29 Best Hairstyles To Make You Look Younger And Stylish
From chic bobs and curls to intricate braids and more - we have covered all the best styles.
Andrea ClaireHairstylist & Makeup Artist 
Andrea Claire is a Canadian-licensed celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist with over 30 years of experience in advertising, beauty, and editorial portfolios. She has done campaigns for brands like L’Oreal Paris, Revlon, and Lancôme and... more
anjali sayeeBTech Experience: 7 yearsAnjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy ... more
madhumati chowdhuryMA (English Literature) Experience: 7 yearsMadhumati is an associate editor with seven years of professional experience. She has previously worked as an editor, proofreader, and a writer with various organizations, helping her navigate through... more
bhumika dagaMA (English) Experience: 2.5 yearsBhumika is a content writer with 2.5 years of expertise in crafting articles across diverse genres. She graduated from the University of Delhi and completed her post-graduation from Indira Gandhi Nati... more
Image: Shutterstock
As we age, we notice all kinds of physical changes and hair is no exception. For example, you may notice an increase in hair fall or your hair may become weak, lacking volume.
Licensed hairstylist Andrea Claire says, “First check with a dermatologist or gynecologist when you notice changes in your hair to rule out anything medical. Next step is finding a suitable hairstyle to work with your new hair texture.”
Once you sort out these things, working with hairstyles to make you look younger will be a breeze! Until then, we can help you with some grooming tips and inspiration. Keep reading to know more.
Before You Get Started- Layered haircuts add dimension to the face, hide signs of aging, give volume to thinning hair, and add a youthful charm to your appearance.
- Always keep anti-frizz products handy. Aged hair is weak and begins to look frizzy quickly.
- Use hair care products with anti-aging ingredients.
- Embrace your grays. There is nothing wrong with dyeing your hair in deeper colors but there is something very bold and youthful about accepting yourself the way you are.
- Avoid metal and plastic accessories as they may snag at your hair and break the strands. Opt for fashion accessories like silk bands, scarves, and scrunchies.
Without any further delay, let us take a look at the 29 best hairstyles women over 40 can try.
29 Stunning Hairstyles To Make You Look Youthful!
1. Textured Pixie
Sharon Lawrence looks absolutely resplendent in this textured pixie cut. With textured waves at the crown and forehead, the pixie softens up fine lines and adds thickness to a thinning hairline. The hairstyle is cut in layers that enhance its style. If you like keeping your hair short and hassle free, opt for textures like this for effortless styling and maintenance.
Hannah Christine, a blogger, recounts her experience of getting a pixie haircut for the first time: “I first got a pixie cut my freshman year of college. It was something I’d always wanted to do, and against the advice of several friends and family members, I finally took the plunge and chopped it off. I absolutely loved the haircut (i).”
2. Tousled Side-Swept Bangs
This tousled, side-swept look adds a dreamy texture to Kate Winslet’s gorgeous face, giving it depth and volume. Use a bit of texturizing product on your bangs to keep the effect looking bouncy. You can try a faux bang look with this style as well. Simply sweep one side of your hair to the side and pin it in place to create these bangs. Remember to finish with hairspray. .
3. Bangs All The Way
Known as The French Facelift, a softly feathered fringe works well for women over 40. Halle Berry looks like a vision with these bangs. Notice how the ends of her hair are feathered, as well. This adds focus to the eyes while not drawing attention away from her forehead completely. If you have an oval face, try this out!
4. Asymmetrical Blonde Bob
Gorgeous Uma Thurman never fails to floor us! If you want to sport a timeless look, follow Ms. Thurman’s impeccable style. Opt for an asymmetrical bob that doesn’t have too steep of an angle. Choose a hair color that goes with your skin tone.
5. Naturally Straight
A perfect way to flaunt your confidence is by going natural! Kelly Hu looks amazing with her straight hair styled with a slightly deconstructed parting. If you have a round face, part your hair on the opposite side of your natural parting to add some volume to your tresses.
6. Braid It
Nicole Kidman slays any hairstyle she sports. Here, she’s wearing a simple braid with a side parting. The upturned hair adds more volume and frames her face beautifully. Don’t forget to keep the braid soft and effortless.
7. Half Ponytail With No Parting
The key to a good hairdo for women over 40 is to keep it simple. Marcia Cross stuns with the simple yet classy half ponytail. Notice how it doesn’t really have a parting, but lots of volume has been added at the top with the help of some light teasing. This draws attention away from a long forehead without using bangs.
8. Perfect High Bun
Comedy genius Tina Fey often jokes about how funny she used to look, and it is relatable because weren’t most of us awkward teens too? But look at her now! The big, high bun is a favorite among women over 40. It adds a ton of volume to your hair and looks soft and romantic.
9. Face-Framing Half Ponytail
X-Men star Rebecca Romijn looks flawless with this half ponytail hairdo complete with a mismatched parting. The waves and highlights frame her face beautifully and accentuate her facial features.
10. Blonde Face-Framing Layers
Cameron Diaz always stuns with her blonde locks. Layers are a godsend for anyone who wants shape in their hair with a little bounce and volume.
Quick Tip11. Classy And Elegant
Michelle Yeoh always looks effortlessly youthful, so let’s take a page out of her style book! Try a low bun with classy and simple side bangs. They work well for a busy meeting, a formal event, or a cocktail party. Style it with a side parting, allowing the long bangs to fall loose.
12. Side-Swept Curls
America’s sweetheart, Reese Witherspoon, shows us how to walk the red carpet in style. Sporting a sophisticated side-swept hairstyle known as the Hollywood Waves with a side parting makes for a great combination that flatters everyone.
13. Curly High Ponytail With A Bouffant
If you have an oval face, try this look. Let chic Rachel Weisz be your inspiration. Curl your hair with tongs or rollers, then tie it up into a high pony leaving volume at the front. The curls at the end add volume to your hair.
14. Classic Jen
Jennifer Aniston has sported the same layered hairstyle for a very long time. She keeps spicing it up with highlights or sharper or longer layers. A slight side parting with two layers and some face-framing highlights will work wonders in making you look classic and effortlessly young.
15. Sunkissed Waves With A Middle Parting
Sofia Vergara flaunts some tousled and sunkissed beachy waves here and while we can’t promise that you will look like Sofia, you can bring out your own inner Goddess with this easy hairstyle. The waves at the bottom add focus to the lower half of your face, making your jawline look slim. The middle parting makes your face look slimmer near the cheeks.
16. A Vintage Feel
The ever beautiful Marisa Tomei is sporting a lovely retro-inspired wavy hairstyle here. This slightly wavy hairstyle adds loads of fun texture to her hair, adding a lift to her face, combined with a side parting that helps to accentuate her cheekbones.
17. Light Waves In A Ponytail
When you’re over 40, simple hairstyles go a long way in making you look fresh if you do them right! Try this classy hairdo sported by Kate Beckinsale. The light wavy curls in the ponytail soften your look – a more flattering look as we age.
18. Poker Straight
Gabrielle Union has a round face, which is why she can pull off this look flawlessly! A middle parting paired with poker-straight hair is a bold statement, topped with a gloss spray on your hair to add a youthful, radiant glow. Add some lighter for extra deminsion to spice up this hairstyle.
Quick Tip19. The Side Bun
Octavia Spencer shows us how to dress like a diva! She stuns us with the side-swept bangs and low side bun combo. The side-swept bangs help slim your face while framing your eyes, creating a softness effect.
20. The Sleek Bouffant
Lisa Kudrow has not aged a bit since her Phoebe Buffay days. Try the bouffant bun with a side parting. If you have a slightly rounder face or a large forehead, try this hairdo with deep side-swept bangs to soften the look.
21. Choppy Waves
Quirky Helena Bonham Carter has given us some exquisite hairstyles over the years, but this one is perfect if you want to look youthful with an edge. Her simple choppy waves have been tied up in a half ponytail with small strands of hair pulled out from the sides. If you have a square-shaped face, this hairstyle is the one for you.
22. High Pouf Bun
Let’s be honest, Charlize Theron is a goddess. Not only is her acting flawless but so are her hairstyles. A low bun with some height on top helps to elongate your face which is perfect for those with smaller, rounder faces to give an illusion of length.
23. Tapered Bangs
Toni Collette is a brilliant actress with stunning style. If you have a round, heart-shaped, or square face, this is the hairdo for you. The tapered side bangs make your face look slender and long.
24. Low Bun
This hairstyle is perfect for women with oval faces. The classic low bun is an elegant hairstyle for women over 40. Pair it with some dark red lipstick, like Jennifer Connelly, and you are good to go!
25. The Beehive
The beehive! This hairstyle is a total stunner. The high volume at the top of your head makes your face look slim and long. Add side bangs, like Julia Roberts, to bring horizontal attention and accentuate your eyes and mouth.
26. Wavy Side Sweep
Taraji P Henson looks fantastic here! Wavy side-swept hair with polished ends is the epitome of Hollywood classic glamour. Notice how the waves look shiny and crisp? They add gloss and catch light in the hair, making it look thicker and adding to her beauty.
27. The Pin Up
Well, hello there, Lorelai Gilmore! Lauren Graham looks like a fashionista with this beautiful hairdo. Just clip the top of your hair with bobby pins to mimic this look. Add a small pouf to add height and volume to your hair.
28. Sleek Long Layers
Another actress who loves sticking to minimalist hairdos and the classic long-layer hair look. The hairstyle is super easy to emulate as well, simply start off with a blow dry, then use a flat iron to straighten the tresses and give a more sleek appearance. Now, apply a little hair serum to make the hair look naturally lustrous.
29. Sharp Bob
Angela Bassett has always opted for modest yet trendy hairstyles and here is another example of that. While the hairdo is simple it provides a touch of liveliness to the overall look. And, don’t forget to use a hair-setting spray to keep the look intact for a long time.
Besides these hairstyles, here are a few things that you can do with your hair to look more youthful.
Things To Focus On
- Your hair can become weak as you age, so avoid tight hairstyles. They create tension and add pressure on your roots. Tight hair can also cause traction alopecia. Use hair mousse to give your hairstyle a tight and sleek look instead of tying it tight.
- If you want to color your hair, opt for softer, complementary shades rather than contrasting ones. Softer shades work better with your skin tone and look more natural. Avoid heavy chemicals on your hair at any age as they can damage your hair.
- The French Facelift – Bangs are your friend! Side bangs, side-swept bangs, or a full frontal fringe are great for women over 40. They soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Hairstyles with layers can take years off your face. Layers add definition and look good on any face shape, be it square, round, oval, or inverted triangle. Instead of sharp layers, opt for soft and fine layers.
Infographic: Hair Tips To Look Younger
While different haircuts do help shave years off your age, they may not be enough to sustain a youthful look. You need to focus on your hair health and self-care routine to avoid looking much older than you are. The infographic below talks about a few ways in which you can maintain your hair to look younger. Keep scrolling! Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Age gracefully with these hairstyles that make you look younger. Follow an overall rejuvenation and wellness routine to maintain youthful looking skin and hair. It is never too late to experiment with your gorgeous tresses. You can style your hair in many different ways and effortlessly pull off an elegant look. For instance, bangs and layers are your new friends that can erase many years from your face. However, avoid wearing your hair in tight hairdos and braids to prevent hair breakage and hair fall. Instead, take our collection as an inspiration and recreate these stylish hairstyles. You may also add your own spin to them and make them your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does short hair make you look younger or long hair?
Stylists say that rather than the length of your hair, it is your hairstyle that can make you look a certain way. For example, voluminous hairstyles will make you look younger, while sleek hairstyles can make you look more mature.
Does a ponytail make you look younger?
High ponytails can make you look younger. They tighten your facial features and open up your face for you to apply youthful makeup with sharper features. They also add height to your body frame.
Do curtain bangs make you look younger?
Yes. Stylists swear by the effectiveness of bangs in making you look younger as they make your face small and cover hairlines and forehead wrinkles.
Does red hair make you look older or younger?
Hair stylists claim rich red shades make you look younger by reflecting light on your face and giving it a radiant and youthful appearance.
Key Takeaways
- Avoid tight hairstyles as you age especially if aging has affected your hair shaft and density.
- Adding light waves, layers, or bangs to your hairstyle can make you look youthful and more stylish.
- You can also go for sleek updos or side-swept styles to look beautiful.
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team
Learn how to look younger with 4 easy hairstyles! Get the best hair tips and tricks from this video to make you look your best and cut down on the years.
Personal Experience: Source
StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. The big chop – getting a pixie cuthttps://quitedressed.wordpress.com/2018/03/20/the-big-chop-getting-a-pixie-cut-%F0%9F%92%87%F0%9F%8F%BC/
