BLNDN: You seem like you have always loved your natural gray hair. Give us a little insight into your approach to beauty…
Jennifer: Honestly, I've always had mixed feelings about my grey hair, especially turning prematurely grey. Grey "highlights" were fine in my thirties, but I struggled with my "frosting" of grey in my forties. I was uncomfortable with people thinking I was older then I was.
The bottom line was that my natural color felt authentic to me, and I could see that the silver strands were far more attractive with my coloring then trying to replicate my original dark color and ending up with red tones. As I got in to my fifties I started to appreciate how the lightness of it was more flattering. Now I do love it, especially since it is long and wavy.
BLNDN: We love hearing about fabulous women embracing their authentic beauty, whether it's natural or going blonde! We also love entrepreneurial stories. Tell us how you got started as an image consultant and stylist...
Jennifer: I wrote my first book "
Clothe Your Spirit: Dressing for Self-Expression" at a time when dress for success was still the bible for professional dress. My ideas were radical! I grew a following from that book right away, and it even became a college textbook! I was (and still am) one of the few stylists that sees a woman all the way through every aspects of their beauty care: colors, makeup, hair, wardrobe consulting, personal shopping, eyeglasses, accessories, photography. Many stylists specialize in one area, but I leave no detail overlooked.
BLNDN: You are especially known for your use of colors in your image styling. What are some tips you have for blending color with silver locks?
Jennifer: When you wear colors that enhance your complexion and the tones in your hair color, your grey becomes a beautiful frame around your face. There are many warm and cool variations depending upon your skin tone, the color of your eyes and hair.
BLNDN: As you know our line isn't just for young blondes, but also for oxidized hair from naturally aging. What about this drew you in to the line initially?
Jennifer: My stylist told me about BLNDN and I am always ready to try a product developed for my type of hair, but when I saw your magazine I went nuts!
I was so excited to see grey treated as something beautiful. I also loved seeing the grey and blonde models looking ageless and gorgeous together, to see beauty not defined by age.
BLNDN: What is your absolute favorite project you’ve had an opportunity to work on over your career?
Jennifer: Publishing my second book "Growing More Beautiful: An Artful Approach to Personal Style." It is by far my proudest accomplishment. I had input on the design of every page, from the type to the images, to the shape of the book, and feel of the cover. I fought for that book to be more than a "before and after" makeover book, to talk about the essence of beauty from the perspective of an artist. Now I see that in many ways I wrote it for myself, to ease myself into growing older beautifully with joy and pleasure.
BLNDN: What are some lessons learned about natural beauty that our customers should know?
Jennifer: Aging is hard no matter what. You need to find the path that feels right for you so you can celebrate your beauty and enjoy life. Seek out what makes YOU feel beautiful, hair products like BLNDN, fabulous skin care, gorgeous makeup, clothes that fit perfectly. Find an expert you love to guide you and experiment, take risks, keep it fresh!
BLNDN: What is your advice for ladies looking to ease in to embracing their natural grays?
Jennifer: Most women wanting to give grey a try have to go through a grow out period. It's important to work with a great colorist that supports your decision and is skilled at blending color during the transition. As soon as you have a few inches of growth I suggest a makeup update. The color that frames your face is about to change dramatically and new makeup gives you a preview of how pretty you are going to look. Consider this time a "makeover" and take care of all aspects of your appearance.
BLNDN: Who are your favorite hair, stylist, or blogger icons that embrace their natural beauty?
Jennifer: Of course your model Yasmina Rossi is crazy beautiful, but she is also a photographer and I enjoy her videos. I look for substance, originality, and artfulness, so I tend to follow people that inspire me; writers, artists, change makers. I also get regular feeds from all the fashion sites and my favorite clothing manufacturers.
BLNDN: So you've been using the BLNDN line for some time now. What is your favorite product and why?
Jennifer: I love my BLNDN products, and my favorites are the heavy hitters:
TONE YOU and
REPAIR YOU.
TONE YOU, the deep violet mask, dramatically improved my color, not only making the silver a prettier shade, but boosting the richness of my dark strands. My hair is dry, so
REPAIR YOU is a must. I'm also happy with both the shampoos,
BRIGHTEN AND
QUENCH YOU. The surprise was
SAVE YOU. It works wonderfully to smooth and soften my wavy hair the day after shampooing and styling.
BLNDN: What is your best hair advice for BLNDN babes with aging hair?
Jennifer: Take pride in your hair. Recognize that rocking beautiful grey is still going against the trend, and applaud yourself for being a trailblazer. Define what is beautiful to you, and celebrate that. Keep in mind that "natural" does not mean low maintenance. You may not spend as much time in the salon chair, but you still need to commit to the extra effort it takes to shine. No matter what your age or hair color, you want to continue to turn heads. It may be more of a challenge now, but there is a freedom of expression to it that makes it more fun than ever.
Jennifer Robin is an image consultant, stylist, award winning author and visual artist. Owner of Clothe Your Spirit Image Consultant Service and creator of J.Robin Cosmetics, she is recognized as one the top design and color innovators in the beauty industry. Her most recent book is Growing More Beautiful: An Artful Approach to Personal Style.
