Catnip for split ends?

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Originally Posted by scalawaggirl

Okay, back with an update. :) I applied catnip on dry hair and left it on for an hour. Then, I rinsed, squeezed out the excess water and did a CO with VO5 Strawberries & Cream conditioner. Once most of the water was out from toweling, I applied Fox's leave-in.

It turned out very well and my hair is nice and soft. The one thing I would change is to go back to applying the catnip on damp hair, not dry, like normal.

I like this idea and will follow it next time I shower. It would be a switch from what I normally do (i.e. CO, rinse, catnip, rinse).

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If catnip is working enough for you with your method, great!

You can always try mine if not.

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Originally Posted by LaCitoyenne

I've tried catnip a few times now. So far, it seems to work for me like citric acid - closes the cuticle very well and quickly, but leaves my hair feeling rather dry. I have not yet tried to leave catnip on for a significant length of time. Maybe over time catnip goes from being merely astringent (for want of a better word) to astringent-conditioning? Also it's quite possible I have a lot of build-up on my hair although I've clarified a few times this month. It's fun to experiment though, and I'm lucky that if I have disastrous results I can just braid my hair to hide them :grin:.

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I agree with ktani, you have to give it time.

I've been using catnip for about a month now. My results after each catnip treatment now are MUCH softer even through the damaged areas and splits than when I started but it took pretty much the whole month to get more results. I did see SOME results starting off, but as time goes I see more and more. It takes patience.

Ok, I did catnip tea for the second time yesterday and did like the results. I really need to get a trim and hopefully that will happen this week. So maybe after that I'll be able to see if it prevents split ends.

Anyhow, I am wondering if I could just use catnip tea rinse as a "CO only" type of thing. I mean, do I HAVE to use shampoo before using catnip tea or could I just get in the shower and do nothing but catnip tea (no shampoo or conditioner).

I think I read somewhere on this post that this was tried but the person's hair became grimy/greasy? However, I have dry hair which I wash everyday or at least every other day. Therefore, I don't really want to shampoo that often. Could I just try using catnip tea alone without shampooing first?

I understand that if I do heavy oiling before catnip I would need to shampoo the oil out first.

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Originally Posted by Sissy

Ok, I did catnip tea for the second time yesterday and did like the results. I really need to get a trim and hopefully that will happen this week. So maybe after that I'll be able to see if it prevents split ends.

Anyhow, I am wondering if I could just use catnip tea rinse as a "CO only" type of thing. I mean, do I HAVE to use shampoo before using catnip tea or could I just get in the shower and do nothing but catnip tea (no shampoo or conditioner).

I think I read somewhere on this post that this was tried but the person's hair became grimy/greasy? However, I have dry hair which I wash everyday or at least every other day. Therefore, I don't really want to shampoo that often. Could I just try using catnip tea alone without shampooing first?

I understand that if I do heavy oiling before catnip I would need to shampoo the oil out first.

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Catnip has been reported to help remove vegetable oils in combination with soapnuts (used after catnip was applied to oiled hair). I do not believe that catnip alone, can remove a heavy pre oiling of vegetable oil.

You can try catnip as a CO. Whether you will need to use shampoo at one point is still under experimentation and depends on the individual, as to results.

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Originally Posted by ktani

Catnip has been reported to help remove vegetable oils in combination with soapnuts (used after catnip was applied to oiled hair). I do not believe that catnip alone, can remove a heavy pre oiling of vegetable oil.

You can try catnip as a CO. Whether you will need to use shampoo at one point is still under experimentation and depends on the individual, as to results.

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Thanks for the info, Ktani. I own soap nuts too but they're something I haven't gotten around to trying yet. I think I'll try using catnip tea tonight without shampooing first. Hopefully my hair won't dry greasy.

Sissy

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Originally Posted by Sissy

Thanks for the info, Ktani. I own soap nuts too but they're something I haven't gotten around to trying yet. I think I'll try using catnip tea tonight without shampooing first. Hopefully my hair won't dry greasy.

Sissy

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Good luck!

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Originally Posted by ktani

I had some dryness early on when I had build-up but also at lower dilutions. I do not have any dryness now.

Test timing and bagging. I never had a lot of dryness but my ends now are not dry at all. It took a while and multiple hour soaks to get where I am now, although I was seeing results enough to keep me testing, from the beginning.

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Thanks, ktani. It's always the transition phase that's hardest to get through!

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Originally Posted by rymorg2

I agree with ktani, you have to give it time.

I've been using catnip for about a month now. My results after each catnip treatment now are MUCH softer even through the damaged areas and splits than when I started but it took pretty much the whole month to get more results. I did see SOME results starting off, but as time goes I see more and more. It takes patience.

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Thank you, rymorg2. So many people are raving about catnip, that if I persevere, I figure it's only a matter of time and practice before I hop on board the :cheese:wagon.

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Originally Posted by LaCitoyenne

Thanks, ktani. It's always the transition phase that's hardest to get through!

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You are most welcome!

My build-up was bad. Your transition phase should be shorter. I also was starting from scratch, with no guide as to how to proceed. Things are simpler now. I found what works for me and people are adapting that for themselves. I found out about catnip here but it was not used the way I use it now and was not reported to prevent or reduce split ends, or to colour hair. I started to use it for colour and conditioning and pushed it, through experimentation to where it is now. catfish, was the first to CO with it.

New catnip terminology

catnip "shampoo": - straight catnip applied to hair, post regular shampoo (or on its own), worked through hair and scalp and rinsed out, with no bagging or timing, in keeping with a conventional shampoo.

catnip "CO": - straight catnip applied to hair, left on the hair and scalp for a while and rinsed out, in keeping with a traditional CO.

catnip treatment: - straight catnip applied to the hair, bagged and timed (recommended time, 1 hour).

Note: I massage my scalp when I shampoo, whether it is catnip or Sunsilk shampoo, to remove dead skin and help circulation. I believe that it is a necessary part of shampooing. I use the pads of my fingers, and do not do this too long but long enough to help make sure my scalp stays healthy.