The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (2024)

There’s a dated misconception that women over the age of 50 have to have short hair. But, news flash: There are plenty of different hairstyles of varying lengths that look fabulous on women of all ages. While pixie cuts and bobs beautifully frame a mature face, so can lobs, medium-length cuts, and long, back-grazing strands.

“I like to say 50 is the new 40—hair is all about expression and individual personality,” says celebrity hairstylist Angelo David, owner of Angelo David Hair Salon in New York City. “It’s no longer the cookie-cutter look for women in their 50s.”

Kimberly Gueldner, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Voël Hair Extensions

"I love the idea of just going with what we are confident with and what makes us feel good rather than having to fit a particular ideal as we age.”

— Kimberly Gueldner, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Voël Hair Extensions

The point is: Don’t let your age determine what you can and can’t do with your hair. But, if that simple reminder isn’t enough, perhaps hearing from some of the industry’s top celebrity hairstylists will do the trick.

Ahead, find 13 cool hairstyles for women over 50, according to the pros.

01of 13

Long and Natural

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (1)

Gone are the days of turning 50 and feeling pressured to cut off your hair and cover your grays. Nowadays, letting your hair grow in its natural texture and color is in, says Kimberly Gueldner, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Voël Hair Extensions. “Andie Macdowell is a perfect example of this," she tells us. "She looks gorgeous with her long, gray, natural hair.”

“To recreate this look, you can scrunch in oil or cream and let [your hair] air dry. Once dry, you can grab pieces and wrap them with a one-inch iron to define your curls even more.” It's super low-maintenance.

If you have naturally curly or wavy hair, Gueldner recommends adding layers to your cut to help accentuate texture while also reducing some of the bulk.

02of 13

Curtain Bangs

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (2)

Bangs are an instant ticket to a more youthful look. “A longer, side-swept bang or curtain bang allows for versatility when styling," says Gina Rivera, hairstylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites.

Dove partner and celebrity stylist Ursula Stephen agrees, noting that Laverne Cox is a wonderful example of how curtain bangs can play out on long hair. Not only is it sexy and sophisticated but it's also ideal for a rectangular face shape, she says.“It really helps to soften the face. It works well for fine and straight hair.”

To style, blow out your hair and curl it with a large-barrel curling iron (or a smaller one if you have fine hair that easily falls flat, as the smaller coil will take longer to unfurl).

03of 13

Easy Updo

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (3)

Whether you’re headed to the office, a party, or a red carpet event—or you simply want to feel beautifully put together—Gueldner suggests an effortless updo à la Halle Berry, which is great for those with fine hair. “These casual styles have been very popular recently and work on any hair length," says Gueldner. It's a quick and easy way to refresh your look, she adds.

For the perfect imperfect updo, blow-dry bangs with a round brush and lightly tousle with fingers, instructs Gueldner. Next, add a bit more definition by curling face-framing pieces with a quarter-inch iron and pin the rest back.

04of 13

Tousled Waves

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (4)

Celebrity hairstylist Dominick Pucciarello likes adding layers to a long cut to boost volume, movement, and dimension. “As we age, I enjoy seeing women move away from coiffed looks and go edgy,” he says. “It's super sexy, and I love the idea of just going with what we are confident with and what makes us feel good rather than having to fit a particular ideal as we age.”

To recreate Michelle Pfeiffer's tousled style: “Blow dry hair with a round brush and wrap sections of hair with a one-quarter-inch iron,” instructs Gueldner. Finish with a texture spray or light-hold hairspray for extra holding power.

05of 13

Wispy, Textured Pixie

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (5)

If you want to go short, David says a wispy textured pixie is the way to go. “This particular haircut is popular amongst our clients who want a stylish yet low-maintenance hairstyle similar to Kris Jenner's signature cut,” he says. “Incorporating texture spray or paste helps to piece together and create texture.” Rivera concurs, noting that product is essential when styling a pixie. “It supports the definition of the cut,” she explains.

“Adding bangs to your pixie can take it to a whole new level as it lays the foundation for an array of different styling opportunities. Think jagged, side-swept, and blunt. There’s a lot to choose from," Rivera tells us. "And don’t be afraid to play with hair color when it comes to this style.A professional colorist can enhance this look, which provides another dimension of versatility.”

06of 13

Curly Crop

For an edgier pixie, consider a cropped pixie with a little more on top. “I personally love this for women with a diamond-shaped face, because it has more volume on top, with tapered sides, and helps balance the angular face shape by creating a more harmonious shape overall,” says celebrity hairstylist and DIY expert for Sally Beauty Gregory Patterson. Since the shorter sides highlight the scalp, he says that scalp care is key with this cut.

07of 13

Sleek, High Ponytail

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (7)

The beauty of this high-slung ponytail is that all hair types can enjoy it, as the sleek portion is from the roots to the pony. From there, you can opt for the 'tail of your choosing, but we're partial to Taraji P. Henson's voluminous style, as seen above.

For best results, David says to start with clean hair. Using a flat iron, straighten your hair from your roots to about six inches down (or however far it takes to reach the crown of your head). Then, using a soft boar-bristle brush, smooth hair back into a high ponytail and spritz on hairspray. From there, you can coif your pony to your liking.

If you don't have long and/or thick tresses, make a ponytail look fuller by teasing hair, adding a clip-in extension, or inserting bobby pins at the base of your 'tail for extra lift.

08of 13

Blunt Bob

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (8)

A well-styled bob is another beautiful style for women over 50. “I love a classic bob because it works on mostly all face shapes and works well with straight, wavy, and, curly hair,” Stephen says. It's a versatile cut that can especially flatter thin hair with blunt ends. “As we get older our hair tends to thin, so a blunt cut like the bob helps hair to feel and look thicker,” explains Stephen.

To recreate Naomi Watt's 'do, Stephen says to start with clean hair and apply the Dove Hair Therapy Brilliant Gloss & Repair Serum with the Dove Hair Therapy 7-in-1 Miracle Mist. “This will help repair and strengthen hair, leaving it shiny and smooth,” she says.

09of 13

Face-Framing Layers With Middle Part

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (9)

David says a middle part can look lovely at every age, citing Jennifer Aniston's sought-after hairstyle as proof. “Hair parted in the middle while having layers frame the face [helps] complement the jawline.”

Still, consider your hair texture and face shape when deciding which hair part works best for you. For instance, side parts can give fine or thin hair an instant boost of volume while middle parts can flatter a round face shape.

10of 13

Shaggy Bangs

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (10)

Bangs don’t have to be flawlessly blown out ​​to look great. Stephen says that shaggy bangs add a certain allure to a hairstyle. Shaggy bangs with shoulder-length waves is a very flattering hairstyle, she says. To get the look, Stephens instructs that you air dry hair, then add sea salt spray to amp up the texture.

11of 13

Asymmetric Pixie With Side Part

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (11)

While many pixie cuts are styled to look as though there isn’t a part, Pucciarello says that a sharp side part can be stylish and unexpected. Whether you slick each side of your part or coif it into a pompadour, he says the result is always “fun, youthful, and chic.” Case in point: Tilda Swinton.

12of 13

Angled, Textured Lob

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (12)

Don’t feel like your lob has to be sleek and high-shine for it to work. According to Pucciarello, adding layers and angles can work wonders. To style the cut, use a large-barrel curling iron to lend hair volume and movement. Shake it out, use a little hairspray, and voilà, you're red carpet-ready like Viola Davis here.

13of 13

Classic Blow-Out

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (13)

For a more retro, voluminous look, blow out your cut—be it long, short, or somewhere in between. Best of all, it’s a breeze to style at home, says says Dove partner and celebrity hairstylist Leonardo Rocco. All you need is a round brush and a blow dryer to land Monica Bellucci's look. If your hair falls flat easily, add in a volume spray and/or hairspray—we like Serge Normant Dream Big—to help maintain the style.

The Most Gorgeous Hairstyles for Women Over 50, According to Celebrity Stylists (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Horacio Brakus JD

Last Updated:

Views: 6141

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Horacio Brakus JD

Birthday: 1999-08-21

Address: Apt. 524 43384 Minnie Prairie, South Edda, MA 62804

Phone: +5931039998219

Job: Sales Strategist

Hobby: Sculling, Kitesurfing, Orienteering, Painting, Computer programming, Creative writing, Scuba diving

Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.