“ei Ss Looking Lovely As You Age (NAPSA)—Arecent study conducted by Harris Poll revealed that 73 percent of women aged 50 and over say they don’t feel their age, and only slightly more than one-third would like to be 25 again. Additionally, a majority say their confidence level is higher now than when they were younger. Boomer women of today feel secure in a fresh, exciting, new stage in their lives filled with work, family, and social and community activities. On top ofit all, they wanttheir looksto reflect the vital way theyfeel. “The conversation about what makes a woman beautiful has never been more interesting,” notes gerontologist Dr. Alexis Abramson, who consults for the LOral Paris beauty brand. “I can tell you that boomer women have reinvented and redefined every life stage as they’ve passed through it, and they’re in the process of doing the same now. Manycite that, when it comesto beauty, they prefer to look like themselves, only refreshed. Rather than trying to hold on to the past, they are proud of where they are now.” Despite this confidence and contentment, there is a collective sense among women within the demographic that the beauty category has forgotten them, especially when it comes to hair color, as there are very few products on the market that specifically serve the needs of this growing consumer base. Considering that the majority of women aged 50 and over who have ever colored their hair claim to do so because they hate having gray roots, this would seem to be a serious void. The fact is that hair, just like skin, ages, and that by the age of 45, over 50 percent of people are affected by graying—such a drastic segment of the population that it should be impossible to ignore. “Without doubt, the most common concern of women whosit in my chair is staying ahead of grays,” says Los Angeles—based celebrity hair colorist for LOral Paris, Kari Hill. “As fun as hair color can be and as muchasit is a vehicle for self-expression, for so many, hair color choices are function over fashion. Generally What do women want? The an- swer may surprise you. According to one study, women over 50 want to look better, not younger. speaking, I’ve found that women want at-home hair color that corresponds to their desires: easy to use, easy to apply and, aboveall, looks authentic.” Most current hair color formulas designed to cover grays are often too heavy, too contrasting when roots grow in, and leave women with very visible roots that need to be touched up every few weeks. They also don’t address women’s worries about volume and shine, as colored gray hair can appeardull. Fortunately, brands such as L’Oral Paris have taken these insights seriously, developing products suited for mature women. Hill recommends Excellence Age Perfect Hair Color, which is specifically designed for the 50plus age group. The color uses technology that reacts differently to gray and pigmented hair, creating a layered high and low tonal effect, almost as if highlighted, which softens the look of regrowth. In addition, it’s enriched with collagen, known for its texturizing effect, and Ceramide R for repairing andprotecting. “Aside from its distinct technological and formulation benefits, an innovation such as LOral Paris Excellence Age Perfect takes into consideration other attributes that women of this demographic want and need from a hair color product, like ease of application, with its uniquely designed ergonomic application brush. The increase in font size on what can sometimes be hard-to-read instructions is tremendously helpful as well,” says Hill. You can learn more online at www.lorealparisusa.com.
