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Ktani,
Thanks for your answer.
Yes I was asking about leaving it in overnight vs. 45 min. ( I only left the bag on for an hour then took it off and draped my hair over my pillow )
I think I just need to experiment a bit more to find the right amount of conditioning for my hair. I will keep it up for a week or two and maybe add an oiling in if it needs it. we shall see what happens ;)
You are most welcome and I agree. Make it your own.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suldrun
I also wanted to add this picture.
This was the first time I used catnip. I washed with a clarifying shampoo and then left the catnip in all night and rinsed it in the morning. I was able to detangle easily and you can see the shine. I used no conditioner and an SLS shampoo which would normaly give me dry hair and an itchy scalp. I had niether:)
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...iprinse001.jpg
Beautifu, just beautiful, IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suldrun
You can really see the shine. You have great hair.
Hey everyone,
I just bought a catnip plant -- will it work for me just to snip some off and boil it, then use the water as a rinse, or what would you suggest? Also there were a few varieties of catnip -- will all of them work the same? Thanks so much! I'm excited about trying it.
I buy cut and sifted dried catnip, the leaves and flowers (the flowers contain more oil than the leaves).Quote:
Originally Posted by maryva
Catnip should not be boiled, just steeped. All of the information is in the first few posts of this thread.
The only difference, is that now when I steep it covered, I do not deactivate it at the 30 minute mark, I just let it cool.
Stagecoach (or ktani or anyone!) -- in one of your posts you mentioned you were going to try adding 1 tbsp molasses to your catnip tea -- did you ever try this, and if so how did it work for both color enhancement and conditioning? Thanks so much!
Also, did anyone ever try the catmint, which I believe is another type of catnip? I saw one post where someone asked this, but never saw a reply. Thanks for all the info!
It was not me, regarding molasses.Quote:
Originally Posted by maryva
This link has catnip vareties. Catmint is often called catnip but it is the the variety I use, or that you see in stores for cats, that would be Common catnip or Nepeta Cateria.
http://www.cat-world.com.au/Catnip.htm
Thanks Ktani. I just tried steeping some of the fresh catmint and flowers for over an hour, and the water is barely tinted yellow. Is this normal, or should it have a stronger color? I'm wondering if the catmint works?
To my knowledge, I have never used catmint. I do not know how it will work.Quote:
Originally Posted by maryva
The colour is consistent with common catnip, depending on how much you use and how long you steep it. It takes over an hour, almost 2, for mine to cool, when I prepare it.
I do not know the equivalent of 1 level tsp, dried cut and sifted catnip, in fresh catnip.
The best quality catnip I have found, is from the pet store. I buy the organic catnip, by a brand called Hagen
I buy it locally, and this is what it looks like in the container. In Canadian dollars, it is about $9 and change. A 1.5 oz container like the one shown, lasts me months. If you look closely, you can see some white pieces, that I belive are flower petals. The flowers of common catnip are white. I have never seen purple pieces or purple dots on the whie pieces, in catnip I have bought.
http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/41457/...083423545.html
I doubt very much if any of the catnip I have bougt from health food stores in bulk has been the Greek variety.
Hagen does bot specify the variety on the packaging but it is sold for cats.
The information I have posted is about catnip in general but most likely the common variety. That is what works for me. I have not seen the other varieties available for purchase. The other varieties are ornamental or preferred for their scent and constituents by humans. I think that the camphor variety would have specific medicinal uses. Catnip used to be a common beverage, before tea was imported to Britain. I do not know which variety was preferred. I would imagine that is a matter of taste.
"Common Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
White flowers .... This is the variety most cats enjoy.
Camphor Catnip (Nepeta camphorata
White flowers with purple dots ..... Camphor scent.
Greek Catnip (Nepeta parnassica)
White, pale pink flowers ....
Lemon Catnip (Nepeta cataria citriodora)
White flowers, spotted with purple .... The leaves have a lemony scent.
Catmint (Nepeta mussinii)
Purple flowers. .... has smallish, grey/green leaves. ...."
http://www.cat-world.com.au/Catnip.htm
"Catnip .... famous for inducing a delirious, stimulated state in cats.
Throughout history, this herb .... used in humans to produce a sedative effect. From Europe to China, catnip had been used medicinally .... at least 2000 years. .... Catnip tea .... a regular beverage in England before the introduction of tea from China."
http://holisticonline.com/herbal-med/_Herbs/h40.htm