Why does your hair become thinner with age?

First, why does you hair become thinner? Perhaps you’ve always had fine hair. How thick your hair is as you get older is really down to all sorts of factors, including genetics, diet, medication, hormones and general health.

If you feel you need a helping hand when it comes to make your hair look thicker, below are some ideas…

A great haircut is key

I’m sure you want a fantastic haircut whether you have thinning hair or not. But a great cut is even more important if you are considering how to make thin hair look thicker. Often getting a shorter style with a blunt cut can help.

Or you might want to add layers to give the illusion of more volume. If you’re worried about your hair looking too thin, ask your hairstylist for ideas on a style that could be more flattering.

Greetje @no_fear_of_fashion above (read her style interview here) opts for a bob with a fringe. Although she has fine hair, the right cut and stylings helps her to create more volume.

Tease hair at the crown

When you have a great cut, it also helps to tease your hair at the crown. This is another technique Greetje (above) uses to add more volume to her hair.

For more inspiration check out our favorite hairstyles for women over 40.

You may also want to take a look at these hair loss solutions with the best hair cuts for thinning hair.

Blow dry hair upside-down

Blow dry your hair from underneath. I like to bend my head forwards and then start blowdrying at the roots.

part your hair from the side

Sometimes just changing where you part your hair can make it look fuller. If you always wear it to one side, flipping over to the other side can give the illusion of volume.

Blow dry your hair with a volumizing spray

Choosing the right products can make a big difference to the way your hair looks. Try a volumizing mousse that you put on your hair before blow drying.

The Moroccan Oil volumizing mousse below has thousands of positive reviews from women who say it gives great volume without being sticky.

Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse

Or, you could try the John Frieda Volume Lift (below) which has more than 20,000 reviews. Women say it works well on thinning, gray hair.

John Frieda Volume Lift Air Whipped Foam

Add a dry shampoo at the roots

Spraying a dry shampoo just at your hair roots can help to add some volume. Reviewers say the Klorane shampoo is particularly good for oily hair.

Klorane Dry Shampoo

Another root lifting choice is the Goldwell Ultra Volume spray (below) which reviewers recommend for giving hair a boost.

Goldwell Stylesign Double Boost Root Lift Spray

best thickening shampoos

Now, let’s move onto some thickening shampoos. Choosing a good thickening shampoo and conditioner can make a big difference to the appearance of your hair. Below, are some of the best reviewed…

Biotin anti hair loss shampoo

The biotin-infused shampoo set (below) has lots of positive reviews from women who say it makes your hair look beautiful and thick after just one shampoo.

BELLISSO Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Hair Growth

re:line

The re:line set (below) also features biotin, as well as rosemary and coconut. Those who have tried it say they have thicker hair which doesn’t shed as much.

re:line Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner for Thinning Hair

New York biology

If you’re looking for a shampoo set that is thickening as well as being highly-moisturizing, the New York Biology shampoo could be worth a try. Women who have tried it say it improves the look and texture of thinning hair.

New York Biology Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Hair Growth and Thinning Hair

L’Oréal paris

The L’Oreal shampoo (below) contains filloxane which is renowned to helping to create stronger hair. One reviewer described it as a godsend for lifeless, thin hair.

L’Oréal Paris Elvive Volume Filler Thickening Cleansing Shampoo

PURA D’OR

With argan oil and nettle extract, the PURA D’OR shampoo (below) features a blend of herbs and is designed to reduce breakage.

PURA D’OR Original Gold Label Anti-Thinning Biotin Shampoo

Mokita Naturals

Designed for both men and women, the Regenerate shampoo (below) has biotin, ProVitamin B5 and botanical extracts. Reviewers say it is particularly good if you have a sensitive scalp.

Mokita Naturals Regenerate Volumizing Shampoo

luseta

The biotin in the Luseta shampoo and conditioner (below) is designed to strengthen hair, while argan oil and sunflower seed oil is included to protect hair from further damage. Users say it is good for thin or color-damaged hair.

Luseta Biotin & Collagen Shampoo & Conditioner Set

Redken

For added volume, the Redken volume injection shampoo could be another good choice. Reviewers say it gives a just-left-the-salon feel.

Redken Volume Injection Shampoo

hims & hers

The hers shampoo (below) features amino acid, argan oil, coconut, and sunflower seed oil and has very good reviews from women who say their hair is much easier to style after using it.

hers Triple Threat Shampoo and Conditioner Set

renpure

In a huge bottle, so it should last you a long time, the Renpure Biotin and Collagen shampoo (below). One women even described it as life-changing because of the difference it made to her hair which had been falling out.

Renpure Originals Biotin & Collagen Thickening Shampoo

Honeydew

With biotin and botanical extracts, the Honeydew set (below) was described by one reviewer as a miracle in a bottle.

Honeydew Volumizing Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner Set

BOLDIFY

Promising thicker, more voluminous hair from the first wash, the Boldify shampoo (below) is also well reviewed, with women saying it is a game changer.

BOLDIFY Hair Thickening Shampoo

Avalon Organics

If you like an organic option, the Avalon Organics shampoo (below) is well reviewed for weak, fine hair and if you have a sensitive scalp.

Avalon Organics Therapy Thickening Shampoo

HASK

The Hask shampoo sets (below) are available for different hair types, including for thickening (below). There are also choices for color protection and for curls.

HASK BIOTIN BOOST Shampoo and Conditioner Set

Keranique

The Keranique set (below) is designed to stimulate the scalp for hair growth and then thicken hair with the conditioner.

Keranique Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Hair Growth and Thinning Hair

thickening spray

As well as thickening shampoo and conditioner, you could try using a thickening spray after washing and before drying.

BOLDIFY

The Boldify spray (below) promises thicker hair in 60 seconds. One reviewer said she was suffering from “old lady” hair but uses this for volumized hair that isn’t gunky or stiff.

BOLDIFY Hair Thickening Spray

John Frieda

Towel dry your hair and then use the John Frieda thickening spray (below) before blow drying.

John Frieda Volume Lift Thickening Spray

Tea Tree

The thickening spray (below) smells great when you put it on, and women who have tried it say it works well and doesn’t leave your hair feeling oily.

Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Spray

Bumble and Bumble

Reviewers say the Bumble and Bumble spray (below) works best if you blow dry your hair straight away.

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray

bed head by tigi

Reviewers say a little of the Bed Head thickifier (below) goes a long way.

TIGI Bed Head Small Talk 3-in-1 Thickifie

Continue reading:

1. The Best Hairstyles For Women Over 40 – 7 Useful Tips
2. To Grey Or Not To Grey?
3. How To Transition To Gray Hair – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

Do you use a thickening shampoo? I’d love to hear your recommendations on how to make thin hair look thicker. You can let me know in the comments below.

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Even with all that expense, for a big chunk of the month my hair still looked less than perfect because of gray roots, and you could argue that it may be better just to adapt to grey.

So how do you make a decision? What are the pros and cons of going grey? Let’s examine that in this article.

Pros and cons of going grey

Suzie

Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of letting your hair go grey.

FACTORS IN FAVOR OF COLORING YOUR HAIR

1. You may look older if you don’t

Let’s fact it – grey hair usually can age you and it could be that you don’t like the feeling of “looking your age”.

2. You can add some edge

Jean and Valerie (The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas)

Having a funky color can really add to your style and can even become a “signature” part of your look.

3. You can change colors whenever you want

I like to change it up all the time. In fact, I feel I should push myself a little bit further in that area.

If you want to add a different element to your color without a huge commitment, you could always consider a semi-permanent like the Keracolor conditioner (below), which has tens of thousands of positive reviews.

Keracolor Clenditioner Hair Dye

4. Grey colors can be very nice

Mel

Some grey colors can look very nice, while others not so much. The current trend seems to be the lighter, more silvery color grey. However, your grey hair may have a completely different tone to it that may not be what you were expecting.

However, you can alter the tone of your gray hair to an extent by using a purple shampoo such as the No Yellow Fanola shampoo (below).

Fanola No Yellow Shampoo

You’ll find more recommendations here if you’re looking for the best purple shampoo for gray hair.

5. Your clothes might not suit you anymore

Letting your hair go grey may completely change your coloring. Clothes that have always looked good on you may no longer work.

Of course we can help you with that with our article on choosing the right colors to complement grey hair.

6. You may need more make-up

Photo by Denton Taylor

You may find that gray hair could leave you feeling washed out. To counteract this, you may feel you have to wear more make-up than you previously did.

FACTORS IN FAVOR OF LETTING YOUR HAIR GO GREY

However, having said all of that, there are also plenty of positives about deciding to go gray.

1. You save a LOT of money every month

Amanda

There’s no doubt that coloring your hair can be pricey. If you stick to the color grey that your hair naturally has, you’ll save a lot of money. However, you may feel that your hair looks better with additional coloring to change the tone of your gray.

Amanda’s gray tones (above) look fantastic.

If you want to continue coloring but you want to save money, then you may like to read how to color your hair roots at home.

2. Save time

You’ll have no more hassle of having to keep up with coloring your roots, saving you a lot of time AND money.

3. You will look more natural

You may look more natural with your natural grey hairstyle. After a certain age, people will expect you to have grey hair and will find it more natural that you are sporting a grey hairstyle.

4. No more chemicals

Freeing your hair from monthly chemicals may be beneficial to the actual quality of your hair and you may feel more comfortable not using so many chemicals. Your hair may look and feel healthier.

5. Going grey could suit you!

Ewa

Your change of coloring may actually be beneficial to you. Perhaps your new color gray suits your (paling) skin tone better.

Ewa looks fantastic with her gray choppy bob – and chooses clothing colors that go perfectly with her hair.

6. You may find different clothes suit you

Judith (Style Crone)

No matter what your skintone is, you may find that going gray allows you to wear colors that previously didn’t suit you.

Take a look at the colors that complement grey hair for inspiration.

Judith (above) shows how you can still wear pale colors without worrying about looking washed out – by adding a pop of red.

7. You may discover a new (improved) style

If you’ve been stuck in a style rut, you may find that going gray naturally gives you the impetus you need to rediscover a new you and to try new outfit and make-up styles that you haven’t worn previously.

8. You could have natural highlights

Gail

Have you ever highlighted your hair? Or wanted highlights? Well, you could find that as you go gray, the different tones naturally give you high and lowlights, adding an extra dimension to your look.

Gail (above) has lots of lovely shades of gray in her hair.

9. You could look younger

Lyn (The Accidental Icon)

I know I already said that grey hair may age you. However, the opposite could also be true. If you continue coloring your hair in the same way as you always have, the color may start to look too harsh against your changing skintone.

By stopping coloring and deciding to go gray, you may find that you actually look younger, rather than older.

Lyn (above) adds a youthful blunt cut to her gray hair.

So, how do you decide whether to go grey or not?

It’s not an easy decision. Both the pros and cons are quite convincing. I was certainly starting to get increasingly annoyed with the time and money it took to keep up with my hair color. I also love to just be ME. Gray hair and all.

On the other hand I worry a bit that I may be perceived as ‘too old’. However, that’s all for me to decide. In the end I want people to accept me as me, gray hair and all. I still feel young and hip and grey hair doesn’t need to affect that.

I felt that the lockdown I’m in now was the perfect time to let the gray hair come through.

This is my hair before a long-overdue haircut.

And this is what it looked like a few months back.

My hair became a colorful mix of all kinds of colors, but gray is definitely dominant. I haven’t added any extra color; the blonder color is just the remainder of the dye from before.

Right now my hair is like this.

I’m going to see how I like it and if not, I may go back to coloring it. For now, I’m happy to let my hair go grey!

I may have to make my hair a bit funkier. I may need to add some pink streaks. Or I may just enjoy my natural hair just the way it is! Time will tell.

How do you feel about grey hair now? Join the discussion!

Does grey hair make you look older? Should you even care about that? Does convenience trump over beauty? Is colored hair actually more beautiful than grey hair?

I will discuss these and many other questions with 2 of my fabulous friends. Suzanne swears by colored hair and is proudly bright red, while Mel is absolutely rocking her grey locks.

You can join us for a live conversation on Instagram this coming Monday 4 October at 7pm Portugal time, which is 2pm New York time.

Get inspired by grey hairstyles for women over 40

Photo by Denton Taylor

If you’re thinking of going gray, there are lots of inspirational grey hairstyles on my Pinterest board, where you can also see that there is enough evidence that grey can look extremely good. For more tips, you can also check out my tips for the best hairstyles for women over 40.

Decided that going gray is the way forward for you? Then you’re definitely in good company. Celebrities including Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench, Meryl Streep, Jamie Lee Curtis are all embracing gray hair.

If you’re still not sure about letting your hair go gray at 40 or beyond, take a look at Elaine’s journey where she talks about her own personal decision to go gray. Start with How to transition to gray hair (part one) for plenty of tips on letting your hair go gray.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Colors that complement gray hair
• How to dye you hair roots yourself
• The best purple shampoo for gray hair
• How to transition to gray hair (part 1)
• Transitioning to gray hair (part 2)
• From colored to natural hair (part 3)
• Long gray hairstyles
• Mid long gray hairstyles
• Short gray hairstyles

I’d love to hear your opinion. What do you think about going gray? To let the hair go grey or not?

(just scroll all the way to the bottom of this page to leave your comment)

Feature image by Mel

The post To grey or not to grey? appeared first on 40+ Style.

Depending on where you live, many salons are currently closed, or have been closed, as a result of the pandemic. So, you may now be looking at how to color your hair at home so you can dye hair roots without going to the salon.

Even before the current crisis, getting professional root touch ups every 2 weeks, as J Lo famously does, is a luxury in both time and cash most of us simply cannot afford.

Therefore I started dying my hair roots myself. I still have the highlights done professionally every half year but I dye my roots myself every 4-6 weeks.

In this article, you will find the tips I’ve picked up along the way. I hope it helps you, whether you usually dye your hair yourself, or you find yourself wanting a root touch-up when you can’t get to the salon.

I’ve also picked out some of the box dyes I use myself at home, as well as those recommended by other stylish 40+ women. I’d love it if you could let me know what you use in the comments at the bottom. That way, we can turn this into a really useful resource for women looking for the best hair color options.

It may seem frivolous to be talking about hair dye at a time like this, but I really believe the little things can help to keep your spirits up.

Hair color choice to dye hair roots

So, before you get started with the actual practicalities of dyeing your hair at home, you will need to choose the right hair color for you.

Skin tone awareness helps you pick the right color. Warm complexions are perfectly complemented by warm, golden or auburn shades, while skin with rosy undertones works best with cooler shades like ash and champagne tones.

Of course, the safest choice is to choose the color closest to your natural hair shade.

I currently use 7.3 (golden blonde) as my base color.

Choosing the DIY color kit: Should you choose foam or cream to dye hair roots?

Mousse or foam formulas are the easiest to apply. They result in an all-over even color that is less likely to leave a patchy finish. 

Application is as simple as shampooing, as the foam texture expands to surround each strand and effortlessly massages the dye into the hair. 

Foams will not drip but if you do get the dye onto your skin it will wash off easily with soap and water, where cream dye is a little more stubborn. 

Choosing a mousse or foam is often the best option if you want to do a full-head color.

Try these: L’Oreal Paris Superior Preference Mousse Absolue, Clairol Nice & Easy and John Frieda 16204 Precision Foam Colour

Dye hair roots: Root touch up

If you’re transitioning to gray or just want to take a bit longer between hair coloring appointments, you can also use quick grey root fixers to dye hair roots.

I personally use L’Oreal Paris Root Cover Up Temporary Gray Concealer Spray. It helps me cover up my gray roots and I can last much longer between coloring my hair.

Just spray it on and you are ready to go!

Cream dyes are best for root touch-ups

Crème or cream hair dyes need a little extra effort and are perhaps more suited to the experienced.  This is what I personally prefer as  it gives me more control and I can paint the color on my hair roots.

Careful application is important to dye hair roots.  It can be tricky but following the simple steps below will see you mastering cream dye application in no time. I can now do it in 10 minutes!

Try these L’Oreal Paris Excellence, Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color, Schwarzkopf Keratin Color

Best permanent, semi-permanent and quick-fix root colors

Below you will find some of the best products to try whether you just need a quick fix for a day or so, or you want a more permanent solution.

Keep reading for my application and after-care tips.

Best Products For Temporary Root Touch Up 

Often, you may only want to do a quick root touch-up if you want to last a little longer between salon visits.

1. L’Oréal Magic Root Cover-up

A temporary root cover-up that you can spray on in seconds. Perfect if you need to jump on a quick video call and don’t want everyone to see your roots!

L’Oréal’s Magic Root Cover-up is well-reviewed, with women praising it as a good quick-fix for roots as well as thinning hair.

L’Oreal Paris Hair Color Root Cover Up

2. Garnier Hair Color Express Retouch

For a temporary quick fix, Garnier’s Express Retouch (below) acts as a concealer for your gray hairs. You can choose from black, brown or dark blonde,

Garnier Hair Color Express Retouch Gray Hair Concealer

3. Style Edit Root Concealer

Another touch-up spray, Style Edit’s Root Concealer is a good option between salon visits. It covers roots and can help to disguise thinning hair, and is easy to shampoo out.

Style Edit Root Concealer Touch Up Spray

4. Clairol root touch-up

Offering good coverage if you’re growing out your gray, Clairol’s root touch-up comes in a good range of shades, including Auburn and Blonde.

Clairol Root Touch-Up Spray

5. Clairol root touch-up

Another one from Clairol, but this time a powder. You may find that you prefer a powder as it’s easier to control where you are putting in compared to a spray.

Clairol Root Touch-Up Concealing Powder

6. Everpro Gray Away

Everpro Gray Away has a loyal following as it not only covers gray but can help to make your hair look thicker as the powder can have a root-lifting effect.

Everpro Gray Away Temporary Root Concealer Root Touch Up Magnetic Powder

7. Marc Anthony bye bye gray

A final temporary spray option for you. Marc Anthony’s bye bye Gray is available in a light brown or a dark brown/black.

Marc Anthony True Professional Bye.Bye Gray Temporary Gray Root Touch Up Spray

8. Color Wow

If you want to quickly camouflage your root regrowth then you could try Color Wow, which looks like a make-up palette but for your hair. It has mainly positive reviews, with reviewers saying it saved their “Covid hair”.

Color Wow Root Cover Up

9. Rita Hazan

Another touch up option for you! Rita Hazan’s root concealer could be perfect for a quick fix when you can’t get to the salon. It has 5-star reviews from women who say they wouldn’t use anything else.

Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch Up Spray

10. Madison Reed

Madison Reed’s Root Touch Up looks like an eyeshadow, but for your hair. If you just need to hop on a quick video call but you haven’t been to the hairdressers, it could be the perfect solution. The reviews for the blonde shades are particularly positive.

Madison Reed Root Touch Up

11. Mineral Fusion 

I’m sure you’ve heard of mineral make-up for your face, but how about for your hair? The Mineral Fusion root touch-up below has a mascara-style wand so you can precisely cover your grays. Reviewers say it is easy to use and covers well.

Mineral Fusion Gray Root Concealer

12. dpHUE

The dpHUE root touch-up kit (below) should have enough formula to give you two applications. Leave on a little longer if your grays are particularly resistant to color.

dpHUE Root Touch-Up Kit

13. Oribe

Quick-drying and easy to apply, Oribe’s airbrush root touch-up spray could be worth a try if you want a quick solution to root cover up before leaving the house.

Oribe Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray

Best permanent products for root touch up

Of course, you may not be looking for a very temporary option which will only last you until you wash your hair.

Below are the best products I have found for more permanent at-home root touch-ups.

1. Clairol root touch-up

Clairol root touch-up comes in a very wide range of colors so you should find a shade to match, or at least almost match your color. It’s easy to apply, but even though it is a permanent color, it does fade fairly quickly so use a color protecting shampoo.

Clairol Root Touch-Up Permanent Hair Color Creme

2. Revlon root erase

A good range of colors, and easy to mix. Plus, the pump applicator means you can use it two or three times if you don’t need it all in one go.

Revlon Permanent Root Erase

Semi-permanent hair color

You will find that even permanent hair colors fade. But if you want something which sits between a spray or powder and a permanent color, opting for a semi-permanent shade could be the way to go.

1. Clairol beautiful collection moisturizing color

I’ve seen mixed reviews for this one. Some women say they wouldn’t use anything else and others say it didn’t work for them. I guess the only way to find out is to try! A good option for brunettes.

Clairol Beautiful Collection

2. L’Oréal Casting Créme Gloss

A long-time popular hair dye option, L’Oréal’s casting créme gloss comes in a wide range of shades and is designed to last 28 washes.

L’Oreal Healthy Look Creme Gloss Hair Color

3. Dark and Lovely fade resist

A great option if you want a brown, red or black shade, the Dark and Lovely Fade Resist features argan oil to help keep your hair in good condition while coloring.

Dark and Lovely Fade Resist

4. Clairol natural instincts

If you like a dye with more natural ingredients, then Clairol’s natural instincts may be the one to try. It’s kinder to your hair than some other options and creates a lovely vibrant color, but you will need color-care shampoo to make sure it lasts as long as possible.

Clairol Natural Instincts

5. Keracolor color + conditioner

This could be a fun one to try if you want to try something a bit funky. You could try a traditional color like honey or mocha, or go for something different such as this rose gold shade.

Keracolor Clenditioner Color Depositing Conditioner Colorwash

6. L’Oréal Colorista

L’Oréal Colorista is another option is you want to experiment with your color. Good for brunettes.

L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color

Permanent hair color

If you are looking for a permanent full-head color rather than a root touch-up, take a look at the options below.

1. Garnier Nutrisse color creme

One of my own favorites, Garnier Nutrisse features plenty of nourishing oils so should leave your hair feeling smooth and silky as well as being freshly-colored.

Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Hair Color Creme

2. Garnier Olia

Another option from the same brand which is made up of lots of moisturizing oils, Garnier Olio comes in a very wide range of colors.

Garnier Olia Ammonia Free Permanent Hair Color

3. Schwarzkopf keratin color

Schwarzkopf keratin color comes with a pre-color serum to repair hair and give you a more even result.

Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Anti-Age Hair Color Cream

4. John Frieda precision foam

Promising 100% gray coverage, John Frieda’s precision foam could be a good option if you want an easy-to-apply foam. Good for blondes.

John Frieda Precision Foam Permanent Hair Colour

Highlights at home

Do you usually get highlights at the salon? Highlights can definitely be tricky and time-consuming to apply at home.

But, if you feel confident about trying, or you have someone at home to help, take a look at the two options below.

1. L’Oréal precision highlights

A good option for shorter hair, L’Oréal’s highlights for shorter hair come with a pull-through cap as well as a choice of hook widths so you can decide on whether you want subtle or wider highlights.

L’Oreal Paris Le Petite Frost Pull-Through Cap Highlights

2. L’Oréal glam lights

Another option from L’Oréal, glam lights is easier to apply as it can be brushed on rather than needing to use a highlighting cap.

L’Oreal Paris Superior Preference Brush On Glam Highlights

 The best root touch up for highlighted hair

A quick alternative to permanently fixing your highlights. If you want targeted coverage to camouflage a few grays, you could try the Bb Color Stick (below).

Bumble and Bumble Color Stick

Pre-DIY hair care

If you’ve made your color choice, before you think about applying, make sure that your hair is in good condition to start with, otherwise you could get a patchy finish.

The condition of your hair prior to coloring will have dramatic results to your finished look.

Dry/damaged hair takes on a more vibrant color while the risk of further hair damage is strong. A damage repair mask used 3 times weekly for 2 weeks leading up to your dye date will help. I like Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque and Organic Coconut Oil.

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

For optimal results, dyes should be applied onto dry hair that has not been washed for 1 to 2 days and has little to no hair styling products.

How to apply the hair dye

Coloring your own hair is a lot easier than you think. And if you just dye the roots yourself and then have highlights professionally done once in a while, noone will be be able to tell that you’re doing it yourself.  It will save you lots of cash!

Here are the steps to take:

1. Mix your hair color according to the instructions on the package. I like to empty that in a plastic container. (here is a great brush and container set)
2. Using a tail comb or a special hair dye brush, and make partings from front to back of head, then paint on the dye (crème formula) with the brush or squeeze the mix (mousse) all along your parting as you go. Take care to avoid too much dye sitting on your scalp. Now make partings from side to side and similarly apply the mix as you go along.
3. I like to use a hair dye brush that makes it really easy to just color my roots. I separate all the hairs with the brush
4. If you’re doing all over color, apply the dye fully around your entire hairline

How long to leave hair dye in

1. Now leave to develop. Developing time will alter depending on the temperature of you room. A warm environment is ideal. If your room is particularly cool then you can cover your hair with a plastic bag and tie a knot to secure in place.
2. When it is time to rinse, apply a little water then massage your scalp to loosen the mixture, rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.

Post dye hair care and maintenance

How to get hair dye off scalp

Obviously, you want to color your roots. But, what if you find you have too much color on your scalp? Hopefully, the color will have gone where you want it too, particularly if you have protected your scalp with little vaseline or baby oil before you start.

Not washing your hair for a couple of days before you dye will also help to build up your scalp’s natural oils.

But, if you do have excess color you want to remove, you could try rubbing a little of the excess hair dye onto your scalp. The chemicals will reactivate and you should be able to remove the dye more easily. Other tricks to try include using a little rubbing alcohol, lemon juice, toothpaste, or make-up remover on a cotton swab.

Making sure your color lasts

DIY dye kits contain an after color care conditioner. Apply this after rinsing to lock in your new color and get a glossy, silky finish. Refrain from shampooing for 48 hours to ensure your color settles and does not fade too quickly.

Choosing a shampoo and conditioner specifically for chemically treated hair will help to maintain color and condition. Aveda Color Conserve is a good choice.

Aveda Color Conserve

Sun and Chlorine damage is a higher risk to chemically treated hair, so keep hair covered when out in the sun and tied up and out of the water when swimming.

Do you dye your hair yourself? What has been your experience? What are your favorite DIY hair coloring products?

Continue reading:

1. How To Transition To Gray Hair (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)
2. The Best Colors To Complement Gray Hair
3. The Best Hairstyles For Women Over 40 – 7 Useful Tips

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Just as a face mask hydrates your skin, a hair mask can give your hair a shot of instant nourishment, giving you smoother, shinier, healthier hair.

There are plenty of ingredients you could mix together at home for hair nourishment. But it you don’t want any mess or fuss, take a look at these highly-recommended ready-made hair masks.

Just rub into your hair, sit back, relax for 20 minutes or so, and rinse. Hey presto! You should have better-looking hair. Don’t forget to tell me in the comments at the bottom if you have a favorite product that I’ve missed.

Best hair mask for scalp and hair

This hair mask from Sisley Paris, which features essential oils to strengthen the hair from the root, has great reviews from women who say it has conditioned even color-damaged hair. A big plus point is it also smells fantastic.

Sisley Paris Regenerating Hair Care Mask

Best multi-tasker treatment for dry hair

Coconut oil has so many health benefits and it’s also great for skin, hair and nails. You can use Kopari’s coconut oil on your hair, as a body moisturizer, as a make-up remover, dry shave oil or to condition your cuticles if you are giving yourself a home manicure.

Kopari Hydrating Hair & Body Coconut Oil Melt

Best leave-in conditioner

Briogeo’s spray-in conditioner is designed to repair the hair shaft rather than simply coat it. Reviewers say it is particularly effective on split ends.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Strength + Moisture Leave In Mask Spray

Best hair mask for thick hair

If you read the reviews for Drybar’s nourishing hair mask, you’ll see it’s a little like Marmite – some people love it, and some people hate it.

It think that’s because this one is best for thicker hair. Those who have fine hair may find this weighs hair down. However, if you do have thick hair, this works brilliantly, and a little goes a long way.

Drybar Mudslide Nourishing Hair Mask

Best for extra fullness

You may be used to using hyaluronic acids in your skincare regime. But how about for your hair?

Phyto’s plumping mask uses hyaluronic acids to penetrate the hair fibre as well as acacia collagen to smooth your hair follicle. Use once or twice a week for smoother, fuller hair.

PHYTO Phytodensia Fluid Plumping Mask

Best for curls

If you have curly hair that can be prone to frizz, you could use Devacurl’s Deep Sea Repair Seaweed Strengthening product. For best results, apply to your hair and then pop a hair cap on top and apply a little heat with a hair dryer. After 20 minutes, your curls should look much glossier.

DevaCurl Deep Sea Repair Seaweed Strengthening Mask

Best to keep your color

If you color your hair, there’s nothing more frustrating than having applied your color or taken a trip to the salon (if possible) only to find your freshly-colored hair starts to fade in a few washes.

The rahua^® Color Full^™ hair mask is designed to condition your hair as well as helping you to retain the hair color you want.

rahua^® Color Full^™ Hair Mask

Best little goes a long way

If you would like a treat for you and your hair, Christophe Robin’s Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil is a fantastic choice.

It isn’t exactly inexpensive, but you only need to use a little at a time. While reviewers have mixed thoughts about the smell, most agree it leaves hair shiny and manageable.

Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Best reviewed on Amazon

This hair perfector from Olaplex is one of the best reviewed hair treatments on the site, with more than 14,,000 reviews, most of which give it 5-stars, saying it left hair healthier. Best for all hair types.

Olaplex Hair Perfector Repairing Treatment

Best hair mask to revive damaged hair

It’s not often you come across a product which has more than 90% of 5-star reviews, but this Cherioll hair treatment mask has won a legion of fans who say it leaves their hair looking the same as after a visit to the salon.

Cherioll Hair Treatment Mask

Best hair mask for a quick fix

You can always leave your treatment on while relaxing or completing other tasks. But, if you don’t want to wait too long, then you could try Garnier’s avocado hair mask, which leaves hair super silky after just one minute, and smells amazing.

Garnier Fructis Smoothing Treat 1 Minute Hair Mask with Avocado Extract

Best purple hair mask

If you have gray, white or blonde hair, a purple toner can work wonders to remove unwanted brassy shades of yellow or orange. A purple hair treatment can be a fantastic way to banish brassiness and brighten hair between trips to the salon.

Also, take a look at the best purple shampoos for gray and blonde hair.

Revicare Beauty Purple Hair Mask

Best to try for fine hair

I’m sure you’ve spotted keratin among the ingredients of countless hair products and that’s because keratin is a protein which can be essential for repairing and strengthening hair as well as preventing breakage.

Take a look at the Vitamins Keratin Deep Conditioner which has been designed to work for fine to normal hair.

Vitamins Keratin Hair Mask Deep Conditioner

Best hair mask for dry hair

You may have already tried Neutrogena’s skincare range on your face, but how about its haircare products? The Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask Moisturizer works well for extra dry hair. Reviewers say it works well even on hair which previously had the texture of a “brillo pad”.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask Moisturizer

Best for color AND condition

I love the idea of this conditioning mask, which also features a temporary color. It could give you the chance to play around with your hair color a little even if you can’t get to the salon.

Towel dry your hair and distribute evenly with a comb. Leave on for around five minutes and rinse. You will find that the color is more vibrant on any highlighted strands. It won’t color gray, so it’s best used as a toner for colored hair. Let me know if you do give this a try.

MOROCCANOIL^® Color Depositing Mask Temporary Color Deep Conditioning Treatment

Do you usually use hair masks? I’d love to know what your best hair mask brand recommendations are.

Continue reading:

1. How To Dye Your Hair Roots Yourself
2. The Best Sheet Masks To Give Your Skin An Instant Treat
3. Best Purple Shampoo For Gray Hair

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Why should I use a purple shampoo?

Hair color is always a personal preference. You may have just started to go gray, or perhaps you have been embracing your gray for years now.

Either way, gray hair can start to develop unwanted brassy tones in the same way that blonde hair can.

By using a special purple shampoo, you can neutralize those tones to ensure that your gray hair retains its vibrancy. When you see women with stunning shades of gray, they may just be genetically blessed, or their secret could be a great toning shampoo.

Using a shampoo especially designed for gray hair can be a godsend while transitioning from colored to gray as it can help to blend your different hair tones together as well as removing brassy shades.

How often should I use a purple shampoo?

This depends on the shampoo you choose and the effect that you are trying to achieve. The great thing about a purple shampoo is its pretty impossible to make a mistake.

If you find you are developing too many obvious purple or blue tones rather than simply enhancing your gray, you can always alternative using your purple shampoo with a regular shampoo until you find the right routine to achieve the color you would like.

Blue shampoo vs purple shampoo: Is there a difference?

Josephine

If you think about mixing paint colors, the opposite to purple is yellow, while the opposite on the color wheel to blue is orange.

Brunettes who lighten hair may find it develops an orange tone while those with naturally lighter hair may develop more yellow tones.

So, if you have gray hair, it’s likely that your hair will react better to a purple shampoo rather than blue. However, if you were naturally a brunette or redhead before going gray, you may get better results with a blue shampoo.

It’s really about playing around with what works for you. The effects of your toning shampoo will gradually wash out, so you can always try a different option if your first choice isn’t quite right.

Best for transitioning to gray

If you have decided to stop coloring your hair and are busy making the transition from colored to gray, Jhirmack’s silver shampoo and conditioner come highly-recommended from women who have made the same journey.

The shampoo reduces yellow and brightens, while the conditioner leaves hair silky soft.

Jhirmack Silver Brightening Ageless Purple Shampoo Set

Best drugstore purple shampoo

If you’re looking for a budget option which works, then L’Oreal’s Brass Toning Purple Shampoo is definitely worth a try.

It comes highly-rated from women with white, blonde and gray hair whose locks had developed unwanted yellow tones. Many reviewers noticed a difference in just one wash.

L’Oréal Paris Hair Care EverPure Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo

Best silver shampoo

The minimalists among you are sure to appreciate the sleek design of Matrix’s So Silver. Thankfully, what is inside also works brilliantly.

For a more intense effect, you can always leave it on for longer. Lather as usual and then leave for 30 minutes or so. You could think about one of these 14 self pampering suggestions while you wait.

MATRIX Total Results So Silver Color Depositing Purple Shampoo

Best big bottle

The Fanola No Yellow shampoo comes with more than 20,000 ratings on Amazon; the majority of them giving 5-stars.

It also comes in a huge bottle, so you definitely won’t run out of it anytime soon! Good for toning down unwanted yellow tones on gray, light blonde and highlighted hair.

Reviewers say this works so well it is more like a professional toner than a shampoo, so you don’t need to leave it on for very long.

Fanola No Yellow Shampoo

Best to use once a week

If you want a purple shampoo which gives you results without having to use every day, you may also want to try TIGI’s Dumb Blonde Purple toning shampoo.

It also works well for silvery gray hair. And, you definitely don’t have to be dumb to use it.

TIGI Bed Head Dumb Blonde Purple Toning Shampoo

Best to embrace your gray

Mel

L’Oreal’s Magnesium Silver Neutralizing shampoo is another one with a great bottle design, so it should look good on your bathroom shelf.

It also has fantastic reviews from women with white hair as well as those who have gone from brunette to blonde.

L’Oréal Serie Expert Magnesium Silver Neutralising Shampoo

Best combo

If you have very dry hair, you may want to look at using both a purple shampoo and conditioner, like this set from Clairol. That way, you get the color-improving benefits as well as nourishment for your hair.

One reviewer said she had discovered this after spotting a bottle in her Grandma’s shower and giving it a try for her own highlights.

Clairol Shimmer Lights Shampoo & Conditioner

Best for removing yellow

While most anti-yellowing shampoos are purple, Klorane’s product doesn’t have a purple or blue hue at all.

Instead, it uses a natural ingredient called Centaury extract, which has a blue coloring, making it great for toning down the yellow shades found in white, gray and silver hair.

A good option to use every day, particularly if you are worried about giving your hair too much of purple or blue tone with other options.

Klorane Anti-Yellowing Shampoo

Best for brightening

Dayle

A particularly good option for lightening and brightening blonde hair or highlights, Drybar’s Blonde Ale shampoo has lovely scents of ginger, mint and sandalwood while you are creating a lather.

If you have particularly dry hair, it’s best to mix this with your regular shampoo rather than using on its own.

Drybar Blonde Ale Brightening Shampoo

Best a-little-goes-a-long-way option

Oribe’s Bright Blonde shampoo is one of the pricier options, but it lathers really well so a little does go a long way.

A good choice to keep brassiness at bay for both gray hair and blondes, it is a great option if you are busy transitioning to gray and you have a mixture of highlights and natural gray. It also smells lovely, which is an added bonus!

Oribe Bright Blonde Shampoo

Best paraben free

If you have silver or white hair and you want an option which is paraben-free, then Luseta’s color-brightening shampoo and conditioner could be the set for you. Reviewers say using both shampoo and conditioner together leaves hair soft and shiny.

Luseta Color Brightening Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set

Best natural option

If you love the Aveda skincare range, have you also tried its haircare options? Aveda’s Blue Malva adds a silvery brightness to gray hair and neutralizes yellow tones.

Reviewers recommend this one for transitioning from colored to natural hair.

AVEDA by Aveda: Blue Malva Color Shampoo 

Best for UV protection

Just as your skin can suffer sun damage, sunshine can also damage your hair, leaving it dry and adding an unwanted yellow shade.

SACHAJUAN’s Silver Shampoo offers UV protection as well as adding violet-colored pigments to your hair to counteract warm tones.

SACHAJUAN Silver Shampoo

Best plant based

Rather than synthetic violent pigments, L’anza uses purple tones naturally found in flower extracts, such as viola and lavender

Intended for use if you have any shade of white, silver or gray hair, as well as for blondes. If you have a sensitive scalp, it could be worth trying this one to see if the natural ingredients are kinder for your skin.

L’ANZA Healing Colorcare Silver Brightening Shampoo

Shampoo for gray hair

Lyn

Bear in mind that purple shampoos can take away the yellow tones you aren’t so keen on. However, they can also be drying for your hair, in comparison to other shampoos.

You may wish to alternate using your purple shampoo with a shampoo especially for dry hair, such as Aveda’s Nutriplenish shampoo

Aveda Nutriplenish Deep Moisture Shampoo

What to remember when using purple shampoo

Everyone is different and we all have different hair colors and textures, so what works for one woman won’t work so well for someone else.

It’s really about trying until you find a shampoo you love. Don’t give up after one wash if you don’t see immediate results.

Unless you find that you have some irritation, as least try for a few weeks until you see whether it could work for you. You can vary the amount of times you use your shampoo in a week until you get your desired results.

Continue reading:

1. How To Transition To Gray Hair (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)
2. The Best Colors To Complement Gray Hair
3. How To Dye Your Hair Roots Yourself
4. To grey or not to grey; that is the question!

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Why do we grow more facial hair as we age?

While we all expect to get wrinkles as we age, I don’t know about you, but no one ever told me that I would also be sprouting some unwanted facial hair!

It’s actually a very common side effect of aging. As we get older, a woman’s body stops producing the same amount of estrogen but still keeps producing testosterone. And these hormonal changes can lead to extra hair growth.

How to remove facial hair and should you remove it?

Whether you are bothered by a little extra facial hair is really a personal decision to make. Luckily, if you do want to get rid of it, there are plenty of methods you can use. Below you will find some of the most recommended techniques and products.

I’d love to hear about your own experiences too. How do you get rid of unwanted upper lip, facial or chin hair? What are the most effective methods you have found? Don’t forget to let me know in the comments at the end of the article.

Facial hair removing methods and products

Below you will find removal ideas from epilation to waxing, shaving to bleaching, plucking to threading.

Painless hair remover

Have you used this one? I’m tempted and I’d love to know if it works. The Finishing Touch facial hair remover has some great reviews from women who use it to get rid of peach fuzz and chin hair.

Finishing Touch Flawless Women’s Painless Hair Remover

For trimming nasal hair

While it may be unsightly, nasal hair does actually serve a very useful purpose. Those pesky little nose hairs are your first line of defense against dirt and bacteria. So, rather than plucking out your nose hairs (which hurts!), give them a little trim instead.

The Panasonic facial trimmer gets rid of unwanted hair without tugging or pulling.

Panasonic ER-GN25VP Precision Facial Hair Trimmer

Facial wax strips

Great for upper lip hair. These little facial waxing strips come in pairs, which are stuck together with wax. You just warm them in your hand a little before separating and using.

They’re less messy than some wax strips, but if you do get a little residue left on your skin, you can simply remove with the finishing wipes that come with them.

Nad’s Facial Wax Strips

Sally Hansen facial hair removal

Another easy to use option. These ones don’t require any preparation as they are also strips that you can warm between your hands and then use straight away.

A good tip to make sure you remove the hair without skin irritation is to use a little baby powder on the area you are waxing so the wax strips grip only onto the hair you want to get rid of and not your skin.

Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Kit

Hard facial wax

If you prefer to get the spa experience by using a hard wax, then this option by VidaSleek is well-reviewed by women with sensitive skin.

You need to warm up the wax first in the microwave before you can use it. If you aren’t very confident about using a hard wax, you could always practice first on your legs before you move onto your face.

VidaSleek Hard Wax Kit

Facial dermaplaning

Have you tried dermaplaning? Either at home or at a spa? Dermaplaning uses an exfoliating blade to remove dead skin cells as well as the peach fuzz on your face, leaving your skin smooth and hair-free.

You just stroke gently across your face to exfoliate and get rid of fine hair at the same time. There’s also a handy guard if you want to use these to shape your eyebrows.

Schick Silk Touch-Up Multipurpose Exfoliating Dermaplaning Tool

Facial bleach

If your concern is not necessarily the amount of hair you have, but the fact you have dark hairs on your face or upper lip, a facial bleach could be the answer rather than removal.

You can use on upper lip and women have also this on their eyebrows if they have dyed their hair and would like their eyebrows to be a paler shade to match.

Jolen Mild Creme Bleach

Facial hair removal cream

You can choose cream which bleaches your hair a paler shade so it isn’t so obvious to the naked eye. Or you can choose cream which removes the hair entirely. Nair’s facial hair remover is a good budget option, but always do a little test first to make sure your skin doesn’t react.

Nair Hair Remover Moisturizing Face Cream

Hair removal duo

I like this one as it comes in two separate parts. First, you apply the skin-guarding balm to make sure your skin isn’t irritated. Then, you use the hair removal cream itself, which is recommended to work even if you have coarse hair.

Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo

Threading

You may well have had threading for your eyebrows at the salon, but this little gizmo could enable you to use a threading technique to remove unwanted hair at home. Reviewers do say it is painful, but quick. However, the more you do it, the less painful it is.

LADYBUG Electric Hair Remover

Facial buffer

Buffing hair away removes the hair from the point it meets you skin, in the same way as shaving. It works better for some women than others. The only way to know if it is an effective method for you is to try it!

Hair Off Facial Buffer

A great pair of tweezers

If you just have a few odd chin hairs that you would like to remove, there’s no reason why you can’t simply tweeze them in the same way you would your eyebrows.

Bella And Bear “The Pluckers” Tweezer Set

Facial hair growth inhibitor

What could be better than a good hair removal method? Not having hair growth in unwanted places in the first place.

Have you tried a hair growth inhibitor? They are generally made of plant enzymes, and are designed to change the make up of the hair follicle until they eventually stop producing hair.

Vivostar Hair Inhibitor

Have you noticed more facial hair as you get older? What are the most effective facial hair removal methods and products you have used?

Continue reading:

1. Pamper Yourself At Home: 14 Self Pampering Ideas When You Can’t Get To The Spa
2. 8 Things That Date Us Or Make Us Look Older
3. How To Dye Your Hair Roots Yourself

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If you missed the earlier articles go to

1. How to transition into gray hair
2. Mid way through

Today Elaine talks about the final leg in her journey to gray hair.

Sometimes you reach a goal with a bang and celebrate the ending. Other times achieving a goal is a gradual process with an indistinct conclusion point.

Such is the case with my Journey into Gray.

It has been exactly 2 years since I made a decision to stop coloring my hair and let it go back to its natural color state.

The transition has finally concluded and I am more than satisfied with the results. Although my hair is still in the process of graying naturally I am declaring victory in achieving my goal of eliminating artificial hair color from my beauty routine.

Looking back, I began the project in a state of uncertainty wondering how difficult it might be to accept my natural color, to handle comments from others during the grow out period and to have the patience to wait for the transition to complete. As it turned out those issues rarely came to mind.

For the first year I prepared myself with a new, low maintenance stylish cut, then sought out the advice of professional colorists. I grew my process colored roots out two inches then had a foil treatment to blend them into my processed color.

After another two inches of growth I had a half foil process that provided another gradual step towards transformation . At the eight month mark I chose low lighting for the remaining processed area which decreased the obvious (to me!) line between my new growth and remaining color.

At the one year point the color transition was about halfway complete.

I began to use a purple shampoo recommended by my stylist every other time I washed my hair.

The product softened the brassy tones of the remaining processed hair making the color difference much less visible. After the second year of just regular haircuts all traces of the processed color are gone. I kept my original mid length style but the grow out process can be accelerated by more cutting of your old color.

While the texture continues to evolve with the grays coming in wavier and coarser than I’m used to, I’m happy to explore new style options that look flattering on me.

At my last appointment my stylist added layers giving additional texture to my bob.

I like the new found compatibility between my skin tone and natural hair color and have made adjustments to my color choices for both clothes and make up. One of the most important changes being replacement of my usual warm brown eyebrow product for a soft gray shade.

You may also like our article on the best colors to combine with gray hair.

I’m happy with my the results of my choice. The transition was not as difficult as I anticipated because the gray hair was appearing at my hairline while the more visible top roots were still warm brown.

When I felt self-conscious about my appearance I made use of headbands and hats to hide the growth lines.

I also found that for better or worse people did not seem to notice or kept their comments to themselves. Several surprisingly complimented my mixed tones, something I never saw coming!

For those considering a return to natural color, including men, I recommend giving it a try. You have nothing to lose. The rewards are freedom from the time investment and expense of maintaining color processing and the satisfaction of embracing your natural beauty as you age.

Good luck and I will see you at the finish line!

Want more inspiration on gray hairstyles?

We have lots of examples of women with fabulous gray hairstyles on this site.

• Women with short gray hairstyles
• Women with mid long gray hairstyles
• Women with long gray hairstyles

Are you thinking of transitioning into gray hair? How will you do it?

Do you like this article on how to transition into gray? Share it on Pinterest!

The post How to transition into gray hair – Elaine’s journey from colored hair to natural (part 3) appeared first on 40+ Style.

Hairstyles for women over 40 – Why is a good hairstyle important?

It’s crucial to have a haircut that suits you. Your hairstyle frames your face and is the perfect finishing touch.

Here are some tips to ensure that you get the perfect hairstyle over 40.

1. Bangs are your friend

As you get older bangs become more important.

Not only can they hide your wrinkles but they can also cover up a receding hair line, a long forehead and also bring a youthful appearance to your face.

Of course they can’t be too short and they also don’t have to be straight. In fact the best bangs are those that are softly swept to the side.

Nikki @40notfrumpy above

Josehine @chicatanyage above (read her style interview here)

2. Coloring is your best friend too

Although you can choose to go grey (many great examples of women with gray hair here) if you like to have a youthful appearance, then it’s usually better to colour your hair.

It’s critical of course that you select the right color!

As a general rule the older you get, the lighter your hair usually becomes. Of course there are exceptions of women who look smashing with dark hair, but most older women will look better going a tint lighter.

Rita @ritapalazzi above (read her style interview here)

If you are transitioning into gray hair, you may enjoy Elaine’s journey to gray hair.

3. Don’t part you hair in the middle

Parting your hair in the middle looks more severe and highlights those parts of your face that are not symmetrical.

Part you hair to the side of your face that you like the most.

Grace @colorandgrace above (read her style interview here)

4. Find the best hair stylist and build a relationship

A good hair stylist is key!

I want a hair stylist with a strong opinion, someone that understands my personality and someone who can give me ideas.

It’s great to keep your hairstyle updated by changing it every now and then so it doesn’t become stale. A good hair stylist will definitely help with that!

Suzanne @suzannecarillo above (read her style interview here)

5. Make sure your hair moves!

If it’s all too stiff, it will look forced and a bit ‘old lady’.

Patricia @madamechicbcn above (read her style interview here)

6. Look after your hair!

Older hair can get thinner and look dull. Make sure that you use some good hair conditioners and a mask on a regular basis to nurture your hair and make it shine!

Shauna @chicover50 above (read her style interview here)

7. Try something completely different

If your hair is thinning or you just want to try something completely new you could consider hair extensions or synthetic clip ons.

Tanasha @prettytallstyle above

Mel @bagandaberet above (read her style interview here)

Other considerations for 40+ women’s hairstyles

• This remains one of the most difficult decisions: should I let my hair go grey or dye my hair? Lots of women share their opinion.
• Can women over 40 have long hair? What say you?

Hairstyles for women over 40 inspiration!

I have been adding hairstyles for women over 40 to my Pinterest Board with the same name. I  will keep adding to this pinboard, so when the time comes when I want a new haircut again, I know what to choose!

Have you changed much about your hairstyle as you have gotten older? What are your best tips for the perfect hairstyle for the woman over 40?

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Feature image by Shauna @chicover50

Photos not captioned below are by Denton Taylor

The post The best hairstyles for women over 40 – 7 useful tips appeared first on 40+ Style.

As you may have read in Part 1, I started my journey to gray on a winter trip to Arizona. My previous colorist closed her salon and moved away. My first priority was to find a local stylist to help me navigate the rest of the way. Luckily, I located one of her long time employees, Master Stylist Kathy Hull-Yurek to continue my transition to gray hair.

So far, so good

Like many women, I was self-conscious and apprehensive about how my natural color would grow in and how “bad” it might look.  So far those fears have been unfounded. No one has noticed my transition to gray hair or they are just too polite to say anything, which I appreciate!

The highlights I added more than two months ago helped me adjust to the changing situation and since then, my natural color is emerging. It’s light at the temples and hairline with grey and silver strands on top. The process is further along in the back where my hair is shorter, with a lighter gray growing in.

The highest contrast area is the back of my head where you can still see the processed color. But the newly exposed natural hair is a light shade that is blending with the processed color and helping to disguise new growth.

You may also like: how to dye your hair roots yourself

In addition to color change, my hair has undergone a noticeable change in texture. The smooth, easy-to-style, bob I sported four months ago has turned to a wild kinky mess in the summer heat and humidity. I’ve stopped blow-drying in protest.

I’m not unhappy with this development because I’m now on-trend with a “beachy waves” look and enjoying the low maintenance it offers. I planned to discuss how to optimize the new waves with my new stylist Kathy to understand my best styling options.

The day of my hair appointment, I arrived at the salon with these questions in mind:

1. How can I best take advantage of rather than fight with the new texture?
2. Is a different cut a good idea and would it expedite the grow-out process?
3. With my natural growth becoming more obvious, what color strategies should I consider for the next stages of transition and when should they take place?

How to transition to gray hair: attitude and inspiration

When I greeted Kathy she had a big surprise. She had just colored her own blond hair purple and it looked fantastic!

“It’s just hair,” she said. “It will grow back when I’m tired of it.”  All at once I was reassured that I came to the right person. Kathy has always expressed her fearless and fun personality through her rocker-style hair and clothes. She is just the inspiration I needed to keep going!

She washed and trimmed my bob, and with her advice, we made the following plan:

• Maintain my current haircut to keep things simple and avoid any frustration caused by managing a new style.
• Start using curl styling products (DevaCurl for all Curlkind) to set the curly hair in place for the best beachy waves. Now all I do is wash, blot dry, scrunch in the product and air dry.
• From July through September, continue to grow my natural color to a length of four inches. When the length is reached, Kathy will add low lights to blend the two shades until the full natural growth is completed.

These steps will ensure my hair stays in good condition by minimizing the impact of color processing and avoiding brittleness due to excess blow-drying.

From Sylvia: More ways to cover up too obvious gray roots – with temporary hair colors

If you’re transitioning to gray or just want to take a bit longer between hair coloring appointments, you can also use grey root fixers.

I personally use L’Oreal Paris Root Cover Up Temporary Gray Concealer Spray, Light to Medium Blonde. It helps me cover up my gray roots and I can last much longer between coloring appointments

Other options are:

• Everpro Gray Away Temporary Root Concealer Root Touch Up Magnetic Powder
• Everpro Gray Away Women Temporary Root Concealer, Black/Dark Brown

Are  you considering going gray?

Join the popular discussion over at our article, To gray or not to gray.

We will continue to follow Elaine through her journey into grey. Sign up for our email newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it. If you’d like to share your story and images of your transition to gray for a possible story, email us at support [at] 40plusstyle.com.

Related articles:

• How to transition to gray hair (part one)
• From colored to natural hair (part 3)
• To gray or not to gray
• Long gray hairstyles
• Mid long gray hairstyles
• Short gray hairstyles

Are you considering going gray? How will you do it?

Elaine

P.S. Want to take your grooming and makeup to a new level? In the style club this month we will groom ourselves to perfection. Check out all the style training here.

The post How to transition to gray hair – Part 2 of Elaine’s journey to going gray appeared first on 40+ Style.

And most of those women are reluctant to discuss it. For some reason, hair loss in men is much more discussed. So we are breaking that taboo right now and sharing tips, strategies and some hairstyling tips for women over 40.

First off when you experience hair loss, head to your doctor. Hair loss can be a symptom of an underlying medical issue. Anything from thyroid issues, hormonal imbalance and stress can affect your hair. So make sure that you check with your doctor firt.

What causes our hair to seem thinner after 40?

There are several reasons. Here are the five most common ones.

1. The diameter of hair follicles diminishes

As we age, the actual size of each strand of our hair actually gets thinner. Even if you have the same amount of strands of hair as you did when you were younger, that hair will be thinner and less full and dense due to this shrinkage in follicle size.

2. Hair texture changes

Our hair gets coarser and more wirey (ever notice all those little hairs sticking up near your crown?) This change in texture also makes our hair appear duller and less able to reflect light, so it looks less lustrous.

3. Menopause

Yet another reason to dislike the changes that menopause brings on is the changes to your hair! Doctors aren’t exactly sure how, but they suspect that the rising and dropping levels of male and female hormones affect hair growth cycles.

4. Medications

Some medications can cause hair loss, so again, talk to your doctor if you start to experience this when you begin a new medication.

5. Stress

Stress can cause your hair to fall out, so if you see you are suddenly losing more hair, a stressful time might be to blame.

Products and tips for hair loss

There are products and tips on styling your hair if you are experiencing hair loss.

Rogaine For Women

Rogaine For Women contains 5% minoxidil, which has been proven to regrow hair. It’s an easy to use foam you apply after washing your hair, then style as usual.

It’s available without a prescription.  Start as soon as you see a change in your hair. It’s easiest to keep hair from falling out than to regrow it. CAUTION: You have to keep using it, if you stop, you’ll lose any hair you’ve regrown.

Use a Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner

Sulfate is a strong detergent and ingredient found in many shampoos. Try to be as delicate with your hair as you can be, so choose a shampoo that doesn’t contain that ingredient.

I like the L’Oreal Everpure line. It’s not expensive and is super mild.

Limit your use of heated styling tools

Since your hair is more fragile, limit your use of heated styling tools like blow dryers, hot irons, flat irons or hot curlers.

A solution is to use a microfiber towel like the Aquis Microfiber towel to get the majority of the moisture from your hair and then use the blow dryer for only a few minutes.

Or let it air dry and use a product like Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow It styling creme to create soft waves.

And if you do use a blow dryer or flat iron make sure to use a protective spray made for heated tools first to protect your hair from breakage.

Use hair fibers

There are some wonderful hair texturizing fibers on the market that really help camouflage hair loss by making your hair appear thicker and by cutting down the appearance of your scalp along your part.

Bosly Hair Thickening fibers come in many colors to match almost any hair tone. Lightly sprinkle the product along your part and then gently rub in. (Use just a tiny bit, it goes a long way!)

Hairstyles that are good for thinning hair

Robin Wright, photo by Vogue

Long side swept bangs

If you have a receding hairline, long side swept bangs that partially cover your forehead can help camouflage loss along your hairline. Make sure they aren’t too short or they will only draw more attention to your forehead.

Jessica Chastain, photo by Vogue

Long layers

Avoid a one layer cut which tends to flatten your hair.

A better option is a cut with long layers. Long layers create more texture and movement in your hair, helping to take the focus away from thinning. Whether you wear your hair long or short, you can have long layers cut into your existing hairstyle.

Dianne Kruger, photo by Vogue

Longish, layered bobs

A long layered bob is a classic cut that gives your hair have movement. A stylish option is to have a graduated cut that’s shorter in the back and just a bit longer in the front.

Viola Davis, photo by Vogue

Color

Hair color, used correctly, can be another way to camouflage hair loss.

A variance in color can help make the stark demarcation line between hair and scalp less obvious. Gentle highlights or lowlights that help deflect light will fool the eye, especially near your part.

If you have naturally dark hair and fair skin, opt for a few highlights to deflect light and keep your scalp from being so visible.  (If you have lighter hair, use several shades of color to fool the eye.)

Here’s a video we created with even more tips on caring for thinning hair

If your hair is thinning, what remedies have worked for you?

Have a stylish week! Rosemond 

The post Hair loss solutions and best hairstyles for thinning hair appeared first on 40+ Style.

If not now…when?

“Let go of that which no longer serves,” said my yoga teacher to our group of 40 students one Monday morning in Sedona, Arizona. I have heard those words often and now that I’m 65 they make a lot of sense to me.

At this age I want a simpler life and have taken steps to get rid of household things and clothes that don’t fit or flatter my shape. I am discovering a personal style that is more in line with my goals of staying healthy and fit, traveling and doing things that I love with friends and family.

But then there was this hair problem

I have used single process color on my fine, straight hair since the 1980s and it has been a great ride. But a few years ago I noticed the texture and color of my hair was beginning to change. Instead of dark roots around my face, the growth was lighter. The same held true for the top and visible sections on the nape of my neck. I knew it was time to do something.  

For years I’ve admired friends and acquaintances whose hair had turned a beautiful silver or salt and pepper color. My favorite gray style icons include Dame Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Christine Lagarde and women from the fashion world like Yasmina Rossi, Linda Wright, Cindy Joseph and Eileen Fisher.

I began reading articles about women who took the leap from processed hair color to natural gray but when I broached the subject with my colorist she said, “not yet”. Soon after she closed her shop unexpectedly and moved away.

I spend the winter months in Arizona so I discussed the topic with my Sedona colorist, Wendy Rella, and she was game to help me with the transition. Wendy recommended moving from the single process color to highlights at first to keep a layer of color on top and near my face while allowing the roots to grow underneath. Later as the natural growth increased I would let go of the highlighting process. Not a complicated thing at all!

Between appointments with Wendy I researched haircuts and transition strategies online and created a Pinterest Board for haircuts I liked with pins of stylish women with natural hair color and light complexions, like mine.

The process led me to three conclusions:

1. I’m 65. If now is not the right time to transition to grey, when is?
2. During spring and summer I wear hats to keep the sun at bay, a convenient way to disguise the new growth during awkward stages.
3. The current trend in hair color is lots of tones and textures so my multi-tonal transition would look less obvious as other women opt for this trendy look. After all, I still want to look trendy too!

On my next visit to Wendy I asked her to cut my hair in an inverted bob style to get rid of a lot of the single process color. She agreed, gave me a wonderful cut and then highlighted the top and hairline using foils so I would be less aware of the change that was taking place underneath.

The journey has begun.

I love my new haircut. It is easy to manage and maintain and can be dressed up by adding some beachy waves with the curling iron. I have received many compliments from people who notice the new haircut but so far not the gray growth that is starting to emerge.

The online community at 40+Style has also been very supportive which encourages me to go forward confidently. So far I am comfortable with my decision and although I may have some difficult moments along the way, I look forward to the transition with a sense of adventure–and letting go of the artificial hair color that no longer serves me.

Are  you considering going gray?

You may like to read our previous article to gray or not to gray to join the discussion.

We will continue to follow Elaine through her journey into grey. Sign up for our email newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it. If you like to share your images of transitioning into gray, feel feel to send them to us at support [at] 40plusstyle.com and we may them with the next article.

What do you think of Elaine’s transition to gray look?

Related articles:

• How to transition to gray hair (part one)
• Transitioning to gray hair (part 2)
• From colored to natural hair (part 3)
• To gray or not to gray
• Long gray hairstyles
• Mid long gray hairstyles
• Short gray hairstyles

The post How to transition to gray hair – Part 1 of Elaine’s journey to going gray appeared first on 40+ Style.

Since I’ve chosen to still wear my hair long, I have to be extra mindful of the products I use and the way I treat my longer hair to keep it as healthy as possible.

Here are just a few of the strategies that I’ve found that work for me.

Don’t wash your hair too often.

This might seem counterintuitive, but as you age, your hair and scalp often get drier. I find that washing my hair every two or three days is more than enough. It keeps my hair clean but also doesn’t strip away the natural oils.

Ok, don’t laugh, one of my favorite tips? Use a shower cap to protect your hairstyle and you’ll have to redo it less often. Today’s new shower caps have a terry lining to soak up any steam so your blow-dried hairstyle lasts longer. (I guess it is true, that everything old is new again.)

Use heated styling tools sparingly.

I often let my hair air dry and then put it into a bun or old style pin curls using bobby pins to give my hair movement and bounce. My favorite beauty tools are an ionic blow dryer, the Calista Perfecter to add curl, and a flat iron, but I don’t use these products every day and I make sure to use a heat protectant styling spray whenever I use them to protect my hair from heat damage.

Trim your hair frequently.

Even though my hair is long, I get the ends of my hair trimmed every few weeks to cut down on split ends and maintain my style.

If you color your hair, use a color that’s made specifically for gray hair.

Gray hair tends to be drier and stiffer making it more resistant to color. (And did you know what makes our hair turn gray in the first place? It’s a decrease in melanin production that takes the color out of our strands so our gray hair is actually not a new hair color but the absence of our original hair color.)

So if you opt to color your hair at home, use a product that is specifically designed to cover gray. And if you go to a salon, ask them to use a hair coloring system that’s for gray hair. These lines have ingredients to cover stubborn grays and hues that interact specifically with grays.

If you color your hair at home, I’ve heard good things about Madison Reed at home hair color kits for gray hair.

Keep highlights to a minimum

I have a few highlights in my hair, but I try to not go overboard because highlights can dry out fragile over 40 hair.

My stylist paints on my highlights by hand, the fancy name for this is balayage. Balayage is less drying than using foils to add highlights to your hair. Ask you hair stylist to try balayage to add a few highlights to your hair. Since highlights can be drying though, concentrate just a few highlights near your face to brighten, and add a few sparingly through the rest of your hair.

Deep condition every time you color your hair

Every single time I color my hair I have a deep conditioning treatment. And I do a weekly deep condition at home with Olaplex Hair Perfecter to maintain my hair’s condition.

Use gentle hair elastics

If you pull your hair back in a ponytail, make sure to use coated hair elastics or these fabric hair ties that don’t pull your hair out or get it tangled.

I remember those old rules of “no long hair over 40”. What a ridiculous thought! I’m keeping my hair as healthy as I can so I can keep wearing it long, and bucking those old outdated ideas of aging and hair length for women over 40.

What are your secrets to keeping your hair healthy?

Here are a few of the products I use to keep my hair healthy and strong.

The post How I keep my hair healthy. My favorite over 40 hair care tips. appeared first on 40+ Style.

These days, women over 40 can look vibrant and beautiful with long hair. A longer hairstyle can be versatile. From sleek ponytails to graceful waves, to chic chignons, curled to straight, long hair past 40 can be low maintenance and stylish.

Here are some helpful guidelines to determine if long hair would be flattering on you, plus tips to keep long hair healthy and beautiful.

What is the shape of your face?

Long hair after 40 looks most flattering if you have a round, square or wider face shape. The vertical pull of long hair can further elongate a thin or oblong shaped face.

Not sure what your face shape is? You can determine your face shape by looking at photos of yourself and in the mirror. You’ll need to decide which parts of your face are both the widest and narrowest.

Here are the six basic face shapes. (Keep in mind that you may be a combination of two).

Oval: If you have an oval shaped face, the widest part of your face will be your forehead.

Round: A round face will be widest across the cheekbones.

Square: A square face has a well defined square jawline and the sides of your face will be straight.

Diamond: A diamond face shape has prominent cheekbones, pointed chin and a narrower hairline.

Oblong: An oblong or rectangle shaped face will be longer than wide and the forehead, cheeks and chin are all approximately the same width.

Heart: A heart shaped face has a smaller pointed jawline, with the chin being the narrowest part of the face.

What is the thickness of your hair?

Long hair definitely looks best if you’ve got thicker hair with medium body. Keep in mind that as we age, the strands of our hair get smaller, and hair growth slows down, so growing out your hair will take longer than it did in your 20’s.

If you think your hair might be thinning, try an over the counter minoxidil product to counteract hair loss as soon as you start to notice it. In the U.S., you can use Rogaine for women. This foaming gel has a 5% minoxidil solution in a foam formula. Used daily, Rogaine helps you keep your hair, so use it before your hair loss is substantial for best results.

Use the right blow dryer & styling tools

As we age the cuticle of our hair becomes more fragile, making our hair more likely to frizz. One way to smooth your hair is by using an ionic blow dryer. How does it work? The water on wet hair is made of positive ions. An ionic blow dryer emits negative ions which bond with the positive ions on your wet hair, making your hair dry faster, meaning less stress and less frizz on the cuticle of your hair.

Ionic blow dryers tend to be a bit more expensive but are worth it, especially for our over 40, more fragile hair.

Another option, if your hair is very thick, is a salon straightening treatment like a Brazilian Blowout or a Keratin Complex Treatment can be a bit pricey but will dramatically cut down on both frizzy flyaway hair and styling time too. Both treatments are available in salons.

I also recommend a heated round brush, the Calista Perfecter, to smooth and style your hair. The Perfecter gives your hair body and subtle curls and comes in a larger barrel size specifically for long hair. With variable heat settings, you can set it lower if your hair is especially fragile.

Styling Tips

Long hair after 40 looks flattering with long layers cut into the body of your hair rather than an all one length cut. Just because your hair is long, you still need a good haircut.

Gradual, face framing layers around your face keep the length from dragging down your facial features and accentuating any sagging. You can also add long side swept bangs to this style to camouflage any forehead wrinkles or sagging.

A side part, or slightly off center part is usually most flattering on any face shape.

Keep your hair in top condition

It’s important to keep long hair strong and healthy, especially after 40 when hair can become dull and lose its shine.

Apply a deep conditioning mask or conditioner weekly. (I use a deep conditioning mask, work it through my hair with a wide toothed comb and leave it on for at least 30 minutes or longer before shampooing out.)

Stick to a shampoo and conditioner without sulfates. Sulfates (usually listed in the ingredients as sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, or sodium laureth sulfate) are a detergent in many shampoos that dries out your hair. You can find sulfate free shampoos in both high end and drugstore brands.

To keep your hair in top shape, don’t blow dry or use flat irons or curling irons every day. Give your hair a break and let it air dry. You can add gentle waves by using a styling foam and twisting your hair into a bun or pin curls while it dries. Unpin once hair is dry, softly finger style your hair for soft, beachy waves.

Below, you’ll find some of the products and appliances to help keep your long hair healthy, strong and beautiful. What tips have you found for wearing long after 40?

For further reading also see Easy and stylish holiday party hairstyles and Can women over 40 have long hair.

Do you like to keep your hair long? Feel free to show us in our private community!

Rosemond

P.S. Don’t forget the Kickstart Your Style Challenge is starting soon. Be sure to not miss it as it’s your chance to get clear on your style for this year!

The post How to wear long hair over 40 appeared first on 40+ Style.

I’ve outlined some easy to follow tips to achieve a stylish look perfect for holiday parties and gatherings with styles that look particularly good on women over 40. Plus I’ve created a video with step by step tips for you to follow.

Here are some easy to use tips for adding easy glamour to all your holiday hairstyles.

Get dressed first

If you’re wearing a dress or top with sequins, or an outfit with a high neckline or straps, make sure to get dressed first, so you won’t ruin your hairdo, or snag your outfit by getting it caught on hairpins.

Have hair elastics and hair pins in the same color as your hair

This makes it much easier to camouflage the pins and elastics in your hairdo and cover them up.

If you have lots of ruffles or sequins and glitter in your outfit, opt for a sleek, simple but dramatic hairstyle

It will create a better balance in the overall look.

Use a pretty holiday ribbon in satin or velvet as a hairband, or to tie a ponytail

You can do this with either long or short hair.

Use a sparkly headband, either alone or pair it with a simple ponytail

Also, if you want to add just a touch of sparkle, choose a headband that is close to your own hair color, you’ll add some understated glimmer but not too much color.

Stack several rhinestone barrettes or hair clips with a dramatic side part

This works for either long or short hair.

Wear a ponytail

Ponytails don’t have to be boring. You can make this simple hairstyle really chic! Use that dramatic side part with a ponytail. Wear your ponytail low, right at the nape of your neck. You can also curl or straighten your ponytail so it looks polished too.

Use a toothbrush to apply hairspray

Great trick: for a sleek ponytail, use an old toothbrush, spray hairspray onto the toothbrush and use that to smooth the small frizzy hairs or flyaways. Then as a final touch, spray hairspray onto your fingers, and smooth any last flyaways. This will give you more control and keep your hair from getting saturated or sticky with too much hair spray.

How to gauge where your ponytail should be?

A good rule of thumb: keep your ponytail lower than the tops of your ears so it looks flattering. (Especially as you age, a really high ponytail can look too severe.)

Use a brooch or rhinestone pin as a pretty hair accessory

Attach a brooch to your updo with a few hairpins or pin it directly onto a pretty satin ribbon and you’ve got a glittery hair accessory. 

Use an old earring as a glittery hair ornament. You probably have an old earring that has lost its mate. Attach it to a bobby pin and pin to your ponytail or use as a pretty little side barrette.

Hide your ponytail elastic. Wrap a 1/4 section of your hair around your ponytail to cover the elastic. (Take a look at the video below to see exactly how to do it.)

Try a simple undo. A wonderfully simple undo that’s super easy is “The Twist.” It just takes a few hair pins and is pretty and flattering on just about anyone. (I’ve shown how to do that in the video below.) 

I’ve outlined all these tips with an easy to follow video and step by step tutorial.

For many more hairstyle ideas you can check the 40+Style Pinterest board: hairstyles for women over 40.

What are some of your favorite ways to wear your hair for parties and events during the holidays?

The post Easy and stylish holiday party hairstyles for women over 40 (with video tutorial!) appeared first on 40+ Style.

I’m sure you will agree with me that these pictures prove that short grey hairstyles look chic, modern and fabulous! Enjoy.

Below Sandi Ward, California food/fashion blogger http://thefoodstalker.com/

Short gray hairstyles sent in by readers

Barbara

“Here’s my grey. Sometimes it is very short, sometimes it is just short! I started getting very grey in my early 40’s now I’m 54 and haven’t dyed it for years.”

Jaime

“I love seeing other grey haired women and am sending you a picture of my short grey hair”

Benilda

“Thank you for allowing us to be visible again :)”

Have a look at how glamorous Benilda looks in this glamour picture!

Thanks to the 3 ladies who sent in these hairstyles.

Related articles:

• How to transition to gray hair (part one)
• Transitioning to gray hair (part 2)
• From colored to natural hair (part 3)
• To gray or not to gray
• Long gray hairstyles
• Mid long gray hairstyles

If you decide to gray (or if you already are) will you cut your hair short or keep it longer?

Like this article? Save it on Pinterest!

All photos except the last 4 by Denton Taylor

The post Celebrating women with fabulous short gray hairstyles appeared first on 40+ Style.