Catnip for split ends?

**Heidi_234** · April 28th, 2009, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by kdaniels8811

AuntyClaus - it is easier to put it in a ponytail and put a plastic baggie over the ponytail and let it soak. That is the part you want to soak, anyway, the length. And remember, the catnip tea effects get better with time (continued usage)! I wash my hair about every 5 or 6 days and catnip soak afterwards, then another soak mid-wash day so every three days or so and I cannot find a split end. A major change from 6 months ago when my hair broke off all over the place due to all the damage. I love this site! Off to make catnip tea...

Argh, I guess I need to step it up with the catnip. I've found so much damage lately!

**AuntyClaus** · April 28th, 2009, 03:19 PM

Ah, good advice, thanks! I wish you could have seen me, it looked as though I were battling an angry squid on my head, trying to get it to all stay under the cling film.

Good to hear you can get good results in as little as six months. I think my hair feels stronger, already, but it would be great to say goodbye to splits.

**flowers-n-waves** · April 28th, 2009, 10:00 PM

i finally did it. I highlighted my hair the other day *please don't hurt me!! lol* and it felt a bit dry at the ends. I went and got some catnip from the pet store, refilled my kitteh's toy with fresh catnip and made an infusion of catnip and dipped my braids in it and left it there to dry. As a word of warning, DO NOT wave your hair around your cat after you've dipped it in the catnip tea. The meows wouldn't stop! hehe

the verdict: my hair is soft again...and cat likes me even more

**wahmof9** · April 28th, 2009, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by flowers-n-waves

i finally did it. I highlighted my hair the other day *please don't hurt me!! lol* and it felt a bit dry at the ends. I went and got some catnip from the pet store, refilled my kitteh's toy with fresh catnip and made an infusion of catnip and dipped my braids in it and left it there to dry. As a word of warning, DO NOT wave your hair around your cat after you've dipped it in the catnip tea. The meows wouldn't stop! hehe

the verdict: my hair is soft again...and cat likes me even more

Do you use dry or fresh catnip?

**kdaniels8811** · April 29th, 2009, 03:24 AM

Wellll, I tried a new method with great success yesterday. Made catnip tea, ponytailed my hair, applied it to whole head with the tail in a plastic sandwich bag. Waited a half hour or more. Made up my herbal mix (shihaki, amla, aritha, etc) powder mixed with water) and applied to roots only. I was careless, kind of slopped it on, leaving the hair ponytailed and in the bag. Showered and at the end rinsed everything off. My hair is shiny! soft! no tangles from catnip, lots of body and shine from herbs! This may work - smile!

Wahmof9 - I know catnip does not penetrate well over conditioners or oils, which make sense but I had not heard it would not penetrate over herbs. The herbs go on the roots and the catnip on the length. Try this and see if it works for you. Let me know how it turns out. I get my catnip at Petsmart and it is dried. I dump a spoonful in a tea mug and let it steep until lukewarm, then apply to hair. Hope this helps someone.

**ktani** · May 1st, 2009, 10:19 AM

Catnip and herbs.

Catnip does not do well over coatings that do not wash out easily or are left behind by shampoo or conditioners. This applies to herbs that coat hair too. Any herb with enough mucilage or resin in it will prevent catnip from being absorbed into the hair as much as it can be for help in preventing split ends.

The last few posts from herb users reinforce this. Aritha contains mucilage. So does shikakai I believe. I do not have my research available on this computer, so just Google the correct name of the herb you wish to check out and type mucilage or resin after it to speed up your results.

**kdaniels8811** · May 1st, 2009, 03:08 PM

Maybe that is why it works so well when I use catnip tea soaking on the length and herb paste just on the scalp - together to save time. Always efficient... Tonight I hurridly washed my scalp with dairy whip and conditioned the ends because I am going out in 20 minutes and I can really tell the difference. Not good, my hair is dry and crunchy despite oil. Back to catnip tea for conditioning, it works better than anything else I have used.

**wahmof9** · May 1st, 2009, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by kdaniels8811

Maybe that is why it works so well when I use catnip tea soaking on the length and herb paste just on the scalp - together to save time. Always efficient... Tonight I hurridly washed my scalp with dairy whip and conditioned the ends because I am going out in 20 minutes and I can really tell the difference. Not good, my hair is dry and crunchy despite oil. Back to catnip tea for conditioning, it works better than anything else I have used.

Ok..I tried your trick this morning..catnip on the ponytail then bag. Indian herbs on the rest (which was pre-oiled), shower cap on, 10 minutes...then hibiscus rince.
Done.
Results..I like it a lot!

Will do it again!

Thank you!

**ktani** · May 6th, 2009, 07:59 AM

While I was awaiting my computer repairs (I actually got a new computer under my warranty, an "equivalent" exchange ), I have washed my hair several times and it is back to the condition I love (with 0 split ends).

Ok, this is how I see things.

Even catnip cannot penetrate catnip for optimal conditioning, when it is applied as a shampoo and rinsed out first. The oils and other constituents that condition even without bagging and timing, do not rinse out completely, enough to not allow more catnip from penetrating the hair as well as over no "barrier".

Fortunately, catnip washes out well enough with a gentle non coating shampoo, so as not to be a problem with this method.

**Heidi_234** · May 6th, 2009, 11:23 AM

I decided that since my swim cap lets the chlorine in whether I like it or not, that I'll soak my hair with catnip tea, and for the time being in the pool it will condition my hair under the cap. So at least a little good comes out of this hair-bad time being.
I have to say that I realized that my hair is exceptionally glossy today!

Like henna glossy, but I hennaed quite a while ago, so i have only the catnip to blame. My catnip does not contain bud unfortunately. I ordered "whole ground plant" in hopes that it will include flower buds (as opposed to catnip ground leaves), but no buds. Nevertheless, seems like I finally see some result from the catnip. I only hope that the breakage and the splits will stop appearing as well.
Two things though - I applied the catnip over previously oiled hair (coconut oil). Not oiled right before the soak, but the same day. Also, my ends don't seem as glossy as my length. Maybe I miscalculated and I still have dye damage left, but my length is in perfect condition and my ends a a bit rougher/drier/velcro, but again, less than usual. Yey for catnip