Anti-Aging Tips for Skin and Hair

Life may begin at 50, but sadly, your skin and hair will need more care and attention. While you may not be able to turn back the clock, you can slow down the effects of time. "Hair ages, and just as we reach the prime of our lives, nature plays a cruel trick changing the texture, color and density of our hair," says celebrity hairdresser Trevor Sorbie. "As the hair growth cycle slows down, each hair becomes finer, so volume is lost. "The production of melanin, the substance that gives hair its natural color and softness, is depleted -- hair not only grows through white, but can become wiry." Trevor recommends hiding the first grey hairs with a vegetable-based or semipermanent color in the same shade as your natural color, but if half of your head is made up of grey hair, a longer-lasting color or a mixture of low and highlights will work better. Skin, too, will almost certainly have acquired some lines. "Consider yourself lucky if you're relatively wrinkle-free past your 40s," says makeup artist Barbara Daly. "Skin becomes thinner and more fragile, because less estrogen is being produced. "It's also less able to retain moisture and production of collagen and elastin slows down significantly.