Most of these cuts are done on dry hair, and the shortest ones need a trim every three to four weeks to keep the lines sharp. That upkeep is the real trade-off with edgy hair for women over 40, but many of them style with just a vent brush and a bit of matte paste.
1. The Undercut Pixie Cut
Medium to thick density and an oval or long face are the match for the undercut pixie, my first stop for edgy hair for women over 40 since the contrast does the heavy lifting. The sides and nape are clippered on dry hair, disconnected at the parietal ridge, and the top point cut to three inches. Styled by blowing the top up and over with a vent brush and setting with matte paste. Undercut on a three-week trim schedule, the top on five.
2. The Asymmetric Lob
Styled smooth with a flat brush and the short side tucked, an asymmetrical lob sits two inches longer on one side. The short side is cut at the jaw and the long side at the collarbone on dry hair, with point cut ends and a part on the long side. Medium density and a round or square face are the match. Trim on a six-week schedule and gloss every eight.
3. Shaved Side Paired With a Long Top
Medium density and an oval or square face are the match for one shaved side with a long top, the boldest of the edgy hair for older women that still reads polished. One side is clippered on dry hair, the opposite side left to the chin, and the top point cut to four inches so it sweeps across. Styled by blowing the top across toward the long side and setting with paste. Shaved side on a three-week trim schedule.
4. The Micro-Bang Blunt Bob Cut
Styled flat with a paddle brush and a drop of serum, a blunt bob with micro bangs is two hard lines and nothing else. The perimeter is cut at the jaw on dry hair with no layers and the bangs cut straight across two inches above the brow. Medium to thick density and an oval or heart face are the match. Trim on a five-week schedule, because both lines show growth.
5. The Platinum Pixie Cut
Fine to medium density and most face shapes are the match for a platinum pixie, which is edgy as much for the color as the cut. The sides and back are cut short with scissor over comb on dry hair, the top point cut to two and a half inches, then the whole thing lifted to a pale platinum and toned. Styled by blowing the top up and pushing with paste. Trim on a four-week schedule and touch up the roots every five.
6. The Modern Mullet Cut
Styled by rough-drying with a sea salt spray and pushing the crown up, a modern mullet pairs short sides with a long back. The sides are cut to the cheekbone on dry hair, the crown point cut short, and the back left past the shoulder with razored ends. Medium to thick density and an oval or square face are the match. Trim on a six-week schedule.
7. The Wolf Cut With Curtain Bangs
Medium to thick density and an oval or long face are the match for a wolf cut with curtain bangs, edgy hair for women over 40 that reads like a shag with longer ends. The crown layers are point cut short on dry hair, the layers razored to the collarbone, and curtain bangs cut to the cheekbone. Styled by rough-drying with a texture spray and pushing the crown up. Trim on an eight-week schedule.
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8. The Faux Hawk Pixie Cut
Styled by blowing the center up and back with a vent brush and setting with paste, a faux hawk pixie keeps the sides short and the center long. The sides are cut with scissor over comb on dry hair, tapered to the ear, with a three inch strip of point cut length left down the middle. Fine to medium density and an oval or round face are the match. Trim on a four-week schedule.
9. The Shaved Nape Bob
Medium to thick density and an oval or round face are the match for a bob with a shaved nape, clean underneath and full on top. The nape is clippered on dry hair below the occipital bone and the bob cut at the jaw with point cut ends so it hides the undercut when it falls. Styled with a round brush rolling under. Nape on a three-week trim schedule, the bob on six.
10. The Choppy Shag With Bangs
Styled by rough-drying with a texture spray and separating the pieces with paste, a choppy shag with bangs is point cut deep so every piece stands apart. The crown layers are cut short on dry hair, the layers point cut deep down to the collarbone, and choppy bangs cut at the brow. Medium density and an oval or square face are the match. Trim on a six-week schedule.
11. The Silver Pixie Past 40
Fine to medium density and most face shapes are the match for a silver pixie over 40, which leans into the gray rather than covering it. The sides and back are graduated on dry hair, the top point cut to two inches, and the natural gray toned with a violet based toner so it reads silver. Styled by blowing the top up and pushing with paste. Trim on a four-week schedule and re-tone every six.
12. The Center-Parted Blunt Lob
Styled flat with a paddle brush, one pass of a flat iron, and serum to finish, a blunt lob with a center part is edgy because nothing softens it. The perimeter is cut at the collarbone on dry hair with no layers and parted dead center. Medium to thick density and an oval or long face are the match. Trim on an eight-week schedule and gloss every eight.
13. The Faded Textured Crop Cut
Medium density and an oval or heart face are the match for a textured crop with a fade, the shortest cut I give women over 40. The sides and back are clippered on dry hair with a fade from a number one to a number three, and the top point cut to two inches. Styled by rubbing matte paste between your palms and pushing the top forward. Trim on a three-week schedule so the fade stays clean.
14. The Shag With a Money Piece
Medium density and most face shapes are the match for a money piece on a shag, which brightens the face frame against a dark base. The crown layers are cut short on dry hair, the layers razored to the collarbone, and the two front sections lightened from root to end. Styled by rough-drying with a texture spray. Trim on an eight-week schedule and refresh the money piece every ten.
15. The Long Disconnected Fringe Pixie
Styled by blowing the fringe across with a flat brush and spiking the crown with paste, a pixie with a long disconnected fringe has that fringe cut separately from the crown. The sides and back are cut with scissor over comb on dry hair, the crown point cut short, and the fringe left to the jaw with no blending. Medium density and a round or square face are the match. Trim on a five-week schedule.
16. The Copper Red Bob Cut
Medium density and most face shapes are the match for a copper red bob, edgy hair for older women that comes out of the color chair. The perimeter is cut at the jaw on dry hair with point cut ends and one soft layer, then a permanent copper red applied at the bowl. Styled with a round brush rolling under. Trim on a six-week schedule and refresh the red every five.
17. The Undercut Bixie Cut
Medium density and a round or square face are the match for a bixie with an undercut, which is a pixie bob with the nape taken away. The nape is clippered on dry hair, the front allowed to fall to the cheekbone, and layers point cut through the top. Styled with a flat brush pushing the front forward and the crown lifted with paste. Undercut on a three-week trim schedule, the top on five.
18. The Baby-Bang Straight Lob Cut
Styled by combing the bangs down after towel-drying and blowing the lob flat, a straight lob with baby bangs carries a two inch fringe above the brow. A shallow section is cut on dry hair, the bangs point cut two inches above the brow, and the lob kept at the collarbone with no layers. Medium density and an oval or heart face are the match. Bangs on a three-week trim schedule.
19. The Spiky Pixie With Razored Ends
Styled by rough-drying with a texture spray and twisting the pieces with paste, a spiky pixie with razored ends has pieces that stay thin and separate. The sides and back are graduated on dry hair, the top point cut to two and a half inches, and the ends razored. Medium density and an oval or square face are the match. Trim on a four-week schedule.
20. The Shaved Temple Design Cut
Medium density and most face shapes are the match for a shaved temple design, a small undercut with one line shaved into it. A two inch section above one ear is clippered on dry hair, a single clean line shaved through it with a trimmer, and the rest of the cut left long enough to cover it. Styled by tucking the hair behind the ear to reveal it. Re-shave on a two-week schedule.
21. The Jet Black Gloss Blunt Bob
Styled flat with a paddle brush and finished with serum, a blunt bob under a jet black gloss reads sharper along the line. The perimeter is cut at the jaw on dry hair with no layers, and a demi permanent jet black gloss goes on at the bowl. Medium to thick density and an oval or long face are the match. Trim on a six-week schedule and refresh the gloss every six.
22. The Curly Pixie With Shaved Sides
Medium density and type 3A to 3C curls are the match for a curly pixie with shaved sides, which lets the top curls stand on their own. The sides are clippered on dry hair and the top cut curl by curl to three inches. Styled by applying curl cream to wet hair, pushing the top up with your fingers, and diffusing on low. Sides on a three-week trim schedule, the top on six.
23. The Lob With a Hidden Rainbow Underlayer
Medium to thick density and most face shapes are the match for a hidden underlayer, which puts color under the lob so it shows only when the hair moves. The lob is cut at the collarbone on dry hair with long layers, then a section at the nape below the occipital bone is lightened and colored. Styled with a round brush. Trim on an eight-week schedule and refresh the color every eight.
24. The French Bob With a Blunt Fringe
Styled by air-drying with a light cream and tucking one side, a French bob with blunt bangs comes down to a chin bob and a brow line. The perimeter is cut at the chin on dry hair with no layers, the bangs cut straight at the brow, and the ends point cut. Fine to medium density and an oval or heart face are the match. Trim on a six-week schedule.
25. The Deep Side Part Undercut Pixie
Medium density and a round or square face are the match for a deep side part over an undercut, which shows the shaved side whenever the hair is swept. One side is clippered on dry hair, the part set deep on the opposite side, and the heavy side point cut to four inches. Styled by blowing the heavy side up and across with a vent brush and setting with paste. Undercut on a three-week trim schedule.
For the next step, see short haircuts for thinning hair older women over 50 curly and short curly hair cuts for women over 40.
Edgy hair for women over 40 means the shortest cuts need a trim every three to four weeks to keep the lines sharp, and that is the real trade-off. FYI, a deep side part over an undercut shows the shaved side when the hair is swept. That clippered side is what keeps the edge from softening.
