Red Hair & My Red Dye Experimentations

I’ve used many different red hair dyes during my time of being a redhead – I’ve done my researches and experimentations to see what suits me best.

Before I became smart enough to bleach my hair and use semi-permanent hair dyes to dye my hair bright red, I used to dye my hair with a permanent hair dye which contained ammonia – what a shame. I was ignorant!

Since I had got my hair from black to dark red (on 18th August 2008) in a hairdresser I don’t remember did I bleach it after it to get it brighter but instead of going to the hairdresser again paying myself sick for him/her dyeing my hair again, I decided to do it at home. My ultimate mistake was that no, I had not read up on different kind of hair dyes – semi-permanent hair colors, demi-permanent hair colors and permanent hair colors... I had no clue that bleaching your hair and dyeing it with semi-permanent hair dyes makes it much, much more brighter than that god awful ammonia crap, I put on my hair for so many times.

So I found and used Schwarzkopf’s Live Color XXL shade “35 Real Red” for so long… Too long! That hair dye's official website says “Real Red 35 is a bright and vibrant red which gives you a vivid colour result” – no, it didn’t gave me such a glow as semi-permanent hair dye gave – and I ended up with this dark red hair:

That was dark red – that has not seen a bright and/or vibrant red they claimed it would be or what it looks like on the cover. The dark red hair was okay, but I wanted bright red hair!

On 2nd of February 2012 when I dyed my hair I used a red hair dye called “Igora” by Schwarzkopf.

I had used it many times until then and it had worked perfectly – but then they had to change its consistency from smooth and easily applicable to a thick paste-like stuff which was hard to apply to hair. And! I used to get 150 ml of dye, with the same price but the new tube had only 100 ml of dye – that’s not nearly enough and that dye wasn’t cheap at all! I don’t know whether this dye is on the market anymore (at least in Finland) but I haven’t come across with it since I stopped using it after Schwarzkopf changed it...

When I next time dyed my hair on 28th of November 2012, I used a different hair dye entirely. 

When looking for a new bright red hair dye, I stumbled upon a hair dye called “Paintbox” which I decided to try. I had bought two packages of “Paintbox Red Chili” until I realized I would need three of them. 

In a hurry I needed a third package of dye just in case so I marched into a goth/rock store and after taking a lot of time, comparing Crazy Color’s hair dye “Fire” with Stargazer’s hair dye “Rouge”, I ended up in buying a pig in a poke and went for the Stargazer’s “Rouge” because it looked so bright red and that was exactly what I was looking for – just in case if the two Paintbox’s “Red Chili” dye won’t last.

It has been so close that I haven’t yet tried “Manic Panic” or “Crazy Color” hair dyes. I have found something else to cover the opportunity to try them. And maybe some day I will try them, at least “Manic Panic” for it’s a vegan hair dye and it’s not tested on animals.

I currently use “La Riche Directions” brand’s shade “Poppy Red” – it has been a damn great hair dye! It’s red – I mean, IT IS RED! And the dye itself lasts 12 months after it’s opened so… that’s a plus. And as far as I’m concerned it’s vegetable based dye and it’s not tested on animals. And that’s a huge plus!

The red hair dye I use now - “La Riche Directions” shade “Poppy Red” - was out of stock from where I used to buy it and it took me a moment to find another place with a good price – the order came to my door sooner than I thought! I already had one opened but full can of hair dye left since I last dyed my hair and now I had three more ready to be applied to my hair, although I suspected I wouldn’t be needing that much – but I’ve learned that it’s better to be too much hair dye that too less...

The reason I haven’t put any other after-dyeing photos than just that one with the ammonia nightmare is that because they are basically all the same – they are all bright red and so far I nor anyone else have seen any difference between all the semi-permanent colors I have been using on my hair so far. That means I have chosen my dyes wisely, nice to know. I dyed my hair red last Tuesday. The result, this time, shows as follows:

The red hair came up perfectly, but I was kind of shocked (but in a good way) having bright red hair again. It had been faded to orange with dark roots for so long and then I was semi-blonde for almost two months and I kind of liked the blonde hair for a change – I was almost actually blonde for the first time of my life. Even my dad and his wife said it suits me better than red hair and my brother said that brown hair would suit me better than red. But it’s my thing to be a redhead, I’ve always wanted to be a redhead so why would I change? And I noticed how hard it is to upkeep blonde hair; it started to turn yellowish sooner than I thought for I didn't use white shampoo or anything to actually keep it as blonde as possible because all I needed was a blonde base for the red hair dye. It took a little over an hour to dye my hair completely and it swallowed three cans of dye (I was glad I bought four cans, just in case) but like always, it was so worth it! I find myself just staring my hair constantly. Although it took a few days to get used to bright red hair since the last time it was perfectly bright but now I’m used to it again and I think it’s just awesome! 

p.s. I was kind of hoping this would have been my 100th blog entry but... oh well, never mind...

Independence Day 2013

It’s Finland’s 96th Independence Day.

On the day before Independence Day it has been a tradition to go to ”Patriotic Festivities” (Isänmaallinen juhla) where there are choir group ”Mieskuoro Laulajat” singing. On this year also there were also a senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot”. I’ve been going listening the ”Patriotic Festivities” for many years and this year was no exception.  ”Patriotic Festivities” is usually arranged at Tampere-talo but now when presidential residence was under refurbishment the president of the republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, was holding the Independence Day’s reception there with his spouse Jenni Haukio.

So, on this year ”Patriotic Festivities” was held in one of Tampere’s churches, at “Tuomiokirkko” which is a beautiful church. The setlist was much more religious this time comparing to the earlier concerts - I guess that because the concert was held in a church the setlist had also been altered more religious. There was two community singing psalms, which there has never been when the ”Patriotic Festivities” had been held at Tampere-talo. There was nothing bad about it but it didn’t really give you the feeling it was going to be an Independence Day next day but like spending a Sunday at a church.

There were no orchestra this time either but there was a huge organ and it was the only music we heard. After seeing a huge speakers I thought that at least “Finlandia” would be played there but they clearly were only for so everyone could hear the talking. This time the person who gave a speech wasn’t a person from Finnish defence forces or anything like that but Tampere’s bishop – a reasonable choice, for we were at the church after all. He was talking about the Finland’s flag and the time he was a child, but I knew he would mention “God” at some point. He did it at the very end so it didn’t sound like a sermon.

The last four songs were about Finland and its independence – these four songs I really liked for I had already gotten used to that they were sang at the ”Patriotic Festivities” for the glory of our home country. Towards the end of the concert senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot” sang the first two songs of the last four songs on their own. And the two choirs sang “Finlandia” at the end which has always been very important to me and a big part of my spending of the Independence Day. But this time the “Finlandia-hymn” was without any music at all which shortened it so much less than two minutes long. And I was kind of disappointed at first because the music is so powerful and magnificent part of “Finlandia” but the choir sang it so well I didn’t even remember it afterwards. At the end of the concert we all stand up and sing the Finnish national anthem, “Maamme”.

We kind of got the leftover seats because we were at the church just in time with my dad’s wife for our slippery high heels had slowed down our journey. But I managed to see my father (who is in the choir) and he saw me, even he couldn’t show me any sign. I managed to take some photos of a part of the choir group when they went upstairs to sign, next to the organ. 

It may sound I’m judging the whole concert, but I’m not – it was good on its own way!

I like this church a lot – I had my confirmation at there. I like the painted pictures on the church’s ceiling, especially the snake biting the forbidden fruit. 

After the concert I went to my dad’s home with his wife – we walked the whole icy and slippery way there. My dad had some choir thing to attend to and we didn’t know how long he would be there. When we finally were at their home we drank a glass of sparkling wine, watched the movie “Shakespeare in Love” all the while we were talking and laughing. I was glad I got a ride home from my mom, and not trying to walk home the slippery road from the bus stop.

My outfit yesterday: 

Next day was Independence Day. It was a beautiful day even it was cloudy. The Independence Day’s reception from Tampere-talo started at 5:15 p.m. and we started to watch it while drinking sparkling wine.

I love to see what beautiful and some quite original dresses everyone, especially women, have when they step in to shake hands with the president of the republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, and his spouse Jenni Haukio, who was absolutely glowing and she was beautiful!

The picture is from here. 

This was Sauli Niinistö’s first Independence Day’s reception and on this year it was different than usual, maybe because it was at Tampere-talo and not at the presidential residence. Usually there’s dancing and one or few artist performing and reporters go and interview the guests. This time there was no dancing this time and there was a concert where there was singing and people reading fragment of Finnish literature. It sure was different than before. I first thought I don’t like it but when I thought it afterwards it was kind of good in its own way. And this time the only dress code was a dark dress both women and men, so for women it didn’t have to be a long dress. “The Dudesons” were invited also and I think they had the best suits of all the men. The reports did interview the guests at the dining hall and the food looked amazing! 

The picture is from here.

I had planned to do something more festive for dinner because it was Independence Day after all. I made vegan “coq au vin” (rooster in wine) from seitan (or “wheat meat”) and with roasted vegetables. It was so worth waiting and seeing an effort.

In between the Independence Day’s reception there was a few news about the reception and what has happened on the Independence Day overall. I usually don’t watch news because there’s too much negative news in them but this time I watched it. It was about how the reception has been going and about the guests. But it wasn’t all happy news for about 200 protesters had left from the city center and turned over the fence which had surrounded Tampere-talo. They blow up fireworks and bangers at the near park close to Tampere-talo, at Sorsapuisto. That wasn’t nice. I don’t understand why does people have to protest on Finland’s Independence Day!

After the news the reception and the concert continued. I liked the song “Myrskyluodon Maija” (“Stormskärs Maja” in Swedish) performed by Maria Ylipää and Waltteri Torikka, even it was mostly sang in Swedish. Like always, I waited Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia” the most. This time it was performed two child choirs. I wondered why didn’t the reception planners get the men choir group ”Mieskuoro Laulajat” singing because they are from Tampere and they have the tradition to perform at Tampere-talo on the day before Independence Day on ”Patriotic Festivities”. And on this year a senior choir group ”Seniorikuoro Konkelot” was singing with them. I have heard these two choir groups singing “Finlandia” together and let me say it is simply magnificent! The kids singing it was nothing comparing with these two men choir groups with big voices – sure it was cute because they are kids but I think it needed something more...

After the reception there was an after parties all over Tampere but the official after party was at Hotel Tammer, where there was performing Finnish artists. The hosts were four silly women who thought they were funnier than they actually were. Despiting them the after party was quite nice.

After the after party ended on 10:30 p.m. the movie "The Unknown Soldier" (Finnish: "Tuntematon sotilas") was broadcasted on TV. It is tradition to broadcast it every year, but this time I was surprised how late it was broadcasted – it ended 1:20 a.m.! Usually it comes during the day – maybe the concerned parents got their way with it after all for they don’t want their kids to see a movie about war, even it is a big part of Finland’s history. And the movie is made in 1955 and it’s black and white and there’s no red blood splattering like in today’s horror movies which, in fact, kids are watching when their parents doesn’t know. So thank you for almost ruining our tradition, you damn parents!

Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Independence Day’s reception but it confused me a little that it was different than the Independence Day’s receptions I’ve used to see before. Next year the Independence Day’s reception will be at the usual place, at the presidential residence and I can’t wait to see what it will be like...

Happy Independence Day!

Jean Sibelius – Finlandia:

It's Finally December!

Oh gosh, it’s finally December! A month I’m waiting for all year... The first day of December usually starts my countdown to Christmas which is only 19 days away now. Also it’s kind of wistful that it’s only 26 days left to a start of a new year. I can’t believe we are living the last month of the year 2013!

It was snowing on the last day of November – which (to me) is always a good sign that the December would we snowy and white. At least I hope so...

Getting a Christmas star to our home and to my room had been on our to-do –list for quite some time already, and we had been searching one from the beginning of this week actively. Today we found perfect stars both living room and my room – mine was black of course. We hanged them in front of the windows.

My Christmas star:

I also found a candelabrum some time ago and to me it suited perfectly for the Christmas with its hanging red stones glimmering in the flickering flame of the candles. I will definitely use it around the whole year but I couldn’t have found it more better time than Christmas...

My mother gave me an early pre-Christmas present: a beautiful, big Christmas glass ball with a glass Christmas tree inside of it. There’s light coming from inside the tree. It was absolutely a beautiful gift and I put it on my side table to a safe place so it won’t fall and break up...

We were a bit late buying Christmas calendars. But they were not for us, but for our cats. I decided to buy the calendars, a catnip mouse toy and two cans of the food our cats like as an early Christmas present to them – you know kids can’t wait for presents till Christmas, right?

When the cats smelled the treats through the carton they went nuts and started to argue about who was going to be on the table to investigate the calendars. Pikkunen (Tiny) started to scratch the calendar and got one hatch open by herself – It took more time to get one open even to me! Even the whole calendar was full of the same treat, the cats seemed to like it.

Lara went nuts and rolled on the table dropping the calendars many times: 

Also the catnip toy were an immediate hit: 

I like this kind of cattitude, “If we are cute, can we get more Christmas presents?”: 

They sure did. My mom bought an ultrasoft black and white blanket with stars on it to us but as soon as she put it on the sofa, it was stolen as the cats’ blanket, not ours. We didn’t even had the time to take the price tag off before the cats took the blanket to themselves. 

Earlier today I started Christmas cleaning in my room and little bit in the kitchen and living room. There’s no time to waste, days go by fast and Christmas is almost around the corner already... I can’t wait!