Catnip for split ends?

[watermelon]

Wow, this is so interesting. I'm very curious about trying it. Why haven't we ever seen a mainstream shampoo/conditioner with catnip as the main ingredient?

[ktani]

Wow, this is so interesting. I'm very curious about trying it. Why haven't we ever seen a mainstream shampoo/conditioner with catnip as the main ingredient?

Good question but from my experience, catnip is better as a conditioner and on its own, with nothing added to it. I was instinctive on that, but based on my experiments, for me, I am right.

[ktani]

Update

I have been experimenting again but not with my catnip routine or timing.

Having wavy, mixed fine/medium hair with a short s pattern has certain advantages. I do not need to acces the weather network to know how humid it is. I just have to look at my hair.

Before I started to use catnip and when I had started to use other plants (first chamomile tea, then linden flower tea) Toronto humidity turned my hair into a major frizz fest on certain days. Now that my hair is at its peak in terms of conditioning, especially with my new brewing time for catnip (8 hours), my hair reacts much less to humidity and is no longer what I would call frizzy. But it has not been as smooth as I would like it on the more humid days. I stretch my waves by moulding them with my hands. I do not use any product or blow dry my hair. I just air dry it.

I have been experimenting recently though with hair friendly ways to smooth it. Having read the methods recommended to smooth the hair with silicone and brushing with a boar bristle brush, it occured to me that there may be a way to do that without product or a tool.

I use my hands, specifically my palms. In the shower, as a final step after rinsing out the catnip treatment, I smooth my hair length (held in front of me as I wash and rinse my hair all forward), before squeezing out most of the excess water. I just hold the length in one hand and run my hand down, over the length with the other.

I repeat that after towel blotting. The idea is to smooth the cuticles while they are wet. When I am manipulating my waves, shaping my hair, I use the flat of my hand to smooth the hair (top layer) as well. I have separated the hair and finger combed slightly before this. The hair is mostly still wet but really what I would call semi damp.

It works. I still need to wet and reshape those single, annoying hairs that do what they want anyway but over all my hair is much smoother than it has been, before doing this.

ETA: I washed my hair before going to school Monday but did not have time to fuss with it very much and it was humid. I did not like the way it turned out, so tonight, I rewet my hair from the ears down (not soaked, I just wet my hands and ran them down both sides pulled forward), shaped the waves, let it dry and put it up, to get it out of my way, while doing chores). I just took it down. My length is still smooth and wavy. It is humid here right now but my hair does not indicate that the way that it used to do. So, this method can be used on hair that has dried not in the best shape and that has reacted to the weather already. Catnip allows my hair to do that. Before using it, this would not have worked. I used to try to reshape it by rewetting my hair on occasion and it would almost immediately revert to its previous shape and condition, when dry. I also used to try putting it up slightly damp, hoping that wearing it up for a few hours would help smooth it out but that never worked either. When I would take it down it would be dry but still frizzy.

[cocolover]

I tried catnip a few times in the past, but didn't get much results (user error, pretty sure). I am interested in trying it again, my dry ends don't seem to be responding to anything I am trying. However, I am wondering if it will work for me. I do not use shampoo of any kind, only indian herbs for washing (shikakai, amla, tulsi, cassia, etc....) From reading in this post, it sounds like these might coat the hair too much for the catnip to be effective. Do you pretty much have to use shampoo to have catnip work? I am also currently applying fox's shea cream to my ends and I'm guessing this would also coat the hair too much for the catnip to penetrate....? I use a mister bottle with some oil in it also and sometimes oil the length with evoo. Would I need to quit oiling my hair, misting and using the fox cream to allow the catnip access?

[kdaniels8811]

I use herbs, also. I do not use them on the length, only the scalp. I soak my length in catnip tea - steeped in a mug for 8 hours as Ktani mentions - and ponytail it in a sandwich bag to keep it good and wet. Then make up my herb mix - also steep it and apply it to my scalp when it cools. Let it sit 15 minutes or so, then into the shower and rinse the whole thing out. This method is what works for me. The catnip is my conditioner and my comb runs right through it without any tangles when wet. Just like my old coney conditioner!

I did notice after several months a buildup - probably from using oils on the length. Clarifying stripped it so much I needed to do an SMT but went back to my usual routine after that and my hair is just fine. I hope that helps answer your question about using herbs with catnip (catnip is an herb, too!) If not, please ask more questions and good luck - let us know how this works for you if you decide to try it.

Edit - oh, yes, I used coconut oil on the length while my hair is damp and wash it about ever 4-5 days.

[ktani]

I use herbs, also. I do not use them on the length, only the scalp. I soak my length in catnip tea - steeped in a mug for 8 hours as Ktani mentions - and ponytail it in a sandwich bag to keep it good and wet. Then make up my herb mix - also steep it and apply it to my scalp when it cools. Let it sit 15 minutes or so, then into the shower and rinse the whole thing out. This method is what works for me. The catnip is my conditioner and my comb runs right through it without any tangles when wet. Just like my old coney conditioner!

I did notice after several months a buildup - probably from using oils on the length. Clarifying stripped it so much I needed to do an SMT but went back to my usual routine after that and my hair is just fine. I hope that helps answer your question about using herbs with catnip (catnip is an herb, too!) If not, please ask more questions and good luck - let us know how this works for you if you decide to try it.

Edit - oh, yes, I used coconut oil on the length while my hair is damp and wash it about ever 4-5 days.

Thank you for answering this. Your system works with occasional clarifying and I believe that you have the answer for using catnip with herb washes.

I am removing and reapplying catnip each time, so I do not need to clarify, as I find that I do not need to use anything else like oils.

[cocolover]

I use herbs, also. I do not use them on the length, only the scalp. I soak my length in catnip tea - steeped in a mug for 8 hours as Ktani mentions - and ponytail it in a sandwich bag to keep it good and wet. Then make up my herb mix - also steep it and apply it to my scalp when it cools. Let it sit 15 minutes or so, then into the shower and rinse the whole thing out. This method is what works for me. The catnip is my conditioner and my comb runs right through it without any tangles when wet. Just like my old coney conditioner!

I did notice after several months a buildup - probably from using oils on the length. Clarifying stripped it so much I needed to do an SMT but went back to my usual routine after that and my hair is just fine. I hope that helps answer your question about using herbs with catnip (catnip is an herb, too!) If not, please ask more questions and good luck - let us know how this works for you if you decide to try it.

Edit - oh, yes, I used coconut oil on the length while my hair is damp and wash it about ever 4-5 days.

Sorry to be so confused...so you are using coconut oil, and then applying the catnip on top of that on wash day? It doesn't prevent the catnip from penetrating and benefiting the hair?

[Rini]

Hi Ktani I'm really keen to try the catnip out and have FINALLY managed to get some. It was very hard to find it and I rang many pet stores. Eventually I found some in small "tea bags" which I will open up to get the one teaspoon measurement for <300ml water. I have some on order from ebay, so hopefully that will be more economical.

Anyway, I digress Some questions: how important is it to really rinse the catnip out? After I've done the one hour treatment and get back into the shower to rinse, should I rinse and rinse and rinse? Or just a quick rinse and leave some in there? Secondly, I see you like the brewing time of 8 hours. I am wondering if brewing it any longer than this would cause any problems? I was thinking of making it tonight, and letting it sit overnight. Will it keep? I mean if I could not use it that day for some reason, could I use it the next day?

I am going to try your method exactly...ie shampoo and not condition. I'm willing to stop COing if the catnip method is successful for me I'm hoping to achieve some smoothness and get some moisture to my unruly/wavy/flyaway hair (especially my troublesome velcro ends!). Your experience with it encourages me greatly.

I will update my results here.

[ktani]

Hi Ktani I'm really keen to try the catnip out and have FINALLY managed to get some. It was very hard to find it and I rang many pet stores. Eventually I found some in small "tea bags" which I will open up to get the one teaspoon measurement for <300ml water. I have some on order from ebay, so hopefully that will be more economical.

Anyway, I digress Some questions: how important is it to really rinse the catnip out? After I've done the one hour treatment and get back into the shower to rinse, should I rinse and rinse and rinse? Or just a quick rinse and leave some in there? Secondly, I see you like the brewing time of 8 hours. I am wondering if brewing it any longer than this would cause any problems? I was thinking of making it tonight, and letting it sit overnight. Will it keep? I mean if I could not use it that day for some reason, could I use it the next day?

I am going to try your method exactly...ie shampoo and not condition. I'm willing to stop COing if the catnip method is successful for me I'm hoping to achieve some smoothness and get some moisture to my unruly/wavy/flyaway hair (especially my troublesome velcro ends!). Your experience with it encourages me greatly.

I will update my results here.

Hi Rini

I will answer your questions in order.

1. how important is it to really rinse the catnip out?
I find that it is important for me to rinse the catnip out completely. My hair is on the fine side (fine/medium) and my hair looks and feels better with catnip rinsed out.

2. After I've done the one hour treatment and get back into the shower to rinse, should I rinse and rinse and rinse? Or just a quick rinse and leave some in there?
Rinse it out completely, if you are following my routine. I have found with a good shampoo, that the water pressure and gently separating my hair is all I need to remove any snags. My hair just no longer tangles in the shower and when rinsed out, my hair feels silky smooth. I start off bringing my hair all forward in the shower and separate it and smooth it out before washing it. No tangles, no problems. Then I apply the catnip to sections after shampooing and rinsing out the shampoo all forward too. I start with the underneath areas of what my hair is right side up. I bag that pinned up. I then take that down and apply the catnip to the top layers, with the length hanging out of the bag. I then bring everything all forward for the final rinse. Still with all of that? No tangles no knots, no split ends. I just find it easier to grab and separate my hair with it in front of me, from the time I first grew it out. Only with catnip though, have I been able to do what I do now without getting tangles or hair catching on itself.

3. Secondly, I see you like the brewing time of 8 hours. I am wondering if brewing it any longer than this would cause any problems? I was thinking of making it tonight, and letting it sit overnight. Will it keep? I mean if I could not use it that day for some reason, could I use it the next day?
I would not brew it longer than 8 hours. It should not be a problem but I just do not think that it is a good idea to have it out that long, and brewing in the fridge (it was done when someone was in a hurry) does not sound right to me. The coldness may slow down how well the catnip qualities are released into the water or affect it somehow in the process. I have not thought that through. I am just not doing it.

After brewing the catnip at room temperature for 8 hours it is very important to refridgerate it, if you are not going to use it right away. Although catnip is antibacterial and antiviral, and although I have never had it go off, in between uses, it is always refidgerated when I am not using it. It can keep up to a week. I have actually used it older than that but I cannot in good conscience recommend that. It should be fine for 1 week, refridgerated. I use most of the batch all at once on my hair but I keep some behind, to use on my skin, so only once, at the beginning, is a batch used on my hair. I wash my hair once a week. I have gone longer than that but I usually make a new batch, when I do that. Catnip tea is just catnip and water. Treat it like you would any liquid with water that is not preserved. It keeps well but refridgerate it when not in use if you either make it in advance, or keep some left over after using it. I let it warm up to room temperature for about an hour if I have made it the day before I wash my hair and it is out, in the shower for at least another hour when I wash my hair. That has never been a problem for me. I use the leftover catnip cold, in the mornings. It is quite refreshing to wash my face with it that way, then it goes straight back into the fridge.

If you have been consistently CO'ing, I would suggest that you clarify, (a shampoo for normal hair will do unless you have a lot of build-up), to remove most of any conditioner residue. Catnip use gets better over time but any barrier to it accessing the hair, from my experience, impedes how well it conditions.

I am happy to answer any and all questions you or anyone else has about my routine.

[Rini]

Right. Got it! Thanks Ktani

I will brew it for 8 hours at room temp, then refridgerate to use ASAP. Not looking forward to putting cold liquid into my hair though...

One more question, you mentioned that your hair is wavy and I am wondering if the catnip effects the strength of your wave pattern at all? ie...does it make it wavier or straighter or no effect either way?

Oh, and yes, I had planned to clarify before hand. I want maximum catnip penetration!