Great Styles for Grey Hair

Grey hair is a strange thing - we tend to worry about it when we find it on our own heads, yet admit it can look great on other people. Much of this comes down to confidence. We may feel insecure about looking older and so not realise how stylish our own grey hair can be. Don't just cover it up or give up on trying to look good - with the right style, your grey hair can look sensational and give you a new image you'll really enjoy.

Cutting it Short

There are many good reasons to switch to a shorter cut as you hair turns grey. Part of this involves the greying process itself. Grey hair doesn't always grow in symmetrically, so it may create an odd, unbalanced look as it does so. If you don't want to dye it, a shorter style means it will balance out more quickly as more individual hairs turn grey.

Because shorter styles look more contemporary, they can help you to avoid feeling as if you have suddenly come to resemble your grandmother. They can also help to emphasise your bone structure, which tends to be very flattering to older faces. As we age our faces generally become thinner, so our bones look more pronounced. Make the most of this and show your confidence; don't hide behind a soft mid-length cut intended to soften your features, as it's unlikely to work anyway.

Grey hair tends to be stiffer and more wiry than their hair we have in our youth. This means that it can look especially good in spiky or angular contemporary styles. Styles like this also have the advantage of giving an impression of energy and drive which, ironically, may make you seem more youthful.

Looking Good with Long Grey Hair

Although most older women go for shorter styles, it is possible to look good with long grey hair. This is more likely to work if you have always had thick hair, since hair often loses much of its body as it turns grey. On the plus side, if you have always had very curly hair and wanted to try something different, you may find that the curls soften with age, making your hair much more manageable.

The important thing to remember with long grey hair is that it needs to be carefully cared for. This isn't just about keeping it healthy, it's about giving it a glossiness that can compete with other hair colours. Natural grey tends to be drier and have a 'flatter' tone. Using a high gloss conditioner can not only give it a more attractive texture, it can bring out subtle variations in shade that would be lost otherwise.

Because grey hair is both thicker and, often, more brittle, you may need to treat it differently from the way you did when you were younger. Switching to a stiff brush rather than a comb is usually a good idea.

Flatter your Face

Grey hair comes in many different shades and often appears at a stage in life when skin tone is changing too. Paler grey shades can emphasise red or dark brown patches on the skin all the more and may make you feel uncomfortable about the way your face looks.

The simplest way to tackle this is with shadowing. This involves cutting the hair around your face so that it casts a shadow against your skin, giving your face a dark border rather than a light one. You can also try a gently feathered cut that breaks up patterns of light and shade for a softer look, making your skin tone appear more even.

If you have grey, blue or green eyes, you may find that your grey hair makes them stand out more than they ever did before. This effect an be enhanced by a softly curled fringe that catches the light. Eyes can look beautiful right through old age, and a cut like this will help you make the best of them. With the right styling, your hair, too, can be a fantastic asset, without the need for dyeing, throughout your life.