Re: Catnip for split ends?
Ok, catnip fats. Not as much saturated fat as I thought in the seeds. I also zoomed in on that other article.
"57% linolenic acid, 18% linoleic acid, 12% oleic acid, 6% saturated fatty acids."
http://earthnotes.tripod.com/catnip.htm
I will look for more information on the essential oil and the fatty acids. I need to assemble it all.
Rereading that first article, there are "39.3%" saturated fatty acids in one part of what they divided the oil into. Ok, well I am happy with catnp results. There is not anywhere near as much information on catnip oils and the breakdown, like there is on food oils.
I will still check it out anyway. Catnip seeds only have about 24% oil in them in any case.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Ok, my second catnipping happened today. Backstory: I oiled the s**t outta my hair last night. If you think expletives weren't necessary, I assure you, they are. :p I probably put a 1/3 cup of oil (coconut and castor) on for some crazy ass reason and my hair was saturated with it. Don't ask why, I seriously can't tell you. After deciding that being a greaseball while I slept wasn't going to happen, I attempted to remove the oil a couple of hours later via CO on dry hair, left for at least a 1/2 hour (didn't watch the clock, went by tv show), rinsed - no dice. Applied my herbal wash (aritha and amla) to towel dried hair for another twenty minutes, rinsed - no dice. I was still a skeevy greaseball when I went to bed last night.
This morning I applied the rest of my herbal wash, left on for...geez, I don't even know probably an hour. Rinsing didn't budge the oil at all. Cue heavy CO with kiwi-lime VO5 coiled up under shower cap for duration of shower (25 minutes?) followed by a light splash of water and a sulfate shampoo. After following all taht with a vinegar rinse I *still* had oil in my hair (oh god - will it ever get out?!) and my scalp hurt from all the washing abuse.
So, yeah, even though I knew it was doubtful as to whether or not catnip would be able to get through my still oiled hair, I saturated my hair and scalp anyway. Ooh, also didn't rinse off the catnip water that got on my facial skin and you know what? My normal dry and crinkly skin at this time of night still feels soft. Anyway, allow me to ramble further. So, I left the catnip on for an hour, rinsed, and what do you know? My hair felt soft, less stripped after that sulfate shampoo wash (on top of two COs and two herbal washes) and also mostly oil free. I've still got some semi-stringy strands here and there, but for the most part it's just soft hair. Awesome.
So, after doing a thorough look through my hair yesterday, I found barely any splits (whew! Looks like all the chemical dye from years past is completely gone... a two foot hair chop'll do that. :p), and would like that to continue. I'm just amazed that something so simple as a tsp of catnip (today I used dry stuff from the petstore. Why not? the cats prefer the fresh anyway) in 300mL of water, brewed until cool and ready for use, left on for an hour, and rinsed can actually have this kind of impact on my hair. My hair is soooo dry and two steps from being damaged at any given time when not treated gently or lacking in too much moisture, and I don't even need to use conditioner with catnip water? Seriously? It's just insane.
Ok, rambles aside. I have one question for you, Ktani, when you "bag" your hair, what exactly do you do? I get the leaks whether I use saran wrap around my hair (piled on my head) and covered with a shower cap, or saran wrap and towel, it doesn't seem to matter. I just drip like mad. Simple answer would be to use less I guess, but it seems like no matter how small the amount, it will eventually drip down. The first time I did try to put my length in a plastic bag and secure it with a scrunchie, but that was really heavy and pulled at my scalp.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zombiekins
Ok, my second catnipping happened today. Backstory: I oiled the s**t outta my hair last night. If you think expletives weren't necessary, I assure you, they are. :p I probably put a 1/3 cup of oil (coconut and castor) on for some crazy ass reason and my hair was saturated with it. Don't ask why, I seriously can't tell you. After deciding that being a greaseball while I slept wasn't going to happen, I attempted to remove the oil a couple of hours later via CO on dry hair, left for at least a 1/2 hour (didn't watch the clock, went by tv show), rinsed - no dice. Applied my herbal wash (aritha and amla) to towel dried hair for another twenty minutes, rinsed - no dice. I was still a skeevy greaseball when I went to bed last night.
This morning I applied the rest of my herbal wash, left on for...geez, I don't even know probably an hour. Rinsing didn't budge the oil at all. Cue heavy CO with kiwi-lime VO5 coiled up under shower cap for duration of shower (25 minutes?) followed by a light splash of water and a sulfate shampoo. After following all taht with a vinegar rinse I *still* had oil in my hair (oh god - will it ever get out?!) and my scalp hurt from all the washing abuse.
So, yeah, even though I knew it was doubtful as to whether or not catnip would be able to get through my still oiled hair, I saturated my hair and scalp anyway. Ooh, also didn't rinse off the catnip water that got on my facial skin and you know what? My normal dry and crinkly skin at this time of night still feels soft. Anyway, allow me to ramble further. So, I left the catnip on for an hour, rinsed, and what do you know? My hair felt soft, less stripped after that sulfate shampoo wash (on top of two COs and two herbal washes) and also mostly oil free. I've still got some semi-stringy strands here and there, but for the most part it's just soft hair. Awesome.
So, after doing a thorough look through my hair yesterday, I found barely any splits (whew! Looks like all the chemical dye from years past is completely gone... a two foot hair chop'll do that. :p), and would like that to continue. I'm just amazed that something so simple as a tsp of catnip (today I used dry stuff from the petstore. Why not? the cats prefer the fresh anyway) in 300mL of water, brewed until cool and ready for use, left on for an hour, and rinsed can actually have this kind of impact on my hair. My hair is soooo dry and two steps from being damaged at any given time when not treated gently or lacking in too much moisture, and I don't even need to use conditioner with catnip water? Seriously? It's just insane.
Ok, rambles aside. I have one question for you, Ktani, when you "bag" your hair, what exactly do you do? I get the leaks whether I use saran wrap around my hair (piled on my head) and covered with a shower cap, or saran wrap and towel, it doesn't seem to matter. I just drip like mad. Simple answer would be to use less I guess, but it seems like no matter how small the amount, it will eventually drip down. The first time I did try to put my length in a plastic bag and secure it with a scrunchie, but that was really heavy and pulled at my scalp.
Great read!, lol quite a story.
I love that catnip was so great on your skin.
A couple of things. Indian washing herbs hare not great at removing vegetable oils. That is way they are used on pre-oiled hair, to leave some behind , so that the hair does not get dry.
Catnip for some reason, based on at least one report, used with washing herbs does help remove vegetable oil.
CO is reported to remove oils best.
Yes, it is amazing to me still, that 1 level tsp. of catnip to that much water, 300 ml or about 10 oz can do what it does for me. But it does.
I use a freezer bag for my treatment, the ones that come with ties and are extra thick plastic. I stretch the opening and just put in on and twist the extra bit, where my forehead is and tuck it under. I get fairly few drips with round 1 (all of my hair pinned up). Round 2, with my length loose and just the top bagged, I still get few drips.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Going by my observations through experimenting, some part of catnip oils are being absorbed into my hair I believe, not like coconut oil that absorbs the best, and only with body heat (bagging) for 1 hour, on hair that has no coating on it.
When I used catnip as a shampoo, the oils and other catnip constituents, were enough to prevent added catnip from being absorbed into my hair as well as it can, so they provided a barrier of some sort.
Catnip does contain lauric acid, not as its main fatty acid, like coconut oil, but enough to connect I believe, somewhat to my hair protein to make a difference, combined with the other constituents, to moisurize and strengthen. Catnip used without body heat (bagging) and extra time on my hair did not yield optimal results.
In other words catnip tea can penetrate hair to a degree, which is what I thought, used a certain way, for optimal results. The tea contains some oils.
Catnip tea, rinsed off as a shampoo, with added catnip applied over it, was not enough to to yield optimal results, so quantity plays a role too.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Would love to see photo results---put a few threads up on the mane forum--photos of your ends and before and after photos of results you've seen using a new method learned on LHC.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Darkhorse1
Would love to see photo results---put a few threads up on the mane forum--photos of your ends and before and after photos of results you've seen using a new method learned on LHC.
I do not have before and after photos of my ends and I did not learn my method from LHC. I developed it over 2 years, using it the last 2 of the almost 4 years (in September) I have been using catnip. The information is all in this thread and the catnip Article.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
I was wondering if there is a listing somewhere of which cleansing methods work well with catnip...ie don't leave a coating on the hair that does not allow the catnip access. I've tried searching through this thread but couldn't find all the information.
Have people had success with soapnuts? Do the stats indicate that soapnuts would work with catnip?
What about herbal washings? I believe shikakai leaves a coating?
CV soap bars?
I would like to give the catnip a go, but my current routine is herbal washings with pre-oilings and I'm pretty sure that leaves a coating on the hair. I also oil lightly post-wash, leaving another coating, so I am seeing if a new routine would allow me to use catnip. Commercial shampoos, even the all natural organic ones, leave my hair frizzier, drier and less shiny, so I don't really want to back to shampoo. Thanks for any input.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cocolover
I was wondering if there is a listing somewhere of which cleansing methods work well with catnip...ie don't leave a coating on the hair that does not allow the catnip access. I've tried searching through this thread but couldn't find all the information.
Have people had success with soapnuts? Do the stats indicate that soapnuts would work with catnip?
What about herbal washings? I believe shikakai leaves a coating?
CV soap bars?
I would like to give the catnip a go, but my current routine is herbal washings with pre-oilings and I'm pretty sure that leaves a coating on the hair. I also oil lightly post-wash, leaving another coating, so I am seeing if a new routine would allow me to use catnip. Commercial shampoos, even the all natural organic ones, leave my hair frizzier, drier and less shiny, so I don't really want to back to shampoo. Thanks for any input.
I only use shampoo but here is a method that works for a herb washer, herbs on the scalp, and catnip on the length, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...postcount=1692
You may find that you do not need a leave-in with catnip. From my experience, catnip does not work well over coatings and most washing washing herbs can leave one. A shampoo bar, followed by a vinegar rinse may not.
Re: Catnip for split ends?
Cocolover - I use herbs on the scalp only and catnip on the length, I tried oiling once prior to herbal wash and it was a disaster so now I just use the herbs on the scalp with catnip tea on the length as described in my post that ktani so kindly linked. If you would like more information, please ask for specifics and I will do the best I can to answer. I do use oil, coconut oil is applied to the length of my hair while it is damp, after I have rinsed the catnip/herbal wash out. It soaks in by the time I am ready to wash again, 4 days or so. Hope this helps!
Re: Catnip for split ends?
So if I only oiled my scalp, washed the scalp with the herbs and basically only catnip was touching the length, would that work?
ktani- you once mentioned that the catnip leaves a residue that can even inhibit the next use of catnip, so if I'm not washing the length with anything at all, would the catnip buildup and then not work anymore? Maybe clarifying once a month?
kdaniels- Currently all oils seem to be making my ends crunchy, which is what is motivating me towards catnip. The hair at my scalp loves coconut oil, my ends HATE it! It is a recipe for instant crunchiness for me. Is there a place to look up which oils would soak in the most, leaving the most chance for the catnip to be effective?
Thanks for the responses