Medium-length haircuts artfully combine the advantages of both long and short styles, making them an adaptable and appealing option for anyone desiring a new look. This length is particularly beneficial for those with thinning or fine hair, as it often creates the illusion of thicker, more voluminous tresses.
To fully appreciate a medium-length cut, it’s essential to take into account your unique face shape and individual style preferences. This might involve incorporating subtle face-framing layers or soft, voluminous curls and waves. With the help of dedicated professional stylists, we have carefully curated five medium-length lob haircuts that exude both chicness and sophistication, providing a refreshed and elegant appearance for women over 50 this fall.
Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, Gina Rivera, celebrity hair stylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, Dani Everson, professional hair stylist at Clementine’s Salon and Janine Jarman, celebrity hair stylist and founder of Curl Cult.
We also checked in with Lauren Udoh, hair stylist and hair creative director of WigReports, Arrogant Smith, professional hair stylist and hair consultant at KES Wigs and Dr. Roshan Vara, hair transplant surgeon and co-founder at The Treatment Rooms.
5 Medium-Length Cuts & Styles That Flatter Mature Beauties Over 50, According To Stylists
1. Layered Lob With Curtain Bangs
"You don't want short bangs that fall right in the middle of your forehead where you might have a few lines," Abdullah stresses. Instead, she recommends cutting your bangs at your eyebrow level "to emphasize your eyes."
This, paired with face-framing layering in your collarbone-length lob can provide a much more flattering look overall, she notes. Instead of choosing the popular yet often unbecoming baby bangs, one can opt for chic curtain bangs, Abdullah suggests. "These flatter just about any face at any age and neatly frame the face while drawing attention away from serious aging signs," she continues.
Curtain bangs, Abdullah notes, are a type of fringe cut that creates a soft, natural looking wave at the top of the head, as seen here on Goldie Hawn. "They are often used to frame the face and specifically, to give it a youthful appearance," she adds, which "look great on mature women" as they make your face appear "smaller and slimmer when they come down to cheek level."
2. Italian Lob
If you're looking for a haircut that can make your best features pop while giving your mane an extra boost of volume and bounce, look no further than the Italian lob cut. This style is inspired by Old Hollywood and is a 'do that stylish stars like Salma Hayek opt for.
The Italian lob takes the traditional lob cut to new heights with chunky blunt ends that create an airy, voluminous look that's never heavy or bulky. It also has just the right amount of length to allow for easy styling options as it's long enough to tie up, but short enough to be worn as is.
"This style flatters all face shapes but especially looks great on round faces because of its edge-defining properties," Smith says. "The shape can be customized to individual preferences to create an ultra-flattering look for any occasion." The more you know!
3. Shaggy Lob With Eyebrow-Grazing Fringe
Rivera adds that a medium-length, delicately layered shag with eyebrow-grazing bangs (Halle Berry is a fan!) is an "amazing cut that is well-recognized for being versatile. A shag with layers of different lengths offers "nice variations for both longer and shorter hair," she says.
"Adding a bang can add a fresh surprise to this look, she suggests. For anyone with hair on the longer side, Rivera concludes that "an added choice is to shorten the hair up a bit to the collarbone or above" to create some texture by "adding subtle layers to soften."
4. 'Mob' Cut with Deep Side Part
You're probably already familiar with the classic 'bob' and its longer cousin the 'lob,' so the 'mob' refers to a 'medium bob,' Udoh explains. She deems it to be a "sleek and stylish choice for many occasions." It's a versatile cut, she adds, that looks "great on almost any face shape and hair type." (See here on Cate Blanchett).
While traditional bobs often end at the chin and lobs fall at the collarbone, the 'mob' ends in the middle of the neck. "The mob cut can be adjusted to complement your features and create an attractive silhouette," Udoh adds.
This not-too-long and also not-too-short cut provides "volume at the crown, with textured layers that frame the face nicely while still maintaining an easy-to-manage style," she points out.
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5. Asymmetrical Lob
If you want a cut with plenty of volume and a standout quality, look no further. Rivera swears by a blunt asymmetrical lob for women over 50 especially, as seen on Charlize Theron, due to its ability to "keep the fullness at the ends which is great for fine, thin hair." When dealing with thin hair with age, she says, you want to "avoid hairstyles that have a lot of layers, as this can make the hair collapse and appear thinner."
Lobs are also great, she says, because you can "add volume by styling them appropriately." Blunt hairstyles can make hair appear fuller. "A good rule of thumb is keeping the length from shoulders and above, she advises. She suggests a deep-parted asymmetrical lob to try since its "changing lengths in the hair make it a very trendy and current style," while also being timeless.
The Bottom Line
Rivera suggests that although the five hairstyles mentioned in this list are reliable options, there exist a multitude of timeless, life-changing, and elegant hairstyles that accentuate facial features over 50 and are worth considering.
To find the ideal hairstyle, understanding your unique facial features and seeking advice from a trusted stylist is key. Additionally, Rivera advises that it’s best to always "consult with your stylist on a maintenance schedule but for those trying to regain hair health, make sure to trim every 4-6 weeks."
