Life Well Lived: Hairstyles For Women Over 50

When BlogHer asked me, along with other bloggers, to contribute to week 25 of  "Life Well Lived Looking Your Best" with the topic of our favorite hair tutorials, I had to smile to myself.  This very topic has been on my mind lately as my daughter's wedding is coming up in a few months, and I have been on a search for a solution towards the best way to style my hair for the occasion.

As you can see from this photo of the back of my head....

I have a lot of thick, wavy hair!

I've worn my hair long in layers for a few years, mainly because I can easy grab it up in a pony tail when I'm in a hurry and whenever I feel hot -- a condition that seems to go hand in hand with being over 50 years old, if you know what I mean.  Now that a wedding is in the near future, I need a more contemporary style, but I didn't want a drastic change.  How can I manage my frizz and tame my tangles? Do I lighten or color my hair darker, or add highlights? Do I wear it up or leave it down? Perhaps cut it short?  Should I invest in a expensive keratin treatment and try to straighten it? Get a perm and curl it more?  Help! So off I went on a computer search for a solution to all my questions

First, I asked for helpful suggestions on my facebook page. So many friends told me to find a photo of a hairstyle I Iiked and begin there.  That sounds easy, and off I go to pursue the "Hairstyle" category on the wonderful resource website Pinterest, where thousands of hairstyles must be pinned every hour.  Click on this link to see what I mean.

Photo sources: Found on Pinterest

Here are a few of the many hairstyles I found on Pinterest that I'd LOVE to have.  I would love to have soft, shiny straight hair, but past experience of a few unhappy haircuts has certainly taught me that that's not possible with my type of hair.  I also have to be realistic and accept I am not in my twenties or thirties any longer. My hair is changing, along with the rest of me, and I didn't want to try adding another treatment to try to straighten it chemically, along with the hair color I already have to apply every six weeks to color the gray.

Photo source: Makeup and Beauty Blog

So, through further online searches, I found a fun Makeup and Beauty blog that had a catagory of 101 hairstyle tips and tutorials. This is a fabulous resource for all kinds of hair tutorials!  Lots of wonderful advice and videos and clear instructions on hundreds of topics, such as how to grow out bangs,  how to use a pencil to get an up do, and what products to use on problem hair.  There were also many wedding hairstyle examples to peruse.  I really enjoyed spending some time on this blog looking through all their categories. I saw I have a lot to learn!

Being a realist, however, I also wanted to search for what hairstyles look good on "a woman of a certain age," like myself. Surely we have special hair issues and needs that require a unique approach.

Photo Source; About.com Beauty

I did a search for "hairstyles for women over 50" and this lovely lady showed up among the photos -- actress Michelle Pfeiffer -- on the About.com Beauty website in their category "Hairstyles of Women Over 50"  This is a hairstyle my wavy hair would easily cooperate with! The only thing I'd change from her style is that I would keep my bangs.

photo source: About.com Beauty

Some more photos of lovely actresses that were examples on the About.com Beauty website's "hairstyles of women over 50," that gave me a much better idea of what would be practical for me. I liked Glen Close's bangs and the soft way curls of Susan and Blythe.

In addition to hairstyles of all ages and occasions, there was a lot of good information on the About.com Beauty website for makeup, skincare, fragrances, nail care, etc.  It is another wonderful resource!

After all this information I went to my hairdresser and trimmed my hair from long and wavy to a shorter style based on the photos I liked. It's not much, but it's a beginning!

Stay tuned as the wedding approaches and I learn more about what color I decide on that that will be best for me and my complexion, and what products I should use to tame my frizz, and what style I will eventually chose to waer for the wedding. If you have any suggestions I'd be pleased to read them.

So, what does the "Life Well Lived" Blogher expert recommend for "How To: Find That Perfect Hairstyle"? Click on this link to see, and please leave a comment there on what your favorite hairstyle resources are.


To enter the "Life Well Lived Moments Sweepstakes 6"  for a chance to win a Kindle Fire, take a moment to leave a comment on this link.*

* Please note:  The BlogHer Life Well Lived Moments sweepstakes runs from January 26, 2012 to February 29, 2012 and is only open to individuals who, at the time of entry deadline, are legal residents of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec), are 18 years or older and who are registered users of www.blogher.com at the time of entry. Winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Click here for official rules. Good luck!

 I'm also adding this post to the "Mosaic Monday" event on Mary's blog A Little Red House -- thanks Mary!

"Ladles of Love" Give Away

SOUP!

I love soup! I love to make soup and I love to eat soup.  I think I could live on soup!

I make roasted butternut squash soup quite often, as it is easy to do, delicious and nutritious. 

I love using my immersion blender right in the pot to puree all the cooked ingredients...

...and I love to use my nice large soup ladle to serve it right from the pot on a busy evening.

Here is a photo of my husband helping himself to a bowl of roasted butternut soup tonight. Click here to see my recipe.

On really busy nights, when I don't have any time to cook, I love opening a bag of Bertolli Frozen Meal Soups, as they taste home made and a rich hearty broth filled with all natural ingredients. They are available in four varieties: Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan-Style Beef with Vegetables. The Tomato Florentine with Tortellini is our favorite! Have you tried any of the soups?

To celebrate National Soup Month Bertolli Frozen Meal Soup is hosting the "Ladles of Love" program, benefitting Feeding America on behalf of local food banks and helping to provide 400,000 meals($50,000) to those who need it most. Bertolli asks that you show your support towards reaching their goal of 25,000 facebook app "clicks" by clicking to fill their soup bowl on their facebook page at this link, and to pass the word on about their program through your blog, facebook page or twitter.

In return, Bertolli would like to send TWO coupons for a FREE Bertolli frozen meal, or frozen meal soup, and a beautiful stainless steel soup ladle like the one I use to ONE lucky reader of my blog! All you have to do is tell me that you clicked through on their "Ladle of Love" facebook tab to add another ladle to the total and help them reach their goal of 25,000 clicks.   It’s free, quick and an easy way to help Bertolli feed those in need. I did it yesterday and it literally takes seconds to do.  If you post this information on you blog with the Ladle of Love facebook link and let me know in a second comment, I'll give you a second chance at winning the prize.

The winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator from the comments I receive on this post, and will be announced on on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2012.  Good luck, and please remember to let me know that you clicked through a "Ladle of Love" to help feed those in need.!

I'm linking this post to the following blog events:

Jenny Matlock's "Alphabe Thursday" for the letter "L."
Design By Gollum's "Foodie Friday"
2805 "Potpourri Friday"
My Romantic Home's "Show and Tell Fridays"
Mom Trends's "Friday Food"

Thanks to all the blog hosts!

Edited February 14, 2012:  The give away is closed.  I had 59 entries and Random.org chose number 25. Carol, of the blog "There is Always Thyme to Cook" is the winner!  Congratulations Carol!  I will notify Bertolli that you are my winner and send your e-mail address to them so they can contact you for your address to send the stainless steel ladle and free Bertolli Frozen Soup coupons to you.  Thanks to all who entered.