You can do anything you want to your hair — and being over 40 is often liberating because you feel more confident in trying out new styles. Sometimes, though, a haircut can feel like it’s missing the mark and you can’t put your finger on why. It may not be making the most of your hair type or could even be making your hair look thinner and less healthy. So, what’s the root of the problem? It could be something simple: not enough layers or too many, or a shape that feels too severe and makes the lines of your face appear harsher than you’d like.
For every hair issue, there’s a hair solution. If you’re over 40 and looking for a great short haircut, you may want to avoid these six styles — and try another six instead.
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1. Avoid: Blunt Bob
The blunt bob, which lacks layers, can look chic and sophisticated, but it can also lay flat on the head and make thinning hair look more sparse. This cut can work well, but generally requires more texture and strand density to make that happen.
2. Try: Bob With Layers
The simplest solution is to keep the bob haircut, which is universally flattering because of its chin length, but add long layers for movement. This automatically gives your hair a little more lift and oomph.
3. Avoid: Center Parts
The center part has understandable retro appeal, but can also showcase a scalp that is peeking through thinning hair. The part tends to widen when hair is thinning, so this isn’t the best choice.
4. Try: Deep Side Parts
Part your hair on one side and see what a difference the deep side part can make. This simple shift can make it appear as if you have thicker hair that is denser at the crown.
5. Avoid: Thick Bangs
Bangs can be a great idea to boost the sophistication of any haircut, including bobs, lobs, and medium cuts. But unless you have an abundance of thick strands, cutting thick bangs will cause you to loss too much hair from the back, making it look overall thinner.
6. Avoid: Thin, Wispy Bangs
Sorry, but the solution to better bangs isn’t to make them thin, wispy and practically see-through. This isn’t a look that works on most people.
7. Try: Curtain Bangs
We have a winner: curtain bangs. Instead of cutting bangs bluntly across your forehead, which can look too severe, curtain bangs start off shorter in the front and then gradually lengthen along the sides so that they frame your face and connect the ends of your hair with your crown.
8. Avoid: Spiky Pixie
We (and stylists) love a pixie for a chic style that can also be extremely flattering on mature hair. You can personalize your pixie in a number of ways. Keep the ends at the top short and spiky for a playful, funky look — but if you feel this is creating harsh lines and isn’t the most flattering choice, it doesn’t have to be a keeper.
9. Try: Soft, Layered Pixie
Growing out the top layers of your pixie slightly and then lightly layering them can create a softer look that has the opposite effect of aging you.
10. Avoid: Overly Layered Bobs
Even though we suggested earlier that the layered bob is the anecdote to a blunt bob that falls flat at the crown, there’s an art to layering well. Ask your stylist to consider your hair type and whether your hair needs bulk removed from it or bulk put back in. Depending on your hair’s needs and how thick it is, your layers should enhance your look, and never take away from it by appearing too choppy.
11. Try: Angled Bob
The angled bob is shorter in the back and longer in the front — which means you benefit from an instant shape and style. This is a great bob to consider if every other bob has disappointed you or left you bored and wondering what to do next. It’s sleek, sophisticated, and a great choice if you have thinning hair, as well.
