I have no idea where this year has gone. It is terrifying that we age each and every day. We need to keep working at maintaining our looks.

This year I concentrated my articles on topics that would help us stay looking young without requiring a lot of time and money.

Here’s a recap of the important topics that we all need to keep in mind to assist in delaying the aging process.

  1. To age gracefully, we need to have a youthful haircut and color. Do not give in to letting your hair go gray or cutting your hair severely to accentuate the fine lines and wrinkles.
  2. Balayage is a very graceful way to have your hair colored in order to allow the growing-out process without being a slave to your hair color and salon. This hair-painting technique blends the color with the gray. There is no harsh line as the new growth comes in.
  3. Perms are making a comeback. The old ’80s perm is not what I mean. Large waves that are left to air dry with a creamy product are very popular and easy to care for. The less you do to permed hair, the better it looks.
  4. It’s so important to care for your hair, especially if it’s been chemically treated. The correct shampoo and conditioner are important. Just because the label says it’s for color-treated hair doesn’t mean that it’s good for the hair. Less expensive products will strip your color. These products are filled with waxes and oils to make the hair feel better, but they will build up on the hair. Salon products have much better ingredients; that’s why they’re more expensive. A small amount of good product is much better than a lot of something inexpensive.
  5. Hair products are a must, especially in this climate. Mousse is for volume. Gel is for hold. Styling creams are for frizz and curl definition. Oils are a stronger version for naturally curly or permed hair. Powder products are for volume and keep hair from getting oily.
  6. Makeup on more mature women should be less than you would expect. Lighter lip colors and less on the eyes is the best. Micro fine face powder is essential for making the skin look flawless and not accentuating wrinkles.
  7. Your haircut should be in the shape of an upside down triangle, drawing attention to the eyes and cheeks instead of the jowls and chin.

All of the above tips will definitely delay the aging process so we can stay younger looking young for a longer time.

Happy holidays, dear readers. Enjoy, and if I can help I would be honored to.

Joy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old Town Bluffton. www.styleitsalon.com