You don’t feel your age, so why should you look it? Time to hit rewind!

As we age, the pigment cells in our hair die. The result? Our locks become more transparent, making hair appear gray, white or silver. You may choose to embrace your changing hair color, or you may decide to cover it up promptly-and frequently.

But, according to Celebrity Stylist Nelson Chan, you might want to consider a this approach. “The biggest hair color mistake that middle-age women make is constantly covering up gray,” says Chan. “The older you get, the less you should be coloring your hair.”

Say What?

“The whole idea is less is more,” says Chan. “The women shouldn’t be slaves to coloring to cover up their gray so often.”

Instead Chan uses a color blending technique that actually turns gray into highlights, thereby producing a camouflage effect throughout the hair.

“Blending in light shades makes more sense than trying to constantly cover up gray hair,” says the pro. “This technique lets you achieve long-lasting results, and it works with your gray instead of against it.”

“this also means that when your gray hair grows out, it won’t be so noticeable. “It’s a great technique that helps you avoid those embarrassing gray roots,” says Chan.

The technique usually takes an hour and lasts 6 to 8 weeks.

The celebrity stylist, who has worked with Kristian Alfonso, Sharon Stone and Leah Remini, notes, “There is this pressure in Hollywood to be ageless… but gray hair is kind of awesome.”

Here, Chan shares for more tips on caring for mature hair:

  1. Don’t color your hair too dark, because darker shades make you look older by creating a fake halo effect on your head. Instead, stick with lighter shades, like medium brown to blonde.
  2. Too much highlighting will reduce your hair’s overall dimension and will make your color look-flat. Try just a few sun-kissed highlights to achieve a fresh look.
  3. Women over the age of 40 tend to look paler, so they should avoid cool or ashy shades. Instead, opt for neutral or warm tones – you’ll find you need less makeup as result!
  4. Don’t gray coloring your gray weekly; it doesn’t work. If you feel the need for frequent coverage, try a hair mascara. Dyeing hair too ofren causes the pigments to overlap, so you’ll end up with an unwanted dark color (which, as mentioned above, will make you look older).

First published on Hair Preview