Why hairdressers often recommend short hairstyles for women over 50? This is based on age-related changes in older ladies, which also affect their hair. When aging, the hair loses its volume and becomes drier, thinner and sparser. Short cuts help remove split ends in good time, also taking off excess weight for the ease of styling. However, for finding the right length and shape, you need to factor in your hair type and color, facial features, build and other aspects we are going to discuss further.
Picking Flattering Hairstyles According to Hair Types
While crops have some power to make you look younger, this doesn’t mean that any of them will tie with your hair texture by default. Sure, you can straighten your ringlets or curl your straight tresses, but it’s much more comfortable to tailor cuts to your natural texture for easy maintenance. Let’s find out what tricks you can use to achieve the best possible results.
Gorgeous Short Hairstyles for Over 50 Fine Hair
As it’s commonly known, fine hair lacks volume and often looks dull, which doesn’t help in creating a rejuvenating effect. Even when your locks are cut short to gain lightness at the expense of length, it’s still tricky to defy gravity. Yet, you can opt for flattering hairstyles which add visual fullness and vividness to fine locks without the use of extensions.
Getting a blunt bob is a time-honored way to imitate density, especially when you’re not committed to crops and want to have some security blanket for growing your hair out. “There are different densities of fine hair that contribute to what you can or cannot do, but a blunt cut is typically best if you are going to grow it long,” says celeb hairstylist Juan Carlos Maciques. That said, he also recommends pixie cuts and layered bobs like those illustrated below.
Chic Crops for Thick Manes
While thin and fine hair requires added dimension, thick locks come with an abundance of it, posing another challenge – how to get a stylish crop without excess frizz and bulk. You see, longer hairstyles weight the hair down, making it more manageable and smooth, which is not the case with short ‘dos. And a frizzy pouf is definitely not the style a 50-year-old woman wants, since it adds years with one sweep.
Layered hairstyles, including lobs, bobs and pixie cuts, are real champions in removing bulk – when done professionally with due account for your head shape, facial features and build. Thinning some volume out will bring an airy, bouncy feel into your hairstyle without tipping over into age-adding puffiness.
Straight Hairstyles to Rock at Your 50
When strong and healthy, straight hair looks sleek, clean and shiny with little effort. But if affected by dryness and split ends, it’s anything but glamorous. That’s why bob and pixie crops are go-to haircuts for women over 50, making their tresses both healthy-looking and easy to style.
Sure, you need to choose based on the density of your hair, its condition and your face shape. If your hair is rather healthy, opt for longer locks and sleeker styling, while tousled, choppy and shorter versions are great for hiding damaged hair. Thick strands can come in very short helmet-like cuts, but fine locks require a mix of lengths and added texture. Let’s explore other ways to customize straight hair to your next crop.
On-Trend Wavy Chops for Older Ladies
Actually, it’s a great piece of luck for a woman over fifty to have wavy or curly hair. Ringlets and waves are naturally playful and help bring in some vibe and movement, no sweat. Moreover, when your hair is cut short, it gets lightness, enhancing your curl pattern and its inherent bounce.
Yet, don’t go too short, since you need some length to display your ringlets. Even when choosing a pixie cut, you can ask for longer tresses in the front for emphasized curls. “But don’t give your hair too much bend, otherwise it will start to look matronly,” says David Lopez, who works with Ashley Graham, Kristen Stewart and Anne Hathaway, in his comments for Allure.
Trendy Hairstyles for Different Face Shapes
Whichever hair texture you have, you won’t get a cute cut that flatters your facial features unless your face shape is also taken into account. It’s particularly crucial for older women, since their faces undergo age-related changes that can be offset with carefully chosen hairstyles.
There are some big no-no’s and certain rules to follow for every face shape. “With a square face shape, a rounder hairstyle will always suit more. This will essentially counteract the angles of the jawline to create a softer, less harsh look. Try a style with soft lines and a sweeping side fringe which always look fantastic,” award-winning Lee Stafford shares his tricks with Cosmopolitan. Further, we have other face shapes illustrated based on pros’ tips.
Youthful Hairstyles for Grey Hair Over 50
From Jamie Lee Curtis to Helen Mirren, mature celebrities set the tone for older women, showing by personal example how sexy, exquisite and modern gray hair may look. So, now we have a kind of Going Natural Gray movement, giving freedom to age gracefully without dyes and glosses. “The interest in gray hair is part of a larger beauty trend moving away from the attitude of ‘fixing’ yourself and moving toward embracing imperfection,” Kristina Rodulfo, senior beauty editor at Elle.com, told The Daily Beast. And if you are ready to join the trend, here are a couple of inspiring hair color ideas to don.
Pairing Cut with Glasses for an Edgy Look
It’s no secret that many older women have to wear glasses either permanently or on occasions. And some of them feel really embarrassed about this, since they take glasses as a sign of aging. But you shouldn’t, as wearing glasses can be fun and part of your hip and edgy look, slaying your 50s.
There is a wrinkle in that – you need to choose spectacles to chime with your face shape, skin tone, style and even hair color. “If you have dark hair, glasses in a dark tone that will bring out the richness in your coloring. If you have light hair, you might want to choose a frame that brings out the cream color, brightening your skin and your hair,” says Selima Salaun, Selima Optique luxury eyewear brand founder, to Refinery29. Let’s explore some age-appropriate combinations to take the lead from.
Best Youthful Hairstyles for Women Over 50 to Take Cues from
The best thing about current trends is that you don’t need to suffer sweeping changes in an attempt to take off years. “You can stick with your favorite style, but update it in little ways,” says hair guru Mark Garrison, who works with Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, to Good Housekeeping. You can make it by taking little steps like adding soft bangs that are also perfect for camouflaging forehead wrinkles and fine lines. Adding texture is another option, since it does a good job, easing fine lines and bringing in dynamics. Go through our pick to learn more tricks to defy your age.
With this wealth of ideas for on-trend short hairstyles, any mature lady will be able to knock at least 10 years off her age. Whether you are a wash and wear adherent or a queen of a round brush and blow dryer, here is an option for you. And we hope you’ll nail it and share your new style with us!