Yes, that ashy blonde shade looked amazing when you were 20, but now that you're a little older and wiser, it's time to move on. "The problem is that women do not allow their tone and their color to evolve with their age," says Cutler Senior Stylist David Kastin.
Ashy hair color has cooler undertones, which can look almost gray -- especially when you're actually old enough to have gray hair. Plus, the cooler tones can make you look paler, like Cynthia Nixon does here.
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Hair Do: Warm Tones
"Warm tones tend to be the best for women 40+ because they make the complexion look alive and youthful," says Kastin. Who doesn't like the sound of that?
It's easy to make the switch. Just go for a blonde shade with warm, golden undertones like Naomi Watts', or you can go for a warm red or brunette shade. Just tell your stylist you want a "warm" shade, or if you're coloring your hair at home, avoid any box color labeled "ash."
Remember when you were in your 20s and could (and did) wear any hairstyle you wanted? Bleached white-blonde, side ponytails, and maybe even The Rachel? That doesn't really fly in your 40s, does it?
Hairstyles for women over 40 are a little more limited. If you stretch outside those boundaries you could wind up looking like an old maid -- or someone desperately clinging to her teen years.
But that doesn't mean your only options are a mom bob or cropped, Kate Gosselin cut. There are plenty of hairstyles for mature women that are short, long, and everything in between.
That's why we talked to several pro hairstylists, who filled us in on all the dos and don'ts for older women. Follow their guidelines and you'll end up with a haircut, color and style that scream "sexy 40-something."
