Catnip for split ends?

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Originally Posted by Nevb1973

Ok I need to try tjis. So I need to go to the pet store and buy loose catnip. Then I put a tablespoon full in a mug of water hot but not boiling let it steep covered about an hour. Wash my hair apply let sit for an hour then I can apply conditioner let sit a few more minutes then rinse? I am hoping it will stain my grays. If I put 2 tablespoons in two mugs of water amount in a glass bowl I have will this will work too? I do have a basin ao I was hoping to put my head over that and really soak the ends and pour it over my scalp to soak it good for staining of grays. Does this sound like a good plan? Will my hair pick up an odd sent from this? I only wash my hair once a week could I do this weekly in this order and will it work, or does it need to be more often?

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So the basic recipe is 1 teaspoon to about 1.25 cups of water. When I mix up my large batch every couple of weeks, I use 5 cups of water to 4 teaspoons of catnip. I cover and steep for 5 hours, and I have never deviated so I don't know if more/less time steeping will change the effects on your hair. (I freeze the large batch in ice cube trays and just thaw it out as needed, it's the only way I'll use catnip regularly because otherwise it's too much hassle to make it)

As for coloration, I believe one hour is the time that ktani was using to stain her grays, so that should work. There's no need to hang over a basin for that whole time, maybe you could put the tea in a spray bottle and keep misting it to keep applying. I'm not sure how often you'd need to apply to get good gray coverage, but once a week might be plenty, so give it a try!

And as for scent, it definitely doesn't smell bad. The scent is sort of like chamomile-mint-sweet green tea... very pleasant and herbal. :)
HTH!

I really like using catnip spray on dry hair. My hair after washing it yesterday is picture perfect, probably due to the repeated applications of catnip. I used a tiny amount in my hair to style this morning, and it's slipping out of its updo, it's so smooth! The flyaways are pretty much tamed too.

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Originally Posted by Vanilla

I really like using catnip spray on dry hair. My hair after washing it yesterday is picture perfect, probably due to the repeated applications of catnip. I used a tiny amount in my hair to style this morning, and it's slipping out of its updo, it's so smooth! The flyaways are pretty much tamed too.

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:cheer: So glad it's working out! Lol, I keep wanting to tell non-hairy people about it, but even my family members (who know how weird I am) think it's odd.

I think one of the really great bonus effects for me is that it's really helping with my little winter dryness dandruff. Whether the tea is helping by moisturizing, or merely keeping the flakes attached ( :shudder: ), it's definitely a big improvement.

I guess it depends on where you live...but do you guys use tap water? Or do you have a filter or buy bottled water? I live in Chicago, but I just moved here...not sure if I should use tap or buy bottled.

Lurker popping in here! :) I use catnip on wash days, but I never thought of applying it regularly for dandruff/dry scalp. Do you spray it directly on your scalp and leave it in that case?

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Originally Posted by TheHowlingWolf

I guess it depends on where you live...but do you guys use tap water? Or do you have a filter or buy bottled water? I live in Chicago, but I just moved here...not sure if I should use tap or buy bottled.

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I've never used bottled water, or even Brita filtered. Maybe if you have really hard water or highly chlorinated water you'd use bottled water, but most tap water isn't really bad.

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Originally Posted by Colochita

Lurker popping in here! :) I use catnip on wash days, but I never thought of applying it regularly for dandruff/dry scalp. Do you spray it directly on your scalp and leave it in that case?

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Yeah I generally almost soak my scalp with my spray bottle of catnip tea every day (I use it to style my hair every morning).
I'll have to see how well it's working when I scritch my scalp before my next wash, but it's certainly improving the appearance, and I'm happy with that!

I order a lot of things from Mountain Rose Herbs and I notice they sell catnip hydrosol and catnip essential oil. Rather than making the tea - it would be easier to use the oil, I think? Have any of you tried just the oil? perhaps even diluted? Thank you.

Ok, so I'm just getting back to starting to use catnip again, so aside from these last few pages that I just read, i haven't read this thread in over a year. But from what I recall, in regards to using just an essential oil - I seem to remember that the multiple good effects that we get from the catnip tea coke from two different portions of the catnip - the flowers have the oil content, and the leaves have tannins. So, without the leaves and tannins you would only have a partial effect from using just an oil. Perhaps the oil might repair the split ends and provide moisture, but maybe not give the shine and conditioner 'slip' feeling? Like i said i dont really remember the specifics about which does what, but I suspect using only the oil would be beneficial but not leave the same full effects that you would get from the tea.

Dropped off the bandwagon, now I'm back and pregnant, wanting to take advantage of my crazy hair growth.

If I use catnip 3x a week, when do you think I should be getting fewer splits?

My hair is past waist heading for tailbone and the ends have gone crazy, velcro like and dry. I have tried clarifying, moisture treatments, herbal treatments and today it struck me I have not used catnip in ages. Not since the last time my hair was this long! Before I lost it all to chemo it was at waist so it has been several years of growing and not having to deal with ends. So I am going to start my catnip soaks again and hopefully that will resolve the end issues. I do not want to cut at all, not even a trim. My hair is very fairy tailed due to growing out from bald and I jealously guard every inch. To get a blunt hemline I would have to cut 8 inches off so that is not happening. So catnip tea it is! I will post on progress.