This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
A good haircut can do wonders for your look, turning back the clock on your appearance simply through the shape and texture of your new cut. While there are some looks that can age you further and draw attention to fine lines and other natural side-effects of growing older, there are other looks which will play up your features and instantly make you look younger. For your first cut of 2021, these are a beauty expert’s top looks for playing up your youth, plus exactly what to ask your stylist for.
Shoulder Length Layers
According to Matrix Artistic Director Nick Stenson, this layered cut creates the perfect ageless effect by adding some texture and volume to your style. Flat hair can drag down your appearance and Stenson explains, “A shoulder length layered cut with a deep side part gives awesome asymmetry to a style and keeps hair from settling and becoming flat and lifeless. (You must try Matrix Miss Mess Dry Finishing Spray with this style for lasting volume)!”
When bringing this cut to your salon, make sure to ask for layers on the longer side. Stenson explains, “The goal of layering is to uplift and volumize the shape of the cut, however, layers that are overly short will either remove the length that provides movement and/or create width around the face.”
Face Framing Layers
Layers that frame the face are ideal for adding youth back into your appearance, according to Stenson. He notes, “Long layers allow for the bounce of youthful hair and the face framing ensures that the length of the hair isn’t emphasizing a drag on facial features.”
For the salon, once again ask to keep the face framing pieces on the longer side. “A good rule of thumb is no matter your chosen hair length, layers shouldn’t get any shorter than half the length of your hair unless you’re specifically trying to achieve a shag cut,” Stenson explains.
Textured Bob
This look is the most fun of the three and plays with texture and length a little more, so if you’re feeling adventurous, this is the cut for you. “A shorter textured bob is a great way to own flirty and youthful volume all while maintaining the sophistication of a structured cut. Layers tend to give us a youthful volume as they remove the bulk and weight of a heavy one-length haircut.”
When opting for this cut, Stenson warns to ensure that your stylist is tailoring the layers specifically to flatter your face shape and features. He notes that regardless of your hair texture or length, layers are the best way to inject youth into whatever style you choose.
In your quest for looking ageless, a good haircut with layers is the perfect place to start for adding youth and volume to your hair and enhancing your natural features. Kick off the new year with a fresh cut to switch up your look and use the power of layers to instantly make you look younger with hardly any effort!
