15 fabulous tipsFOR ROCKING THE SILVER OR GRAY

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Welcome!

Since 2007 we have been honored to develop relationships with women all over the world who have made Revolution Gray™ the destination site for those who have made the choice to go gray. Our community of readers represent over 120 countries and consist of varying ages, cultures and ethnic groups. Welcome to our community!

our contributing stylist

Meet Kate

Kate Leser is the main contributor for this eBook. Also known as the The Makeover Expert, Kate is a certified color and wardrobe consultant, speaker, personal shopper, and closet organizer who believes personal and professional successes are greatly influenced by one’s “visual resume.” In addition to her Fashion Merchandising education and experience as a seamstress, Kate has spent over 15 years in the corporate environment and understands how a professional image produces business results. Kate also received her certification and registration as a sales professional by the United Professional Sales Association, 2007.

let’s start with your skin

Ditching the dye is an excellent way to start treating your hair better…

But what about the lovely face that your new gray hair frames? Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and it protects you from the harsh irritants found in the world around you. For this reason, skincare is incredibly important.

tip1

Take really great care of your skin.It’s never too late to start wearing sunscreen. Excessive exposure to the sun’s harmfulrays will damage your skin in terms of aging the skin much faster. Always wearsunscreen!

Drink plenty of water. Healthy skin requires drinking a lot of H2O!

Make sleep a priority. Get plenty of rest.

Get great skin products, and use them regularly. There are a great many skin careproducts available for all skin types. Finding the right ones for your skin type isimportant.

tip2

Think before you shop for makeup.

Price point - How much can you afford and can you stick to that?Expertise of salespeople - Do they really know what they’re talking about or are theyjust trying to sell you the latest product?Know whether you are warm or cool in your coloring so that your makeup is warm orcool. If you are a summer or winter, then your makeup colors need to be “cool” so thatthey will naturally blend with your skin. A warm blush on a summer day will stand outtoo much.How much time are you willing to invest in your makeup routine every morning?Don’t buy an entire glamour collection if you only wear blush and lipstick.

tip3

Find a beauty brand you LOVE.Advice from Kate:

“Each person is unique in their beauty preferences and likes and dislikes, so there maynot be one specific brand for all needs. However, I carry the Color Me Beautiful brand ofskincare and makeup and recommend this company because of the different brandsunder the Color Me Beautiful name. You have many options in both skincare andmakeup, and you can find products across their different brands and know that they aresafe, natural and easy to order any time of day. “

tip4

Don’t overdue makeup. Less is more.According to Kate, makeup should never look heavy or too obvious. When makeup is“right” for your eyes, lips, skin, etc., you’ll look “enhanced” and not made up.

The easiest way to get this look is to know your seasonal colors: Winter, Spring,Autumn or Summer. The cooler tones are from the red, red/purple shades and thewarmer tones are in the red, red/yellow shades.

To look natural, it’s best to keep your makeup colors in the same family as your skin,hair and eyes.

tip5

Know essential makeup tools and techniques.

Kate recommends:

A face primer. The key to long lasting, smoother looking makeup. Makeup adheres to the primer for a flawless look, plus it keeps the makeup looking good all day.A makeup sponge. Very important for applying foundation. A sponge, if used correctly, in a stipple motion (light patting), will place the makeup into the skin, not on top. You will use less foundation (just a drop or two is all that is needed). Concealer. Good for under-eye circles or any skin discolorations one may have. Green is Kate’s favorite! A green concealer will neutralize any redness under or around the eye and especially in the T-zone. Pink is good for brown spots and yellow will conceal blue veins and dark purplish under-eye circles.

tip6

Have a makeup routine before leaving home.

Words from Kate:

“I think most of my clients would agree that a little blush, mascara and lipstick is the makeup of choice for running errands. You are your own best brand as well as part of your company’s brand, so you want to be polished and professional every day. With that said, you should be wearing your best face. In my client’s world that includes sunscreen, foundation, powder, eye shadows, eyeliner, mascara, blush, lip liner and lipstick. This takes, at the most, five more minutes than your errand-running face but is priceless in terms of promotions and advancement in your career.”

Transitioning to Gray: Makeup advice from Kate

“

Think of yourself in a black-and-white photo.

Are your eyes dark, medium or light in value? What about your skin? What about your hair?

Imagine a woman with dark brown hair (dark value), light skin and medium in value eyes. One dark, one medium and one light is what we call a contrasting value. Another example of someone who is contrasting is a woman with dark eyes, medium hair and light skin. When she grays, her hair value is now light, but her eyes are still dark so she will remain contrasting in value. She will still need to maintain darker or brighter makeup to balance her overall look.

let’s talk clothes and accessories

Ditching the dye doesn’t mean going out of style!

Have you ever felt like you were in a clothing rut with regard to what to wear with gray hair? At some point, every woman has looked at her closet and thought – Ugh. Finding the right colors in clothing to flatter your gray hair is essential to you being able to feel fabulous with your silver locks.

tip7

Get over the do’s and don’ts.Find your own style.

Here’s a great quote from one of our favorite gray haired beauties, Iris Apfel:

"You have to know yourself and know what you can carry. If you’re not comfortable,no matter how well dressed you are, you’re not going to look right. I’d rather behappy and feel comfy."

tip8

Use color strategically.It’s important to have a clear understanding of what color clothing works and whatdoesn’t with gray hair. Start working your way through your closet using these basictips:

• Go for higher contrast with black and white pieces.

• Add pops of color for interest and further contrast. Maybe now is the time to grab theperfect pair of red heels?

• Shop your closet. Take a good look at the things that work and get rid of the thingsthat don’t.

• Give lavender, rich purple, red and teal a shot – you may be surprised.

• Find a color mentor. Got luscious white hair? Think Meryl Streep in The Devil WearsPrada. Got blonde going silver? Think Helen Mirren.

tip9

Invest in statement jewelry.Kate recommends:

Find a great necklace, earring and bracelet set that offers colors within the design. Thatway, you can wear one or two of the set with every piece in your wardrobe.

The days of matching your earrings to your necklace are over.

Mix-matched pieces that “work together” (i.e. same family of colors or texture) createmore interest for an outfit. Wearing a bracelet that matches your earrings can pull alook together very easily.

tip10

Invest in some eye-catching scarves.

They are multi-seasonal, always trendy and have limitless styling possibilities!

Sporting a scarf is a fabulous way to show off your gray! Here’s a terrific video fromColdwater Creek showing 8 ways to tie a scarf. The model isn’t gray… but maybe we canconvince her (wink).

tip11

Experiment and find your style.Advice from Kate:

“ Start with your style. If you are a Classic dresser, then I’d recommend a great navy blazer that works well with a skirt or dress pants, yet looks very chic with a good pair of jeans, a nice T-shirt and sandals or heels. A delicate style would be more inclined to have a delicate looking, very soft cardigan detailed in small rosettes and piping. Not every woman looks great in black so the “little black dress” works better if it’s in another neutral color more suiting to your gray hair, skin tone and eye color. Navy comes in many shades and is much softer on a woman with gray. If black seems to dominate you, don’t wear it. Try another neutral like navy, brown, tan, off-white/white or a toned-down brick red/burgundy. Experiment! ”

Kate says bring on the color!

“Color things up a bit!

“Try purple, warm orange, fuscia, pink cobalt blue, emerald greenand ruby red.

Try a color you swore you’d never wear. You might be surprised…

There are some fantastic high-end multi-color scarves by JillKirsch that will add a fantastic pop!”

let’s talk cuts and hairstyles

Different color. Same hair.Now that you’ve chosen to go gray, why not change up the way you frame your faceas well? A new cut is one of the most popular ways women choose to revamp theirlooks and lifestyles.

tip12

Get a really great hair cut.Kate on hairstyling:

“A good, flattering haircut is based on several factors: your face shape, hair characteristics, your lifestyle and how much time you are willing to invest in maintenance. Keep your cut modern and fun. Know that you can change your hairstyle and still have fun with it as it transitions. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles. And if you feel your hairstylist is not listening to your needs, move on. “

tip13

Stock up on some great hair products.

There is a gamut of products one can use for gray hair. Knowing your hair (i.e. coarseand dry or limp and fine) is key, so if you don’t know, talk to your hairstylist about whatproducts would work best for your particular hair.

To see what other readers have purchased, visit our Amazon e-store.

tip14

Develop a relationship with a hairstylist who embraces your gray or silver hair.

Kate’s thoughts on searching for a good hairstylist:

“The stylist should understand and accept your needs/wants above all else. What do YOU want in a hair cut? i.e.; easy maintenance, to look sassy, not too short, to look fashion-forward, no bangs, etc. She/he should respect your decision to go gray and be willing to do anything to help you through your transition period. The stylist should have the experience with your type of hair, whether it’s coarse and thick or thin and limp. She/he should know how to enhance whatever head of hair you bring them. The stylist has to understand the significance of face shapes and how it relates to a flattering cut. Don’t let she/he talk you into a cut just because it’s the latest trend—unless it works for your texture, face shape and lifestyle.”

tip15

If your hairstylist insist on coloring your hair because you’ll “look younger”, find another

hairstylist.

Enough said.

Kate on the do’s and don’ts of going gray…

““I don’t believe in restrictions in terms of clothing styles for women going gray. For every woman, you need to dress your age. Obviously, miniskirts are typically not appropriate for women over 40 but if you’ve got the gams, I say, “Why not?” However, the style of skirt should be of a more classic styling and not something your teen daughter/granddaughter would be wearing.

Be sure experiment and find a style that works for you!”

ready?

Go for it!Going gray or silver gives you freedom. Freedom from hair dye. Freedom fromlistening to what society says. Freedom to just be you!

We hope you enjoyed these 15 Fabulous Tips for Rocking the Silver or Gray. Keep intouch and let us know how your new look is working for you. We love pictures!Send us yours at contact@revolutiongray.com and we might feature you on our site!