To cut bangs or not to cut bangs? That is the ongoing, eternal, burning question that so many of us grapple with in between salon appointments. There are cons to bangs, for sure — like maintenance and every four-week hair trims. But there are so many pros. They can look super chic. They can look youthful and playful. And, if you are trying to find a haircut that appears fresh and modern, adding wispy bangs can do wonders. Not sure which cuts to consider? This is the ultra-flattering wispy bang hairstyle every woman over 40 should try, according to stylists.
Layered lob with wispy bangs
The lob has been in vogue for several years now because it offers a glam take on medium-length hair. Neither short nor long, the lob’s length is ideal if you are searching for something fresh and more youthful, but don’t want to sacrifice too much length. And when you add bangs to the equation, you kick this style up another notch.
“This style is a modern, fresher take on a classic bob 'momcut' that lots of women go for when their hair starts thinning and aging and turning gray,” says Nicola Freeman, owner and creative director of hair color experts www.colouredhaircare.com. “A layered lob gives bounce and dimension to flat or dull hair, and works with all kinds of face shapes — but keep it no more than an inch below the jawline if you have a long face. Wispy bangs will hide wrinkles and receding hairlines or thinning hair at your forehead and hairline. We love this in an ombre style to add brightness around your face to highlight your features and make it look younger.”
Freeman adds two more hairstyles that she says are super flattering, especially as we age or try to find styles that suit thinning hair.
Pixie undercut
This is an edgy take on the pixie cut for over 40s that's created by buzzing the hair on the sides with a Grade 2 and leaving the top choppy and tousled, Freeman explains. “It's an awesome cut for people with round and heart-shaped faces with fine or thinning hair as it gives tons of volume, shape and texture,” she says. “Having shorter sides accentuates your cheekbones, jawlines and neck and draws your eye away from any wrinkle and fine lines, making your whole look younger and fresher. It's quite easy to maintain and style but it's a cut that does need regular trims or it loses definition. It looks incredible if you want to rock gray or silver colored locks too.”
Butterfly cut
Want to be more cutting edge? Try the butterfly haircut. “This is a super on-trend style right now and all over TikTok as a mega hair trend but it's not just for the youngsters,” Freeman says. “This look is all about feathery layers and face-framing layers are what it's all about if you're over 40 and want to look younger. How it's done depends on your face shape and hair length but it involves cutting cascading wispy layers that flick out away from your face instead of in. It works best if you have thicker, longer hair as it's all about reducing volume and it softens square and wide faces with the feathery retro flicks around your face. This style looks gorgeous with balayage highlights too.”
Which hair cuts should you avoid?
Now that you know which three haircuts made it to Freeman’s list of best to try over 40, what about the styles that she absolutely does not recommend?
“Straight bangs, blunt cuts, long lines, basically anything that adds harsh lines around your face,” Freeman notes. “This will only accentuate any wrinkles or lines that you don't want to draw attention to!”
