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Hair dye: I've been bleaching and dying my hair bright colours on and off since 1987. Since 2010 I've had bright oranges and reds.

The most recent time round, I used an ammonia free bleach, which did not get my hair to platinum blonde, but did get it light enough to show up colour really well. And it was much less smelly and is probably better for the hair.

Streaks are a bit more work than all over bleach, but they can look really effective. They also mean regrowth is less of an issue.

My main neon bright colours are orange and red, so for awhile I was using fairly common dark red hair dyes which I could find anywhere, and which could be applied to unbleached hair, and had bold streaks which were bleached then coloured with Special Effects dyes at the front. If you want to go purple, you might find that a plum or burgundy or even a blue black could work as a colour for the rest of your hair. Of course, with this route, regrowth becomes an issue again.

If you have a local friend who dyes and streaks their own hair, even if they don't use bold colours, ask them if they would mind helping.

I have a tag called adventures in short hair if you want to check out some of my experiments.

beeunique is a site where people can submit their own photos of bright coloured hair dye. That link goes to the purple gallery, so you can get some ideas about what shades of purple you like, and different ways of using colour with natural or unbleached hair.

Menstrual Cups: I have a moon cup, which I got in 2010, and I like it a lot. When I first got it, I could only insert if I was standing with one leg propped up on something, or lying on my back, and I sometimes needed a little lube on the rim for it to feel comfortable. Over time, I have got a lot better at insertion, although I usually do it in the shower (I like a quick shower after work). Typically, I can go for 8-12 hours without needing to empty it, which makes it really handy for work, because I simply don't need to think about it. This may vary.

I do know some people don't find it comfortable, but I think it is totally worth trying out.

I also have a cervix which gynos have informed me tilts in a non-standard way, this has not affected my ability to use the cup.