It’s tempting to stick to the same haircut when you find one you like but it lends itself to becoming unflattering with age.
Over time, hair strands become smaller and have less pigment, so the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, and often light-coloured.
Trusting a hair stylist to make a drastic change can be daunting for women of middle age, but there’s a way around it according to Reddit users.
Women have taken to the popular online forum to share the haircuts that have left them “pleasantly surprised” when seeking ways to look younger.
Taking to the r/femalehairadvice thread, one user with the alias kylieab00 wrote: “Hi I’m 41 this year and feel that I’m looking more tired. Someone suggested I would look younger or more refreshed with a different hairstyle, so was thinking of going shorter.”
Many Reddit users who joined the thread suggested that the woman change the colour of her hair. One user, who claimed to be a hairdresser said that the ‘icy blonde’ hue ‘washed out’ the original poster and that she should opt for something warmer.
In addition to swapping to a more caramel-toned blonde, the hairstylist proposed that adding more texture, in the form of “messy waves” and a shorter cut would transform the woman’s look.
The hairdresser said: “The reason I suggested the shorter length is because her face is long, sometimes shorter hair can make someone’s face look a bit fuller at the jawline and I thought it could be a nice change to try.
“But her current length is good too, just needs to be styled with a bit more fullness, like with waves, to balance out the length of her face.”
Several other Reddit members agreed, one of which shared their own experience of taking the plunge with shorter hair in the run-up to 40.
The user with the alias Odd-Presentation868 shared: “If you want to dip your toe into a shorter cut and try something new, I just got a blunt bob that’s a few inches past my chin (need the freedom to pull most of it back out of my face for workouts).
“I feel like it’s given me a fresh update, and I’ve had fun styling it. It’s been surprisingly low maintenance and versatile! I’m 37 and always worried short hair would make me look older, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised!”
A second Reddit user chimed: “A long bob with curtain bangs would look amazing on you!” A third added: “Shoulder length Bob with face-framing layers or curtain bangs, you are already beautiful and a fresh cut usually helps us feel sassier and sexier or more confident. Sometimes we just need a change and it’s only hair, it will grow back.”
According to Jean Will, hair expert and co-founder of NiaWigs Inc, such a style is easy to achieve at the salon – just as for a “bouncy, chin-length bob, with layers around the face”.
She also recommended adding a fringe to cover any thinning hair or hair loss at the top of the head.
The hair guru agreed that a layered wavy bob with soft bangs is “perfect for women over 40” as it helps them “hide their forehead [and any signs of wrinkles or natural ageing] to look younger”.