ho does that man with inky, shoe-polish black, artificial hair color think he is fooling? There is nothing natural about it and it makes us wonder how someone who obviously spends time trying to look better is so unaware of the horrible final outcome of his labor. Women aren't the only ones who can benefit from the magic of professional hair color. In fact, men have become the fastest growing segment of my clientele as they begin to realize the importance of hair care in a competitive, looks-oriented world.

How to Look Younger

Most of my male clients are legal or finance professionals who simply want to knock five years off their appearance without drawing attention to their efforts to look younger. A well-executed blended gray can do the trick. First I look at the natural color and decide what needs to stay and what needs to be refined. Adding a little silver around the temples and reducing the amount of gray on the top and sides would discretely erase a few years.

	Highlights should never be obvious and attract attention.

In some cases, we want to keep all of that gorgeous distinguished gray hair, but it's sometimes dull and lifeless. Neutralizing yellow or drab areas will brighten and illuminate the silver colors already present. Regardless of the color treatment, I ensure that my clients are able to walk through their (often judgmental) offices with their natural-looking heads held high.

Highlights for men

Highlights for men (man-lights as I like to call them) when poorly done will earn a bad rap for good reasons. Unless you want to look like you are having a mid-life crisis or are auditioning for a boy band, highlights should never be obvious and attract attention. A few artfully placed, brightened sections can make a man look as if he is just back from a sun-drenched vacation. What better way to get that first date conversation steered towards your recent trip to Costa Rica?

Hair Color Tips for Men

Beside the esthetic advances hair color can provide for men, there are a few practical benefits to having a seat in a professional colorist's chair. A very common problem for men is super fine, fly away, unmanageable hair. By roughing up the cortex of the hair just the right amount, the hair becomes more pliable, easier to style and yields a much younger look.

A great trick is to brush some lightness through the appropriate spots and to re-darken the hair—the color will only be slightly better looking, but the real genius is in how easier it is to style the hair. Think of how great it will feel to jump out of the shower and quickly style your hair by towel-drying it!

Bold Hair Color for Men

Some men who look great with bold, in-your-face, dramatic color. For gentlemen with gorgeous blue or green eyes and tan skin who have just started losing their hair, a beachy, bleached-out color can be a fantastic fix. The standard approach is to bleach the hair completely white. But then go one step further—add depth to that surfer-blond look with darker tones at the roots. Darkness at the base of the scalp that blends into lighter ends gives the illusion of thicker, fuller hair.

Whether a man wants his hair color to remain unnoticed so he can blend in with the crowd or whether he wants it to make a bold, confident statement, there is something very attractive about a man who understands the rewards of hair color done well. The many options for hair color can make it difficult to choose the right look, but a good stylist can help any client find a look that will work for him.