What hair color ages you most, and what flatters as you get older.

Flat, solid color a shade too dark ages you most, and a slightly lighter shade with soft dimension usually looks youngest. At OLLIN Beverly Hills we blend gray with highlights or cover it with all-over color ($150–200). Call (424) 204-9095 to book. We're at 8912 W Olympic Blvd.

Should you dye your hair lighter or darker as you get older?

Lighter, in most cases, by one or two shades rather than a dramatic change. Very dark color reads harsh against aging skin and casts shadow around the eyes and mouth, while a softer, lighter shade reflects light back onto the face. Lighter also hides regrowth, because gray roots show within weeks against deep brown and far less against a lighter base. The easiest way to go lighter without a full change is a face frame, lighter pieces placed only around the face, on top of the color you already wear.

What hair color ages you the most?

Flat, solid color that is too dark for your skin ages you most, and jet black and one-shade dark brown are the usual culprits. A single even shade has no light and shadow, so it reads heavy, and a dark one throws shadow onto the face that deepens fine lines and under-eye circles. Overly harsh tones and extreme contrast, such as chunky light stripes on dark hair, age the face for a similar reason: they pull the eye to the hair. Dimension, lighter and deeper pieces mixed together, is the fix.

Which hair color is best for old age?

Soft, dimensional shades a little lighter than your natural color flatter most at 60 and beyond: buttery or champagne blondes, warm honey and caramel brunettes, soft mocha, or a multi-tonal blend of silver and gray. If you keep your silver, a gloss brings back shine and tones out yellowing.

What color hair makes an older woman look younger?

Warm, dimensional shades a little lighter than your old color look youngest: honey blonde, soft copper, caramel highlights and chestnut brown. Warmth flatters the skin, and dimension, meaning lighter and deeper pieces mixed together, keeps hair from reading flat or solid. A face frame puts brighter pieces only around the face, and balayage carries that brightness softly through the lengths.

Does darker hair make you look older as you age?

It can, when the shade is too dark, flat or solid for your skin tone. Very dark or jet black color casts a heavy shadow around the face that draws the eye to fine lines and under-eye circles, and gray regrowth shows most clearly against it. A little lighter, with some dimension, softens both, and gray coverage in a softer brown keeps the root quiet.

What colors look most flattering with gray hair?

Clear, saturated colors flatter gray hair most: jewel tones like sapphire, emerald and amethyst, rich reds such as cherry and burgundy, and crisp neutrals like navy, charcoal and true white. Gray and silver are cool and bright, so clothes with the same clarity make the hair look deliberate rather than faded. In the hair itself, the most flattering gray is an even, bright one. A sheer gloss adds shine and evens tone, and a few soft highlights blend patchy gray so it reads as one silver color.

What colors to avoid with grey hair?

Avoid muddy, yellow-based earth tones near your face, such as mustard, camel, tan, warm beige, olive, rust and bright orange, because they clash with the cool cast of gray and make skin look sallow. In the hair, avoid that same yellow. UV rays, heat styling, hard water and product buildup can turn gray strands yellow, and a purple shampoo or a toning gloss takes it out. Ash or gray-toned dye that is too cool for your complexion can also age you, and jet black over gray leaves a stark root line every few weeks.

How to not look old with gray hair?

Pair gray hair with a modern, textured cut, plenty of shine and clear jewel tones near your face. Soft face-framing layers, a textured bob or a pixie with volume lift the features, while flat styles drag them down. Keep the gray glossy and free of yellow, wear jewel tones instead of dull neutrals that wash out your complexion, and give your makeup routine a refresh. Our haircuts include a blow-dry and style, and our guide to hairstyles that make you look younger goes cut by cut.

Do you look younger, blonde or brunette?

Neither blonde nor brunette makes you look younger on its own; the shade that suits your skin and has dimension does. Stay within one or two shades of your natural color and mix lighter and deeper pieces, so the hair moves with light instead of sitting flat. Warm, dimensional shades such as honey blonde, caramel and chestnut brown tend to look youngest. Blonde has one practical advantage as you gray: cool blonde sits close to silver, so regrowth shows far less. A brunette who wants that ease can add highlights instead of going fully blonde.

Balayage vs highlights for grey hair

Highlights blend gray at the root better than balayage, because they can be placed close to the root, where gray grows in, while balayage leaves more of the root untouched. If your gray sits mostly at the part and around the face, a Face Frame ($250–350) or Partial Highlights ($400–500) blend it where it shows, and Full Highlights ($500–600) take it all over. Where your gray sits decides which works, and balayage is quoted at your consultation. Both stretch the time between visits compared with all-over gray coverage.

Ready to brighten gray or blend it in? Call (424) 204-9095, or text (323) 804-8011 for urgent hair needs. We're at 8912 W Olympic Blvd, open Tuesday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm. Book gray blending or coverage at OLLIN Beverly Hills →