don't keep it in for long you also won't get a lot of color, if any.

Iris

Thank you Iris and Katini!!!

Stagecoach

When I first started using catnip, I applied it like conditioner in the shower and left it on, uncovered about 10-15 minutes or so - it did give me some colour but not a lot.

I had a build-up of linden tea on my hair at the time though.

I did not find that it made my hair that oily but I do shampoo my length every time - just by working the lather from my scalp down the length and squeezing it through the length and ends, not adding separate shampoo to the canopy or ends. I only lather once and do not use too much shampoo.

I find dilution does matter too - I started out with a heaping tsp to a cup of water then a level tsp to 250 ml and for a long while now - 1 level tsp to over 250 ml just under 300 ml of boiled water.

More dilution means less astringency and my hair does not get stringy - the lower dilutions did cause a bit of stringiness way back.

Okay, dumb question time. I have 8 cats. If I use a catnip infusion in my hair, will the furkids be into my hair all the time?

ColoradoDreamer

That is not a dumb question at all - it has come up several times before.

I have visited friends with my hair freshly washed (when any catnip odour would be the strongest, if it was there) and their multiple cats have not been interested in my hair at all.

When you do the infusion - the catnip needs to be covered.

When it is brewed, it has minimal odour.

When it is rinsed from the hair - there is no odour left in the hair.

This sounds interesting.. And if the cats are unaffected I think I'll give it a go! Having four cats rolling in my hair isn't the ideal situation. I do however need to find a way to prepare the catnipe behind locked doors. :p

MoonCreature

If your catnip is in a sealed container - you should be ok.

From the container to the mug - yes - probably a good idea to be cat free.

Once the mug is covered - you should be fine.

My next experiment is steeping the catnip until it cools down and not deactivating it into a second mug.

I want to see how that affects the colour.

I read on one site that you can steep it for 6 hours but that was for making it as a medicinal beverage - too long for me - cool down should be about 1.5 to 2 hours.

I will report back as to how that goes.

How do you all think catnip EO would work? I have some (super bug repellent, but pricey) and was wondering if a dilution of the EO would give the same split-resistance as a tea. Or is most of the benefits in the water-soluble components of catnip, you think?

birdiefu

An EO is much much stronger than the oil in a plant from what I have read.

I definitely think that all of the components of catnip working together, not a single one, give me the results I have gotten.

Hmmm. I just might have to raid the furkids' stash!

There is another reason I believe pet store catnip is better - quality control.

While bulk catnip was my first choice for a long time, it proved unreliable even though the store I bought most of it from is excellent.

Pet supply companies are in a very competitive field and need to ensure that the quality is there.

Aside from the pet food recalls of late I think that this does apply.

There have been enough human food recalls not to challenge that.

If a pet store does brisk business the catnip turnover should be fairly high.

But more importantly - a company's product better sell well and be good quality or it can very easily be replaced.

So, sealed containers, fresher catnip to begin with from companies who specialize in being in the pet supply market (quality control) and higher turnover = better catnip IMO.

One more point.

Pet suppliers specialize their catnip - you can buy leaves only, buds only, (the ariel parts with flowers), and cut and sifted leaves and flowers which I buy.

Cut and sifted leaves and flowers are usally cheaper and that is what I use and have used from the beginning - no need to spend extra money on the specialized, more expensive goods.

The flowers as I have said, contain more oils than the leaves.

I spoke with a catnip wholesaler a while back - a catnip farmer.

He turned out to be a chemist as well.

The catnip leaves contain the yellow dye itself, which is actually a tannin. Tannins are astringent.

The flowers, he confirmed, do contain more of the oils.

From icydove's report on using leaves only being drying, although she used about 6 times more than I use in a batch, I will still go with leaves and flowers mixed - I want colour and conditioning. The tannin leaf content, unbalanced by the leaves not being mixed with flowers, may account in some part for the dryness.

Catnip stems - useless, although there are 2 kinds - the ones from the leaves - small and fine and the larger ones - which should not be too plentiful IMO, in a mix.

What you prepare the catnip in.

I wanted to figure out the best, most herb friendly method.

From everything I have read on herbs, they should never be prepared in metal - stainless steel being the exception.

But stainless steel can react with acids. Catnip is acidic - pH approximately 6.

So, while I use a stainless tea strainer, I prepare my catnip in porcelin - bone china to be exact.

Bone china was a fluke - a dollar store find - but it turns out to be a bonus - bone china retains heat better than other porcelin and is lighter in weight - more convenient and easier for me to use.

For people in countries where pet stores do not sell loose catnip (in plastic containers or bags - same thing IMO) or the catnip you want, pet store catnip can still translate. I have seen catnip sold in tins (I am not sure how that would affect dried catnip) - not for me and it was priced outrageously.

Order online from a large pet store chain that ships internationally or a pet store supplier that ships to individuals.

I probably did not mention this.

When I make the catnip it is usually in advance - not more than a day or so but it does keep refridgerated up to 10 days.

Before I use it - I let it warm up to room temperature - I do not add heat.

The logic - that when I apply it for colour - I do not want the coldness to close the cuticle down even more than the acidity of it and not allow the colour to stain as much as possible.

One thing I have always done with a herb rinse, including catnip is shake it before applying it - catnip does not separate to my knowledge but shaking it is a habit for me.

I think my logic way back pre-catnip was to make sure that the oils are distributed evenly - in any case it cannot hurt to do it.

ok, so my local two pet stores did not carry fresh catnip, only dry stuff. I know we have a couple catnip plants on the property, but they are not growing yet.

So, I picked up some dried stuff.. but it claims to be very good quality, so we'll see how it goes. I'm gonna try and use it every wash for the next few months and see if it lowers my splits... I know I"ll notice within a couple months if it's cutting it for me.

I think what I'll do is braid my hair, and soak my braid in the catnip tea, the bun it and put a plastic cap over my bun, and leave that for about 1/2 hour.

Oh and I wanted to add, thank you Ktani for your detailed directions! They're a big help. :flowers:

Stagecoach

You are welcome.

I use dried catnip - cut and sifted leaves and flowers.

I have never seen it fresh anywhere I have bought it.

Sorry I left that out and you were confused by the ommission.

Oh ok, my misunderstanding! Well, I'm glad to know I've got the right stuff! I've checked it, and it has the flowers with it too! I can hardly wait for wash day to come around so I can give this a shot!

So you think if I made a very strong tea and mixed it with my conditioner that might do the same?

Stagecoach

That depends on what you are trying to do - colour? - probably not.

It replaces conditioner for me and as I said does not colour over conditioner.

Experiment with it - see how it works for you.

If you just want conditioning - try it without conditioner - see how your hair feels when you rinse it out and then decide if you need conditioner afterward - if you do you will probably need less conditioner than you normally would.

Stagecoach

I do not recommend making the catnip stronger than the dilution I stated - catnip gets astringent at lower dilutions.

MadPirateBippy

I never addressed you inquiry about vinegar - sorry about that.

Waaaaaaaay back when I started to play with my recipe I tried adulterating catnip with both vinegar and oil separately and together.

I found that catnip works better straight - the dilution and the timing are what made the difference - it needs nothing added to it, IMO.

I tried it as a leave-in too as I have said - it can be slightly sticky that way and is not as effective both for colouring and conditioning - it is much much better rinsed out after using it the way I have described.

I did a thorough s&d last night.

I have a love/hate relationship with s&d's.

They are necessary IMO, to cut down on tangling and cuticle stress but I absolutely hate trimming off white dots - I still have 0 split ends.

Well, I have been stretching out s&d's and when I had last washed my hair I did not detangle as well as I should have. I had a number of bent ends from manipulation and thowing my hair up without smoothing it properly - not sharp bends just bends.

That would have meant more breakage in the past - not anymore - my hair is much much stronger over all - I knew that by my ends not tapering but extra proof is always good. The breakage was less than in the recent past.

The pet store catnip, which I have been using over 2 months now has proven itsef - my hair is in even better shape than before I started using it.

Just a reminder

I recommended catnip to someone without thinking about the possibility a while back, and they broke out in an itchy rash when they used it.

Anyone can be allergic to anything.

Catnip has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. However, it is wise IMO, when trying out anything new, to do a patch test first.

Stagecoach, my natural color is similar to yours, and catnip didn't change it. I wasn't using the catnip the way ktani does, though. She leaves it on for a long time to get the color, I just left it on for five minutes or so.

I got PLENTY of conditioning by leaving it on for only five minutes. In fact, my length became extremely oily after a week of so of using catnip for five minutes a day (I was washing daily, I never shampoo my length, just the roots/scalp, and I was using the catnip every day instead of conditioner). I was baffled at how oily it apparently was. If I were to use catnip regularly (too lazy right now) I should either shampoo the length, like ktani does, or not use catnip every day.

So, you don't need to keep it in for long to get the conditioning, and if you don't keep it in for long you also won't get a lot of color, if any.

Iris

Interesting.
How do you ladies think the catnip would do with an infrequent CO?
I'm not ALL that concerned with oil, because I CO infrequently enough to not worry about it anymore, and I'm certainly not concerned about it staining my hair, hence my hair is dark enough brown/black to photograph as vaguely purple, but I wonder how much benefit one would get using it... maybe once a week?

Nynaeve

Since you are not using catnip to stain - I think you should be fine - it depends on what you expect it to do.

I use catnip on freshly washed hair and wash my length each time before reapplying it. It is all I use to condition my hair.

When I get my hair trimmed every 4-5 months, I have my stylist apply conditioner to wet hair. I wash it at home, apply the catnip as usual and bring my own conditioner (I am sensitive to a number of shampoos and conditioners). My stylist is not as gentle on my hair as I am - it is just extra protection. That is the only time conditioner touches my hair. He does not apply much conditioner and it is not left on the hair to soak in.

So, the small amount of conditioner applied is washed out out pretty much the next time I wash my hair.

Sometimes that has affected the catnip staining and the conditioning (some of the conditioners I have taken with me wash out less easily than others) but not for long.

Try it and see.

Hi everyone

I Henna my hair because it is very thin and breaks easily. My hair is between APL ans BSL and I have yet to find splits but I know that as my hair gets longer it will become an issue even with henna. Can I use catnip over henna? Will it do anything? I want to take very good care of my hair because I want to find out what my terminal length is.

Thanks
Suldrun

Nynaeve, I feel that for me, catnip doesn't work all that great over conditioner. It makes my hair feel coated if I use it over conditioner, and it takes a few washes for that feeling to go away. But I tend to use very waxy conditioners, and as I said I don't shampoo the length, so it takes awhile for me to get rid of conditioner residue. I can imagine it would be different with a thinner conditioner.

I don't see how it could hurt to try.

Suldrun, sure, my length is hennaed and catnip does fine over it.

I just think of catnip as something you can use instead of/ as a conditioner. So you can do everything with catnip that you'd do with any conditioner - use it together with another conditioner, use it over henna, etc.

Iris

Iris

Thanks I want to use everything I can to prevent splits and breakage. When I was in HS I rarely cut my hair and it never grew past BSL due to breakage. With LHC my hair is almost to BSL and already looks so much thicker and healthier (love henna) that I actually am beginning to believe I can grow longer.

I will be raiding kitties stash soon:)

Suldrun

I agree with iris - however I cannot say that it will reduce your split ends used over conditioner, with conditioner or over henna - which also coats the hair.

Will catnip help? - probably.

Can it strengthen hair? - from my experience, on my hair, used the way I use it - definitely.

My experince is just using it differently with nothing else used on my hair except shampoo and right now - a bit of conditioner used once in 4 or 5 months.

Well, so far I've very very pleased with catnip!

I let it soak on my braid for about 35 minutes this morning, and I conditioned with just a little bit of my conditioner and my hair is SOOOOO soft and amazing! I hope this keeps up!

Stagecoach

I am so pleased that it is working for you.

I am not saying people have to use it the way I do - using it differently for different reasons is uncharted territory for me.

Different conditioners work differently - see how things go - if it continues the way you say it is going you may well find that your split ends are reduced.

The more feedback that comes in, the more will be known about how catnip works with different methods.

[b]Ktani[/b, a BIG thank you to you for all your tips and advice!

If I keep getting these great results, I imagine that after a couple months I'll quite using conditioner... but for right now I think my hair is still to dry to go totaly without. But I'm hoping that once I get enough catnip treatments on my hair, I can leave conditioner for good! YAYAYAYAY because catnip is SOOO much cheaper!

Stagecoach

You are most welcome.

Catnip is so much less expensive - and my scalp loves it as much if not more than my hair does.

Try some on your face - it is wonderful on skin - I wash my face with it in the mornings - anything that you put on your face afterward - glides on - and your skin will be so soft.

No need to let it soak in - just apply it, smooth it all over and rinse.

Morag

I have never tried Equisetum arvense or horsetail.

The one thing I do before I try any plant is check out the constituents the same way I read ingredient labels - ... mucilage, polysacharrides, resins - ... Catnip contains none of the above.



Thank you, ktani! That's very helpful.

Wavelength - thanks for the link!

I have purchased some organic catnip. It will be a few days before I feel that I can successfully try this without drying my hair out too badly.

Do you find it to have an oily or drying effect on your scalp? Is it something i should use ONLY on my length?

Nynaeve, I find catnip just oily. The oiliness only comes out when I do repeated rinses (without washing the length) and the oils build up, - just doing one rinse does not make my hair or scalp oily. But not dry either. The opposite of dry, actually. I find it hard to imagine that anyone could find it drying.

You can use it on your scalp and your length alike, whatever you feel like. You'll have to find out how it works for you.

Remember, though, that if you make the tea too strong, it can become drying. I use ktani's proportions: one level teaspoon dried catnip to 275 ml water. A level teaspoon is not a lot of herb. I remember thinking it was almost nothing at all, the first time I made the infusion.

It's the opposite of drying when used in that dilution, in my experience.

Iris

Nynaeve, I find catnip just oily. The oiliness only comes out when I do repeated rinses (without washing the length) and the oils build up, - just doing one rinse does not make my hair or scalp oily. But not dry either. The opposite of dry, actually. I find it hard to imagine that anyone could find it drying.

You can use it on your scalp and your length alike, whatever you feel like. You'll have to find out how it works for you.

Remember, though, that if you make the tea too strong, it can become drying. I use ktani's proportions: one level teaspoon dried catnip to 275 ml water. A level teaspoon is not a lot of herb. I remember thinking it was almost nothing at all, the first time I made the infusion.

It's the opposite of drying when used in that dilution, in my experience.

Iris

Thanks.
I'll probably end up trying it out either by itself or with only a tiny bit of condish after when I try it.

Nynaeve

I agree with iris, both my scalp and my hair are not dry with the dilution mentioned.

My hair does get oily about the 4th or 5th day if I stretch out a wash but not before then - I do wash the length each time though.

I have done my first catnip rinse with letting the catnip brew until cool down, not deactivating at the 30 minute or a bit longer mark.

Last time I let it brew almost an hour.

Both times the conclusion - is the same.

It has made no difference to the conditioning but the colour is more intense.

It saves me an extra step - so I see no reason to steep the infusion for only 30 minutes, deactivaate and have one more thing to do by that step.

What do you experts think about using fresh catnip? I grow it, and I better find a good use for the stuff before it takes over my lawn.

My difficulty is I don't have enough time to sit around for an hour or so on wash day. What if I saturated my hair the night before wash day? Would the color just come right out when I shampooed?

Girltron

The colour does wash out - but not all of it - at least for me - it depends on whether you are trying to cover grey.

I have never tried fresh catnip - it you do try it - use the flowers and leaves.

I would love to know how it works for you.

I'll try this summer's worth of test period. I figure color buildup and split prevention might take that long to become noticeable. I'll keep you informed!

Girltron

I got colour right away - but it took a while to get consistant colour and grey/white coverage.

I generally pick fresh catnip for my cats during the summer months. It grows wild around here.

Generally speaking, when one is making an infusion, you need about 3x the amount of fresh herb in order to get the same result as you would if you were using dried. The reason is that with fresh herb, you have a lot more natural water content. Dry herbs are more concentrated.

Having said that, it's not always true. Catnip is part of the mint family, and generally mints distribute more essential oils when they're used fresh. Peppermint tea when made with freshly crushed herb tends to be stronger than tea made with dried peppermint. Depending how it's dried, some of the oils can be lost in the process. One of the reasons you should never boil mints is that their essential oils are volatile, meaning the oils will evaporate right out when boiled, leaving almost nothing behind. If you boil peppermint tea instead of steeping it, you end up with very bland-tasting hot water.

So as to how fresh catnip would work, I can see it going either way. Might be very interesting to try!

I'm more interested in the conditioning aspects than the colour. My hair is dark auburn that I brighten up with henna, so I'm sure any stain from the catnip would be impossible to see. But I do get a ton of splits now that my hair is approaching tailbone, and winter is always more drying. It's early spring now and I'm seeing splits all over the place! It would be wonderful to find something that reduces them, and our pet store sells some good organic catnip.

I've made an infusion today and I'm going to apply it to my hair when I wash it later on. I'll report back on how it goes! :D

I look forward to reading your results.

And thank you for the fresh herb tips.

From everything I have read, flower herbs and most leaves are never to be boiled - just steeped.

Roots and barks can be boiled.

I do CO to wash though -- I don't think I even own any shampoo. So not sure if my hair will feel coated or not. We'll see!

Okay, I have just come out of the shower. I did an SMT but my hair came out of it feeling very clean, so I don't think there was much conditioner residue left behind. My hair is used to CO washes anyway.

I rinsed my hair thoroughly, filled a small plastic tub with the catnip infusion, and dunked my hair in it up to the ears. I let it soak for a minute or two, then twisted my hair into a loose bun in the shower and pinned it. I did not rinse my hair after I dunked it in the catnip. I'm going to leave the catnip to soak in my bun for awhile, and then rinse again and see what results.

Thanks Stagecoach for posting about your catnip-soaked braided bun -- that's what gave me the idea!

Wavelength

For extra or deeper conditioning, you could cover your hair bun with plastic, let it cool down when you remove the plastic, then rinse it out.

Hi ktani,

Yes I realize that, but I had some errands to run today, and I didn't really want to leave the house with plastic over my updo. So I just damp-bunned (actually, more like wet-bunned) my hair and put a thick velvet scrunchie on it to retain some of the moisture.

It worked pretty well actually -- by the time I got home, it was still quite damp. The catnip has been in my hair for over two hours. I just rinsed it out and I can feel a difference already. I'll report back once it's dry. :)

Wavelength

Plastic is not a hair accessory, lol.

I look forward to reading how it goes.

Well, the verdict is... undecided. :shrug:

I let my hair dry most of the way and put a little bit of coconut oil on the ends like I usually do. As I was combing it out I felt the texture to see if there was any obvious changes. It didn't feel particularly softer -- but it felt smoother, and slightly more springy than usual when it's damp. Hopefully this means my hair has been strengthened and the cuticle is laying flatter, but I won't really be sure until I try a few more treatments.

I'm wondering if I made the infusion a bit strong and had some astringency. I wasn't very exact on the measurements.

I still have plenty of catnip infusion left, so I'll keep up with the rinses and see what happens.

Thanks for all your help, ktani! :flowers:

Wavelength

You are most welcome.

It may take several treatments to get the desired result.

I know the temptation is there but I do not recommend a stronger infusion - from my results - the astringency increase resulted in drier hair - nothing drastic but I did not like it.

Since I also use the leftover catnip on my skin - I found the 1 level tsp to about 275 ml of water perfect for both.

Yes, from what I read earlier my suspicion is that I accidentally made mine too strong.

Next time I'll dilute it and see if there's improvement.

Any thoughts on using a tea ball for steeping? It would certainly make straining easier. They come in stainless steel, and I've used them successfully for making rosemary 'tea'. I wouldn't think there would be a reaction, but I am curious whether anyone has thoughts.

I have some catnip stewing (didn't think about using my teaball until after I dumped it in loose). I have this idea that I might use it for henna liquid. :)

jesamyn

I have thought about a tea ball but stainless steel can react with acids and catnip is acidic so I never tried it.

Please post how that goes if you try it.

Will do. I'd used the batch that I did yesterday as henna liquid. Unfortunately, I slept a LOT longer than normal, and my henna batch demised. :rant: While my hair isn't really split or dry, I think I might just try this as a rinse today for the heck of it.

I'd love to try this for splits but not so much for the color. I'm worred that this will stain over my highlights. Yes I read it washes out next shampoo or next few shampoos - but my hair tends to take to color really really well (and quickly). Is there any way to get the conditioning with out the coloring?

atlantaz3

Not that I know of but the colour is a light blonde.

I suggest doing a strand test first on one of your lightest hi-lights, in a place on your hair that is not too obvious.

As you know, my catnip tea is resting in the refrigerator until tomorrow afternoon. But I still have a few questions:


I know you let it warm to room temperature. Is there any benefit to heating it carefully, double boiler style?
Do you apply to scalp?
I'm thinking of doing a vinegar rinse both before and after. Normally, I do vinegar as my final rinse, then rinse that out. Do I need to?
Are conditioning benefits increased by leaving warm and bagged for, say a half hour, or is that mainly for color?

As you know, my catnip tea is resting in the refrigerator until tomorrow afternoon. But I still have a few questions:


I know you let it warm to room temperature. Is there any benefit to heating it carefully, double boiler style?
Do you apply to scalp?
I'm thinking of doing a vinegar rinse both before and after. Normally, I do vinegar as my final rinse, then rinse that out. Do I need to?
Are conditioning benefits increased by leaving warm and bagged for, say a half hour, or is that mainly for color?

Excellent questions all, Raederle - I obviously still left some things out of this version of a catnip thread - thank you.

I would not reheat it - that could affect it somehow - it is an unknown - I have never done that.

Catnip is a specific for scalp irritation - I soak in it during the process of it being on my hair and definitely my scalp.

Catnip contains acetic acid, along with many other constituents - white vinegar is acetic acid - diluted in water. The pH of catnip is appoximately 6.

I do not think that you need to do a vinegar rinse at all - see how it goes.

See "White" vinegar - it can have salt in it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar

I use, as I have said, the leaves and flowers.

Catnip leaf constituents
"Acetic acid, ......."
http://www.monroecountymi.net/Medical%20Resources/Herbs%20&%20Vitamins/Herbs/catnip.htm

The conditioning benefits are definitely increased with the extra time as well as the colour - just with body heat, bagged.

It was the extra time that gave me the conditioning I needed.

The disapearance of split ends happened with less time but the full conditioning benefits for me happened with more time.

I now have less breakage than ever before. The reduction of breakage to the extent I have now - happened with more time.

So, I'm taking it that the vinegar rinse, whose purpose is to remove any mineral residue, is unnecessary?

Raederle

Catnip for me only became very slightly sticky when left in.

I wash my length each time with the lather from my scalp - not added shampoo.

Catnip does not build-up on my hair with the routine I use, even though the colour does not all wash out each time.

I have no residue problem or crunchy, dry ends.

With all of the different routines used by others, I cannot say what the results will be.

Try it without the vinegar rinse afterward, first.

You may need one before you try it, to help reduce conditioner residue or clarify if you think you need it.

I tried my catnip-in-a-teaball. It looked about the same as the prior attempt without a tea ball. I brewed it at 1 tsp catnip to 275ml of water. I heated the water and popped the catnip in (in a tea ball), then covered it and let it sit for several hours. I let it sit until I needed it, at which point it was quite cool. I got a vaguely yellowy-green liquid without much color to it. I then proceeded to mix it with henna. I decided to post the full results in a separate thread here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=52880#post52880).

The smell was still in the liquid, btw. :P

jesamyn

There is a faint odour in the liquid and sometimes when my hair is wet but not when it is dry.

No cat belonging to friends of mine and all of their cats love catnip - has ever responded to my freshly washed hair and even though I am allergic to cats - I love them and play with them - I have to be careful to wash my hands afterward and not touch my face or eyes - I get very close to them.

I have no experience with catnip and henna.

I'm guessing it's the mix of catnip and henna, and she's a weird cat. :) I also considered that it might have had something to do with the stainless steel, which is why I reported it.

jesamyn

Your cat is not weird IMO - she no doubt smelled the catnip around the plastic - some probably dripped.

According to the catnip farmer I spoke with, cats can smell catnip in something like a billionth of a particle of odour in the air.

Like I said, I have had no cat difficulties with my hair dry.

Oh, she's weird. This particular situation is just not necessarily a good indication of it. ;)

The 'some probably dripped' actually made a light bulb come on. I know that I sweat some when I sleep with the henna and my cap. That's probably what dripped out, bringing the catnip along with it. Considering that my cap was barely damp this morning, I feel confident that was the reason.

I'm not overly concerned about her wanting to get into it dry. She always wants to remove it from buns anyway. If we went from de-bunning to purring and rubbing, it would be a relief. ;)

My days off got all switched up, so today was catnip day. I took the mix out of the refrigerator this morning, since I wasn't sure when I'd get to the shampoo phase. As it turned out, the shampoo was late afternoon, so I put the catnip outside to warm up, since our house was only 60.

After shampooing, I applied to my scalp and ends, putting some in a plastic bag, and letting the hair from about shoulder down enjoy the bath. I poured the rest over my scalp, letting it drip into another bowl, and playing switcheroo. When my arms got tired, I covered my head, hoping that there was enough catnip to do some good to the scalp hair.

After about 40 minuites, I rinsed it out, and here I sit. I have to admit, it felt wonderful on my scalp, which has been mightily irritated of late. I don't feel a lot of slip to my hair, as compared to how it feels after a typical shampoo/condition cycle. Decided not to use the typical leave-in I typically use, so I could evaluate the catnip better.

So, once dry, I'll post how it feels. Hoping it hasn't altered my hair color ....

Raederle

It is lovely on the scalp isn't it?

I doubt that it has altered your colour much.

It needs more time to do that effectively and from the non slip you are getting, the catnip may not have gotten directly on to the hair shaft - any conditioner or othere residue there would prevent that from happening completely.

ETA: Any colour that you might get will wash out easily enough. It is not any where close to a permanent stain.

Well, hair is finally dry and combed out. It feels great -- not all that different from how it feels after a shampoo and conventional conditioner, just more ... substantial, I guess is the word. I would gladly use this again, if only there was an easier application process. I kept wishing it was a thicker concoction, so it would really stay on my head without so much dripping.

I might keep up with it for how wonderful my scalp feels. Perhaps I'll make a smaller batch next time and just treat my scalp. PPD ways she thinks that she sees a more golden look where it used to be more silvery, but I'm no so sure. Tomorrow's challenge photo will show it better, I guess.

ETA: Any colour that you might get will wash out easily enough. It is not any where close to a permanent stain.

Oh, yeah, I knew that. I was really just kidding.

Raederle

Yes, the timing is a pain.

Since you are not using it for colour - you might get away with less time - you have to see - I found the extra time increased the conditioning for me but I did it initially for the colour.

For scalp washes it would be perfect as a rinse.

Catnip keeps in the fridge for up to 7-10 days but that is pushing it.

ETA: I have never had it go bad - in over 2 years - but I do not keep it too long.

Okay, here is my issue. My scalp is really giving me grief the past week, or so. I know you've said that catnip must be rinsed out, because your hair got sticky otherwise. How about if I apply it this evening, maybe catch the drips in another bowl, and repeat a few times. Could I then just leave it alone all night, and rinse out tomorrow morning?

I'm thinking of hitting just the nape area, because that's where all the irritation is, not scalp wide. I'm not too concerned about color change there, as this is the darkest hair on my head, and, as you state, the effects are temporary anyway.

Raederle

I have spot used catnip myself in the past when I had shampoo or other product irritation problems - a good while ago now and left it on.

It can provide temporary relief.

For me - I knew the cause - my sensitivity to the product - that had to calm down on its own - but the catnip relieved the worst of it - until I recovered.

I had no problems with doing that at all.

Ah, well thanks for that, then. So, once my current batch is cooled down enough not to burn me I could use it? The aaaahhhh you hear will be me.

Raederle

Yes - absolutely.

The best part? - when it has cooled in the fridge - it will feel even better when cold.

ETA: Just make sure when you make a new batch to use this way, that you do not make it stronger - the dilution I recommeded - 1 level tsp to 275 ml water works very well on sensitive skin - stonger catnip becomes more astringent - you do not want that when dealing with irritation, IMO.

Well, this is interesting. I poured some on last night, and when I arose this morning, my hair felt great -- no sticky feeling, at all. I poured some more, cold, just on the nape, put it up for the day, and it's dry now, and feeling soft and wonderful. It's making my scalp hugely happy, the itching has really receded, and you may color me a truly happy camper.

Thanks so much for your hard work and help, ktani :flowers:.

And for you skeptics out there, give it a try.

Raederle

You are most welcome.

I am so glad to read that you are pleased.

The stickiness for me happened when I sprayed it on my ends - I have never left the rinse/treatment in my hair in quantity.

Spot treating with it never gave me a problem.

This is really interesting, thanks ktani! I think I might have to try it out, my scalp can be itchy and I would love to have stronger hair.

The stickiness for me happened when I sprayed it on my ends - I have never left the rinse/treatment in my hair in quantity.

Since my fine, chemically highlighted hair is somewhat prone to breakage and splits, I started to experiment with catnip last Sunday. My first use was a 1 hour treatment prior to SMT. Since then, I have been misting my length on a daily basis. I mist with about 50 mL of catnip tea, plus approximately half a teaspoon of jojoba oil and a few drops of ylang ylang EO.

ktani, I have not experienced any stickiness from misting, even when I exclude the jojoba. My hair has great body from the misting, and the jojoba makes it feel very soft and well conditioned. One week is too soon to tell if I will have the stronger hair and less breakage, but so far, so good! :D

BTW, I wash my hair 2X per week, so the catnip stays on my hair for at least 3 days at a time, misting daily.

Katja

At the time I tried the catnip as a leave-in, my hair had build-up on it from something I had used previously - I do not clarify - the stickiness was not bad but I found that leaving the catnip in did not benefit my hair. ETA: It did not hurt it either.

ktani, that's interesting. Why do you think that using catnip in this way didn't benefit your hair? Do you mean that it didn't have benefit for color, or for conditioning? Or both?

I am not interested in color, only conditioning.

Katja

My hair started to improve when I first started to use catnip - however - the build-up had to wash out - that was gradual.

I kept increasing the catnip timing in the bath/shower, which helped with the conditioning and colour.

What really made the difference for me both for colour and conditioning - was bagging my hair in the shower and increased timing.

I do not like leave-ins - I usually found them to be slightly sticky no matter what they are - maybe tacky is a better word - not sticky like honey or gross - just not the feeling I get when the catnip is rinsed out - which I prefer.

ktani, thanks for the clarification.

Just thought I'd drop by and say I've started using catnip. Only once so far, and I'm going out of town towards the end of the month, adn won't be able to continue the regiment properly there, but I'm hoping to find something hair-friendly and portable for the trip.
Just thought I'd mention that I've started on catnip though. :)

Nynaeve

Great - I look forward to reading how it works for you when you can use it continuously.

Hey, all! A few questions...

I've been NW but I have so many splits. So, if I took to doing a once a month WO, and applying catnip then, how do you think it would turn out? Not using shampoo, would it be too sticky/oily? Would using it only once a month not have the same affects?

I'm also thinking of trying cassia. If I did a monthly cassia and added catnip, might that have a chance of working? :lol: I probably shouldn't try so many things at once... :silly:

freznow

Catnip does have oil in it - I find it better to wash it out with the method I described - I do not think that it would be that great with NW - but you could give it a try.

Nynaeve

Great - I look forward to reading how it works for you when you can use it continuously.

K. I'll keep you people posted as I get my routine down.
Question, the amount you described earlier in the thread, that is one shower's amount, right? (The 300ml or something)

Nynaeve

The batch I prepare each time is 1 level tsp cut and sifted catnip to 275 ml of boiled water.

I do not use the full amount on my hair - I keep some aside to use on my skin.

Has anyone thought of mixing hibiscus and catnip together for a scalp treatment? Mine has been dried and flaky for several months now, despite me not actually using shampoo on my scalp (only the lengths), and I've read that hibiscus may help. But perhaps catnip and hibiscus together? Anyone up for a try? My catnip pot hasn't put up any shoots for me to try it yet....

I have a catnip plant and a catmint plant. They look different, so assume that I should make sure I use catnip?
Would it make a difference using fresh leaves?

I use the catnip for colour as well as conditioning - to get light blonde.

I use a mix of the leaves and flowers - dried - I have no access to fresh catnip - the flowers have more oils in them than the leaves.

Hibiscus might be nice to blend - I cannot say how that would work, mixed with catnip.

Nynaeve

The batch I prepare each time is 1 level tsp cut and sifted catnip to 275 ml of boiled water.

I do not use the full amount on my hair - I keep some aside to use on my skin.

Ahh, thanks for that, I thought I remembered you saying that I just didn't when I got in the shower :D
Especially since my solution somehow got cold waiting on my shower. :(

I keep mine in the fridge until use - then let it warm up to room temperature before I use it - I never heat it and rarely use it warm - I usually make it in advance.

I keep mine in the fridge until use - then let it warm up to room temperature before I use it - I never heat it and rarely use it warm - I usually make it in advance.

Thats what I did. I made it about a week in advance. Then I let it sit out for hours until it was room temp. I took it into a hot shower, but then it was cold by the time I started using it. :confused:
Not a good surprise. haha

You should see my typos before I correct them, LOL.

Nynaeve

I have used catnip that has been older than a week in the fridge but I recommend using it well before that time.

While I have never had catnip go bad on me - it still has water in the brewed tea and there is always the possibility that it could go "off".

Just a precaution.

Nynaeve

I have used catnip that has been older than a week in the fridge but I recommend using it well before that time.

While I have never had catnip go bad on me - it still has water in the brewed tea and there is always the possibility that it could go "off".

Just a precaution.

Kk. Thanks :)

Our shower wasn't working for a while, so I had to extend the time it was in the shower, but thanks for the precaution mention, I'll make sure to use it before it stays too long next time.