Catnip for split ends?

**chickpea** · November 25th, 2008, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by Demetrue

I just wanted to add that I am thrilled with the results of the catnip tea treatment! I did it 2X so far, after shampooing, no conditioner, and it made my hair unbelievably soft and silky and the damaged parts are behaving themselves. I then did a cassia treatment this weekend using catnip tea instead of hot water to mix. I am so happy with the results - my hair usually only looks this shiny with tons of cones, and then it still is never this soft or full. So far, I'm thrilled!

that's funny, we both had the same idea! I did a cassia treatment with catnip tea this past weekend, with a little honey stirred in. I applied the treatment after washing, and left it in for a half hour before rinsing. Afterward my hair was so soft and felt thicker too.

I've done cassia treatments with plain water before, and they left my hair feeling crunchy for a few days. It was much nicer with the catnip tea and honey.

**MsBubbles** · November 25th, 2008, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Demetrue

I am thinking that if you comb your hair before getting into the shower, dilute some shampoo and only put it on your scalp, do not manipulate the rest of your hair much - do not pile hair on top of your hair and scrub, etc. then pour catnip rinse over head, braid wet hair and put it in shower cap for 1 hour, then get back in shower and let down braid, rinse with braid in, then unbraid and rinse some more, always leaving hair straight down, it shouldn't get super tangled - at least that's how I had to wash my hair when I had long extensions in to prevent tangling.

Well I do detangle before showering, but I have not yet figured out how to get the shampoo onto the greasiest part of my scalp and to massage/lather it without ripping out all my hair with my fingertips, unless my head is bent forwards. My hair is very fine and gets all caught up in my beefy fingers

. I do tip my head forwards so I can get to my scalp with my fingertips without pulling hair out unnecessarily - and this is even after putting shampoo into a squirty bottle (diluted) and squirting it almost directly onto my scalp at the greasiest parts. I tried lathering/shampooing with my head up and my hair hanging down over my shoulders, but felt like I could not access my scalp.

You are right to home in on that part of the process, though, because that's where it all gets messed up. Maybe I should try to be extra, extra careful and see if that helps.

**ktani** · November 25th, 2008, 10:03 PM

The difference between catnip and conventional conditioner.

In spite of the hype on conditioners, most do not really "penetrate the hair" very much, although some ingredients can penetrate the hair to the cortex, according to Paula Begoun, a few years ago, in one of her books, and she is always well, credibly referenced, IMO.

However, another point Paula Begoun made at the time, was that if a molecule can penetrate the hair easily, it does not necessarily stay there very long and can leave the hair easily too (probably IMO, simply by being washed out). That makes sense to me, and the only thing I know of that binds to keratin permanently is the lawsone in henna. Both coconut oil and supposedly olive oil, penetrate hair because of their molecular size.

Conditioners are designed these days to work in minutes, have concentrated ingredients and sometimes have penetration enhancers among their ingredients.

Catnip is purely natural, since I use it unadulterated, but it apparently has all of the conditioning properties I need.

It took a lot of experimentation on my part to get it to work the way it does for me now, although the split end preventing part happened fairly early on for me. I did not document that as to exactly when, nor did I document anything else on my catnip use, for that matter, other than what I have written on the boards.

2 key things work for me. 1. my dilution. 2. the bagged timing.

The timing, as I have said before, but not here, I think, is because catnip does not contain the concentration of ingredients, or the penetration enhancers of conventional products and it compensates for that.

I have read and I believe it to be true, that the longer you leave a conventional conditioner on the hair, the better it works, within limits. There is a saturation end point I believe and it is not hours or overnight, more like 10-30 minutes, maximum, in most, if not all cases.

For catnip it is about an hour more or less. I am not anal about the timing.

**MsBubbles** · November 26th, 2008, 06:37 AM

This is such great info, Ktani. You really are a 'hive of information'

. I think I don't have my correct concentration yet.

**ktani** · November 26th, 2008, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by MsBubbles

This is such great info, Ktani. You really are a 'hive of information'

. I think I don't have my correct concentration yet.

Thank you (love the honey geek pun) and just keep at it, if you have noticed, as I did, enough positive results to "spur you on".

**Demetrue** · November 27th, 2008, 07:22 AM

After 2 catnip tea treatments (made per ktani's method and left on for one hour) last week, and then one treatment of cassia mixed with catnip and chamomile tea (left one for one hour). My hair looked so damaged before that I didn't know what to do. I am so much more hopeful now that I see the results with catnip!

**ktani** · November 27th, 2008, 07:31 AM

Demetrue

I am very pleased for you. Even with the size of that picture and it being slightly off focus, you hair looks shiny and healthy.

The great news with catnip use, from my experience, is that it just keeps getting better. I have not found a downside yet.

I do not know how it may work out with cassia on its own but again from my experience, catnip is much more conditioning than chamomile, and without the dryness or build-up problems. For your next cassia treatment, which IMO, you should not need for a while, try using only catnip mixed with it.

**Comfrey** · November 29th, 2008, 04:58 AM

I just this minute got hubby to use this and I am STUNNED! Its amazing and he didnt even leave it on for the half hour.

He is bald on top with what can only be described as a rats tail and velcro at the top back of his head. The velcro as gone completely and now even he has said he'll do the full half hour or more.

Now all I have to do is get the daktarin near his bonce

**ktani** · November 29th, 2008, 05:26 AM

Originally Posted by Comfrey

I just this minute got hubby to use this and I am STUNNED! Its amazing and he didnt even leave it on for the half hour.

He is bald on top with what can only be described as a rats tail and velcro at the top back of his head. The velcro as gone completely and now even he has said he'll do the full half hour or more.

Now all I have to do is get the daktarin near his bonce

His scalp probably feels better too. Catnip is soothing.

**ktani** · November 29th, 2008, 01:35 PM

I let my hair go too long beween washing this time, just over a week because I was not feeling well.

I am fine now (a mild stomache bug) and used more shampoo than I usually do.

No problems though doing that. I squeezed the extra water out of my hair, and applied the catnip as usual, a little at a time, cupped in my hands. I held it on my hair a few seconds on each area applied (repeatedly), before bagging my hair and before the the cool down time. Result? shiny, soft, conditioned hair, covered grey/white and almost no static.