Look as Young as You Feel

There’s a big difference between someone who appears ten years younger than their age, and someone who appears as though they’re trying to look ten years younger. Nobody wants to fall into the latter category, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting a more healthy and vibrant look. We talked to some of the country’s top hair, makeup and style experts for their tips on natural, easy ways you can shave a few years off your “visual” age.

See also: Cheap and natural beauty secrets.

From the top:

Hair

The experts all call for a shorter cut on women as they grow older. Paige Simmons, a Nashville hair and makeup artist who styles country singers such as Alison Krauss, explains that because our hair gets dryer and thinner, “the shorter lengths tend to look better. A cut thickens the hair up.” Long hair can be lovely, she adds, but you have to be willing to put some effort into maintaining it. “I have some clients who are over 60 who keep their hair below their shoulders,” she says, “but they come in every three weeks to get their roots touched up and make sure their ends and layers are nice and fresh. It’s super-healthy long hair, so it looks very becoming on them.”

Of course, says Simmons, when it comes to hair, the greatest “age reverser” is color: “People who can wear gray fall into a very small category.”

If you grew up with dark hair, you’ll probably want to go lighter than you’ve been used to. Stacy Skinner, a New York City hair and makeup artist, says, “There’s no woman who’s 55 or older who should be walking around with black hair – even if she’s Sophia Loren!” Keep the color around your face soft. 

The same goes for men, says Ramy Gafni, a makeup artist in New York who has worked with celebs like Cher, Ray Romano, and Barbara Walters. “The worst you can do is go too dark,” he insists. Gafni adds that men hoping to take some years off might want to reconsider facial hair: “It’s very, very rare that someone looks younger with a beard and mustache. It’ll almost always make you look more mature.”

Next: Grooming tips. >>