This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
A new haircut can make or break your look, so getting a style that complements your features and makes you feel confident in your skin is essential. As we grow older, it becomes increasingly important to get a haircut that can highlights our natural beauty while drawing the eye away from areas that we might not feel most comfortable with (such as thinning hair spots, fine lines or wrinkles).
We spoke with experts Gina Rivera, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles and Krysta Guerrero, owner and stylist at Base Salon Chicago. They broke down the seven most flattering and fun haircuts to try over 40 to not only make you look healthy, radiant and stunning at any age, but also allow you to feel like the best version of yourself.
1. Textured Bob
Cutting your hair shorter as you age can help to take off any dull or limp hair that may be dragging down your appearance, and a fresh and textured bob can boost the volume of your locks while also being easy to style for women on the go.
"The textured bob is a great youthful look," Rivera says (Gabrielle Union is a fan!). "Texture can create volume that tends to soften features and it can be made to look very edgy with the right product," she notes.
"When visiting your stylist, ask for layers or texturizing that give you volume at the top."
2. Asymmetrical Lob
The asymmetrical cut is another timeless classic that infuses your hair with movement, negating the look of strands hanging around one's face and causing them to look older than they are.
"Slightly longer than a bob, the length of the lob mixed with the different lengths makes it a fun, trendy, and youthful look," Rivera explains. This can be seen on Rosamund Pike, above.
"Ask your stylist to cut the back of the hair slightly shorter. Those with fine hair should ask for a blunter cut to create the appearance of thicker hair," she continues.
The illusion of thicker hair will make your overall appearance seem more youthful, she notes, but those who already have plenty of hair will find that adding some layers into this look will reduce the weight of your strands.
3. Shaggy Bob or Lob
The shag is one beloved, edgy 70s haircut that never truly went out of style. It is undeniably one of the coolest cuts you could opt for to elevate your look.
"The shag is always a chic, youthful look that can be worn at any age. It’s a terrific way to frame the face and reduce the focus on fine lines that may arise with age," Rivera says. She notes that it can be done with any length, from lobs to a chin-length bob like Taylor Swift.
"Ask for a cut that has a lot of layers that are choppy with different lengths." The shag, she adds, looks great styled straight, but ladies with wavy or curly hair can also easily rock this look as it creates volume and bounce.
4. Side-Parted, Choppy Pixie
The pixie cut is undeniably one of the most loved cuts for women to opt for as they age, and it can be a great look (seen on Kate Mara) that offers plenty of versatility and takes very little time to style while still looking sleek.
"It can be spiked up, tousled with gel or slicked back. It can also be worn with bangs or even accessorized. It’s a perfect look for any age making it great to highlight the youthful spirit," Rivera says.
She recommends "bringing in a photo of the pixie that you like to your stylist." This, Rivera notes, "should follow with a discussion on the right pixie for your facial shape."
5. Curly Bob With Curtain Bangs
The aforementioned layered bob can do wonders when paired with wispy, curtain bangs, Abdullah says. Selena Gomez's bob is paired with a stunning fringe that can either be worn down, parted in the center or even clipped back.
"Hair that's a little shorter automatically looks younger," Abdullah says. In addition, she notes that bangs like these "make your hair appear thicker and are a great way to add volume to thinning hair."
The style "works well for women who want to hide thinning hair in the front," she concludes.
Good to know!
6. Bixie
If you can't decide between a bob or pixie this fall, we have good news. You don't have to! A 'bixie' (or bob-meets-pixie) like Kristen Stewart's is very in for fall, and can be a very flattering and chic choice, Guerrero explains. There are elements of both styles to play with here in this social media-fave cut, and autumn is a great time to find what works for you.
"The bixie is a traditional bob haircut that’s combined with a pixie," she says. "The nice thing about a bixie is its versatility — not only can you adjust the length and opt to have it a little longer, but there is no one way to do it when it comes to the style. The cut is totally customizable based on your preference.
7. Butterfly Blowout
If you have thinner locks, a timeless, 90s-esque blowout can bring life to flatter strands. This cut, often referred to as the 'butterfly style,' seen here on Sydney Sweeney, is the "epitome of the 90s blowout," Abdullah says. This haircut, she adds, can "double or triple your volume" because short layers are used on the "top of the cut to make the hair really stand out."
Then, Abdullah notes that "slightly longer layers are used from the mid-lengths to the bottom to encourage the hair to fall just right." This cut not only works "great for long hair," Abdullah stresses, but also "for adding volume if your hair is thinning."
Good to know!
