Catnip for split ends?

**ktani** · November 20th, 2008, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by Comfrey

Ktani, thank you

Now all I have to do is stand on hubby's head and force him to use it

You are most welcome. Good luck!

**chickpea** · November 20th, 2008, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by ktani

Sounds good!. I suggest covering the teapot spout while it brews. The idea of covering catnip tea while it steeps, is to preserve the volatile oils. I tap the condensation from the inside of the saucer I use to cover my mug, back into the mug, to get every last bit of goodness.

oh good idea, thank you! It never occurred to me to cover the spout.

I'm pleased with how well the catnip conditions. Even if it doesn't help my split ends, I'm glad to have a natural alternative to commercial conditioners.

**ktani** · November 21st, 2008, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by chickpea

oh good idea, thank you! It never occurred to me to cover the spout.

I'm pleased with how well the catnip conditions. Even if it doesn't help my split ends, I'm glad to have a natural alternative to commercial conditioners.

You are most welcome.

**MsBubbles** · November 21st, 2008, 08:29 AM

My latest catnip-soaking attempt:

Wash day again. Got up a whole hour early so I could soak my hair in the catnip solution for 1 hour after shampooing. I got my new supply of shower caps and last night's steeped catnip. First time I steeped it 3 days ago I read the instructions wrong and put in 1 tablespoon instead of one teaspoon. I did not notice any kind of slip, or essential oil-like feel to that batch. Last night I tried 1 TEASPOON full in 375ml, and it felt oilier this time.

I did not intend to dump this stuff over my scalp because my scalp is naturally a grease pit. However, not quite having the knack of getting the catnip onto my hair from the ears down, or wearing a shower cap, I ended up dumping it all over my scalp when I put the towel over the shower cap. I started to worry that I'd make my scalp greasy today, and today is my son's 14th birthday, so I wanted to not worry about my hair all day. I almost reshampooed and start all over again minus the catnip but my S.O. suggested that if it did end up a greasy mess that I could just wash it this afternoon.

I ended up soaking my hair in the catnip for about 45 mins. Afterwards I did not enjoy the hair untangling itself like other folks here have described, and I had zero slip to my hair, as usual. So I used my normal conditioner.

So far now it has dried it looks fine, and the greenish tinge I had from the lowlights-over-fried-white-highlights has gone and my hair looks a normal blonde color again. So yay for that!

I will continue to try the catnip/soaking because I am hooked on the idea of less, or no split ends

.

**ktani** · November 21st, 2008, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by MsBubbles

My latest catnip-soaking attempt:

Wash day again. Got up a whole hour early so I could soak my hair in the catnip solution for 1 hour after shampooing. I got my new supply of shower caps and last night's steeped catnip. First time I steeped it 3 days ago I read the instructions wrong and put in 1 tablespoon instead of one teaspoon. I did not notice any kind of slip, or essential oil-like feel to that batch. Last night I tried 1 TEASPOON full in 375ml, and it felt oilier this time.

I did not intend to dump this stuff over my scalp because my scalp is naturally a grease pit. However, not quite having the knack of getting the catnip onto my hair from the ears down, or wearing a shower cap, I ended up dumping it all over my scalp when I put the towel over the shower cap. I started to worry that I'd make my scalp greasy today, and today is my son's 14th birthday, so I wanted to not worry about my hair all day. I almost reshampooed and start all over again minus the catnip but my S.O. suggested that if it did end up a greasy mess that I could just wash it this afternoon.

I ended up soaking my hair in the catnip for about 45 mins. Afterwards I did not enjoy the hair untangling itself like other folks here have described, and I had zero slip to my hair, as usual. So I used my normal conditioner.

So far now it has dried it looks fine, and the greenish tinge I had from the lowlights-over-fried-white-highlights has gone and my hair looks a normal blonde color again. So yay for that!

I will continue to try the catnip/soaking because I am hooked on the idea of less, or no split ends

.

From what I am reading, you are still having problems with the suggested dilution.

1 very level tsp to just under 300 ml of boiled water works well for me and my hair is not greasy or difficult with this dilution. Just under 300 ml is done by eye, as it does not exist as a measurement on my 2 cup Pyrex cup. I get very nice slip using this and moisturized ends.

**MsBubbles** · November 21st, 2008, 08:51 AM

Ok I will try 1 level tspn. I do have a 300ml mark on my cup, so that makes it easy! My hair isn't greasy yet but if there's a problem I'll find out by tonight, probably.

I feel that I'm all thumbs when it comes to manipulating my hair, and when it's wet it's worse. Anyway, by messing about in this project I at least take my mind off how long it'll take for my layers to grow out

.

Thanks for the quick reply, Ktani.

**ktani** · November 21st, 2008, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by MsBubbles

Ok I will try 1 level tspn. I do have a 300ml mark on my cup, so that makes it easy! My hair isn't greasy yet but if there's a problem I'll find out by tonight, probably.

I feel that I'm all thumbs when it comes to manipulating my hair, and when it's wet it's worse. Anyway, by messing about in this project I at least take my mind off how long it'll take for my layers to grow out

.

Thanks for the quick reply, Ktani.

You are most welcome. It takes getting used to.

I wear my reading glasses for measuring and make sure that I am level with the measurement, to really see what I am doing, lol.

It is easy to do just under 300 ml. 300 ml, I have found to be too light, or too diluted for me.

Another trick I use is this. Take a heaping tsp of catnip (I use a stainless steel measuring spoon) and gently press down on it several times to knock off the exta catnip (I do this over the catnip container, to avoid waste). You want the tsp to be full but very level. I hold it up to see that it is very level before I add the catnip to the mug, then I measure out the water, add it to the mug and cover with the saucer. That is it. Simple. You are getting the benefit of my many experiments to get it right but my dilution may not be yours. This one works for me, on my sensitive scalp, skin and formerly dry hair.

**HotRag** · November 21st, 2008, 09:51 AM

Oh, am I misunderstanding, or can the slightly oily feeling get less/decrease, when the infusion has more catnip in it?

I actually have catnip infusion in my hair right now.
I had 1 teaspoon to 150 ml/1 cup. But I do not know how fine grounded the catnip has to be to get the correct teaspoon/half teaspoon.

I also tested the pH, and it was about pH7, not acidic.

**ktani** · November 21st, 2008, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by HotRag

Oh, am I misunderstanding, or can the slightly oily feeling get less/decrease, when the infusion has more catnip in it?

I actually have catnip infusion in my hair right now.
I had 1 teaspoon to 150 ml/1 cup. But I do not know how fine grounded the catnip has to be to get the correct teaspoon/half teaspoon.

I also tested the pH, and it was about pH7, not acidic.

Catnip is acidic but your water may not be. Depending on how much catnip to water, the pH can vary.

I do not grind the catnip. It comes cut and sifted from the pet store. My tap water tests acidic, about pH 5.5. With catnip, it is still acidic, approximately pH 5 to 5.5. I recall testing the health food store catnip solution and getting about pH 6. That was a long time ago and I do not recall the dilution. I just tested my current catnip now.

Catnip becomes more astringent (slightly drying) at lower dilutions, from my experience. The amount of oil depends on how fresh the catnip is and the proportion of flowers to leaves. The flowers contain more oil than the leaves.

"Nepeta Cataria
neither glucosidal nor alkaloidal in character, but having acid properties."
http://www.henriettesherbal.com/ecle...gs/nepeta.html

**HotRag** · November 21st, 2008, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by ktani

Catnip is acidic but your water may not be. Depending on how much catnip to water, the pH can vary.

I do not grind the catnip. It comes cut and sifted from the pet store. My tap water tests acidic, about pH 5.5. With catnip, it is still acidic, approximately pH 5 to 5.5. I recall testing the health food store catnip solution and getting about pH 6. That was a long time ago and I do not recall the dilution. I just tested my current catnip now.

Catnip becomes more astringent (slightly drying) at lower dilutions, from my experience. The amount of oil depends on how fresh the catnip is and the proportion of flowers to leaves. The flowers contain more oil than the leaves.

Aha, my water is about pH 7.
Maybe I should add some ACV for a test some time.
I also put the Tritest (pH-tester) to my catnip infusion damped hair, and that was pH 5, probably cause I used amla+soapnuts used before, and that had pH 3!.

By lower dilution, you mean "less catnip in the amount of water"? I think so, but ask anyway so I don't have to wonder...
If so, a stronger infusion would be more conditioning? I had understand from this thread that it could be drying when using more catnip, but I have a lousy English vocabulary :-/