For the last installment of our makeover series, we’ve asked our resident makeover expert Kate Leser some of the most frequently asked questions posed by you, our beautiful silver-haired readers, and also some of the questions that Kate’s clients ask her all the time. Find out what The Makeover Expert recommends for treating different hair textures, how to know when it’s time for a new haircut, and ways to look put-together without relying on heavy makeup and expensive trips to the mall.

We hope you’ve enjoyed Going Gray Blog’s Makeover Series this spring, and a big “Thank you!” to Kate for sharing her wisdom with us throughout the last few weeks. Happy styling!

What are the best hair care products to use for gray hair?

It depends on your hair’s texture and style, etc. Many women and men experience dry, frizzy, unmanageable gray hair, so products that act as humectants (that retain moisture) would be very important. There are many different shampoos, conditioners and styling products for creating soft, shiny and manageable gray hair.

I love my long hair—how can I transition to gray smoothly without having to go short?

Whether to keep hair long or not is not necessarily an age or color issue. According to Christopher Hopkins’ Staging Your Comeback, “It’s not your age; it’s a combination of how young you appear, your hair quality, and whether longer hair looks good on you at all regardless of age.” First, one must determine if her long hair is truly working for her. (See below for Christopher’s “Signs that your hair is too long.”) Next, a just-below-the-shoulder length looks modern, sleek and works well for transition stages.

Signs that your hair is too long (from Christopher Hopkins):

• You’re always pulling it back and rarely wear it down.
• It only looks good for the first 20 minutes after you style it.
• You catch yourself in the mirror later in the day and quickly pull it back.
• You keep “fluffing” it whenever you look in the mirror.
• You know better, but you’re doing it for your husband.

What should women do if their hair is a unique texture (very fine, super thick, wiry, dry)?

This is where professional hairstylists will help you. They can determine just the right cut to work harmoniously with your individualized texture. My hair is super thick, wiry and dry but with my specific cut that balances my face shape, those texture issues are not obvious to others. Your stylist can also recommend good products to further enhance the shine and body needed, as well as teach you how to style your own cut.

Is a color analysis a fad from the past or is it useful with today’s styles?

Having your color palette takes all of the guesswork out of shopping and makeup selections, and it reduces the need to have a lot of clothes. Everyone is individualistic with different needs. Those who hate shopping or hate to put any thought into getting dressed benefit greatly in saving time and energy with an analysis. Creative people or people who like to express themselves can also benefit from an analysis. With 40 of their best, personalized colors, they can create pieces of art with each outfit just by trying different color combinations from within their palette!

How can I look put-together and healthy without wearing a lot of makeup?

Makeup is to enhance your natural beauty and to even out your skin tone. A little makeup can go a long way. If your makeup sits on top of your face, then chances are the colors are wrong for you. For example, try a warmer or cooler blush than the one you’re wearing to create a “just blushed” look. It’s more of a natural glow than, “Hey look! I’m wearing blush!”

I hate shopping! How can I avoid this activity but still look good every day?

Shopping doesn’t have to be a chore! Knowing the right styles for your body type, face shape, colors and age appropriateness, shopping can be a very fun—and less expensive than in the past adventure! The icing on the cake is that you can actually have more to wear with fewer items.

Kate Leser has always known how to pull a look together, effortlessly. As a stylist and/or makeup artist for MTV, Snapple and JCrew, Kate has an eye for clothes that fit, flatter and function as well as relate to the wearer’s personality. Kate is frequently asked to share her knowledge with corporations, associations and small businesses alike. A resident of North Carolina, her expertise has been called upon by News14 Carolina to create professional and consistent images for their anchor personalities as well as WRAL-TV and WTVD, in addition to The News & Observer, Women’s World and The Triangle Business Journal.

Kate Leser can be reached at kate@themakeoverexpert.com or 919.624.2294. Her services are offered virtually! Be sure to visit her website, themakeoverexpert.com, and sign up to receive a FREE closet cleaning guideline.

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. In this installment of the Going Gray Makeover Series, our resident makeover expert Kate Leser answers questions about how to protect your body’s ultimate protector—your skin.

Read on to find out how what skin regimen Kate recommends, which makeup brand she carries in her own arsenal and what color concealer to use to hide various types of blemishes.

Also, if you have questions for Kate, send them in before the end of this week to goinggray@goinggrayblog.com, and Kate will answer them in the last post of the series!

What sort of skincare regimen should women adhere to in order to maintain healthy skin? (Also, any advice regarding tanning?)

I’m not a doctor but I can tell you that excessive exposure to the sun’s harmful rays will damage your skin in terms of aging the skin much faster.

Healthy skin requires drinking lots of water. Get plenty of rest and moisturize. Then moisturize again. There are a great many skin care products available for all skin types. Finding the right ones for your skin type is important.

Tips I recommend:

• Wear a light day moisturizer with sunscreen every day.
• Wear heavier moisturizer at night when the skin is working to repair itself from the day’s damages.
• Always have some kind of coverage on your face—whether it is a light dusting powder or foundation to protect the skin from air pollutants, etc.
• Don’t use soap or soap products to wash your face as they are too drying and harsh. A liquid wash is preferred.
• Take an extra five minutes per day to take care of your skin.
• Get a professional to help you diagnose your skin type so you can treat it correctly.

What considerations should women make when shopping at the cosmetics counter?

Considerations women should take are:

• 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 they just trying to sell you the latest product?
• Know whether you are warm or cool in your coloring so that your makeup is warm or cool. If you are a Summer or Winter, then your makeup colors need to be “cool” so that they will naturally blend with your skin. A warm blush on a Summer will stand out too 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.

What skincare products and brands do you recommend to your clients?

Each person is unique in their beauty preferences and likes and dislikes, so there may not be one specific brand for all needs. However, I carry the Color Me Beautiful brand of skincare and makeup and recommend this company because of the different brands under the Color Me Beautiful name. You have many options in both skincare and makeup, and you can find products across their different brands and know that they are safe, natural and easy to order any time of day. Plus, you have a consultant (me!) to guide you to your best products.

How much is too much when it comes to makeup application?

If you have to ask, then that should be an indication. However, makeup should never look heavy or too obvious. Chances are the colors are wrong for your skin tone and therefore stand out too much on top of the skin. Foundation doesn’t need to be caked on. It’s there to add a protective layer from air pollutants and it helps to even out skin tone.

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. An analysis takes all of the guesswork out of makeup purchases and application. The cooler tones are from the red, red/purple shades and the warmer 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.

Do you have any tips and tricks regarding makeup application? What are some essential tools and techniques every woman should own or utilize?

There are so many tips and tricks that we couldn’t possibly cover in one blog, but these are my favorites:

A face primer is key to long lasting, smoother looking makeup. Just like primer for your walls, face primer locks in the skin’s moisture while blocking the pollutants and free radicals in the air. Makeup adheres to the primer for a flawless look, plus it keeps the makeup looking good all day.

A makeup sponge is 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). Foundation is for evening out the skin tone.

Concealer is good for under-eye circles or any skin discolorations one may have. Green is my 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.

How can a woman determine her perfect shade of red lipstick after going gray?

If you don’t know your seasonal colors, I have an unconventional way of testing the red lipsticks. Go to a makeup counter or someone who sells makeup and choose one of each: a cool red (plum, berry shades), a warm red (coral, brick red, cinnamon, terra cotta) and then a true red. Try the true red on one side of your lips and then apply a warm red on the other half. With your hand covering one side of your mouth or the other, look in a mirror to see which side “looks” better. Go with your gut. Don’t analyze this too much. Now remove the lipstick that you didn’t like and apply the remaining sample, which in this case is the cool red. Again, put your hand over half of your mouth to see which side you like better. This will help you find your favorite red lipstick. And if you can during this test, get close to an outside window for your most natural lighting.

What makeup should the everyday woman never leave the house without in the morning (when she goes to work, to run errands, etc.)?

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.

Kate Leser has always known how to pull a look together, effortlessly. As a stylist and/or makeup artist for MTV, Snapple and JCrew, Kate has an eye for clothes that fit, flatter and function as well as relate to the wearer’s personality. Kate is frequently asked to share her knowledge with corporations, associations and small businesses alike. A resident of North Carolina, her expertise has been called upon by News14 Carolina to create professional and consistent images for their anchor personalities as well as WRAL-TV and WTVD, in addition to The News & Observer, Women’s World and The Triangle Business Journal.

Kate Leser can be reached at kate@themakeoverexpert.com or 919.624.2294. Her services are offered virtually! Be sure to visit her website, themakeoverexpert.com, and sign up to receive a FREE closet cleaning guideline.

Your hair is only one part of many pieces to your look. Just because you’ve decided to go gray and landed on a comfortable haircut doesn’t mean you can’t have variety in your style through clothes and accessories. Going gray is the perfect time to sort through your closet, rediscover old items and add a few new ones.

Do you have the right little black dress hanging in your closet? When is it inappropriate to wear a miniskirt? How much is too much when it comes to accessorizing? Read on to find out what our resident makeover expert Kate thinks every woman should consider when making over her wardrobe and adding the finishing touches to any look.

And don’t forget to send your questions for Kate to goinggray@goinggrayblog.com. She’ll be answering frequently asked questions at the end of this series.

In last week’s post, we talked a little about choosing what colors to wear with one’s gray hair. Do you have any recommendations when it comes to clothing styles?

Clothing styles depends on a few factors: your body type, your lifestyle and your personal style.

Just like with a face shape, you want to “balance” your body. Dressing your body involves balance and following your curves. For example, if you are more upper body dominant, then how you balance your shape would be to create more fullness in your lower half, keeping the upper area very slim and sleek. If you are more lower body dominant, then play up your upper half with fullness, like ruffles or pleats. A barrel-shaped body (fullness in mid-section) looks best in stovepipe style pants. That’s where the leg of the pant falls directly off the hip straight down to the floor. Avoid skinny jeans.

I also recommend building your wardrobe around your lifestyle. If you spend 75 percent of your time at work, then your wardrobe should be 75 percent business. If you are retired, why are you holding on to your business suits? Perhaps you’d be better off investing in great traveling pieces! Take a good look at your daily life and then at your closet. Do your clothes match the reality of your life?

Your clothing style needs to reflect the TRUE you. Who are you? Are you more authoritative, confident, angled and prefer tailored clothes, or are you approachable, curved, friendly and prefer untailored and more casual? Are you more Classic in style than Romantic? You could be a Dramatic (strong design lines and/or color)/Classic or a Romantic/Delicate. Many times when I’m working with a client in their closet, they will tell me emphatically that they are not Romantic, yet I noticed so much of their wardrobe was, in fact, Romantic. Just because you are Romantic doesn’t necessarily mean total lace and frills. A Romantic’s clothing is softly tailored to untailored, fitted dresses, curved, draped, pliable to soft and flowery fabrics. Once you discover the REAL you, you’ll find that you love everything you purchase and wear. No more buying those “mistakes”! I can also guarantee you’ll save so much time shopping when you know what works best for YOU and YOUR body.

How do you pick a top that will look good with your hairstyle and haircut?  

I’m assuming that your hairstyle works for YOU and YOUR face shape. With that said, your top needs to follow the same rules. Cut, color and style should reflect YOU best. Avoid costly mistakes by buying something just because it’s on sale or looks so good on your BFF. Chances are the two of you are very different in terms of body types, natural coloring (think hair, skin and eye colors) and personalities.

What are some clothing dos and don’ts for women going gray? Are there any essential wardrobe pieces that, in your opinion, every woman ought to own?

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. Naturally, each situation warrants appropriate dress. For example, even with great legs, a miniskirt is not appropriate in a conservative business situation at any age!

Again, an essential wardrobe piece is person-specific, but I think a good jacket or cardigan is one item that works well for everyone. The style would depend on your personality and body type. 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. These are just simple examples but I think jackets/cardigans make dressing for any situation much easier so I would suggest everyone have a favorite of their own.

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.

You also mentioned accessorizing as a great way to make over one’s look. When it comes to choosing accessories, what kind of considerations should a woman make? Color, style, weight?

Accessories are an easy way to change your look from day to evening! Purchase accessories that reflect your personality and coloring. Definitely consider your size along with your personality. If you are a 5’2″ firecracker, then your accessories need to be on a smaller scale but more dramatic and bold in color and texture to match that stronger personality. A delicate, tiny pearl will just get lost on you! A cluster or knot of of small pearls might be a better choice. That doesn’t mean if you’re 5’8″ with a softer, quieter personality that you need to wear loud, dramatic statement pieces just because you are tall. Not at all! A medium to larger size pin, for example, in a simple design could be just the ticket. Because accessories tend to be less expensive than clothing items, playing with different colors and textures is an easy way to dress up your existing wardrobe.

How much is too much when accessorizing? (Is it okay to wear a scarf and a necklace? A ring and a bracelet on the same hand?)

Create a focal point somewhere on you—whether it’s a piece of clothing or an accessory. If you have to ask yourself, “Am I wearing too many accessories?” I’d have to say chances are… yes. However, balance is the key. (I know this seems like a recurring theme, but balance is very important in your overall dressing strategies.) Wearing a scarf and a necklace might be too much, but again, it all depends on how you’re wearing the scarf and what kind of necklace you have on. If you want the scarf to be your focal point, then you won’t need a necklace. Keep in mind that people will naturally look at you (remember first impressions?), so you don’t want to cause sensory overload with too many things going on in your outfit. Don’t be a distraction. Be that gray-haired beauty they want to emulate.

What are some surefire accessories a woman can invest in that will pair well with most of her wardrobe? 

I always recommend to my clients that they find a great necklace, earring and bracelet set that offers many of her best colors within the design. That way she can wear one or two of the set with every piece in her 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) create more interest for an outfit. Wearing a bracelet that matches your earrings can pull a look together very easily. I’m just not a fan of wearing the exact same necklace with the matching earrings every day. Use your accessories to express yourself!

Any last thoughts/tips regarding clothing and accessories?

Don’t waste your time or money:
1. shopping in a rush,
2. shopping under pressure because the event is tomorrow, or
3. buying something just to buy something on sale.

A rule of thumb when shopping: When purchasing an item, think back to what you already have in your closet and ask yourself, “Can this item go with at least three things that I already own?” If the answer is “no,” don’t buy it. Save yourself the time, money and aggravation.

Kate Leser has always known how to pull a look together, effortlessly. As a stylist and/or makeup artist for MTV, Snapple and JCrew, Kate has an eye for clothes that fit, flatter and function as well as relate to the wearer’s personality. Kate is frequently asked to share her knowledge with corporations, associations and small businesses alike. A resident of North Carolina, her expertise has been called upon by News14 Carolina to create professional and consistent images for their anchor personalities as well as WRAL-TV and WTVD, in addition to The News & Observer, Women’s World and The Triangle Business Journal.

Kate Leser can be reached at kate@themakeoverexpert.com or 919.624.2294. Her services are offered virtually! Be sure to visit her website, themakeoverexpert.com, and sign up to receive a FREE closet cleaning guideline.

Congratulations, Beyonce, for being announced People’s 2012 Most Beautiful Women in the World, but make room for four beautiful ladies who won People’s Real Beauty at Any Age contest and are featured in the print edition of the magazine.  Among the four winners is Denise Buchoz featured in our Color Me Gray ebook!!

Congratulations, Denise, and kudos People magazine!

Be sure to watch the video!  It’s amazing. And go buy the print edition to see Denise.  She’s a knockout!

Wow! We are very close to welcoming our 1000th Facebook like!!   Help us welcome this lucky person!  

Do you have a business that has a product or service that would make a great addition to our welcome package? We would love your donation and would be happy to promote your business. We will be throwing in a Starbucks gift card and a copy of our Color Me Gray eBook. If you can help, shoot us an email at info@goinggrayblog.com.

Hurry! We are at 972  likes as of today.

Part 2 of our makeover series focuses on hairstyles, haircuts and color. You may have ditched the dye, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have any more decisions left to make about your hair. Now that you’ve chosen to go gray, why not change up the way you frame your face as well? A new cut is one of the most popular ways women choose to revamp their looks and lifestyles.

Color is also a major consideration when you go gray in terms of makeup and clothing. A color analysis, according our resident makeover expert Kate Leser, can help you decide how to stock your closet and what palette of supplies to maintain in your makeup bag. But if you don’t want or don’t have access to a professional color analyst, there are ways to self-evaluate your personal color choices—just read on to find out what Kate suggests you do the next time you’re at the mall.

And don’t forget to send in your own questions for Kate to goinggray@goinggrayblog.com. She will answer reader’s questions in the last post of the series coming up in a couple of a weeks!

What kinds of factors should women consider when choosing a hairstyle and haircut? Are there any trends that you would heavily advise against? Any evergreen styles that work for everyone?

One haircut for all is not recommended. 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.

Face shape: angled or contoured. An angled haircut will flatter and enhance an angled face. A soft, rounded haircut would be right for a more contoured face. (This is just the surface of a face shape analysis.)

Hair characteristics:
Texture: fine, medium or coarse
Formation: wavy, straight or curly
Amount: sparse, medium, thick
(Carmine Minardi, Minardi Salon)

Lifestyle: Conservative vs. fashion forward vs. natural.

Maintenance: How much time do you have each day to style your hair? Do you like to use hair tools (straighteners, blow dryers, curling iron, etc.)? Or do you prefer wash and go?

What qualities should a woman look for when searching for a 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.

Are there any essential hair care tools that going-gray women ought to own? For example, what type of combs/brushes are best for gray hair? Are there any particular brands of shampoo, conditioner, etc. that you recommend?

There is a gamut of products one can use for gray. Knowing your hair (i.e. coarse and dry or limp and fine) is key, so if you don’t know, talk to your hairstylist about what products would work best for your particular hair. There are hydrating pomades, texturizing balms and glosses, styling lotions packed with vitamins and minerals to protect your hair from too much blow-drying and brightening shampoos and conditioners… the list is long!

Do you have any makeup color advice for women currently in the transitioning phase of going gray?

Looking at your self in terms of value really helps. Think of yourself in a black-and-white photo. Are our eyes dark, medium or light in value? What about your skin? What about your hair?

Take me for instance: I had 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. Now that my hair is now medium to light in terms of value, I no longer have contrasting value to my overall look. I am considered a “True.” Long story short , my makeup should now be medium in tones, not too bright or dark but not too light either. Like Mama Bear—my porridge should be just right & my bed just right. How I wear my colors should also be medium in 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.

Red is a nice color for gray hair ladies. I am a Summer (color analysis results) who had red-purples in her palette but not a true red. Now that I’m gray, my new palette has a true red. I am thrilled! It looks good now but didn’t look as good with my brown hair.

Another makeup tip is not to wear heavy makeup and black makeup (eyeliner, mascara) because it can look too harsh. It can even give the illusion that her face is washed out. No one wants to look washed out and faded! There are many wonderful colors a woman can choose from to enhance her eyes, which are the gateway to her soul. Depending on a woman’s eye color, I recommend a pencil that either complements her eye color or is similar to her eye color, i.e. violet is very pretty for a green-eyed woman (green is opposite of purple on the scientific color wheel). I typically recommend a stone-gray color for light blue or blue-gray eyes. Brown eyes can wear a blue, green or purple eye liner.

Can you elaborate on how color valuation works? I really like the idea of looking at a black-and-white photo of oneself to evaluate what colors to wear. Is this something that could be formulaic?

Actually, your color values (as seen in a black-and-white photo) are not related to the actual colors you wear but HOW you wear your colors, i.e. if you have contrasting values (light vs. dark), then your best color combinations would be to wear something light with something dark, or if you’re only wearing one color, it should be bright to harmonize with your own natural light and dark values. If you have gray hair, light eyes and light skin, your color combinations would be light colors worn with light or medium colors. Of course, I’d recommend you find out what your best colors are and then combine those colors to align with your values (skin, hair and eyes).

When it comes to color for makeup, clothes and accessories, what hues should women with gray hair lean toward? Warmer, cooler, bright, pastels, neutral?

It all depends on whether you are warm or cool. Gray hair doesn’t mean you are now cool or vice versa. Whether you are warm or cool, colors that you choose in makeup, clothes and accessories need to be in the same family as you. i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn. Just because you are gray, doesn’t mean you “can’t” wear a certain color. However, the intensity or brightness of a color may be different if you are now gray. For instance, my color palette is still a Summer palette but it’s softer and some of the hues are more grayed.

You mentioned some great examples previously (and used yourself as a Summer as one example). How do women dress for their seasons and natural skin tones?

The easiest method is to have a color analysis performed. It takes all of the guesswork out of what colors to wear. Plus, if your color analyst is trained in color theory, she/he can tell you your intensifiers which are three of your very best colors to wear. An intensifier is the complement (on the color wheel) to your hair, skin and eyes, hence your three best colors. My hair and skin complements are in the blue-green family and my eye complement is a nice, light lemon yellow.

If you don’t want a color analysis done, than take the time to go a store and pull out a color, for example—yellow, from the racks. Compare the different yellows by putting them at shoulder height to see which colors makes your skin look luminant, not sallow. A yellow that brightens your face, evens out the skin tone, etc, would be a good yellow for you. Take a closer look at that yellow and ask yourself, is that more of a pure yellow or a gold yellow? Examine it to determine if it’s more warm (gold yellow) or is it a cool yellow (true, pure yellow)? This can also be done with other colors like red and green, i.e. blue red (cool) versus an orange red (warm red).

Is there anything else readers should know about hairstyles, cuts and colors that hasn’t been covered already?

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, then move on. It’s OK to try another stylist.

Embrace your look. Going gray gives you the freedom to make some much-needed changes to your life. We all seem to get “stuck” now and then, so this is your excuse to try different styles in clothes, makeup and hair. Have fun!

Accessories are a great way of making your style your own. They can also be used to enhance and brighten your face if you’re afraid to step outside the box by wearing a color like yellow. Make your statement every day with a piece of jewelry. That’s where creativity and fun can happen. No one will notice that you’re in a hair transitioning mode.

Kate Leser has always known how to pull a look together, effortlessly. As a stylist and/or makeup artist for MTV, Snapple and JCrew, Kate has an eye for clothes that fit, flatter and function as well as relate to the wearer’s personality. Kate is frequently asked to share her knowledge with corporations, associations and small businesses alike. A resident of North Carolina, her expertise has been called upon by News14 Carolina to create professional and consistent images for their anchor personalities as well as WRAL-TV and WTVD, in addition to The News & Observer, Women’s World and The Triangle Business Journal.

Kate Leser can be reached at kate@themakeoverexpert.com or 919.624.2294. Her services are offered virtually! Be sure to visit her website, themakeoverexpert.com, and sign up to receive a FREE closet cleaning guideline.

We at Going Gray Blog see going gray as a wonderful opportunity to embrace your natural look as well as reinvent the way you present yourself to the world. But many women who join the movement inevitably ask the question, “How?” They want to know how to give their closets, makeup bags and overall looks a makeover to match their new au naturale image.

For the answers, Going Gray Blog is proud to welcome Kate Leser as our resident makeover expert. Kate will share makeover tips and tricks that she has acquired thoughout many years as a successful certified wardrobe and color consultant.

In the coming weeks, Kate will address an array of topics including establishing your color palette, finding the right haircut, clothing and accessory options, makeup selection and application, and more. For the last installment of the series, Kate will answer questions from you, the readers! Send your questions to goinggray@goinggrayblog.com and get the going gray advice you’ve been craving.

Until then, enjoy part 1 of our interview series with The Makeover Expert, Kate Leser.

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Can you share a little bit about yourself and your journey to going gray?

My story is in the e-book Color Me Gray. Basically, I went gray as a tribute to my mom who never colored her hair and was proud of it. When she lost her battle to cancer in 2006, her courage gave me the courage to just go au naturale. My transition was way too easy. I just stopped coloring and within five weeks, after the last of the color wash faded, I was what you see now.

What do you think are the most important things to consider when a person is thinking about reinventing her look?

Four key elements: haircut, skincare, makeup and eyebrows.

A very good haircut should balance the face. This includes a good cut that works WITH the texture of the hair, not against it. Textures may be different when hair turns gray, so hairstylists need to take that into consideration. A good haircut will increase a woman’s self-confidence greatly (whether gray or not!)

One’s skincare routine may need to be adjusted for loss of elasticity and more dryness as we mature. Using good moisturizers and non-drying cleansers (soap free) will make a big difference in this transition to gray. Keep your skin youthful looking and no one will notice your hair or better yet, they’ll happily notice both!

Makeup will need some minor tweaks as well. Gray hair requires a little bit of makeup all the time to avoid looking washed out. Choosing the right makeup colors in the right shades to enhance skin tone is more important than ever.

The eyebrows help frame the face. A woman’s hair acts as a frame for her face, but when it’s gray, the hair fades into the background more, making it even more important to have eyebrows. An eyebrow powder and flat-angled brush are an easy fix to giving the brows some needed fullness and color more naturally than an eyebrow pencil.

Any tips for the modern woman who needs to look professional by day and glamorous by night?

Freshen up the day makeup with a vibrant accent eye color or make the eyeliner line just a little more dramatic by making it thicker or swooped up at the outer eye. Add another layer of blush, another coat of mascara and a deeper lip shade of lipstick!

There are two opposing beliefs floating around about how mature women should present themselves: (1) “Wear bright pastels to brighten you up, especially when you have gray hair,” and (2) “Don’t wear loud colors and stick with neutrals to look professional.” What is your opinion? How can gray-haired women avoid looking “washed out” without going overboard with color? 

I don’t believe any of those statements! If you wear the right colors for you, it takes all the guesswork out of choosing a wardrobe and makeup. I highly recommend a color analysis, which is especially important when a woman is sporting her gray. It will increase her confidence and make her look radiant. All of that will shine through in her attitude. It’s a win-win for all.

Kate Leser has always known how to pull a look together, effortlessly.  As a stylist and/or makeup artist for MTV, Snapple and JCrew, Kate has an eye for clothes that fit, flatter and function as well as relate to the wearer’s personality. Kate is frequently asked to share her knowledge with corporations, associations and small businesses alike.  A resident of North Carolina, her expertise has been called upon by News14 Carolina to create professional and consistent images for their anchor personalities as well as WRAL-TV and WTVD, in addition to The News & Observer, Women’s World and The Triangle Business Journal.

Kate Leser can be reached at kate@themakeoverexpert.com or 919.624.2294. Her services are offered virtually!  Be sure to visit her website, the makeoverexpert.com, and sign up to receive a FREE closet cleaning guideline.

If you’ve joined us for one our live chats on Twitter or Facebook, you probably remember Kate Leser. A certified wardrobe and color consultant, Kate graciously gives great tips on makeup, colors, and jewelry during our live chats.

Now we get to have more of Kate!

We are delighted to announce that Kate is now the resident makeover expert for Going Gray blog! We know a lot of you gray haired beauties and wannabes have questions about image, style, and clothing, so enjoy this video and stay tuned for more of Kate Leser in the coming weeks. In the meantime, visit Kate’s site at themakeoverexpert.com.

Jeanne Thompson

Last week our blog made national news. It’s been a long time coming. We want to congratulate Jeanne Thompson, featured in our Color Me Gray eBook, whose story about going gray in corporate America was eloquently told by journalist Leanne Itatlie. Thank you both for holding up the banner.

To those who discriminate against women in the workplace (or anywhere else) because of their hair color, skin tone, body size or anything related to appearance;

To the millions of advertisers who fall into the trap of show them “young and ageless” and fail over and over again to represent women with gray hair;

And to all the brands who have ignored our requests to advertise on this site:

There’s a drum roll in the distance that’s getting louder and louder. Can you hear it?

As guest contributor Denise O’Neill put it, “grey-haired women have a voice and we matter too!”

If you found our blog because of this article, welcome! If you like the site, please help us spread the word! Share us with a friend, family member or colleague. And please “like” Going Gray blog on Facebook!

We get many, many emails from those of you going gray under 40. You are in good company!! Here is Becki Carr’s Story:

I started dying my hair around 16 just for fun, and it was a different color every 6 months. I tried everything from hydrogen peroxide to Glintz to professional coloring. At 24, I decided to go back to my natural color, at which point I discovered I’d gone gray. I didn’t have the courage to let it grow out and see just exactly how MUCH gray I had, so I went right back to dying it.

On a promise to my ever-tolerant boyfriend (now fiancé) who loves the gray, on my 31st birthday I started growing it out to see what it would look like. To my surprise, it was a pretty cool salt-and-pepper silvery shade, but now I had two-tone hair. I didn’t want to chop it off, so just before my 32nd birthday, my stylist did a full foil of bleach to get out most of the brown dye, leaving half the strands untouched. She then covered my entire head of hair with silver toner. The problem was that now the bleached part was lighter than my natural color, so I was two-tone again but my roots were darker, and everyone thought I had gone blonde.

At this point, I almost gave up and decided to just go back to dying my hair all one color, but I realized I was sick of adjusting to expectations and wanted to grow out a full head of naturally colored gray hair; I wanted to be proud of my natural color and to inspire other young women to do the same. I’ve been seeing an increasing number of young women growing out their grays, but until finding Going Grey, I could not find any useful information out there for anyone under 40 (or really under 50) about the process. Natural gray will never be fully accepted in the under-40-set if women keep dying their grays out of embarrassment or in an effort to look “normal.”

In order to transition to gray without cutting all of my hair off, my stylist and I came up with a plan to use foil to protect some of the natural hair, and to dye the rest with a shade as close to my natural dark brown as possible. Each time I go back, she leaves a little bit more hair gray. The strands all blend together, so when the gray grows out, there is not one line around my head that shows my roots. I’m happy with the way I look now, and I take care of my hair by using as-close-to-natural-as-possible products to keep the grays smooth. I can’t wait to finally be a full “silver fox” one day.

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