I use it every time I wash my hair, which is approximately twice a week. I agree with Ktani - I don't think it's possible to use it too often. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ElenTikvah
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I use it every time I wash my hair, which is approximately twice a week. I agree with Ktani - I don't think it's possible to use it too often. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ElenTikvah
I tried catnip for the first time yesterday and now I'm confused. My hair felt pretty nice right after I rinsed the catniptea out, but today the ends have felt a little dry and crispy :( Also my scalp is getting more and more itchy.
I did it the way ktani had written in the article with one exception: I didn't remember to filter the catnip out of the liquid after half an hour, it stayed there for several hours. Could it be that it ended up being too stong and irritated my skin and dried my ends?
No, you are cool with that. I changed that for the Article, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...&articleid=118.Quote:
Originally Posted by Naava
You can do either. It makes no difference to the conditioning results. The only real advantage I find, is that the colour goes a deeper yellow, which for me, means better grey/white coverage.
This was your first time, lol (that sounds so strange, lol). You have to account for timing and any possible residue, that you may have on your hair. Catnip results are not instant, in terms of optimal results. The results get better over time, as long as there is no coating on your hair.
I let my catnip steep for 6 or more hours, so that shouldn't be the problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by Naava
Occasionally, my hair feels slightly stiff/dry/crunchy (I haven't figured out the best adjective to describe it) a day or two after the catnip rinse. However, when I comb my hair, that feeling goes away, though my hair might feel like that again by the next day before I comb my hair in the morning. After combing, though, my hair is silky soft. This doesn't always happen, so I'm still trying to find the cause. It may have to do with some buildup, either from oils (I sporadically use oil in my hair) or from not shampooing before the catnip rinse (I've been experimenting with using catnip-only washes, and every 3-4 washes using baking soda as a shampoo).
Catnip washes from all reports are limited in what they can remove. If you are using vegetable oils as part of your routine, even stronger cleansers can have problems removing those.Quote:
Originally Posted by KaeleyAnne
Yes, I haven't used catnip for very long, so I'm still experimenting to find out what works. I have discovered that as the number of washes in which I've used catnip increases, the less oil (or other additional frizz-control substance) my hair needs. I haven't used oil on my hair at all for over a week.Quote:
Originally Posted by ktani
I'm still trying to figure out if I need anything in addition to catnip (as long as I don't put something in my hair that needs to be washed out by something stronger), and if I do need something else, if baking soda is enough or if I actually need shampoo.
I doubt very much that you need baking soda, if you do not have accumulated heavy build-up on your hair. Baking soda is alkaline, though not strongly so. Catnip is acidic, but not as acidic as a vinegar rinse can be and usually is, even when well diluted.Quote:
Originally Posted by KaeleyAnne
If you feel the need, I suggest a mild, non coating shampoo. Most shampoos are acidic.
I always follow baking soda with a vinegar rinse, before the catnip. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ktani
I do not know if I'll stick with the baking soda. Right now it's just an experiment. I'm trying to see if I can get away with using no shampoo. If needed, I'll go back to using shampoo. Or I'll try something else in place of shampoo. Though hopefully I won't need anything at all besides catnip. ;)
Cool! I look forward to reading your reports.Quote:
Originally Posted by KaeleyAnne
I'm only up to page 31 of this thread, but I wanted to ask a question.
I used catnip on two of my daughters and on myself 2 days ago. We are very happy with the results, even though we didn't leave it on long enough. I can't figure out how to leave it on my hair for a full hour. What do you do with yourself during that hour??
Anyway, my question: You said you don't think catnip can do anything through conditioner. Do you think it's ok to use a conditioner AFTER the catnip rinse if it's a mild conditioner like VO5? Or would that build up and cause problems as well? I ask mainly for my 8yo daughter. She has very thick and wavy/curly classic length hair that is difficult to comb out. Given her age, she doesn't really have the patience to sit for a long time while I try to detangle her hair after the shower. A little conditioner would make it easier for me to detangle, but I don't want to defeat the purpose of the catnip. What do you think?
For a slight rave, my 10 year old's hair (that I referred to as horse hair before) is now quite shiny, soft and manageable. The ends are still dry, but I think it will at least now be able to grow so we can trim those ends off. For her hair alone, I thank you. We are catnip devotees now for sure!