Thursday, May 8, 2014

Hair : Extreme hair colours : Get blue hair without harsh hair dyes

Hey everyone !

Today's article is upon request of a friend who asked if there's any way of getting blue hair without using harsh chemicals . Hair colors that naturally exist all over the world (Black,Brown,Red,Ginger,Blonde) can be achieved naturally even without using chemicals ( find out how here ) since these dyes already existing in hair . Blue color is not natural so there's no way of getting it by using boiled fruits or such stuff .

The usual process girls follow is to BLEACH their hair and then colour them with harsh hair dyes which include peroxide of hydrogen. The first day the result is nice but then it fades away and the bleached hair are showing up. It is also very common that the color doesn't fade away equally from all head parts so usually end up looking like a psycho until next retouch (and super damaging) session.

So is there any way to get blue hair ( OR ANY EXTREME COLOR ) without damaging your hair and looking good when the color fades ?

YES ! I have a bunch of solutions to go! I first analyze the procedure of semi permanent dyes, then the application of hair chalks and I also updated this article to add all the significant new entries in the market around the topic. There is a wide variety of available extreme colors to choose from so keep reading ^_^

Note: the brighter your desired color is, the lighter your hair should be to achieve a vibrant result. Pastels are ideal for blonds for this exact reason. If you have REALLY dark hair you might need to bleach a few tones (but you can use Olaplex to prevent damage) and choose a semi permanent dye from the following options or skip bleaching and use a product designed for brunettes ;) You will find insights for everything stated below.

NUMBER ONE

The first one is the semi permanent hair dye ' Directions ' of the British Company La Riche WITHOUT PEROXIDE OH HYDROGEN or any other ingredient for hair bleaching ! So your hair will not get damaged :) (you can even apply this product on already bleached hair if you have - you don't need to do it , it works on normal hair too) Also there are a lot of shades available so you can try experiment with mix and match!!
  • APPLICATION

Wash you hair normally with a shampoo and rinse it out . Remove most of water by gently tapping your hair with a towel . Brush your hair a lot and since they are just a bit wet and well combed you can go for the application . Apply the hair dye on your hair using a thick brush and start brushing a lot your hair until the dye gets a milky-creamy form ( usually it need 5 minute of brushing but reviewers mentioned that light shades might take a little more ) .

Let the product stay for 15-30 minutes (some need more, depends on the desired result )

  • FADE PROCESS 



With every wash out the color will start fading away and it won't be as bright as the first day but it will not look so bad since your hair will be healthy and not bleached !It will fade gently ^^ Also the process is not so damaging so you can repeat it sooner than harsh hair dyes .


  • COST AND WHERE TO FIND IT

One vase contains 88 mL of product . Its cost online is up to 5 euros but maybe you'll have extra charge for shipping. You can find it online and in some exclusive stores ( address for Athens,Greece below ) .

You can order it online ( in any country ) from this website :

( in the upper right corner you can choose language between Greek and English )

http://www.nayaandpiu.gr/eshop/category.php?id_category=19&id_lang=1

IF YOU ARE GREEK PLACED IN ATHENS you can find it in the center of Athens , around Exarhia Square . The store is placed at Themistokleous 49 St. and the cost is 8,5 euros.


NUMBER TWO

Second suggestion is only for some hair sections and not full head , lasts less and it's been easily removed with water and shampoo for those who don't want to risk a long lasting change ! Aaaaaand it's colourful hair chalks ! This product is available in typical chalk format ( a box of many many colors ) " Rainbow Hair Chalk Soft Pastels" or another format you just slide on your hair from L'Oreal Professionnel (Hairchalk)
.

  • APPLICATION


The application is super easy and it has some small differences on the process according to the product you will choose .




Chalk form : Here is a SUPER ANALYZING , helpful and full of tips and pictures tutorial .

Also there is a real human performing it on YouTube here :)

L'Oreal's liquid hairchalk : Here you can find a website with application tips , colour catalogue and further advices for the product.

If you prefer real human step-by-step video tutorial click  here


  • WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE?
The typical chalk product has more options but the result is not so professional and the process lasts longer , it's cheaper though . The L'Oreal's product has less color options , the application is easier and faster but it's a little more expensive ! The choice is yours :3



  • COST AND WHERE TO FIND IT


The cost depends on the brand and the number of the chalks but all in all it's cheap . You can find them online or in stores with cosmetic material . Here are some links you can use to get them but if you want you can make your own research for cheaper ways

HAIRCHALKS

 Ebay : http://www.ebay.com/bhp/hair-chalk

L'OREAL PR. HAIRCHALKS

 http://www.feelunique.com/brands/loreal-professionnel/hairchalk


UPDATED SOLUTIONS:

 I am so glad i came back to update this article since the last years more and more alternatives have popped out in the market. From an increased variety of semi-permanent dies, sprays, hair coloring wax and coloring conditioners, the new products are here to make a stand. I present you the most significant  ones:
L' Oreal Paris COLORISTA

 This series has two sub-options available, they are all ammonia free and they do not harm the hair. 
  1. The first one is "Colorista Semi Permanent Hair color". We love this one because it includes 7 pastel shades for blond/bleached hair AND 4 more which are suitable for brunettes and who ever doesn't want to bleach. It has a liquid format similar to shampoo. The product fades between 4 to 10 washouts. 
WARNING: For blonds: I made a research and most of the blond reviewers who used turquoise or dark blue color had some green dye absorbed to their hair even after 15 washes so I advise you asking your hairdresser or testing the product on a hair section in advance in order to check out how your hair respond before applying it full head. You can check out some of these stories here and here. Overall I got a feeling that pinky and purple shades are much safer on blondes than greenish ones while brunettes where more satisfied with blue/grey and teal shades.
  • Application 
Apply to desired hair sections, let it sit for 15-30 mins (depending the intensity of the color you want) and then pour some lukewarm water. Give it a massage till it gets foamy (1-2 minutes max), rinse and style as always. If you want a full head application you might need 2 bottles in case your hair are super thick or longer than shoulders.


  • Cost and where to find it:


It can be found in any physical cosmetic store globally. The cost varies with the most common range between 9-13 euros. You can order it online from the official store of L'Oreal for 10,99 dollars but depending your country the shipping might cost more than the price difference between online and physical stores.





2) The second product type of Colorista, is "Colorista washout spray". This is the perfect product if you want a very temporary change as it completely washes out after the first washing or if you want to try some colors to decide which one suits you the most without damaging your hair or waiting forever between testing sessions. It includes both pastel and vibrant shades and work in all hair colors and types. I consider it pretty safe but sadly it is not recommended if you'd like the result to last a bit (except if you are willing to repeat the process every day - ideal for special occasions such as festivals). One the plus side are the full coverage of white hair and moisturizing factor.


  • Application


Extremely easy. Spray from a distance of 15cm to the desired hair sections. Brush and blend the hair strands to the rest of your hair. Use a protection for your clothes. Each container contains 75mL of product.


  • Cost and Where to find it.


Same as the previous colorista product. The usual cost is around 8-12 euros. Online it is much cheaper than physical stores but have an eye on the shipping charge too.

COLOR CONDITIONERS

Well I am pretty new to these as well, checked out some ads the other day and i discovered these are conditioners with some dye infused which will either give you a small change if you have very light hair or maintain your colored hair a bit longer so that you can postpone your color refresh/retouch session. Another frequent use of color conditioners has been to tone up blond or bleached hair. There are several brands on the market with different shades so I am confident that you can find one for your needs. Pros: it offers a good conditioning, shinny texture and pleasant color. Cons: it doesn't work (or at least the light shades) on dark hair, it is expensive and some times hard to find. If you use it as a coloring process you might be disappointed as it costs a lot for a product that fades out super fast. As I do not have some relevant experience with these products yet, I based my opinion on countless reviews of different brands which I am sharing with you below. On the bottom you will find my personal alternative to these which is DIY color conditioner, REALLY cheap and effective to get the same result.

  • USE AS A HAIR DYE:

The most used Brand i could spot is OVERTONE and there are tons of reviews on almost all the available shades of this series. You can take a glimpse on the following review links: 

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-sl7EBWWsw
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc6mYB7p3tQ


  • USE TO MAINTAIN YOUR COLORED HAIR:




  • USE AS A TONER:

SUPER SMART ALTERNATIVES - PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS - USED BOTH

To change your hair color a bit:

Well here comes my favorite part of this update: Many years ago, I decided to go for a very smooth baby pastel pink hair color but I didn't want to use any peroxide or ammonia on my hair. Being blond gave me the advantage that my light hair can absorb an amount of dye without the need of any harsh product, so here's what I did. I purchased a single bottle of lavender hair dye, mixed it with some WHITE regular conditioner until I form a thick creamy paste. I applied the mixture on my hair and within 8-9 minutes my hair were SO VIBRANT pink that I was scared and washed it off. The result was A VERY BEAUTIFUL pink ombre (my hair have been darker on top so the color was more and more visible closer to the ends). It washed out smoothly to a very cute baby pink shade which kept me going around 3 weeks. Not even to mention the amazing texture due to the deep conditioning.

To tone up your hair:

Use ANY STRONG shampoo (like silver shampoo for blonds) or a hair dye appropriate to neutralize the unwanted tone you have on your hair (check out the relevant chart) and combine it to white conditioner or hair mask. Apply the mixture on your hair, let it sit as much as you want to achieve the desired toning and rinse. Enjoy the cheapest and most effective home treatment you ever had.

Image result for hair color neutralizing chart


I spotted a girl on YouTube which used this exact technique as an alternative to save money after using one of Overtone's commercial products I stated above. Check her video displaying the procedure and review here.
Back when I had really vibrant red hair




Thank you for visiting my blog ! 

I am waiting for your messages/questions/suggestions/requests I would love your feedback if you try any of my tips!

 If you want show your love by supporting my page :) Stay tuned for more :3 

Have a colourful week !!

Kisses ,

Irina 




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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Hair : Change your hair colour / maintain your coloured hair NATURALLY !

Hallo my dear friends !

 Today's article is dedicated to hair and specifically on hair colour . If you want to change your hair colour or maintain your coloured hair without using hair dye keep on reading ;)

 There are some natural products that contain dye ingredients which are completely safe for your hair since they're made from mother nature :3 If you want to make a change without damaging your hair or you want to maintain your hair colour without colouring full length every time this is your chance :D !

 Since the products are natural , some may need 2-3 or more applications to show results which depend on your hair , the number and the frequency of the applications . Daily exposure to sunlight will also help for lightening your hair :) You can use the steps for full hair application , highlights or Ombre :) 

 P.S. I don't recommend Henna products because if you have already coloured your hair there's a risk of a chemical reaction ( especially with metallic hair dyes ) that gives unwanted results .

 How to find your colour :

 Example : If you are blonde and you want to maintain this colour OR if you want to make your hair blonde (full or partly) read the '' BLONDE '' paragraph etc . The title of each paragraph represents the final result !

 EXTRA TIP : Use a hot and little wet towel around your head until the waiting time is over ! The heat will help the dyes insert in your hair ;)

 ADVICE : You can use a combination of the following methods to get the desired colour faster ! Also if you buy the appropriate shampoo and conditioner  for blonde/red/black hair etc , it will maintain the hair colour for a long time !

  • BLONDE
Use chamomile and lemon ! Especially during the summer season , sunlight will help a lot with it !
Boil some water with chamomile ( around 250 mL ) and let it cool . After washing your hair , pour the cool chamomile on your hair (full length) ! It's also too good for their health !

 If you are about to use lemon , it's more effective but be careful with it since it's an acid , don't use it everyday because you'll run a risk of dehydration on your hair ! Don't forget to use a moisturizing hair mask when you wash your hair :)

  • GINGER
Going full ginger or taking ginger highlights ? Ombre ? Vinegar will be your new best friend ! I know it doesn't smell nice at all but you can apply a looooooot of vinegar on your hair the day you're about to wash them . I tried it when i had light brown hair and it was effective ! I used to leave it on for 30-40 minutes ! Don't worry about the smell , it's gone after showering :) 

Another recommendation is .... cinnamon ! Cinnamon has really multiple effects ( you can find out here ) . You can either make a mask with cinnamon and water ( use a lot of cinnamon ) or make a mask with conditioner and cinnamon , apply it on hair , brush a lot so it will be spreaded everywhere and let it on for 1-2 hours :) ( you can use it after rinsing out your shampoo , when you wash it out , your hair will smell really nice )

  • RED
Boil some water with anything red you want ( strawberries , cherries , raspberries etc ) . The BEST thing you can use is beetroot ! Boil it ( or anything you choose - you can make a combination ) and apply it on your hair ( full length ) every time after you are done with your hair washing ! It doesn't need rinsing or sunlight ;) If you want bolder result leave the beetroots and stuff in the water after boiling , for some hours and then apply . The more red the water is the bolder the result will be .




  • BROWN HAIR



Put two tea spoons of cocoa in your shampoo . Use this shampoo mix everytime you wash your hair and let it on your head for 15-20 minutes before rinsing out .

Another suggestion is adding 1-2 teaspoons of coffee in your conditioner and use it after your shampoo ! The smell of your hair right after will be also priceless !






  • BRIGHT BLACK HAIR
There are many suggestions for getting bright black hair . The best is applying mustard oil on your hair ( it smells a lot but you can use it at night before you sleep and let it on during the night , it's too effective ) . You can use a showercup to avoid oil stains on your pillow and secure that oil will remain on your head.

Another way is using a part of conditioner and two parts of black tea in a mug and then apply it on hair for 1-2 hours . 
Next wash your hair as you usually do .



SUPER EFFECTIVE RECOMMENDATION : 

Mix a cup of vinegar and a cup of soy sause and use it after you've washed your hair . Don't rinse it out ! The smell's gone once your hair get dry and in each application you can darken your hair 1-2 tones !






If you give a try on any method , hope it will turn out as you desire ! For any questions don't hesitate to contact me on my emails,Skype and Facebook :) Thank you for viewing my blog once again :) Come back for more beauty advices !

Love ,
Irinä















CONTACT INFORMATION

Skype : irina.alexopoulou 


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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Health : Delicious suggestions for your meals : Dinner Time !

Welcome back dear friends !

 After Breakfast and Salad ideas it's time for... DINNER ! 

 One of my favourite combinations for dinner is meat with eggs , a really easy-to-make food in almost no-time ! Here i have two versions of it , so even if you don't like meat and you prefer chicken or if you just want an alternative way to enjoy it here you go ! :D


Chicken pieces with eggs and Salad 
At first i sliced the chicken and made a mix of curry,paprica,olive oil,salt,pepper,garlic,chinease curry in a bowl which i used to put the chicken in ( the more you'll let the chicken in the bowl , the tastier it will be ) . Then i cooked it on the pan , it was really really fast , i fried two eggs and cut some green salad and a tomato ! I poured some mustard on the green salad and it was fantastic!





Burgers made of pork and cow with omelet and salad


I had already made the burgers another time and i kept them in the freezer so all i had was to defrost them and cook them in the oven . But if you want you can make them just right before you cook them , it will just take a little more time . 

How to make burgers - if you have some made already just skip this paragraph
The recipe i use is really simple (for 8 - 10 burgers) : Mix :
  • 750 gr of minced meat - I suggest to mix pork and cow meat , the burgers will turn up a lot tastier - 
  • 2 eggs 
  • salt,peper
  • 125 gr of wet bread  some oregano and some olive oil 
  • 125 gr of this mix ( smached tomato,chopped carrot,chopped onion,garlic and spearmint ) 
Then make your burgers and put them in the oven ! Great idea is to pour some lemon on them when you serve them :3 
For the omelet i used :
  • 3 eggs
  • Gooda cheese , feta cheese and smoked turkey
  • 1 medium onion ( chop chop chop :3 )
  • green and red pepper
  • salt,pepper,garlic,paprica,curry
  • some chopped tomato 
  • oregano
  • some full fat milk (!) - It helps the omelet get thicker 
So mix them all in a bowl and empty them in a hot pan ! 

Last touch was the salad , i chopped cabbage and poured vinegar made of apples on it ! ( Especially this vinegar is super fat burning )



That's all for today ! Hope you'll try any of the recipes above :3 Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and feel free to spread it out :D ! I am also waiting for your messages/requests/suggestions on my Emails,Skype and Facebook!

Till next time , take care !
Irinä 


CONTACT INFORMATION



Emails: 


 irina.alexopoulou@hotmail.com

 irina.rhoads@gmail.com




Skype:


 irina.alexopoulou





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Health : Delicious suggestions for your meals : Breakfast Ideas

Goodmorning my dear friends :)























Breakfast is the most important meal of the day , fills you up with energy and keeps you active the whole day ! Even if you're in a hurry DON'T SKIP IT ! Spend some time making a delicious breakfast and then enjoy it :D 

 Here are some ideas that i tried and i liked a lot ! Let's get started ^^



Sweet Breakfast with Honey and Fruits :

 Ingredients : 
  • Two pieces of black bread with honey on them ( I didn't add butter )
  • 3 strawberries 
  • 20 gr feta cheese 
  • Some raisins 
  • 250 mL of low fat milk ( i usually heat it a little - DON'T BOIL IT - it will lose its nutritional value )
  • 1 tea spoon of honey ( add it in the milk )
















Sweet Breakfast with Fruits,Yogurt and Crispies

 Ingredients :
  • 2-3 strawberries
  • 1/2 banana
  • 2 kiwi
  • 100 gr yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons of Quacker , 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and some raisins( add them all in yogurt )
  • 3 crispies 
  • Some cheese ( i used Norwegian brown cheese )
















Breakfast with omelet , fruits and Green tea 

Ingredients :


  • 1 banana
  • some raisins
  • an omelet made of 2 eggs' yolks and 1/4 sliced onion (i also added pepper,paprica and curry)
  • two slices of toasted bread 
  • two thick slices of tomato
  • a cup of Green Tea 











That's all for today ! Hope you'll try any of the recipes above and you'll have a day full of success and pleasing moments ! Thanks a lot for viewing my blog and feel free to spread it out :D !

 I am waiting for your messages/requests/suggestions on my Emails,Skype and Facebook!
Come back soon for more stuff !

 Take care ,
Irinä


CONTACT INFORMATION

Emails: 

  •  irina.alexopoulou@hotmail.com
  •  irina.rhoads@gmail.com


Skype:

  •  irina.alexopoulou


YouTube Channel :



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Friday, May 2, 2014

Health : Delicious suggestions for your meals : Sweet Green Salad

Hallo my friends :)

 I apologize for the break the last weeks but i've been abroad so i wanted to relax a little :3 !


At first Happy May to all of you and i really hope the sun will cheer you up and motivate you to spend more time with your favourite people <3

 On my blog you can find suggestions and advices for a plenty of different issues according to beauty ( both mental and physical ) , tips for make up , styling , hair etc so i thought i could also take care of your stomach though posting some recipes and suggestions for your meals that are both delicious and have good effects on your body and beauty :)



 First dish i would suggest is an amaaaaazing salad i made yesterday that had an EPIC WONDERFUL TASTE and is really good for your metabolism :) 

 Ingredients : Green salad , 2-3 strawberries , 1 kiwi , 1/2 tomato , 50 gr feta cheese and sweet soya sause ! ( Pomegranate and berries would also fit perfectly ;) )

If you give it a try you will be really excited ! Note also that strawberries and green salad help a lot on fat burning ! Bon appetite :D 

 Thank you so much for visiting my blog ! If you like it feel free to express your support ! Your messages are also very welcome on my emails , Skype and Facebook ! Waiting for your questions/requests/suggestions/photos and much more ! Stay tuned !

 Hugs , Irinä 















CONTACT INFORMATION
Emails : irina.alexopoulou@hotmail.com & irina.rhoads@hotmail.com

Skype : irina.alexopoulou 

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About Me

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A very multitasking elf in modern times. A molecular biologist specialized in cancer research (MSc), a marine scientist (BSc) and Fitness Coach who aims to share light and help the world. Besides academia, elven eyes stare at beauty and self improvement with separate blogs dedicated to the topic, where you can access education, tips and inspiring mindset ideas. The minimal spare time of an elf includes a lot of nature strolls, exercise, art and handcraft creation, book reading and positivity manifestation.