Darlings, today’s musing is written by the talented and spectacular hairdresser to the stars, Wendy Iles. Wendy works around the world at the highest level in her field of hairdressing. We are so lucky you have her here to give us advice on how to take care of our hair after 50+! Enjoy. 

Hair Care After 50+

If you are 50+ you will observe around menopause how changes occur in skin tone and hair texture and often with each passing year thereafter.

Part of the texture change can be due to less hydration as we age. Let’s not forget to mention white hair setting in, that can often appear more coarse in texture, even wiry in appearance. Hence, good home care is essential. If you haven’t bothered with this up until now, then it’s time to educate yourself on what’s best to nurture those shriveled locks!

The old myth of cutting long hair at 50

I totally disagree with this on every level. So long as long hair is nurtured, I feel it delivers youth to a woman of any age and quite frankly for variation in hairstyling nothing is better than having some length to play with. On a bad hair day just pull it back in a classic chic tail, or twist it up in a french-like chignon. Being a long hair wearer myself, nothing feels more feminine than feeling luscious, healthy locks on one’s skin.

Long Hair

If your hair is long, consider graduation around the face line as opposed to too many layers. This keeps weight in the hair through the back, delivering more luscious ends.

The Bob

There are several classic cuts that one could consider. French women get it very right with their trademark classic bob. The bob can be any length, between ear and shoulder. It is versatile as hair can be dragged to a low ponytail for a change.

Bangs

I would rethink bangs and try and avoid them with age unless they are curtain bangs that can be easily moved about or opened up by having a softer flow.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course. I’ve seen some pretty cool 60-year-olds with a sharp bob and short bangs. But, these women have a certain type of avant-garde personality that can also dress to accommodate the look.

Short

It takes a strong woman to liberate herself from her hair. My advice here is to be sure the edges of the cut are feathered with no blunt or sharp lines.

Clear your bathroom of all ordinary haircare

There is a huge focus today on clean, natural hair brands that are thankfully more transparent about ingredients, which makes easy work of what’s good and what’s not.

But let’s be clear… when hair needs repair, one needs much more than an avocado and coconut blend to fix it. Take Iles Formula, for example, a minimalistic brand with super powerful repair results. Why? Because there is much focus not only on clean raw ingredients but also on combining high technology and science which are the key factors to unlock those ingredients and have them delivering unbeatable results in repair and nurture. Worth reading the reviews!

Addressing your hair color

Making the transition

Blondes kind of get it easier as a blonde with white hair just becomes a lighter shade of blonde with what seems like no effort at all.

For brunettes, it’s a little more sensitive. As each year passes think to gradually lighten up the shade. We forget as our hair fades our skin tone also fades. So, a rich brunette shade that worked at 40 won’t necessarily work as well at 50. A good colorist should advise and work with you on this as well.

Removing yellow from white hair

There are several tips for this like using a shampoo or mask with a violet toner within that neutralizes yellow. Oribe and Christophe Robin have good ones.

Then there is the Iles Shampoo, known as a colorist’s best friend as it’s not only sulfate-free + paraben free +silicon free, but also contains a vegetable extract that helps create the sulfate-free lather. My tip is, if you have white hair, wake this lather up even more by applying more water and bring the mousse to an abundance of foam. That foam will go all the way to the ends, and it will sharpen up the white and remove any stains of yellow caused by pollution, scorching from hot tools or stain from cigarette smoke. This may see results even from the very fust use.

In Conclusion

Nurture is everything.

If deciding on a new look, search hairstyles on Pinterest. It is an excellent source. Choose your favorite looks whether it’s a cut or color. A photo speaks a thousand words to a hairstylist and there is no excuse for not understanding your requests. However, do listen to their advice, they will know best what will work in your best interest or what will not.

The last piece of advice: embrace this period of transition gracefully. We are the baby boomers or “boomers” and we are certainly not alone in crossing into what are our more mature years with a bank full of wisdom oozing from our pockets. Enjoy it with glorious locks!

Do you have any questions for Wendy Iles? Let us know in the comments below. We want to hear from you! 

As one of the beauty industry’s most respected hairdressers, Wendy Iles works around the world on the highest level in her field of hairdressing. Chosen for her immense experience, her dedication and passion toward each project, her client and celebrity list include Marion Cotillard, Heidi Klum, Keira Knightley, Kate Hudson, Salma Hayek, and Cate Blanchett. At the pinnacle of her career, she launched Iles Formula, her luxury, Haute performance haircare + repair range www.ilesformula.com. In 2016 Wendy received the Hollywood Beauty Awards Oscar for hair. This award delivered by the film industries elite is an absolute tribute to her professionalism, creativity, dedication and passion for hair.

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