I never really thought about how your hair can make you look older – until I went to the hairdresser the other day, and literally gasped when I saw the difference a bit of professional TLC could make.
I really wish I’d thought to take “before” and “after” photos, but I think the pics above and below give you a bit of an idea of the transformation (though I’m not as skilled at blowdrying). I think I look older in the pic above, and younger, below – or am I imagining it?!
I don’t mind growing older – as the saying goes, it’s a privilege denied to many. And if you’re a regular reader you’ll know I’m not desperate for eternal youth and beauty.
But why look older than you have to?! I think we all want to look and feel our best, no matter what our age.
Don’t Let Your Hair Make You Look Older!
So after chatting with a couple of hairdressers, and a bit of a research, I’m come up with some great tips to help prevent your hair from making you look older than you have to.
- For any of us not-so-natural blondes – keep it toned. It’s just a fact of life that blonde hair which has had a little (or a lot!) of chemical help, ends up going brassy and yellow – which doesn’t flatter any complexion, and is very ageing.
- Fried, fuzzy, frayed hair? Again, bleaching can damage your hair, as does using hair dryers, straighteners and the like. It’s particularly common for those with curls to fight their hair’s natural tendencies; using the right shampoo, conditioner, and other styling and hair care products, can make all the difference.
- Grey hairs tend to grow in more wiry and coarse, making a regular hair mask a good idea. This will seals and smooth the cuticles on each hair shaft, giving you a head of glossy, shiny hair that takes years off your appearance.
- A good haircut can help give your hair movement – and movement is youthful! Layers, or even subtly graduated ends, are more flattering than blunt cuts on older women, for the same reason.
- Regular trims – get rid of the split ends that make your hair, and therefore you, look older and worn out.
- Let’s talk colour – hair colour naturally fades as we grow older, even before the greys grow in. If you do colour your hair (to cover grey), aim for highlights, lowlights and streaks, rather than a solid block of colour. And don’t make the mistake of going too dark or trying to recapture your childhood shade – it will be too severe against your more mature face.
- Style it softly – don’t pull your hair back into tight ponytails or buns, which are best left for the young ‘uns, along with sparkly clips and girly hair accessories.
- Try wearing your hair away from your face – I often get comments that it makes me look younger when I push my sunglasses on top of my head, holding my hair back in a relaxed way – though I’m not sure why!
Now, what about going grey?
Personally? I think grey can be gorgeous – and it doesn’t need to make you look old before your time. But it’s important to “polish your silver”!
Conditioning helps to improve the texture of grey hair, or try a gloss. Toner or a silver shampoo will prevent a dull or yellow-ish cast. (Oh, and whatever you do, DON’T pluck out those first grey hairs. Trust me on this one – when they grow back, they not only bring their friends, but the fact that they are shorter makes them stand out even more!)
Transitioning to Grey
This is usually more of a dilemma for women who have longer hair – it is more of a process – but working with your hairdresser, together you can come up with a vision and work towards getting there.
Often the start of the transition is to search for another style, one that gives a little more edge as the cut will need to assist the removal of colour. Your hairstylist can assess the amount of colour left within the hair, and make the choice as to whether you should lighten and tone the hair to blend into the grey.
So when should you ditch the colouring and go au naturelle? Around 80% grey hair is usually the turning point, as grey hair often grows in clumps and it can be a good while before the coverage is even enough for you to be able to rock the silver locks.
Another option is to go short a la Judi Dench and Jamie Lee Curtis! This can look amazing, but obviously not all are so brave.
It might be worth trying on a grey wig, to give you a better idea of how it will look with your skin tone, make up etc.
Let’s Talk Length
Finally – you’ll notice I haven’t said anything about hair length. That’s because I believe a middle aged mama can rock whatever length she chooses – just so long as it’s well maintained, and in a style which suits her and her lifestyle!
Do you feel that your hair adds or subtracts years to your appearance – and do you have any more tips for me now I’m starting to go grey?!