Dying grey hair and getting just the right shade, be that blonde or dark, is tricky. That’s why we turned to Celebrity Hairstylist Billy Lowe to answer this question from a stressed out reader.
Dear Glam Gals,
Please help me! The most frustrating thing is my hair! It is all grey. I started out with long hair past my shoulders, and everyone keeps cutting it, dying it dark and tons of highlights which my husband likes but is very drying. Everyone keeps trying to return my hair to the natural hair color which was medium reddish brown and my hair is so think it looked very dark at times.
My last haircut the girl dyed it black, with red highlights, wow that is going to look pretty when the grey grows in? I was told by a co-worker to go as light as possible and let the grey grow in and maybe highlight and/or lowlights? Please help with hairstyle/color/highlights that would look the best on me. Thanks! Keep up the good work, we need you! Karen J.
Dear Karen,
Thank you for reaching out, First of all – great photos of you. My first thought is this – if you are going with lighter strands – especially around the faceline, you want to be sure to accentuate your eyes, lips, brows, and perhaps wear larger accessory/jewelry pieces around the neckline (chunky necklaces, etc) so your face doesn’t disappear. Without the contrast, and if hair color blends in with skin too closely, then things start to disappear.
Secondly, if you are going with the darker color, just know that there’s a greater contrast between that color and the regrowth. So the regrowth will be a lot more evident. Catch 22 I know.
I personally like both looks on you, but feel the lighter color suits your personality a bit more – as evident in the photos.
LA Celebrity stylist, Billy Lowe
Going “Heather Locklear blonde” could be an option, but have you tried on any hair pieces to see what you think, and perhaps get responses from friends that might want to go along? That’s always a safe bet because there are countless options when it comes to color and endless possibilities in color formulations. Baby-steps. Try on some fun hair pieces, and see what you think. But if I had to choose, I’d pick the Karen with the soft brunette and the highlights strapped through. Fun, brilliant, and fabulous.
In beauty, Billy Lowe
For more information on Billy Lowe, please visit his exciting beauty blog at www.LoweLights.com or his website at www.BillyLowe.com
Thanks to YOU…2010 has been our biggest year ever with over 55,000 unique visitors a month!
We’ve appreciate that you’ve spread the word about FAF to grow our amazing community. It’s been so much fun chatting with all of you and seeing everyone become such good friends.
Just in case you missed any posts, here are this year’s most hotly debated ones! Keep the comments coming…we love to hear from you at Fabulous after 40!
- Back in first place again this year… we followed our friend Jill Knapp on her journey of weight loss. She hit her one year mark and has still been able to keep the weight off and even made an appearance on to the Dr. Oz show
|
 Jill before and after her 100 pound weight loss!
|
| 2. This year Gray hair became a surprise fashion trend! This opened the door to discuss the “to go or not to go gray” topic, here at FAF! Read more…
|
 Helen Mirren looking radiant in her gray hair! |
| 3. Over the knee and Thigh high boots, are they age appropriate?Many of you said that you had the hankering to find your inner biker chic and this article sure got the sparks flying!! |
 |
| Clogs.
Another fashion comeback this year and this time they came with heels!
The Glam Gals weighed in on this controversial topic with lots more comments from you!!! |
 |
“Dainty and feminine” or “young and tacky” were a few of the comments we heard when we dared to chat about ankle bracelets!
|
 |
| Can I wear Leggings after 40? Find out how our readers weighed in. |
 |
Hi Glam Gals,
I just randomly saw your article on long hair after 40, loved it. I am 53, 5ft., 105lbs. work hard at wellness, eating right and keeping fit which all contribute to good hair & skin quality . It’s just as healthy as when I was younger just that it now shimmers with silver.Thought y’all might get a kick out of seeing short to long, so here is a picture taken last week , celebrating my twins 21st B-Day.and a picture of my short hair when I cut it super short to get the dye out and let it start growing , quite a process whewwww. My kid’s love my hair as do their friends and I am happy to be a role model/advocate of the option of going gray and still rock long hair! Have a great day and thank you for your awesome articles are much appreciated.
Best,
Denise Buchoz
Hi Denise,
You are such a wonderful example of how to wear long hair and on top of that you are doing it with your natural color! Thanks for sharing your story and photos with all of us! You are a true Glam Gal and we love your long silver tresses!!!
Before: Here is Denise with short sporty hair.
After: A recent photo of Denise now that she has grown out her gray hair...looking youthful, sexy and gorgeous!
We’re going to make a confession that some of you may not want to hear…. We’re not big on gray hair. Sorry, we know it’s vogue to say how wonderful and sexy it is, but we just feel on many women it tends to wash them out and can make them look older.
We do admit, there are women where it works and their gray hair can look stunning, but that’s usually because the woman is usually so darn attractive to begin with, she could wear purple and orange striped hair and still look good! She is also the same woman the color industry labels as a winter or summer, whose hair, when it turns gray, turns that striking silvery white color.
This former model revived her career because she went gray!
On a more positive note, we recently met this beauty, who had modeled professionally and then retired to have a child. The good news is that this over 40 model (actually she is over 50) was able to revive her modeling career, simply by being one of the few to be so bold as to sport her gray locks! She is another one of those gorgeous silver foxes!
It wouldn't matter what color hair this gorgeous woman had, she still looks great!
But that being said, we still feel that being gray can definitely be tricky to pull off.
We know coloring your hair is a pain, yes it totally is!!
Moreover, some of you may say, who cares if you look old(er), you are not a young woman anymore -fine then go gray. We’re just saying if you want to stay looking youthful ( youthful- not ridiculously young) think long and hard about going that route.
We know we’re going to get some flack about this one but that’s o.k. There is no right or wrong in this “gray area”. It’s just our opinion.
Was it Lady GaGa , Tiva or Kate Moss, who started the recent trend that grey hair is cool? No matter who it was we are seeing both the young and not so young going grey and getting lots of attention!
Over 40 model, Kristen McMenamy sporty long grey locks / photo credit - Vogue, Aug. 2010
For instance, we were just reading over at French Essence that 46 year old model Kristen McMenamy is hot as ever and she has dared to go aux natural! Wow… we think she is rocking it!!
How to pull off grey hair and still look youthful and cool?
- Your make up must be subtle
- Your wardrobe should be updated and classy. Love Kristen’s simple elegant style with a twist (That coat is crazy with the slit elbow and she is owning that hat!!!)
- Make sure your hair is in a style that is current. (no q-tip head)
- It’s all in your attitude! If you feel great you will look great!
Is this trend hot or not?
Let us know and comment below!
For all of you who have written to us agonizing over whether you should let your hair go grey, take a look at this.
Kate Moss (36) is suddenly silver streaked, and she thinks it’s chic. No, it’s not natural; it’s FASHIONABLE. She has purposely dyed her hair this way. Find out what she was thinking, and whether you think this new trend will will last. Read on..
