Glad to be grey

So you’ve decided to go grey – well done for embracing the inevitable. We are all ageing from the day we are born, with optimum cell regeneration starting to wane in the mid-20s. Skin will never have the same bloom as at this age, and features begin to soften with hair beginning to lose its lustre and colour.

Of course, this process is infinitesimally slow and it can take years for the visible signs of ageing to show. Whatever age you decide to take the leap, the fact that your hair has lost its colour means that your skin tone will have faded too. All of which means it’s not okay to use the same make-up shades with your grey hair. Here are some dos and don’ts.

DO get a great haircut. A sleek bob or crop can look really smart, and a sharper cut will balance the softening contours of the face and keep things youthful.

DO lighten up on powder. To avoid looking like your maiden aunt, apply powder only where you need it (usually around the nose and chin) and choose an illuminating pressed powder in favour of a loose one. Using a brush to apply will also give you a finer finish. Estée Lauder’s Lucidity, €33, has light-reflecting particles.

DO choose a moisturising foundation. A fresh and glowing complexion radiates youth, so go for a moisturisng foundation. The following formulas deliver excellent results.

Liquid: Clinique Gentle Light, €28

Cream: Chanel’s Vitalumière, €47

Stick: Kevyn Aucoin Radiant Reflection €44 available from Queen Beauty, 01-4789633

Compact: Bobbi Brown Moisturising Cream Compact , €35

DON’T skip blush. This is the essential item to add vibrancy and life to skin. Choose a cream formulation to keep everything fresh.

The Multiple by Nars, €44, is the original and comes in an array of complexion-enhancing colours. Maybelline Dream Mousse, €7.99,

has a lighter than air whipped texture for believable colour. Again, Bobbi Brown keeps it fresh and youthful with the Pot Rouge Collection, €26.

DON’T forget to define brows. Fill in sparse brows with small strokes to add instant length and oomph. Bobbi Brown’s Brow Pencil, €22, is the business. It comes in grey and also has a grey/brown for a little more definition.

DO gloss lips. An instant face-lifter and brightener – the new gloss range by Estée Lauder, €20, has a superb non-sticky texture in 24 lovely wearable shades.

GREY MATTERS

Colourist David Connolly on caring for your greys

"If you're unhappy with the tone of your grey hair, you can change it with subtle high- or lowlights to enhance your shade and achieve a multitonal look. There are also semi-permanent treatments available which improve shine and gloss. These are salon treatments which you can be further advised on by a colour technician." For hair care at home, the following are all designed specifically for grey hair.

L'Oreal Serie Expert Silver Shampoo. This shampoo is scientifically developed to maintain the condition, softness and shine of grey or white hair. The mauve tone of the shampoo reduces yellow tones and revives the shine of grey and white hair; this is one of Connolly's favourite's Shu Uemura Prime Plenish. The hair fibre changes as we get older, cell circulation and cell renewal slow down. This weakens the hair, and hair appears finer and drier. The Prime Plenish range is designed to restore vitality and radiance to the hair. Kérestase Age Premium. Nourishes, strengthens and protects mature hair and scalp by addressing the three characteristics of mature hair: fibre porosity; loss of density; and dry scalp. The range also includes a daily hair support dietary supplement.

David Connolly is based at Dylan Bradshaw, Dublin 2, tel: 01-6719353, dylanbradshaw.com