Gorgeous Hair at Any Age

The signs of aging in our hair tend to catch us off guard, unlike the signs of aging in our skin where we see every new wrinkle as they develop. 

The fixes for unruly hair aren't as well known as the fixes for aging skin and all the products available to remedy it such as alpha hydroxy acids or retinoids. 

Fortunately though salon pros and scientists alike are paying more attention to age-proofing hair so it is possible to recreate the beautiful hair of youth and have gorgeous hair at any age!

As we age there are subtle changes that happen to the texture, shine, moisture and manageability of our hair that we may not be ready for that can end up to be a head of hair that you barely recognize.

If your hair has been looking a little dry, dull, frizzy or lifeless lately, you might want to try some of these fixes to help it get back to its naturally radiant state. With so many great fixes available, you might even be able to recreate your crowning glory altogether and finally have the head of hair you've always dreamed about.

Even if you're taking care of your hair as you always have, you may notice that it's become suddenly - and chronically - dry.

Sebum oil production declines with age, usually become noticeable around menopause when the scalp may be producing only half of what it did at its peak. Even though some would view the demise of "the greasies" as a good thing, it comes at a price, namely the protective properties that keep hair from looking frizzy.

When your low on sebum, hair feels rougher, looks duller, and is less manageable. To remedy this situation, for starters, don't overscleanse as washing strips the natural oil from hair. Try alternating between a dry shampoo and your usual shampoo, a good one to try is Umberto Dry Clean Dry Shampoo.

On the days you do shampoo you can follow up with a leave in hydrator such as Nexxus Botanluxe Nourishing Botanical Leave-In Conditioner. For mini moisture boosts throughout the day you can keep a travel sized spritzer of your leave in conditioner on hand.

Masks packing concentrated moisture, such as The Body Shop Rain Forest Moisture Hair Butter, are also particularly important now. Try experimenting with this product to see how often you need to use it to get your desired outcome. In other words, you may need to use it twice a week, not just once depending on the condition of your hair.

For really parched hair you might want some extra insurance by using an occasional glaze which is a clear treatment that adds glossiness to your hair and stays on through multiple shampoos. The professional versions are generally among the least expensive treatments that you can get at a salon, but there are plenty of at-home options that are very popular because they work just as well, such as Oscar Blandi At Home Salon Glaze.

"Uh-oh my hair's shrinking too!"

The widening part, the shrinking ponytail, the ever more visible scalp. These things are probably not in your imagination as you'd like to believe they are. The number of hair fibers you actually have on your head starts to decrease in your 20's and will probably continue to shrink as much as down to 35 percent by the age of 60. Help!

In addition to the amount of fibers diminishing, there is another kind of thinning going on in the actual diameter of each strand of hair. This shrinkage is believed to be linked to hormonal changes in our 40s that happen with perimenopause and menopause as hair growth is such a hormonally driven process.

Thinning hair is no fun! To fight back first reconsider the shampoo and conditioner you are using. A common impulse is to wash with a clarifying formula to get that squeaky clean result. And while you do want to start with a clean head of hair to avoid limpness, clarifying formulas tend to strip too much protective oil from thinning hair.

A better choice is a keratin-enriched formulation such as Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisturizing Lather Shampoo and Awapuhi Keratin Cream Rinse can help to reinstate that lost strength that causes hair follicles to break and split. And definitely don't skip the condition for fear of weighing down your hair.

I recently tried this hair mask and it worked really well.

I love my hair long but recently had it trimmed and would like it to grow healthy. I noticed a bit of growth a couple of days later believe it or not!

It wasn't extreme growth and I only did it once, and, mind you, I didn't measure it, but it seemed like it worked based on appearance.

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil (not cream),

Castor Oil

Plastic Hair Cap

Squeeze Bottle

Mix equal parts of the coconut oil and castor oil. If you have long hair you might need a bit more, you will have to estimate how much you need based on how much hair you have.

Place the oils in a bowl and microwave them for about 30 seconds. Mix them well with a utensil. Pour them into a squeeze bottle.

Place a towel around your neck because this can get messy. Squeeze the mixture onto your hair and rub it into your scalp and pull the oil with your fingers out to the tips, coating each hair strand.

Cover your head with the plastic cap, and leave the oil mixture on your hair for at least 30 minutes. When I did it I left it on for a few hours. It really came out silky after that, but it's not necessary to leave it on that long to get great results.

When the time is up, remove the shower cap. Take your favorite shampoo and rub it into your scalp with your fingers to start to remove the oil.

Wash and condition your hair. Enjoy the results!