Catnip for split ends?

[eaglefeather71]

This is most interesting because I had my doubts that catnip could remove vegetable oils.

Thank you. It is probably the combination.

I do not know how well catnip will do over soapnuts. I believe that they coat the hair and catnip does not do as well over coatings, from my experience, for conditioning.

My hair is definetly more conditioned which I really needed so no problem there, and my hair never feels coated with the soapnuts but I used the catnip before the soapnuts and I'm very happy with the results. As you may have read, getting oil out of my hair has been quite a challenge so I'm very excited about this.

[ktani]

My hair is definetly more conditioned which I really needed so no problem there, and my hair never feels coated with the soapnuts but I used the catnip before the soapnuts and I'm very happy with the results. As you may have read, getting oil out of my hair has been quite a challenge so I'm very excited about this.

I am very pleased for you.

When I first started to use catnip, I had build-up on my hair from linden tea. It contains both saponins and mucilage too, like soapnuts but much less saponins and much more mucilage.

The mucilage build-up did not happen right away. I was using shampoo at the time and the tea for colour/conditioning, just as I do now with catnip.

I used the linden tea for a full year before I had the worst problems I did with it (I did not realize the gradual build-up was happening over the year).

I noticed improvement using catnip right away but it was not until all of the build-up was washed away gradually as well (I do not clarify), that the full benefits of catnip were really obvious.

I still had split ends early on. As the build-up washed out and catnip had more access to my hair (my shampoo does not build-up), the split ends stopped and my breakage was reduced to the point that it is now, less than I have ever had.

[ktani]

Catnip probably has some mucilage in it too, no (most plants do, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucilage) but very little from what I can determine, and not enough to be mentioned in most sources that list its constituents. I think in all of the sources I have read on catnip constituents, only 1 out of dozens, listed it and it was a source from 1889, http://www.henriettesherbal.com/ecle...gs/nepeta.html.

The most complet list of constituents for catnip that I have seen, updated in 2008, does not list it, http://www.liberherbarum.com/pn0450.HTM.

Before I started using catnip, mucilage was one of the first things I checked out. I did not find that 1 source until much later, after I had already started using it. I continued to use catnip because it washes out out so well with shampoo, and I have not had any build-up from it. Like anything else with plants, percentages of a constituent matters. If one is not listed frequently, it is usually not noted as an active or prominent constituent, in its amount.

Catnip has not built-up on my hair in almost 4 years but I do shampoo before using it each time (I use catnip following every shampoo.) Shampoo removes excess catnip very easily, I have found and always has, even when I used more concentrated dilutions. The shampoo bottle I keep my catnip in has never gotten sticky or had residue in it.

That is why in part, I am being very careful about moving to replace my shampoo with it. I have never used catnip alone as shampoo, although from catfish, who shampooed with catnip on its own for some time, there was no report of a build-up problem with it.

[cocolover]

I am interested in using catnip on my ds who has eczema. He has it on the backs of his knees and forearms. Would you use the same concentration, 1 tsp for 300ml? Also, would you kind of pat it on and then let air dry?
I saw some small mentions of eczema in the past 10 pages of posts, those who have used catnip for eczema successfully, what did you do? Thanks

[ktani]

I am interested in using catnip on my ds who has eczema. He has it on the backs of his knees and forearms. Would you use the same concentration, 1 tsp for 300ml? Also, would you kind of pat it on and then let air dry?
I saw some small mentions of eczema in the past 10 pages of posts, those who have used catnip for eczema successfully, what did you do? Thanks

My eczema is not a problem anymore in that I am no longer aware of any outbreaks. As an adult I have had very few outbreaks.

My dilution is based on my sensitive skin and my hair and is 1 level teaspoon to just under 300 ml boiled water.

I pat it on at times and yes, you could leave it on to air dry and then rinse it off or leave it on.

I do both. I wash with it in the morning and then apply some afterward around my eyes and mouth and leave that on. I just dab it on with my finger (I pour some into my hand and apply it with my other hand, dipping into it).

[chrissy-b]

Thank you ktani! I plan on experimenting, definitely.

Demetrue, thanks for the feedback. Have you found that the catnip works well with your conditioner? The conditioner doesn't impede the catnip?

[ktani]

Thank you ktani! I plan on experimenting, definitely.

You are most welcome!

I found that conditioner did impede catnip benefits. It works best for me, with nothing else on my hair.

[cocolover]

thank you for the response about the eczema, I'm going to try it out for a bit, maybe dab it on with a cotton ball. So far we've tried rosehip seed oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and camellia oil....rosehip was the most effective, but still not a full solution. I'm hoping catnip will be!

[ktani]

thank you for the response about the eczema, I'm going to try it out for a bit, maybe dab it on with a cotton ball. So far we've tried rosehip seed oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and camellia oil....rosehip was the most effective, but still not a full solution. I'm hoping catnip will be!

Eczema is problematic and there is no cure, http://eczemahelp.ca/treat.htm. It can be treated though and catnip is soothing. Try the catnip cold from the fridge. That should help too.

You may have missed this. My mom told me that the only thing that worked for my eczema as a baby was Noxzema cream.

[cocolover]

Noxzema...so strange! I know that things applied topically will not cure the eczema, but nothing so far has provided good relief from the itching, and then it progressing. He seems to have just one constant outbreak this winter. thanks ktani!