Getting older, doesn’t mean you have to start looking (or acting!) old!

Many women assume that getting older means that they need to cut their hair short. I personally do not believe that this is something that needs to be done. There are no ‘set rules’ on how exactly a person should cut or color their hair relative to their respective age. The more important factors to consider when choosing a hair style or color would be face shape, time devoted to daily styling, hair texture, and skin and eye color. In my experience, wearing hair the same way every day can be aging. Change doesn’t necessarily mean doing anything drastic like adding a pink streak on the side of your head (which can also be fun!), but adding simple changes such as switching where the hair parts, flipping the ends up instead of under, wearing it up instead of down, or even letting the natural texture shine through by scrunching once in a while rather than blowing it out straight. Any of these easy variations can keep your look fresh. (Obviously scrunching works best for women who have a natural wave or curl to their hair.) Bangs often are a great choice for women who are looking for an updated look, without making a drastic change. They can also work well as a camouflage for minor imperfections on the forehead. I’ve had many clients complain to me about their wrinkles, and bangs can be an easy fix. There are so many different types of bangs that can conceal those imperfections and make you look more youthful. I definitely have found a long side swept bang to be the most versatile, it’s also a good choice for women who are afraid of the commitment that cutting and keeping up with bangs entails. Another myth I’ve heard from clients through the years is going lighter with your hair color as you age. This is not true! In some instances, deepening color rather than lightening can knock as much as 10 years off from the look! It all stems back to skin and eye color, not age. I find that the most flattering hair colors are closest to the natural color. Adding a little depth, such as a warm richness to the base color can make a world of difference! At times skin color can become pale or sallow as we age. Ask your hair stylist to add a few golden highlights to add some depth and bring a natural glow back to your face coloring. Eyebrows are imperative to keeping a refreshed appearance. Eyebrows tend to grow in length as we get older, so trim them and get that extra bulk out of the way! Take a small eyebrow brush (or unused toothbrush!) and brush the eyebrow hairs downward. Whichever hairs are sticking out of the normal shaped brow line, cut with cuticle scissors. Putting the arch in the right place will give you an instant face-lift and set a frame for the eyes. Having no arch can make us appear outdated or unkempt. Getting a regular eyebrow wax (or threading) should be part of everyone's beauty regiment. Aging can also cause eyebrows to become sparse. Having thin or patchy eyebrows will add years, while eyebrows that are full will present a more youthful appearance. Take a pencil (preferably a brown), and make small, hair-like strokes through the eyebrow to fill in spots where the hair no longer grows, you do not want it to be too harsh or noticeable. (We want to avoid a Mommy Dearest inspired look!)I find that sometimes it is easier to use a small makeup brush and a brown eyeshadow (dark or light corresponding with your natural eyebrow hair color) to fill in eyebrows. Some women do not like the heavy look that a pencil may produce, so eyeshadow is usually much softer and more natural looking. Gray eyebrows can easily be colored by your stylist. It is probably best not to attempt coloring your eyebrows on your own. Accidentally getting color in your the eyes can be both painful and dangerous. Here’s to keeping up that youthful glow!