8 Easy Ways to Shave Off the Years
8 Easy Ways to Shave Off the Years
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8 Easy Ways to Shave Off the Years
You can have firm skin and a fit body, but if your hair seems worn out, so will the rest of you. Luckily, a few tweaks can turn back the clock on your locks.
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Add Highlights Around Your Face
Just like a dusting of bronzer perks up your skin, a few golden streaks scattered throughout the front section of your mane a la Jennifer Aniston cast a subtle glow on your face, making creases less noticeable, says N.Y.C. salon owner Antonio Prieto. If you have breakage around your hairline, though, it's best to skip lightening there, since delicate strands can fray even more during processing. Opt for ribbon-thin highlights under the top layer of your hair instead, suggests San Diego salon owner Jet Rhys.
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Sweep Bangs to the Side
Blunt, severe bangs draw attention to wispy hair and make wrinkles more obvious. A soft swoop, as seen on Sandra Bullock and Madonna, is forgiving and covers up fine lines, says L.A. hairstylist Richard Marin.
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Keep Short Hair Tousled
To make a cut like Halle Berry's youthful, add volume at the roots, says Marin. Rub in a body-building mousse to achieve lift rather than teasing tresses, which can cause breakage. Our pick: Garnier XXL Body Thickening mousse ($4; at Walgreens).
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For Fine Hair, Try a One-Length Cut
To maximize body in hair that's a bit limp, avoid a razor cut, which can thin out your strands. Consider a straight-across 'do like Ali Larter's bob or a midlength crop at the collarbones like Olivia Wilde's. "These styles bounce and swing," says Edward Tricomi, co-owner of Warren-Tricomi salons.
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Go for Maximum Shine
Baby your hair: Try not to use hot tools more than five times a week, says Tricomi, who recommends applying a nourishing hair mask with shea butter every two weeks to impart long-lasting sheen and repair scraggly ends. To give hair an Angelina Jolie-esque boost in luminosity, spritz dry strands with a lightweight shine spray. Try John Frieda Frizz-Ease 100% Shine Glossing mist ($6; drugstore.com).
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Wear Your Hair Down and Flowy
Yanking it into a too-tight knot or bun will not give you a temporary facelift! Marin suggests leaving your strands loose and cascading like Iman's. That way, there's movement and fullness around the sides of the face, where we tend to lose volume in the cheeks.
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Tame the Frizzies
As we get older, the hair cuticle becomes coarser, accentuating frizziness and making it harder to tame, points out Oribe Hair Care stylist Adam Livermore. Add a few drops of vitamin E (or Amika Obliphica oil treatment, $34; loveamika.com) to your shampoo or at-home hair color to keep your strands soft and touchable like Salma Hayek's. Also, ask your stylist for naturally blended layers that help thick, dense strands fall smoothly around your head.
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Obscure Your Part to Cover Up Grays
Hollywood might be into silver hair, but not as an anti-aging trick. A more flattering tactic is to keep your part unstructured and slightly askew so it doesn't focus the eye on early grays. If you're set on a straight line, massage your part with hair powder formulated to downplay grays. Or mist on a root touch-up between salon visits. Try Rita Hazan's Root Concealer ($24; ritahazansalon.com)