The Single Thing that Ages You

So people ask me a lot, when I'm doing headshots or image-consulting, what is the thing that ages a person the most?  And the answer might surprise you....

It's hair!  Seriously.  Yes, dear readers, those innocent little follicles of protein can turn into fatal follies.  Often the culprit is hair that has not changed style as times have changed.  Every woman in her 70's wears her hair in the rinsed, blue-tinged, short-cropped curls of the 50's, and baby boomers like to wear their hair 70's-style center-parted with bangs.  There are women stuck in the 80s and 90s, and men stuck with 'stashes and mullets and dingy beards.  Hair that is excessively styled and stiff, First Lady / newscaster style is very aging, but so are blunt, short cuts and bobs.   

OLD: Fashion model Agyness Deyn is only 29, but looks positively matronly in stiff blueish-blonde waves.  Is it a deliberate dip into middle-age by this frocliksome young thing, famous for her Armani campaign?

YOUNG: And back to her 20s in a slightly warmer blonde and a fierce punk cut!

OLD: The shades of blonde are a little off for her skin; the conversative, heavily styled bob gives her a middle-aged vibe

YOUNG: Radiant in soft, tousled, carefree curls and a warm, buttery gold that makes her skin creamy

Both men and women, as they age, should usually avoid harsh, cool tones of white-blond and blue-black, and instead should seek out hair colors that have a lot of warmth and subtle variation, tones of buttery gold in the lighter shades and warm eggplant and chocolate in the darker shades.  I recommend consulting with an excellent hair colorist and a good image-consultant or stylist (such as moi, I will add immodestly!).

OLD:  Christina is very cute in all her looks, and part of me really likes this, but blue-black bobs with choppy bangs can be a little aging and are generally best avoided if you're not Edith Head

YOUNG: Tones of cinammon and honey flatter her skin; bouncy waves take the years off and bring back her sex appeal

OLD: I dare you to find a picture of the lovely Jennifer where she actually looks bad, but the cool, dull brunette is a little harsh, and the stiff curls look conservative and maybe a little too grown-up for her

YOUNG: Back to caliente and young in warm, shiny caramel and a light cut with lots of movement

Dull, flat or frizzy hair ages; males and females can take 10 years off with a superior hair masque or leave-in conditioner that leaves hair full and shiny.  After samping more conditioners than Madonna has sampled back-up dancers, I most highly recommend this good stuff: 

Neuma is my favorite line of ultra-moisturizing, pampering hair goodness, with no animal testing/products or scary stuff, committed to sustainility and smelling great!  Leave in the moisturizing conditioner; it will tame your frizz and give you silky, shiny, bouncy hair.  Just watch out for the envy!  I buy it from Shades salon on Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills.  You can read about this great brand at: http://www.neumabeauty.com/ 

Also be sure you are getting enough oils in your diet; nuts, avocadoes, seeds, flaxseed, and olive oil.  I particularly recommend this olive oil, it reminds me of the peppery, divine oil I had at a villa in the countryside of Tuscany, and it will be the best medicine you have ever tasted!  Italians like to take a tablespoon or two in the morning as preventive care.  Good olive oil should be cloudy, a rich, viscuous green, and have lots of pepper, spice, and mineral in the taste.  It should have a real kick, like whisky, and burn your throat a little.  Be sure to store it in a dark cupboard so it doesn't oxidize.

Paesano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Unfiltered, Hand-Picked, Estate Grown in Siciliy