You CAN have fabulous hair over 50

Royal hairdresser Denise Mcadam made headlines last month when she said that cutting hair short can give women over the age of 50 a facelift.

Denise — who has styled the crowning glories of several members of the Royal family, including the Queen, and tended to the tresses of models such as Jerry Hall, Marie Helvin and Cindy Crawford — says the secret to youthful looks is opting for a style that ends at the jawline.

now, Denise reveals yet more of her secrets to keeping hair fabulous over 50. and some of them may surprise you . . .

CHOP AND ‘THE CHANGE’

a WoMan’S hair undergoes huge changes before, during and after the menopause. Hair that may have behaved itself in your younger days can become curly or frizzy, thanks to hormonal changes, while as a result of hot flushes your hair naturally becomes more damp.

older hair is thinner in density because of the increase in androgens — male hormones that can also be found in women. androgens don’t necessarily decrease the number of hairs from the scalp, but they do reduce their diameter and length, so the volume is affected.

The decrease in oestrogen also affects hair growth, so you might find your hair doesn’t reach the length it once did.

However, you can create the illusion of volume — using dry shampoo. Before I went through the menopause, I was never a fan of the stuff. I thought it blocked the follicle, overloaded hair and didn’t leave it as clean and shiny as it could be.

But having gone through ‘the change’, I admit I was wrong: it’s a fantastic product for the over-50s. a spritz of dry shampoo (available from most chemists) around four inches from your head absorbs any moisture from dampness.

Spray in an arch from ear to ear, then brush fingers through hair. But don’t forget, you should never use dry shampoo long-term — just once between washes.

LONG AND SHORT OF IT

THE right haircut can take years off. Steer clear of very long hair with a parting as you become older, as this is massively ageing.

Even when you see older women with long, silver hair, most of the time they’ll wear it piled high on their head or in a loose bun, which instantly lifts the face and makes them look younger.

If you feel your long hair is part of you, take a leaf out of the books of Marie Helvin, 62, Jerry Hall, 59, and actress Glynis Barber, 59. While they still have flowing locks, they’ve taken them to shoulderlength, rather than at their waists.

This means you can still wear hair up but, when it’s loose, it hangs around your shoulders and gives a youthful ‘bounce’.

Very soft fringes can also be useful for the older lady as they have a veiling effect on lines on your forehead.

THE MANE MISTAKE

WHEn a hairdresser finishes a haircut, they will hold up a mirror to show you the back of your head. But when we are doing our own hair, few of us look at the back of our heads. That’s a mistake — particularly when you’re older.

Hot flushes during the night can make the back of your head damp and hot. In turn, your hair can become more frizzy than normal.

you wouldn’t leave the house having looked at only half of your make-up — so why would you do it with your locks?

CONDITION IS KEY

If THERE’S one thing you should do to your hair over the age of 50, it’s condition it.

Menopausal hair is more dehydrated than any other type, so it’s vital to not only moisturise it from the outside, but also drink lots of water, eat plenty of veg and watch your caffeine and alcohol intake.

your hair is a barometer of your general health so, if you’re not healthy on the inside, your hair will be dull and lifeless on the outside.

There are some great deep conditioning treatments available, so find one that suits your particular hair style. Then, use a Tangle Teezer comb ( tangleteezer.com) to smooth conditioner through wet hair, before leaving it for a few minutes and rinsing through.

SEE THE LIGHT

aS you become older, white or grey hair will start to appear. you can embrace this but, if you are not pure white or grey, I’d suggest lowlights and highlights to stop the salt and pepper look.

avoid block colours, as they can be ageing. Instead, take a base colour and warm it up with at least two other tints. after 50, your colourist should be using at least three bowls of colour on your hair to give it some youthful shimmer.

u.S. Vogue editor anna Wintour, 65, is a perfect example of a woman who has kept the same iconic style for decades yet, as she’s got older, has softened it with highlights. I blowdried her hair many moons ago. She would come into the salon first thing in the morning after being at the gym and have a blowdry while working.

another example of hair maturing well is Cindy Crawford, 49, who I travelled the world with for Revlon. She’s softened her classic chestnut colour and made it far less ‘blocky’.

DON’T SPEND A FORTUNE

If you can’t afford to have your colour done every four to six weeks, then an at-home High Street dye will suffice.

There are some fabulous ones from l’oreal and Wella that come with a brush, so you can just swipe the tints through sections of hair to keep up that reflection.

after you’ve had your tints done, it’s important to use a colour conditioner — they really do work by keeping the colour in the cuticle. you don’t need to use them all the time — just in the first ten days after you’ve had your colour done.

GET AN HONEST HAIRDRESSER

WHEn you’re older, it’s vital that your hairdresser understands your personality. If you’ve known them for years, and have developed a relationship, they should be able to be honest with you about what looks good — and what doesn’t.

However, if you’re trying out a new stylist, there are some things to watch out for. If you’re put into a hairdressing gown before your hairdresser even sees you, this isn’t a good sign: gowned up, we all look the same and, often, it’s a black one, which is very unflattering.

Similarly, never have your hair washed by a junior before meeting your hairdresser: this should be a crime! a good stylist should see the clothes you’re wearing, the colours you like and what style suits you before getting started.

I believe a hairdresser should greet a new client while you’re both standing. That way, you meet as ‘equals’, rather than ‘hairdresser’ and ‘customer’.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

THERE’S no hard-and-fast rule about whether to wash hair every day when you are older: it’s down to personal choice.

When you do use shampoo, I suggest mixing it with water before applying, so it disperses evenly and doesn’t clog your hair with product, which could dehydrate it. If you prefer a specialist grey hair shampoo, don’t use it every day as it might give hair a blue-ish tone.

When it comes to tools, I love round, barrel brushes that warm up as you style. They give hair bounce, but prevent you from burning the strands like some straighteners.

I’m a fan of GHD ( ghdhair.com), Denman ( denmanbrush.com) and Kent ( kentbrushes.com) brands — expensive, but good investments.

If you must use straighteners, be careful. The last thing you want to do is burn or dehydrate already dry hair. use straighteners to sharpen the edges of hair, rather than the full shaft — which would flatten it.

POP A PILL

I’M a big fan of supplements, and believe they can keep hair healthy. Every day, I take hair supplement Imedeen ( imedeen.co.uk), plus omega-3 oil and vitamins B and D.

But be aware you won’t see results straight away. It might take six months before hair becomes more shiny, and you’ll need to keep taking them to continue these results.

If you are losing your hair, try Viviscal supplements ( viviscal.co. uk). While they’re expensive, clients of mine have seen great results.