Hair for Middle-Aged Women (2)
How to keep your hair long as a middle-aged woman
There's no doubt about it, the older a woman gets, the more difficult it is to maintain a long hairstyle. However, nowadays, women in their forties are just getting started. Technology and a conscious lifestyle have reversed the aging process so well that the outdated hair beliefs of the past are no longer applicable.
Mindful women take much better care of themselves today with diet and exercise, so that they manifest a youthful and energetic look. Younger styles can be worn for much longer if the hair is healthy and doesn't look fried and overly exposed to the environment or chemicals.
Perseverance and condition
The biggest challenge for most women is working with hair that suddenly seems to be coarse and lacking in volume and luster. Science says that as you age, the diameter of your hair shaft starts to decrease, causing hair strands to be thinner and a reduction in luster and strength. Slight changes in moisture, texture, luster, and even overall manageability can ultimately leave one with a head of hair that they can hardly recognize as their own.
The production of sebum oil decreases as one ages and thus causes both the hair and scalp to be drier. The lower level of sebum makes hair feel rougher, look duller, and is less manageable. One must handle dry hair as they would dry skin. Most women understand that washing too often strips the natural sebum oil from their hair. By alternating between shampoo and dry shampoo, you are able to clean an oily scalp without jeopardizing the rest of the hair strands. The less you shampoo, the less oil you will produce. After each shampoo and at least twice a week, a deep conditioning treatment is necessary.
Then there's the continuing battle against the gray hairs, which for many women becomes an issue in their forties. A decreased production of melanin (which gives hair its color) is one of the most noticeable hair transformations as we age. If you desire to elegantly go gray, make sure to pick up a shine-enhancing shampoo and use it twice a week. They have a slight toner in the cleansers to keep the white looking bright. Non-pigmented hair is more vulnerable to sun/UV damage, so protect it with a UV protectant.
Certainly, many women choose to color their gray instead and if that is you, choose hair color wisely. As you age, it's more difficult to pull off vibrant hues. Intense hair colors tend to look too harsh against lighter skin tones. Try an auburn hue instead of a bright red. Avoid the drastic black hair color and go with a chestnut tone. Stay away from the radical platinum blonde and go with a more golden color. The warmer the tone, the more forgiving it is likely to be. It is essential to stay within a shade or two of your natural hair color.
Cut
Another important solution to looking like a mature chic maven instead of a mature woman frantically chasing after her youth is to remember that your cut shouldn't be "young"; it should be refreshing. If you do choose to wear long hair in the latter part of life, the haircut you have can be the difference between looking regal or ragged. A great cut can even take years off your age.
For longer styles to work, one needs to have face-framing layers so the cheekbones are highlighted. Haircuts should complement a woman's bone structure. In fact, a good haircut that is layered in the right places can be better than a cosmetic procedure. Layers throughout the hair create movement, so hair isn't just lying flat. Angled side bangs do a wonderful job at emphasizing and bringing out the eyes.
When styling mature hair, you will want to avoid a center part, as this creates a look that lacks any volume on the top of the head. Hair should have volume and using hot rollers can help give hair that bodacious bounce we all desire. Stay away from flat-ironed and stick-straight hair because it displays every imperfection both within the hair (makes thin hair even thinner) and in the facial structure (drags the face down).
Closing
Mature ladies with dense hair that has been well-conditioned can look absolutely gorgeous with longer hairstyles, while despite their young age, some young women with very fine hair will not be able to pull off long hair. With an overall more cosmetically aware and concerned society, today's technology, and living a more conscious and mindful lifestyle, women aren't aging at the same rate as their grandmothers did, and their hair will most likely not age similarly as well. The bottom line is, there's no grand hairstyle handbook. Women really can sport any hair length at any age.
Whether or not a shorter hairstyle is best depends on the individual's hair texture, thickness, personal preference, and physical features. Age should never be a factor when deciding upon hair length. Study the state of your hair. Is it over-processed? Is it too thin or lacking in shine? If so, then it's a safe bet to say that a session with the scissors is needed. When to cut hair into a short style does not depend on your age, but rather the lifestyle you lead and the condition of your hair. If you are over forty and desire to keep your long hair but aren't sure how to make it work, take our tips and make it happen!
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
Photos of hairstyles for older women
Too old for long hair