I actually mixed that question. Suldrun, you are right, the dilution is the key.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suldrun
I prefer to rinse catnip off my face. I have never tried leaving it on my skin. It is just my preference.
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I actually mixed that question. Suldrun, you are right, the dilution is the key.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suldrun
I prefer to rinse catnip off my face. I have never tried leaving it on my skin. It is just my preference.
Thank you all for your responses!
I really do not wish to ever go back to shampoo. I think what you are saying is that CO leaves conditioner on the hair, which would still be there when I apply the catnip.
I wonder if a nice ACV rinse after the conditioner and before the catnip would accomplish sufficient removal of the conditioner and permit the catnip to colour my silvers yellow.
Or *maybe* the catnip will provide so much conditioning that I may be able to get by w/ WO!
Hmmmmmm......guess I'll have to try all this and see how it works out.
So, tomorrow it's off to PetsMart for some "Cosmic Catnip". :lol: Haven't bought any of that since the last furbaby went away. But they always LOVED it! We had to keep it up so they wouldn't rip the lid off, sprinkle it all over the place and roll in it!
sky
I do not think WO would work with catnip. And acv does not clarify product residue. Catnip contains a fair amount of oil. There are gentle non sulfate shampoos.Quote:
Originally Posted by sky
It isn't that shampoo is harsh, it's that it makes my hair smell "dirty" a couple of days later.
WO or CO doesn't do that. My hair just smells clean. :)
sky
You may find that catnip following a gentle shampoo will not allow that odour to be there or you could add something like a drop of vanilla extract (vanilla extract contains alcohol, so I would not use more) into your shampoo.Quote:
Originally Posted by sky
Vanilla extract ingredients
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equival...dex=V&tid=1653
Essential oils should be diluted in carrier oils not water, and some can be irritants.
Well, I'm interested. I picked up a tub of catnip tonight and gave the tea a try, following with a quick conditioning because my hair felt like it would be fly-away if I just used the catnip following shampoo.
My hair's drying now, and it feels pretty good, except one little patch of ends feels rough (similar to how it felt when I was using a protein conditioner earlier this year that my hair didn't like). Should I dilute the catnip a bit more next time, since I found the ~275mL to make that patch dry?
I'm another who's wondering if I can make this work with WO. I quit WO before because my hair was getting too dry, even though I oiled it. I've speculated that I need the alcohols in conditioner to make my hair take up moisture effectively, but I'm hoping that catnip might do the same. Oils normally rinse from my hair with only water, so I doubt I'll find the catnip too oily.
I can extend my hair washing to almost a week with catnip sometimes, other times less than that but my scalp is less oily than it used to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Anje
Yes, play with the dilution. I still do because I "eye" it. There is no 275 ml mark on my Pyrex 2 cup measuring cup. The 275 ml is an estimate. I actually prefer slightly more than that but 300ml, which I do have marked on the cup, I find too light.
I think that catnip is too oily for WO, but my hair is different than yours.
One thig to keep in mind though, since you have only tried catnip once.
The alcohols you refer to if they are cetyl and cetearyl alcohol are actually fatty acid alcohols and are waxy. Cetearyl alcohol is emulsifying wax, so you may have some build-up, preventing the catnip from being directly applied to your hair, on those patches.
"Cetearyl Alcohol An emulsifying wax...."
http://en.mimi.hu/beauty/cetearyl_alcohol.html
Cetyl alcohol
"A waxy alcohol ...."
http://www.answers.com/topic/cetyl-alcohol
Really, really do not intend to use shampoo, no matter how it's doctored up! :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by ktani
I'll just have to see how this catnip works out.
I did the first application, brewed 1 tsp to about 300 ml boiling water, steeped until cool, then strained and applied to dry hair.
I pulled a plastic bag over my soaking hair and then a wooly ski cap to give it some warmth.
I left the arrangement in place for about two hours, then rinsed w/ plain water.
When dry, all my silvers were still sparkling silver. Does this take several applications to lay down the yellow colour?
Going to try this again after a WO cleanse. We'll see.....
From my experience, catnip will not stain over conditioner. It depends on what is on your hair prior to using catnip, as to how much or if any stain will be visible, IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by sky
I tried my first catnip treatment just now, i think i used more catnip than ktani suggested and will measure it next time.
My hair is still wet, but i didn't use any conditioner and detangling was easy :) Hope this will turn out to be my HG to healthy, smooth and shiny hair! will keep you posted!
I also have tried catnip treatment.
Same experiance as patissegrietje, very easy to detangle.
24 hours later, my hair is still feeling as usual (when I do not use SLS-free schampoo + catnip, but CO + SMT).
When damp, I put camellia on ends as usual to.
I wonder how I can use aloe, glycerin, honey togehter with this treatment.
Would it be possible to blend some of those, with the catnip infusion?
Or should they be used before (or after?) the catnip?
Before the catnip infusion, I had ACV in my hair, didn't rinse with water, but after the catnip, I rinsed all out.
Question is if there is use for ACV when using catnip infusion, and if used, shouldn't it be used after the catnip? Does the AVC acid effect go away if it is rinsed out with water?
I have used both acv and glycerin with catnip but I much prefer to use catnip straight, with nothing added.Quote:
Originally Posted by HotRag
Acv can be drying, even diluted and rinsed out.
I suggest using it first, before catnip, if you want or need to use it.
Thank you ktani, I'll try glycerin or maybe aloe 1:10.
Do you think egg can be blended in with the catnip infusion, or should I make egg treatment before (or after) catnip treatment? (Sorry, forgot this question in my last post.)
I couldn't wait to try catnip, so I didn't wait for the amla+aritha to be bought and delievered... Instead I made some Decyl Glucoside schampoo and bought catnip.
You can blend anything with catnip but you then change the properties of the solution you create.Quote:
Originally Posted by HotRag
I suggest trying it with different timing, bagged and not, with slightly different dilutions, on its own, first.
ktani: Thank you. :blossom:
You are most welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by HotRag
When I first started using catnip, I was impatient and started looking for things to adulterate it.
I then became convinced that on its own, it would work best. It was stubborness and instinct on my part, but for me, I was right.
Thanks for all of your helpful posts Ktani! I am going to try to be patient, and use the catnip for a period of time, i read some very positive reviews in this thread and hope my hair will become stronger too, eventually!
I even think about throwing out all conditioners, and dilute my shampoo with catnip as well.
You are most welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by patissegrietje
I would take it one step at a time.
I do not use catnip in my shampoo. I use shampoo to wash my hair and catnip to colour and condition.
I just thought I'd throw this out there, cause I did not know any better: catnip SHOULD BE REFRIGERATED AT ALL TIMES.
I left mine in the shower for 2 days, and already it was molding. and it stank something seriously nasty.
I have always recommended refridgerating catnip if made in advance and between uses.Quote:
Originally Posted by mooglewoo
I have had catnip last for 2 weeks refridgerated but I do not recommend that. I have used it and it has been fine but fresh is better and it can keep up to a week in the fridge. 2 weeks was pushing it but I did not want to waste it.
LOLZ and I did take it as a recommedation; I thought maybe it was best being kept in the fridge but would work not kept in the fridge. But, seriously, this stuff should be kept in the fridge haha
I tried the catnip today finally. I bought it at Wal Mart and I used it like you suggest ktani. My measuring cup doesnt have metric on it so I did a search and from what I got it would be close to 1 1/4 cups right? I really dont see how you all are having any left over for your face. I tried using half for the 1st part but I had to use a little more then half. I put on the cap and took a shower I then got out and applied what was left to the front part of my hair I dont feel it got covered very well. I think I needed more then what I made.
My ends are sort of damaged and I need a trim so I did apply Burts Bee conditioner to the ends. I dried the roots some and put it up in a high pony with a big roller on the ends. That is how I have been doing my hair lately. With my shoulder problems I can go longer with out washing my hair this way. I really cant say about the coverage of my greys because I did dye them last week. I decided to use this now though so maybe by the time my roots grow out I will have my routine down. I will let you know how it turns out when I take my hair down. It was strange using so little conditioner. I didnt rinse out the catnip before I applied the conditioner to my ends. My hair didnt feel as slippery as it does with conditioner though but I didnt have any problems with tangles.
It will take time for you to get used to the catnip and for it to really work on your hair.Quote:
Originally Posted by missy60
Play with it in terms of timing and dilution and bagging will help.
I did bag it while showering, then I applied more to the top and but it back in the bag for almost 30 more mins. I did this like I said so I can get my routine down before the greys start coming in.
I took my hair down and OMG it looks great. I have alot of body and I never thought I could go with just that little bit of conditioner. It was less then a pea size on the very ends only. I dont want to jenks it so that all I will say for now. I just hope I keep getting these results. Do you think a little conditioner after the catnip will hurt when I start trying to cover the greys? How much water do you use to get the recipe? I looked it up from what I got it was a little less then 1 1/4 cup
Your measurement sounds about right. You can play with it to suit your hair, up or down. Do not worry too much about exact numbers as long as you are not too far off to begin with, from what I recommend as the best dilution for dry hair and a sensitive scalp. The stringer the solution (less diluted) the more astringent (slightly drying) it can be.Quote:
Originally Posted by missy60
The less conditioner you use, the less chance that it will build-up over time and prevent the catnip from staining your hair.
Your regular shampoo should be able to remove a small amount of conditioner each time. If not, at some point you may need to clarify. A shampoo for normal hair, without the frills, should do that adequately.
It is really cool IMO, to see the lightness (in terms of waves and fullness) that a herbal rinse can provide if you have never used one before. I have 3 times the volume and waves that I used to have when I used conditioner.
The only thing I hate is its raining here and as light as my hair feels it will probally frizz up alot when I go out side in a few mins.
I hear you. I live in Toronto, the year-round humid city.Quote:
Originally Posted by missy60
Ktani,I need your help!
I tried to find catnip around here and got very confused :I found two different herbs called,let s say,grass for cats. The first one is VALERIANA OFFICINALIS and the second one is MARRUBIUM VULGARE. I know cats like valeriana so I was sure that it is the herb you all are talking about,but I was not sure. So I did some Google search and realized that latin name of catnip is NEPETA CATARIA !:confused:
So,which one is the right one ? Please,help!:blushing:
Common catnip, which I am sure is the one sold in pet stores even unlabled as such, is Nepeta cataria.
Any time one makes a solution of anything with water, it has to be refridgerated or it can go off without preservatives.
Catnip has antibacterial properties but nothing natural can go for long, with water added, without refridgeration.
When I used chamomile tea, it lasted less than a week in the fridge, and went cloudy. That was a sign that it had gone off. I never kept it longer than that point or used it cloudy.
I am aiming to try this, this weekend. I will update.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ad.php?t=13947
I took a break from my catnip rinses ( about two weeks) because my hair became super dry with the weather change and I switched to soap and lemon rinses. I alternate between soap, shampoo bars, and shampoo, depending on thee smell I want. I used a catnip rinse last night, bagged for about 45 min, and the results today are lovely.:D I didn't need an additional acid rinse so I skipped the lemon.
I love this stuff:cheer: catnip is awesome.
I think that maybe once or twice a week catnip soaks will be sufficient and the rest of the time I'll use other kitchen goodies.
Thank you ktani and everyone else for the continued posts and info as it helps keep me on track and my hair looking wonderful.:D
You are most welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by catfish
I made CO with SMT yesterday, and my hair was slighty more difficult to detangle than the last two weaks when I used catnip.
After drying, my hair also felt lighter (less "weight") when I used catnip than with CO+SMT.
But my scalp likes CO more than schampoo (with SL(E)S or SL(E)S free).
I am longing for my soapnut powder to arrive, and to test that. Hopefully I can use soapnut together with catnip.
Anyone has an idea what in conditioner makes catnip not work? The cationic tensids?
The waxy type ingredients - cetyl, stearic, cetearyl alcohols.Quote:
Originally Posted by HotRag
I second keeping it in the refrigerator. It goes bad in less than a day!
I have never had catnip go off and I have had it out of the fridge for hours.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ade
My last batch was almost 2 weeks old, but I did and always keep it refridgerated in between use.
Hello everyone, I'd like to jump into the conversation as well.
Thank you all so much for the information and recommendations, and especially Ktani for all your hard work/research/testing on this topic.
I've done 2 catnip treatments now, and the results are nothing short of miraculous! Noticeably softer hair after the first (15 minute, bagged in the shower) treatment. The BF didn't know what I'd done, and he was playing with my hair later that evening and actually said "wow! your hair is so soft!" Huzzah!
After the 2nd treatment (1.5 hours - I got distracted and forgot to rinse out at an hour - bagged with a towel over my head), my hair is once again softer and the curls are so much more defined! The frizz is way down as well, and I think it really is beginning to break up the oils and spread them out in my hair a little more evenly, which is wonderful. Oh, almost forgot, I've got crazy bad itchy flaky scalp, and the catnip is definitely helping with that as well.
I'd love to see some coverage for my greys (pure whites actually) as well, but even if that doesn't happen, I'm thrilled with the other results. Color doesn't seem to stick to my whites, so I'm not holding my breath. But I'll keep you guys updated.
Thanks again everyone!
~Hekuro
You are most welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hekuro
Catnip does cover my grey/white very well. Some shampoos can be more stripping than others.
Sunsilk Lively Blonde Shampoo is not stripping but if I overuse it, it can remove more colour than I want. That is rare though, as I am careful not to overdo it.
Even when I used small amount of conditioner way back, catnip would not stain over it, as my shampoo did not remove all of the conditioner each time I washed my hair.
Waxy type conditioning ingredients are barriers, designed to help keep moisture in the hair and usually require clarifying, although a shampoo for normal hair, without extras like oils or silicone, can do that as well.
Hekuro please do keep us updated. I am really interested in this for grey coverage also. I have only done one treatment so far. I havent had to wash since the last one my hair is still so clean and shiny.