Nothing can boost your confidence like a fresh, flirty hairstyle—a new ‘do can even take years off of your face! That being said, the wrong haircut can tank your self-esteem and instantly age you. That’s why it’s important to ensure you’re choosing a style that will be the most flattering for your face. While the haircut that will look best on you comes down to your specific facial features and face shape, there are a few universal hairstyle rules that every woman can follow.
To learn more about the most flattering haircuts for women over 50, we spoke to Celebrity Hair Stylist Gina Rivera, founder of Phenix Salon Suites. She told us about two styles you may want to steer clear of if you want to maintain a youthful look.
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Long, straight hair
While Rivera notes that any hair length can be worn at any age these days—especially if you feel confident with your style!—she did point out that long, straight hairstyles may be unflattering for women over 50.
"Sometimes long straight hair can lengthen the look of the face and narrow it," Rivera explains. This can cause an aging effect by making some of your less-favored features more prominent. To avoid this, Rivera says that "it's important to select face-framing styles."
You don't have to give up your long locks just because you're over 50, though. Rivera offers one great idea: "If you love length, try going for long layers with a curtain bang," she suggests. This ever-trendy face-faming hairstyle, sometimes called a shag, isn't only super-chic. It also looks fantastic on everyone—no matter your age. "This will soften up the facial features and it will also appear a bit more stylish than straight hair," Rivera says. Love it!
Short, slicked-back hair
Rivera also pointed out a possibly unflattering haircut that rests on the opposite end of the length spectrum. She says that another style you may want to avoid is short, slicked-back hair.
This style is generally a no-go because, as she notes, the best way to go when it comes to flattering, anti-aging haircuts is to "pick styles that will soften harsher features." And unfortunately, this particular haircut creates the opposite effect. "Very short slicked-back hair can accentuate features rather than soften them," Rivera explains.
Luckily, there are tons of other super-flattering short haircuts to opt for, from flirty pixies to chic bobs. "A classic style is always great for any age," Rivera notes. "Styles like pixies and bobs can be worn successfully and they are always in style, which means they are always trending." Fabulous!
Rivera's biggest tip for rocking short hairstyles is to prioritize volume, volume, volume! "I recommend adding some volume by using products or curling to create volume at the crown," she suggests. We can definitely get behind that!
Of course, at the end of the day, your personal style is just that: Personal. While professional stylists can provide some great advice, the most important thing is to feel comfortable and confident with how you look. There's nothing more stylish than that!
