Catnip for split ends?

**ktani** · June 18th, 2009, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by kdaniels8811

People are going to think we own stock in catnip,

Another advantage of catnip, besides the fact that to me, it is the perfect hair conditioning and hair colouring plant, as if that were not enough, lol, is that I am no longer conventional product dependent.

As long as there are cats out there and cat lovers, I can find a good pet store catnip. And it grows wild in many places!

**ktani** · June 18th, 2009, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by KaeleyAnne

Catnip really is quite wonderful. I find Ktani's concentration to work well for me, but others have used different concentrations. I always steep the tea either overnight or all day - the time usually isn't less than 8 hours and can be as much as 12 or so hours - and I've never had any problems with that.

I also only do a quick rinse after letting my hair soak in the catnip - it seems to work better for me than doing an extremely thorough rinse.

I've found that the catnip works better than conditioner, so I don't use conditioner any more. I'm still playing around with what to wash my hair with before applying the catnip. Sometimes I only wash my hair with catnip (a CO using catnip instead of conditioner), but at least every other time I wash my hair I need to use something to wash it before using catnip. My hair and scalp don't seem to like shampoo anymore, so I've been playing around with different homemade shampoos/concoctions.

Catnip doesn't weigh down my hair at all, so it worked much better than conditioner-only for keeping my waves around.

The most important thing is to keep trying if catnip doesn't work for you at first, because the effects are definitely cumulative.

12 hours should not be a problem I agree. I just do not want to push the point for myself, with letting it stay out of the fridge too long at one time. It is about where it is when out standing too. It should not be near a heat source or in direct sunlight, while brewing, if it is going to be sitting around for long periods of time.

**KaeleyAnne** · June 19th, 2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Rini

Thank you KaeleyAnne

Your waves are soooooo pretty!!

I am curious as to what you are washing with? I'm interested in hearing about your experiments in that regard as I would be quite keen to not use shampoo (after having not used it for sooooo long), but I do feel I need something to clean my hair and scalp a bit better than CO has been doing for those years.

I wonder if soapnuts would be compatible with using Catnip??? Ktani, any experience with Soapnuts?

Thanks, Rini.

I've been using a small amount of baking soda dissolved in a large amount of water - somewhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon dissolved in a cup or two of water. I rinse that out and do a vinegar rinse, rinse that out, then apply the catnip and let it soak. I really have to make sure that I let the catnip sit for at least 20 minutes (the longer the better, but I'm impatient) when I use baking soda, to make up for the harshness of the baking soda. Doing the vinegar rinse right after the baking soda shampoo also helps to cut the harshness of the baking soda. I try to use as little baking soda as possible to get my scalp clean.

I don't like using baking soda every time I wash, so I've also been experimenting with doing an egg/molasses shampoo - beat an egg, add some molasses or honey, and use that as the shampoo. It seems to work as well, but I don't want to use that every time I shampoo, either, since I'm not sure if the egg application will cause a surfeit of protein. The baking soda cleans better, but the egg/molasses mixture isn't as harsh (and still cleans better than catnip alone).

Doing a catnip only wash works if the previous wash used some sort of "shampoo" and if I haven't applied any oil or gel (aloe or flax seed, for example) to my hair between the two washes. As Ktani has said, the catnip doesn't work as well over coatings, which I have verified through various experiments of my own.

I'm still experimenting with homemade shampoos - eventually I'll try washing with other herbs to see how that works. I'm keeping watch to see how others incorporate other forms of cleaning into their catnip routines.

**catfish** · June 19th, 2009, 08:01 PM

I just cut my hair and am excited to see what CO style washing with catnip is going to do to my waves now. I wonder if I should make less tea as 300ml was plenty for my elbow length hair.

Maybe I will just make the same amount as usual and just soak my hair down really well and see what happens.

Either way, catnip can't hurt

**Rini** · June 19th, 2009, 08:13 PM

Well I've done my first catnip. Here's what I did:

I brewed my catnip tea according to Ktani's instructions, but brew time was about 10 hours. I washed my hair with my clarifying shampoo and then soaked my hair with the catnip tea, bagged it and waited for one hour. I then rinsed it out.

After I rinsed it out, my hair was REALLY dry and tangly.

I had to get back into the shower and put some conditioner on it. After air drying, my hair looks as it normally does as if I had just done my usual CO routine. I'm a little disappointed, but was prepared that I may not see any benefits for a while. I will persist with this method and see if there are any improvements in my hair over time.

Did I do anything wrong? Any suggestions for improvement?

**ktani** · June 19th, 2009, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by Rini

Well I've done my first catnip. Here's what I did:

I brewed my catnip tea according to Ktani's instructions, but brew time was about 10 hours. I washed my hair with my clarifying shampoo and then soaked my hair with the catnip tea, bagged it and waited for one hour. I then rinsed it out.

After I rinsed it out, my hair was REALLY dry and tangly.

I had to get back into the shower and put some conditioner on it. After air drying, my hair looks as it normally does as if I had just done my usual CO routine. I'm a little disappointed, but was prepared that I may not see any benefits for a while. I will persist with this method and see if there are any improvements in my hair over time.

Did I do anything wrong? Any suggestions for improvement?

No, I do not think that you did anything wrong. You may still have some conditioner residue on your hair. 2 options for that. Just use a mild shampoo before your next catrnip treatment. It should help remove the residue and the conditioner you added today, use the catnip again and see how things go. If you can get away with no conditioner, during each successive treatment, more conditioning residue will wash out and you will slowly see results.

It also may be your catnip quality but time will tell on that. When I started to use catnip, I had horrid mucilage build-up on my hair that gradually washed out and catnip on top of that, still yielded enough of a positive result, that I kept using it, but I stopped all use of the product (the linden tea) that had caused the build-up. I was concerned that 1 clarifying shampoo, would not be enough to remove all conditioner residue, since you have been CO'ing for a while.

If your next treatment is better, in terms of results but you still need some conditioner, just use the least amount you can get away with. Each time you shampoo thereafter, the conditioner should be easier to remove.

The 2nd option, is to clarify again. However, depending on how strong the shampoo is you run the risk of drying out your hair. However, instead of using conditioner if you do that, you can try a light oiling, after the catnip, which may wash out easier than using conditioner.

**kdaniels8811** · June 19th, 2009, 08:41 PM

Rini - the last time I shampooed with clarifying shampoo, my hair was so stripped, catnip soaks did not help. My hair was as you described, dry and tangly. Catnip will not put back the oils removed with clarifying. I had to SMT, wash with a gentler shampoo, then start the catnip routine again. Now it is back to normal, with catnip soaks leaving my hair tangle free and soft as a kitten's fur. Clean but not stripped hair is the key, I have found. So don't give up! The benefits are well worth it.

**ktani** · June 19th, 2009, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by kdaniels8811

Rini - the last time I shampooed with clarifying shampoo, my hair was so stripped, catnip soaks did not help. My hair was as you described, dry and tangly. Catnip will not put back the oils removed with clarifying. I had to SMT, wash with a gentler shampoo, then start the catnip routine again. Now it is back to normal, with catnip soaks leaving my hair tangle free and soft as a kitten's fur. Clean but not stripped hair is the key, I have found. So don't give up! The benefits are well worth it.

I agree completely. Well done.

Rini, this says in part what I was trying to say, much more simply and it may be another reason why you have the results you do now. I did not address this possibility too.

**Madame J** · June 20th, 2009, 10:26 AM

I just told the girl at the pet store about catnip for hair. We were chatting about the catnip EO spray they have for refreshing cat toys, and she wondered why I cared about 'nip when I don't have a kitty. Their catnip is so pretty -- I'm going to get some in a bit when I have a little more money.

**ktani** · June 20th, 2009, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Madame J

I just told the girl at the pet store about catnip for hair. We were chatting about the catnip EO spray they have for refreshing cat toys, and she wondered why I cared about 'nip when I don't have a kitty. Their catnip is so pretty -- I'm going to get some in a bit when I have a little more money.

Walmart has or had a catnip in their pet section that is organic, cheap and contains buds and leaves. It is called SmartyKat.

I have never tried it but IMO, it is worth considering.