LET’S TALK HAIR

By Sarah Jayne Unger

As we get older our hair changes, and not just in colour. The texture of our hair can become different, it can become brittle, dry and sometimes finer. This means what was working for you before may no longer be working for you now. Here is some advice that will hopefully help you move forward.

First, let’s talk about colour. Lately, we have seen women embracing their grey locks (check out Sharon Osbourne’s transformation). If you have been colouring your hair and want to move away from this then it can be a bit of a process, but it is not impossible. You can simply just grow out your old colour, however, this can be a long and daunting process. Alternatively, speak to your hairdresser and map out a plan to move forward, which may include processes such as colour cleansing or highlighting depending on the colour your hair is currently. This is more than likely to take several appointments to achieve, but totally worth it though.

Try using a silver shampoo like Serie Expert Silver Shampoo by L’Oreal Professional to brighten up your grey hair.

If going grey is not for you then hair colouring is a great thing. Ultimately what colour you have is down to you, but there are some things you can do if you are wanting to keep your colour looking natural. Staying within two shades of your natural colour is the easiest way to ensure a natural finish. If you have a block colour, try asking your hairdresser to add a slightly lighter shade around the front of your hair, this will give you a multi-tonal look and mimic what the hair naturally does. If you are looking for something different, balayage could be for you. Think highlights but softer. Balayage is a freehand lightening technique that will allow your hairdresser to create a bespoke colour just for you, as an added bonus it can be super low maintenance. You can also team this up with your root tint, leaving no grey behind.

Reds and Coppers are amazing colours if you fancy something BOLDER. They are however higher maintenance, not necessarily a bad thing – think of all those extra head massages in the salon!

Healthy hair is happy hair. Try using products jam-packed with moisture. Pureology’s Hydrate range is perfect for this.

Onto the biggest question we hear in the salon, can you have long hair over 50? YES, YOU CAN.

A hairstyle doesn’t become off-limits because you have reached a certain age. You do need to keep your long locks in tip-top condition though. Split ends will make your hair look fine, frizzy and damaged, so visit your hairdresser for a trim every 6-12 weeks. Always ask to keep the length of your hair cut blunt, this will keep it looking healthier and thicker. If you have fine hair, layers may help to give your hair body and life, but don’t go too crazy with the layering though. Try just adding some layers around the front to frame your face, this will stop your long hair looking lank… Paul Mitchell’s Extra Body Daily Root Boost is your new best friend, blow-dry this in with a vent brush.

If you are looking for something shorter, go for something layered. This will give you volume, texture and dimension. Think Emma Thompson.