Page 2 of 285 FirstFirst 12341252102 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 2843

Thread: Catnip for split ends?

  1. #11
    Practically Tidal Wavelength's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    La Belle Province
    Posts
    6,452
    Type
    2a/M/ii

    Default

    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?
    SuperCool Sunglasses generously provided by snowbear!
    Lady Wavelengthe of Auburne Waves, Order of Long Haired Knights

  2. #12
    Member Morag's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Coyotes R Us
    Age
    73
    Posts
    708
    Length
    14/24/???
    Type
    1a/F/i/ii

    Default

    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!

  3. #13
    Account Closed by Member Request
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    In the Realm of Innovative Hair Care Methods
    Posts
    19,474

    Default Catnip

    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/Medica...rbs/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.
    Last edited by ktani; March 25th, 2008 at 10:57 AM. Reason: added link and text

  4. #14
    Account Closed by Member Request
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    In the Realm of Innovative Hair Care Methods
    Posts
    19,474

    Default Catnip

    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.
    Last edited by ktani; May 2nd, 2008 at 05:06 PM. Reason: spelling

  5. #15
    Veteran Member GoldLady's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    The Lone Star State
    Age
    62
    Posts
    1,171
    Length
    21/43/45
    Type
    1b/F/ii

    Default

    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!
    Deb

  6. #16
    Account Closed by Member Request
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    In the Realm of Innovative Hair Care Methods
    Posts
    19,474

    Default Catnip

    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.
    Last edited by ktani; March 26th, 2008 at 02:37 PM. Reason: spelling

  7. #17
    Liberty or Death Stagecoach's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    East Coast
    Age
    34
    Posts
    2,345
    Length
    Chin/TBL/???
    Type
    1c/M/ii

    Default

    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.)

    Lady Sunrise of the Prairie

  8. #18
    Account Closed by Member Request
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    In the Realm of Innovative Hair Care Methods
    Posts
    19,474

    Default Catnip

    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.

  9. #19
    Member iris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    the netherlands
    Age
    51
    Posts
    4,352
    Type
    2c/M/ii

    Default

    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
    Grew out my henna (February 2007 - August 2009)

  10. #20
    Liberty or Death Stagecoach's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    East Coast
    Age
    34
    Posts
    2,345
    Length
    Chin/TBL/???
    Type
    1c/M/ii

    Default

    Thank you Iris and Katini!!!

    Lady Sunrise of the Prairie

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •