Hairstyles for Older Women: Ten-Minute Dry

A jaw-length bob you round-brush dry in ten minutes, or a pixie that needs mousse and a dab of wax, holds its shape for four to six weeks between trims. Since hair often gets finer or goes gray with age, these hairstyles for older women are matched to texture, face shape and how much styling you want to do.

1. Soft Bob With Light Layers

On fine to medium hair with an oval, round or heart face, a soft layered bob is my first suggestion. The base lands at the jaw and light layers through the back let the hair move, with a point-cut baseline so there is no hard edge. Style it with a round brush, turning the ends under. Straight and wavy hair both carry this one, which makes it one of the more flexible hairstyles for older women. Trim every 6 weeks.

2. Soft-Fringe Pixie Cut

For fine to medium hair on an oval or heart face, this short pixie keeps the top two inches long while scissor-over-comb takes the sides short. The soft fringe sweeps sideways over the forehead, and point cutting makes the top lie in pieces. Style with mousse in the blow-dry and a light wax at the end. Trim every 4 to 5 weeks.

3. Layered Shoulder-Length Hair for Older Women

If you want a length that still ties back, shoulder-length layers hold the base at the shoulder and start layering at the chin. Point cutting makes the layers bend rather than flip. Medium density hair on an oval, round or square face carries it. Style with a round brush and a light cream. Few hairstyles for older women give this much length with this little fuss. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.

4. Chin-Length Blunt Classic Bob

For fine to medium hair, the classic chin-length bob keeps the ends thick because the line is blunt. It sits at the chin with slight graduation at the nape for lift, and I check it in the mirror from both sides. Oval or long faces wear it best. Style with a flat brush and a smoothing cream in the blow-dry. Trim every 6 weeks.

5. Wavy Collarbone Lob for Older Women

If your hair is 2A to 2C at medium density, a wavy lob is an easy choice. I cut it dry with the base at the collarbone and a few invisible layers so the waves land evenly. Oval, round or square faces wear it well. Style by scrunching in a curl cream and air-drying, or use a one-inch iron and skip the ends. Trim every 8 weeks, with a gloss every 8 weeks.

6. Stacked Bob With a Graduated Nape

For anyone who wants volume at the back, the short stacked bob delivers it through graduated layers at the nape that round out the back and lift the crown. The front comes to the chin for a slight angle. Fine to medium hair on a round or square face carries it. Style with a round brush, lifting the stacked section. Of the senior hairstyles older women request, this one is asked for most. Trim every 5 weeks.

7. Long Hair With Three Layers for Older Women

For medium to thick hair on an oval or long face, long hair with layers can stay below the shoulder without the ends looking thin. The layers begin at the chin, and I point cut only three long ones. Style the front with a round brush and let the rest air-dry. The ends stay full if you trim every 8 weeks.

8. Curly Pixie Cut for Older Women

If you have 3A to 3C curls at any density, a curly pixie cut dry, curl by curl, puts every curl where it will land. The top stays longer and the sides close. Oval or heart faces wear it best. Style with a curl cream and a light gel, air-dry, then fluff the top. Trim every 8 weeks; deep condition every two weeks.

9. Gray Pixie Worn Natural

For fine to medium gray hair on an oval or heart face, a natural gray pixie is cut with scissors, since a razor brings out frizz in gray. Two inches stay on top and the sides and nape taper down. A clear gloss keeps the gray bright. Style with mousse in the blow-dry and a shine serum to finish. Trim every 5 weeks and gloss every 8 weeks.

10. Layered Bob in Silver

For silver hair that is fine to medium, a layered bob at the jaw with a few point-cut layers through the back lets the silver catch light in pieces. Oval, round or square faces wear it well. Style with a round brush and a shine spray. A purple shampoo once a week keeps the silver from going yellow. Trim every 6 weeks.

11. Short Razored Shag for Older Women

If your hair is medium to thick with some wave, a short shag razored from the crown down feathers the layers into pieces. The length stays above the shoulder, and oval or long faces wear it well. Style by scrunching in a light mousse and air-drying, or diffuse it. Hairstyles older women can skip the blow-dryer on are worth having. Trim every 8 weeks.

12. Cheekbone-Length Pixie Bob for Older Women

For thinning at the temples, a pixie bob covers it. The top sits at the cheekbone and the back and sides go short, blended with slide cutting. Medium to thick hair on an oval, round or heart face carries it. Style the top back with a round brush and finish with a light pomade. Color gets touched up every 4 weeks and the cut trimmed every 5 weeks.

13. Sweeping-Fringe Bob With a Side Part

For covering forehead lines, a side-parted bob with a sweeping fringe does the job. It is cut to the chin with the part two inches off center so the heavy side falls across the forehead, and I point cut the fringe to blend it into the side. Fine to medium hair on a round or square face carries it. Style with a flat brush, directing the heavy side across. Trim every 6 weeks.

14. Face-Framing Layers at Medium Length

If you want the eye drawn to the cheekbones, this medium layered cut gets there with front pieces cut to the cheekbone and the base at the collarbone. All the layers are point cut. Fine to medium hair on a round or square face carries it. Style with a round brush, pulling the front forward. Trim every 6 weeks and cover the roots every 4 to 5 weeks.

15. Razored Feathered Layers for Older Women

For medium to thick hair on an oval, square or heart face, feathered layers razored so the ends taper and flip back from the face give a lot of movement. The layers run from the cheekbone down and the length stays at the shoulder. Style each layer back with a round brush and set it with a light spray. Trim every 6 weeks.

16. Tapered-Nape Short Haircut

For fine to medium hair on an oval or heart face, a short haircut with a tapered nape keeps the back tidy. Clippers on a number 4 guard take the back down, scissor-over-comb blends it into a short top, and a little length stays at the crown for lift. Style with mousse in the blow-dry and a matte paste to finish. Trim every 4 weeks.

17. Soft Curtain Bangs on a Chin-Length Bob

For fine to medium hair on an oval, round or square face, a chin-length bob with soft curtain bangs frames the face well. The bangs split at the center and sweep toward the cheekbones, and I razor them for softness. Style the bangs over a round brush and sweep them apart. Trim the bangs every 5 weeks and the length every 6.

18. Full Bangs on Short Hair

For covering both forehead lines and the neck, short hair with full bangs pairs a jaw-length cut with bangs at the brow. Point cutting keeps the bangs light rather than heavy. Fine to medium hair on an oval or long face carries it. Style the bangs with a flat brush. Trim the bangs every 4 weeks and the length every 6.

19. Twisted Low Chignon for Older Women

For medium to thick hair at shoulder length or longer, a low chignon gathers everything at the nape, twists it once and pins a loose knot, with a few pieces left out at the temples. Any face shape wears it. Style the front smooth with a light cream and set with a soft spray. It is one of the senior hairstyles older women pick for weddings. Trim every 8 weeks.

20. Pinned French Twist for Older Women

For medium to thick hair at least shoulder-length, a French twist rolls up the back of the head and pins along a vertical seam. Oval or long faces wear it well. I keep the front soft so it does not read severe. Style with a light tease at the crown and a firm spray to hold. Trim every 8 weeks.

21. Soft Updo With Height at the Crown

For round or square faces, a soft updo with volume at the crown adds length through the height. The crown is teased, the back pinned into a loose roll and wisps left at the face. Shoulder-length hair or longer, fine to medium, carries it. Style with a volumizing mousse before drying and a light spray to finish. Trim every 8 weeks.

22. Barrette Half-Up Style for Older Women

For a lift at the face with no tight pull, a half-up style gathers the top section at the back of the crown into a barrette and leaves the rest down. Chin-length hair or longer, fine to medium, on an oval or round face carries it. Style the length with a round brush. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.

23. Highlighted Short Layers

For blending gray on fine to medium hair, a short layered cut with highlights uses fine foils through the top that also show the layers. I cut the layers short and point cut after the color. Most face shapes wear it. Style with a round brush and a volumizing mousse. Trim every 6 weeks, and touch up the highlights every 8 to 10 weeks.

24. Beige Blonde Bob for Older Women

For fair to medium skin with gray roots coming in, a blonde bob in a soft beige blonde blends the regrowth. The cut is jaw-length and blunt with a few invisible layers, on fine to medium hair. Style with a round brush and a heat protectant. Tone every 6 weeks to keep the blonde cool and trim every 6 weeks.

25. Warm Brown Lob for Older Women

For fine to medium hair on an oval, round or heart face, a brunette lob in a warm brown softens the skin. The base sits at the collarbone with a blunt line and two long layers. Style with a round brush and a shine spray. Cover the roots every 4 weeks and trim every 6 to 8 weeks.

See also curly hairstyles for older women and sassy hair older women hairstyles.

Hairstyles for older women should hold their shape, whether that is a jaw-length bob you round-brush dry in ten minutes or a pixie with a dab of wax. FYI, a brunette lob in warm brown softens fair to medium skin on an oval or round face. The color does as much work as the cut.