Classic hair tips to ensure you never go out of style

There’s truth to the saying ‘a good hairstyle can take years off your face, but the best will take decades off’. You may not have given too much thought to your hairstyle in recent years, but if you’ve got it right it can hide wrinkles, define your jaw lines and even give your cheek bones a boost.

It’s no secret that getting older comes with a few changes. Your body changes, your skin changes, your libido changes … And your hair changes! You’ll see changes to its texture, thickness and colour. Chances are you have a completely different hair type in your 60s to the one you had in your 20s. Thinning and greys are just two of the issues you face with your hair as your get older, so Starts at 60 approached a couple of hairstylists and did some research to come up with these anti-ageing hair tips.

A haircut that has purpose

According to Bonnie Strathie, owner of Brisbane-based salon XXVII co., the best thing a woman can do to ensure she looks as modern and as youthful as possible is to have a haircut that has purpose. “Think Jamie Lee Curtis or Helen Mirren,” Strathis says, highlighting that you can now find inspiration for hairstyles at every age online.

You might be inspired by the hairstyles of other older celebrities such as Olivia Newton-John, Emma Thompson or Rita Wilson, but whoever’s style inspires you, be sure to take photographs to your hair appointment so you can talk it through with your hairstylist. This will allow you to discuss what you do (and don’t) like and how certain styles can fit within your lifestyle.

Chop, chop

Sure, there are a multitude of treatments and hair care systems to aid your ageing hair, but sometimes all you need is a fresh look. The idea of cutting your hair short can be quite daunting for some, but styles like pixie cuts, shorter bobs and fringes can be easily embraced by more mature women with different hair types. Such styles can do wonders for framing your face, complementing your bone structure and accentuating your best features.

“I have two clients who both have tight clippers back and sides with lots of texture through the top,” Strathie says.

An added bonus to a shorter style is that it can look youthful and bright, fun and effortless, without looking too polished or too perfect.

It’s all an illusion

It’s hardly surprising that one of the most worrying hair issues for women over 60 is the thinning of their hair. Can you relate? Most women will start to lose their hair density by the time they’ve turned 30. By the time you’ve reached middle age, your hair has become finer, drier and less elastic. It can be difficult to maintain longer hairstyles if you are losing your hair.

If you love your long locks, consider asking your hairstylist for long layers and a subtle balayage (a technique for highlighting hair whereby the dye is painted on in such a way as to create a graduated, natural-looking effect).

Another way of attending to thinning hair if you want to keep it long, is to ask your hairstylist about extensions, which can give the illusion of much thicker hair.

Colour your world

Strathie says women should accentuate their natural hair colour, not cover it. If you’re going grey, embrace it! “Grey hair is more youthful than you think,” she says.

In fact, in the last decade silver, salt and pepper, and grey hair has become fashionable.

If you’re going to transition to grey hair you want to minimise things. Opt for a shorter style, decrease the line of separation between your natural colour and your dye to avoid a two-toned look, disguise your roots, add some highlights to smooth the transition, and embrace your new look.

Product and passion

If you want your hair to have your hair looking healthy at any age, two products are really going to help: a good quality shampoo (used regularly) and conditioner to make it shine. For those of you with fine hair, it’s recommended you only use a conditioner on the ends. Try and avoid a heavy conditioner too, as this will weigh your hair down and give your hair a gangly appearance. Your fine hair might benefit from a product designed to give your hair some volume too.

If you blow dry your hair, be sure to lift it at the root and dry it in sections.

A final word, Strathie says, “Find a stylist whose passion is cutting and is highly trained.”