A few days ago, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror at a department store. I had to do a double take. Was that really me?

I looked old and weathered, not to mention tired.

I normally don't feel like I look old (weathered and tired on occasion, especially after a long day at work or a mom's night out). I approached the mirror in horror--my complexion looked as rough and dull as a worn out doormat. Was I sick or was it was just me?

The next day I loaded up on my favorite bronzer (it always helps me feel radiant and youthful) and swiped on a bright pink lip gloss (another complexion pick me up staple). I still looked anything but luminous.

What was going on? Did my mid-thirties age finally rear its head?

As I went to pull my hair back into a ponytail, it clicked--could it be my hair color? With dark roots a mile long and grays popping out everywhere, was my hair making me look old?

"Absolutely," says Kyle White, lead colorist at Manhattan's Oscar Blandi Salon and colorist to some of the worlds most noted celebrities. "When your hair is too dark, it accentuates every last line. And when it's too light, it can wash you out and age you," he notes.

White, along with many beauty experts, is a firm believer that hair color is the single greatest tool available to women in their quest for youth. It instantly boosts your appearance -- brighter eyes, more radiant skin -- without the pain, irritation, downtime or price tag (a box of home hair color is approximately $10 while salon services can range from $80-200).

He also points out that as we age, our hair gets darker and loses its natural luster (shiny hair is a hallmark of youth). Adding warmth with highlights or treating hair to a shine-enhancing gloss immediately changes the way we feel and look. "We feel younger after having our hair colored because it's the hair of our youth, back again," explains White.

Hair color also adds fullness, which for women with thinning hair is a major bonus.

Here are White's tips to color yourself young:

1. Find a picture from your childhood and copy that hair color. "Nine times out of ten that is the color that flatters you most," says White.

2. If you have dark brown or black hair, try chocolate brown, caramel or toffee highlights. "They add dimension, open the face and instantly make you look fresh and radiant," explains White.

3. If your hair is light brown, face-framing, dark golden blonde highlights will enrich the complexion, creating luminosity and the illusion of lift.

4. As we age, blonde hair has a tendency to become ashy and dull. Pale yellow highlights ("Think the color of melted butter," notes White) bring out the warmth in the complexion, which naturally makes us look younger.

5. There should always be a contrast between your skin and hair color so you don't look washed out or too plate-both of which make lines, wrinkles and spots appear more obvious.

In my own very scientific analysis, to validate the notion of hair color-as-the-fountain-of-youth, I pulled my hair into a tight ponytail to expose only my dark, dreary roots. I polled the women in my office, and all agreed: dark hair completely aged me.

I immediately called White to book an appointment. A few strategically placed highlights later, it was confirmed that I definitely looked "a good 5 years younger."

Roger that.

Now, find out the best way to communicate with your hair colorist to get the results you want.

And click here to find out 4 common bad habits that can age you by 12 years!

If you've always envied your friends' stylish bob hairstyles but aren't willing to part with your long locks, here's an idea: try a faux bob. "It's the bob style you've always wanted without cutting your hair off," says celebrity stylist and Hair Basics expert Ted Gibson.

Anne Hathaway, Rosario Dawson and Kate Beckinsale have all recently rocked this short hairstyle on the red carpet. And believe it or not, it's achievable in a matter of minutes with five simple steps -- no snipping or clipping required.

Click through the gallery below for more of Gibson's tips and tricks on creating the faux bob.

Days away from celebrating a milestone birthday, Joyce's daughter Tanzi nominated her for a makeover because, "She's always doing for everyone else...I want to give her something to boost her confidence."

Joyce raised three daughters of her own and through the years has helped to care for members of her extended family. Busy, to say the least, Joyce can't recall the last time she did something nice for herself.

On the cusp of turning 60, her time has finally come. And the ultimate makeover is her reward.



Starting with hair, stylist Chris Megia cleaned up the ends and cut layers to create natural volume. Megia used a round brush to style the strands up and back for added body, and to show off her beautiful face. Colorist Rachel Carney disguised Joyce's gray hair by toning down her roots and giving her a warmer base.

Makeup artist Janet Lee gave Joyce a smoldering eye, accentuated with a rosy cheek and berry-stained lip. She lightly brushed on a shimmer powder to give her complexion a healthy glow.

Fashion stylist and Makeover My Mom host Sam Saboura put Joyce in clothing that were comfortable and versatile, yet modern and stylish. A tunic with swirls of gold and green stood out against Joyce's brown skin tone, while a black blazer with a popped collar gave the look a youthful attitude. Black leggings highlighted her great legs and black open-toe heels elongated her body for a sleek and chic finish.

Strutting her stunning new look down our makeover runway, 60 is clearly just a number.

To see more stylish makeovers for every body type, check out our Mission Makeover series.

Working in social services for 25 years, Courtney, a 45-year-old mother of two, says it's all about priorities. Her job and family come first and her look last.

Nominated for a makeover by her husband and daughters, they say their loving and very funny mother deserves to find her inner glow.

And that's exactly what our beauty team unearthed: Courtney's youthful luminosity.


Makeup artist Janet Lee started the transformation with foundation and concealer to even Courtney's skin tone. On the eyes, she used soft, shimmering neutrals to brighten and a rich brown eyeliner to define. To warm and illuminate her complexion, Lee swept bronzer along her forehead, cheeks and the bridge of her nose, and then finished with a high shine golden lip gloss.

Hairstylist Chaz Dean removed lots of bulk from Courtney's one-length locks by cutting in short, shaggy layers. He also gave her subtle highlights to add dimension. Dean then set Courtney's hair in pin curls to give her strands added body and bounce.

Celebrity stylist and Makeover My Mom host Sam Saboura wanted to give Courtney a style that's fresh and modern, but appropriate for her line of work. Dark denim did the trick -- they're modern and stylish and more tailored for an office environment. The pale pink animal print sweater freshend up her look with a subtle, yet soft edge.

The end result: two happily stunned daughters, one jaw-dropped husband, and a mom who looked nothing short of radiant.

To see more stylish makeovers for every body type, check out our Mission Makeover series.

Want to copy Courtney's style? Shop animal print cardigans and denim trousers below!

Celebrities change their hairstyles as much as they do their clothes. Between movie roles and red carpet events, they are constantly reinventing their strands. The one style that remains a constant is straight hair. Worn with a button down or a red carpet gown, sleek, straight hairstyles are a proven winner.