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Looking Good in laterlife is a regular column
reporting on the latest tips on beauty products and
processes for the more mature face and body.
Anyone who has looked after her (or his) appearance
over the years has the edge in later life compared to
ravers who burned all their candles at both
ends.
 A vast industry is out there
to help with all and every beauty concern. In this
column every month laterlife.com will report
on ideas and products, old and new. All with the
focus on maturity of course.
Click here to view previous editions of Looking Good in laterlife
LOOKING GOOD IN
LATERLIFE
Good Hair Days Here to Stay
Sarah Frankel checks with the experts
Summer brightens us up, but how do we brighten up our hair,
bring ourselves up- to-date and improve our crowning glory? I
approached some top stylists for the answers: Chris Benoit of
John Frieda, Nicky Clarke and, from Israel, where they have
summer for nine months a year, Amir Mizrahi.
The most important message is that hair needs good grooming
to shine and sparkle. There’s a commitment of time and cost
but you don’t necessarily need to go to the hairdresser each
week. There are many good grooming products on the market and if
you use them, take care of hair and go to the hairdresser for a
good cut and maybe colour, you can easily have shiny, healthy,
well groomed hair.All the stylists agreed that length was up to the individual,
their lifestyle and what suited them. Amir Mizrahi stressed that
long or short hair should be cut to obscure and blend with
regrowth, particularly on the sides of the ears and nape of the
neck. He said that if hair was long, it should be wavy and swing
easily rather than long and straight, which may look harsh on
the over 50’s.
Chris Benoit of John Frieda says that length may be seasonal for
men, but women who have long hair can keep it long all year
round. Emphasising individuality is important and he
doesn’t believe hair and age should be placed in categories.
Nicky Clarke thinks that preconceived ideas are outmoded
and older women now looked much younger than their age. “A good
cut is all about balance, not length,” said Nicky. “Sometimes
long hair drags you down, needs texture and lift. Short hair can
look hard or unfeminine.” He suggests a compromise of
well-groomed shoulder- length hair, shaped with height on the
crown.
Perms are out
Some laterlifers have perms and use rollers. Chris Benoit
says that few people he works with have perms these days, but he
will use velcro and heated rollers for clients who ask for them,
in conjunction with volumising blow dry lotions and mousses,
which are good for thickening the hair.
Nicky Clarke tells me that in a year he can count the number
of people who have perms on the fingers of one hand and
that’s pushing it. A permanent wave was fashionable in the 1970s
and 1980s, but there was no alternative then. Today perms aren’t
necessary because cutting techniques and styling products have
improved and give body to the hair.
When your hair grows out of a perm you lose the body where
you need it most: on the crown and roots. Amir Mizrahi gave
me an odd look when I mentioned the word “perm” and said the
only rollers he uses are hot rollers, in conjunction with blow
drying, as they’re less harmful to the hair than traditional
rollers.
Tinting is in
Colour is an issue we all consider at this time of our lives.
None of the stylists like grey. Amir Mizrahi thinks that
pollution is the cause of dull, grey hair and suggests tinting
it to silver. “Blonde is out,” he says, “as it makes you look
pale, particularly if you have a pale complexion.” He suggests
using soft colours and adding some spice to the colour with a
few highlights or the occasional rinse, as long it isn’t blue!
John Frieda’s Chris Benoit says that the fashionable colours are
blonde highlights and shiny brunettes. “People look to
celebrities for inspiration.” However he thinks that it depends
on the skin tone and eye colour of the individual and the amount
of grey they have. He too recommends softer colours, not too
heavy or harsh.
Nicky Clarke thinks that unless it’s a silver/white colour, grey
does nothing for women and looks faded, draining colour from
one’s face. Natural silver/white only occurs if someone turns
grey quickly but most people turn grey slowly.
It’s very individual but he suggests staying with your
natural colour but perhaps lighter around the face, maybe
with highlights. People used to go two or three shades lighter
because skin tone changed and lighter hair can still be good if
your complexion has depth of colour.
The evils of sun, sea and pool water
The big question I had for the stylists was how to protect
against the evils of the sun, sea and pool water. Amir felt
that regular washing, good grooming and being generous with good
products were all very important. Skimping on product shows, and
your crowning glory will look like a dry, matted mane instead of
being shiny and lustrous.
Chris agrees that good products are essential and for
protection recommends two leave-in conditioners: John
Frieda’s Frizz Ease Emergency Treatment and John Frieda’s Sheer
Blonde Hair Repair. Nicky Clarke thinks that the leave-in conditioners are more
suitable for younger women or holidays, as they might make
our hair too soft, but says you should experiment with product
to see what is good for you. His new Silver Styling range,
coming out in the autumn, includes products that guard against
frizz, improve condition and add volume and shine.
If you swim with or without a hat, in the sea or in a pool,
always rinse or wash your hair as soon as you get out of the
water. “The light and more delicate colours,” Nicky continues,
“are red and blonde, and the more processed and dry the hair,
the more it will be dried and faded by sea and sun. True
protection is a hat.”
Now there’s a refreshing thought. A hairdresser who puts the
condition and quality of your tresses above his own products so
I commented that nobody could see or admire ones hair under a
hat. “If you want protection,” Nicky concludes, “wear a hat.
That’s it.”
Chris Benoit left me with a few tips specific to laterlifers’
hair. “Softer styles, longer fringes and softer ends:
leave a little bit of length on the neck.”
With all of these options, the sentence that I keep thinking
about came from Nicky Clarke. “It’s easy to get into the same
old routine. Don’t.”
If you have had the same routine for a while, maybe the time has
come to break it and follow these stylists’ top tips for shiny,
healthy, well groomed hair which will make you look and feel
good.
If in any doubt about any of
the information covered in health related articles and it's
relevance for you, consult your GP.
View previous editions of Looking Good in laterlife
laterlife interest
The above article is part of the features section of laterlife.com
called
laterlife interest.
laterlife interest
contains a variety of articles of interest for visitors to
laterlife.com written by a number of experienced and new
journalists.
It includes both one off articles and also associated
regular columns of a more specialist nature such as
Healthwise,
Talkback,
Gardener's Diary,
and a beauty section called
Looking good
in later life.
There's also
'It could
be you' by Maggi Stamp laterlife's counsellor on human
relationships.
Also don't forget to take a look at our regular IT
question and answer section called
YoucandoIT
by IT trainer and author Jackie Sherman.
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