I’ve been coveting colorful mermaid hair for a while, wondering if a 40+ woman can actually pull it off? So I decided to take the plunge and try it out & the response might surprise you
I’m sure that you might have noticed that mermaids and unicorns are all the rage right now, especially when it comes to fun, colorful, vibrant whimsical hair color. How could you miss the plethora of instagram pics of women with rainbow colored hair or ombre pinks and purples. Well, I have been eyeing this millenial dominated hair trend for a while now, wondering to myself: Can a 40 something rock vibrant hair color like this? Can I really pull it off? Should I? Will I look ridiculous, clowny or like I am trying to be much younger than I am? Being a beauty trendsetter and wanting to do something brazen and bold as my 50th birthday approaches, I was definitely willing to give it a try!
Since I am a brunette and obsessed with turquoise, green, teal and blue, I had my sights set on a blue to turquoise green color melt, kinda like a mermaid. Honestly, I love these hues so much and feel like when I wear clothes in these colors it totally elevates and brightens my look, so I had a good feeling about this transition.
So I enlisted the expertise of my hairstylist and master vivid hair color artiste Marilyn Rocks Hair who is a member of the infamous Unicorn Tribe and has been creating some pretty spectacular vibrant hair color masterpieces recently. I told her that I love blue and turquoise hues (much like the colors she was sporting herself!) and that I totally wanted to rock the Mermaid hair trend in a more wearable grown-up, sophisticated way. In my opinion she totally nailed it, by bringing these fabulous colors into my hair in a classier more adult way and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it, what do you think?
The response both online and IRL has been overwhelmingly positive! So many people have stopped me or messaged me online saying how much they love it, how the colors totally compliment my features and that it’s a chic and classy version of the mermaid hair trend. Plus my hair looks so lush and healthy, people always as if it’s my real hair (it is!) I just feel so good in this hair, almost like I was born with this color! I hope this post encourages other women like me who have been admiring my colorful hair from afar, to try it out and take my age-related tips into consideration.
Since Marilyn is such an amazing talent and an established expert in bold hair color, I asked her for her thoughts and perspective on the mermaid trend and how other women like me can channel their inner wild child and have fun with their hair, here’s what she had to say:
Why is the mermaid/unicorn hair color trend so on trend right now?
Hair/nail/makeup art is the direction women are going towards for fun and pampering nowadays. Enter the mermaid/unicorn hair trend, during a time of pressing worldwide issues and stressors, fun hair color has become a way to break free and brighten up ones day and look.
I love the fab new Midnight Mermaid locks that you just did on me, how can women 40+ rock this fun hair color trend without feeling ridiculous/like they are trying to act like much younger than their age? I am a firm believer that ‘hair color is not an age, it’s an attitude!’ and that there are complimentary bright and pastel tones for everyone. For me, the key is utilizing colors that compliment a person’s skin tone and lifestyle. With the right base color, I add in fun colors to sit seamlessly, and create a glow as opposed to a harsh contrasting look
How did you create my fab new multi-color turquoise blue hair look? I created your look with a few steps. First I did a foilayage (Balayage+foils) technique, that lifted the areas where I wanted to focus the turquoise and blue tones. Then I utilized a color melt technique, where I transition the color from your base color into the blues and turquoise for a very seamless finish. (Checkout my Instagram Post for a recap video of how Marilyn created my fab new hair color)
How long will it last? What can you do to make it last? These creative tones usually last between 2-4 weeks. A few tips to prolong the color wear is cold water washing/conditioning, stretching out time between washes, utilizing a heat protectant while styling, staying out of direct sunlight and using professional sulfate-free shampoos/conditioners. There are also color refreshing treatments (I LOVE Celeb Luxury Viral Color Depositing Shampoo in Extreme Teal) that can be used at home to pump up the color in between salon visits.
Is color like this damaging? What can you do to minimize damage, especially to aging hair? I utilize a bond builder in all of my lifting products to minimize damage and prolong the longevity of the color. That treatment itself is especially great for aging hair, keeping it healthy and shiny after every color service.
What is your advice to other women out there, who might want to try this new hair trend but are afraid to take the plunge? Don’t be afraid to have fun with your hair, it is our most worn accessory. You can always try a less permanent approach, with clip in hair pieces, or colored hair chalk to get a sampling before you take the big leap. Hair color is most definitely an attitude. It is an expression of our innermost self, and should not be attached to an age category. I hear so many times in my chair, “I’m too old for that look…I can’t have long hair because I’m in my 40s/50’s…I have to cut my hair off soon… I’m too old for that color.” What do I have to say about that? Have fun, be creative, and be yourself, No matter what your age!
To see more of Marilyn’s incredible colorful work, follow her on INSTAGRAM
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What on earth does a person’s age have to do with how they wear their hair? We do this to ourselves, attaching age to everything. If you like it, no matter your age, just go for it! 🙂 That’s the thing about being older, you’re free to stop giving a crud what other people think. I love being in my 40s, it’s so freeing.. I wear what I want, do my hair and makeup how I want and have no desire for the opinions on those things from anyone else other than myself. It’s about how I feel, not other people. I’m living MY life. 🙂