On the outside, our hair turns gray and our skin wrinkles.

Some of us refer to these traits as "earned" transformations, accepting the change as our natural course.

Yet many of us continue to see ourselves with the qualities we embodied in youth - preferring instead to retain as much of our original sparkle as possible.

But synchronizing our self-image with our outward image can sometimes pose a challenge.

According to a group of beauty experts, a few tips can aid us in meeting that challenge, helping us to feel and look our best.

One of the most common signs of age comes with graying and thinning hair.For this reason, stylists say, hair is among the physical traits most often and most easily changed."I heard a long time ago that baby boomers weren't going to go gray," said Stacy Wahler, a stylist at the J.C. Penney salon in Butler. "It's true. The amount of color we do here is unreal."Josh Crawford of MasterCuts agrees hair color is probably the most dramatic and accessible change available.Crawford said highlights mask gray hair and are good for women who don't want to commit to full color, since they cover only enough strands to detract attention from the gray."Highlights really save your age," he said. "It's a mixture from young to old." Crawford also said highlights add an element of agelessness since they are seen on all ages beginning with girls who are 10.Crawford said "wispy" low-maintenance styles are also well-suited to aging women - partly because wisps are also worn by younger women and partly because the layered, wash-and-go styles work for those with declining mobility.When not at MasterCuts, Crawford works as a self-employed stylist, traveling to nursing homes and other facilities where residents have difficulty getting to a salon."They don't want to look old; they want something trendy," he noted."With the layered cuts, women can use their fingers to achieve a more "messy" look, he said."Wisps are a very big thing," he added, noting fashion magazines currently contain wispy styles. "They draw attention to your features."For thinning hair, wisps and layers also give the appearance of fullness, the stylists said.

Although hair can be dyed and coated with products, ways to revitalize aging skin are sometimes less obvious.But improvements to skin can still be accomplished, cosmetics professionals say.Since makeup and skin care products were less sophisticated in years past, many women may not know of the products now available to target problem areas, say Marty Johnson and Cathy Vause, who work in the Boscov's cosmetics department.The women noted new skin-care products and makeup are continually being developed and improved by dermatologists.But before using those products, Johnson and Vause remind women to protect their skin from dehydration and harmful solar rays.With a good prevention program in place, which would include healthy diet and lifestyle choices as well as the regular use of sunscreen, Johnson and Vause advise women to focus on skin care before turning toward makeup for a quick fix to their appearance."The foundation of great skin is good skin care," said Johnson, who manages the department. "Cathy always says correct it before you conceal it," she added of Vause, a beauty adviser at the Clinique counter.Both professionals advise women to get a skin care consultation to determine what kinds of products to use - especially in targeting problem areas such as wrinkles, spots, dryness and elasticity - among the most typical concerns of aging women.Johnson and Vause also point out exfoliating is an important part of helping skin look young. "Exfoliating is often overlooked area of skin care," Johnson said. "As we age, our skin loses its ability to renew itself," she said, explaining how removing the buildup of dead skin will expose the newer, healthier looking layer. "(Exfoliating) can make a major improvement. It's a change people can see," she said.As far as makeup application is concerned, Johnson and Vause said thinner foundations will be less likely to settle and cake up in wrinkles. They also suggested applying foundation with a brush, a technique that requires less damaging rubbing, as would be the case when makeup is spread with the hands or even small sponges.The women noted the brushes use less makeup and are more hygienic.

Although youth is often associated with modeling careers, about a quarter of those signed on with the Marilyn Kane Modeling School and Agency in Butler are older than 50.Since part of their job is to look good in clothes, owner and instructor Marilyn Kane shares certain tips to make that happen. Her primary advice is that looking good doesn't have to mean looking young.To look their best, Kane suggests all people dress appropriately for their age. "You still can look young, but make sure you don't look too young," she advised."Its not that you can't go trendy to a degree, but make sure not to go too youthful on someone who is aging.Kane recommends basic styles and lines that balance out the figure."I always tell the students you want to start out with good posture: clothing will hang better," she added.No woman is ever too old to be pretty. But it does take a little bit of work," she said.

It's not just women who fret over their appearance or occupy the chairs at styling salons.Stacy King, a stylist at MasterCuts in Clearview Mall, said about 10 percent of the salon's colors are done on men."Hair color for men seems to be increasing," agreed Gay Coast of VitaStile salon in North Liberty.With a business less visible to the public than the mall salons, Coast said about 25 percent of her color jobs are done on men."Anybody 35 and younger, they'll do highlights for fashion. … That's the cool thing to do. The uncool thing is anytime you have to cover gray," she said, explaining coloring appointments for men are sometimes requested for times when the salon is less busy.Coast said many men opt out of a full-color treatment to avoid drawing attention to the change.Some options include changing the hair color over a period of time with a product that is combed through. "We keep going backward until nobody knows it's done," she explained of the gradual increments of change."We also have color-depositing shampoos," she said. Coast explained the color-depositing shampoos are most effective on shorter hair. Women use the shampoos to hold and refresh color between dye jobs, whereas men can use the shampoo to create a change.Coast said other grooming services like eyebrow waxing are also popular with male clients.Johnson and Vause said the cosmetic counters are also beginning to attract more men.Clinique, which has carried a line of men's products for about five years, expanded that line about a year and a half ago, Vause noted. On a national scale, about 25 percent of Clinique's customers are men, she said.Although men actually purchase eyeliner, mascara and lash conditioner in more populated areas, men in Butler County are buying more than just fragrance.Purchases often include skin care and self-tanning products.Although wives typically make the initial purchase, the men often make subsequent purchases when they find a product works.The ages of men purchasing the products spans evenly from about 20 to 60, the women said."The men are just as concerned (about their appearance) as women. And the women are loving it," Johnson said.