The hair color shades that worked in your 20s and 30s may be aging you now. Here’s your new playbook: expert strategies to get you the best hair color of your life.
Blond Hair
Bangs, layers, and highlights are your best friends.Tousled pieces hide regrowth, so you won't need touch-ups every 10 minutes. "A choppy cut with long bangs and bold, sunny streaks is an immediate de-ager," says colorist Brad Johns, of the Elizabeth Arden Salon, in New York City.
TLC is key. Heat styling and chemical processing make hair porous and prone to breakage. Healing masks and other hair-repair products are an absolute must. "Spend on hair treatments as you would on wrinkle creams," Johns says.
If you're thinking red, go blond. "Red hair, unless it's natural, is tough on mature skin tones," Johns notes. "It will expose and exaggerate blotchiness, brown spots, or sallow undertones. But a honey blond with golden tones works every time."
New Essentials
To lock in highlights: Clairol Nice n' Easy Color Seal Conditioning Gloss ($5). To add dimensional lowlights: Garnier Color Breaks ($7). To upgrade fading color: Matrix Shade Memory Sparkling Blondes Color Enhancing Foam Conditioner ($18). To get a natural-looking shade: Revlon Colorist ($16).
