Nothing feels as good as a great haircut.
"Fabio..."
Unfortunately, a bad hairstyle can destroy your confidence and leave you looking older
than you are.
The good news?
It’s easy to update your look without a lot of time or money.
We asked some of our favorite hairstylists to share the biggest mistakes they see women
making with their hair — and how to fix them!
Cat-lady, bye
Our stylists agreed that all women can rock long hair… to a point.
That being said, crazy long hair will always age you.
Celeb stylist Mitch Stone tells us "Too-long always ages a woman.
I'm not talking past-your-shoulders long, but cat-lady long — not to be confused,
of course, with Catwoman."
"You're going to see the puurrrfect crime when I get Batman in my claws!"
According to Stone, once your hair has passed your ribs, it's officially making you look
older.
He recommends going with a timeless long bob "or as short as an inch or two past your chin."
Stone says, "Think of [...]Kim Basinger's hair in 9 1/2 weeks — hot at any age."
"I can’t concentrate."
If you love the long look, go for it!
Just make sure your haircut doesn’t go shorter in the front, and longer in the back.
Senior salon stylist Judy McGuinness at Mizu New York explains, "Shorter in the front,
longer in the back — unless you're going for a rocker mullet — tends to look dated.
Keep everything pretty square or a bit longer in the front for shorter hairstyles."
Bob ‘n weave
Finding the perfect haircut for your face shape can be a lifelong search.
Talk to your stylist about the most flattering look for your hair and face type.
Our hair thins as we age, so keeping it long may accentuate the thinning.
Sam Villa Show Ambassador, Marisa Villa says, "If hair is thinning, going shorter is an
option.
If you've had long hair your entire life, it might be time to update to a lob."
"It’s just what I wanted!"
Whatever you do, make sure your haircut has layers and depth.
Mizu New York salon owner Damian Santiago says, "The classic hairstyle that makes a
woman look older and dowdy is the cut where everything is the same length all over, a
few inches long.
Then set with a small curling iron all over.
Not cute or modern.
Wispy bangs on this look kill it for me."
As long as you have a dynamic, flattering style, the length of your hair truly doesn't
matter.
Santiago revealed even his mature clients rock long layers or short pixie cuts.
According to Santiago, "A mature client with a strong inner confidence can rock any cool
and modern look."
"And it's possible you can be really genuinely cool and I, I'm going to fail just 100%."
Color in the lines
Going too dark can add years to your look.
Marissa Villa says, "Your hair color should compliment your skin tone.
If you have fair skin, jet black is not the best choice, and it's always a good idea to
have more than one color to add depth and dimension."
Recommending his clients focus on their skin tone when choosing a color, celeb colorist
Kelly Cardenas says, "No matter your hair color, if you go up a shade or two, it will
give the appearance of looking more youthful, but the placement of highlights is key.
Have your hairstylist frame your face to brighten your complexion."
In addition to making you look older, dark colors show gray or white roots much faster
than a more subtle color.
Owner of Artkiteks salon, Jeff Stump, says, "I recommend blending the color with highlights
or a demi-permanent color, so that the color will grow out much better, and achieve a more
natural look."
Lady parts
Surprisingly, just how you part your hair can age you.
Marisa Villa says, "Straight down the middle doesn't work for everyone, but you also don't
want to have a severe side part either.
A soft irregular part could be flattering, and don't forget about bangs; in some cases,
they can make you look younger."
Turn down the volume
While a little volume can be beautiful, going overboard will only age you.
Because our hair tends to thin as we age, many of us worry about it looking too flat.
Talk to your stylist about a great volumizing shampoo or flattering layers.
Clients often strive for volume in all the wrong places, according to co-owner of Mizu
New York salon, Damian Santiago who says, "Too often, a mature client thinks she must
have height.
Teased up hair can make anyone look older.
Volume is different and can look modern and elegant."
Shampoo your ‘do
Your shampoo affects your hairstyle, and it may be making you look older.
Shampoos for "normal hair types" aren’t the best option as you age.
Marisa Villa explains, "You have to have the right tools and products for gorgeous hair.
Grey and aging hair has unique characteristics that require a mask once a week, color protecting
shampoo, thermal protectant, and more effort in the fight against frizz."
"Sometimes you need a little Finesse, sometimes you need a lot!"
Shine bright like a diamond
Damaged hair always looks older than it is, leaving the owner looking older than she is.
It's important to keep up your natural sheen by taking good care of your locks.
If you're noticing a lot of split ends, it's time to go to the salon for a cut.
Marisa Villa recommends, "If you want long hair and your hair just isn't healthy enough,
get extensions to create fullness or length that looks healthy and shiny.
When you look good, you feel good — and you're only as young as you feel!"
"Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter.
Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!"
Head to makeup
A gorgeous, youthful hairstyle will keep you looking great, but if your makeup is aging
you, no one’s gonna notice your locks.
Often seeing clients age themselves with way too much makeup Celebrity stylist Mitch Stone
says, "When skin starts to age, make-up can exaggerate lines and wrinkles if not put on
correctly.
Accentuate your eyes and lips, use a light base and take it slow."
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