10 Youthful Hairstyles That Are Truly Age-Defying (2024)

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From pixie cuts to long, angled layers.

By

Victoria Moorhouse

10 Youthful Hairstyles That Are Truly Age-Defying (1)

Victoria Moorhouse

Victoria Moorhouse is a writer, editor, and consultant based in Brooklyn, New York who focuses on beauty, fitness, and health. Victoria was previously the Senior Beauty Editor at InStyle.com and a Senior Editor at POPSUGAR. Her work can also be found in notable publications such as Shape.com, The Zoe Report, Forbes.com, and Well+Good. She graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Professional Writing.

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Updated on March 6, 2024 @ 04:04PM

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10 Youthful Hairstyles That Are Truly Age-Defying (2)

Finding the perfect, most flattering haircut is a challenge for all ages. You want a style that is going to make you feel your most confident, flatter your features, and help you look your best. "When we age, we want to have a more glowing effect with our skin and our hair," says expert Natascha Hemple. "When I have clients that want to change their look to appear more youthful, I ask them what they dislike about their look now. Then, I focus on their face shape and the areas that seem to make them look older." But going back to the cut you had when you felt your youngest probably isn't the best route to go. So instead, test out the ageless styles that Hemple and fellow expert Brian Zinno recommend.

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Long Pixie Cut

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Hemple recommends trying a shortcut with some volume, like Halle Berry's long pixie here. Her pro tip? Keep the strands tousled and soft, rather than spikey.

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Stacked Bob

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Try a stacked bob that is shorter in the back and longer in the front like Cameron Diaz's cut here. Hemple says that the asymmetric cut will complement practically any face shape. Plus you can wear it straight, curly, or tousled.

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Pixie Cut

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"A lived-in pixie that has a little length around the face is a flattering style for short hair. It's particularly youthful because it's a no-fuss hairstyle," says Zinno. He adds it works on many face shapes, and is particularly low-maintenance, which means you don't have to stress about styling it every single day. When looking for a celeb picture to bring to the salon, we think Kris Jenner is a no-fail option.

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Tousled Bob Cut

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If you're most comfortable with bob-length hair, go for a chin-grazing style that incorporates layers. "It's youthful because while it's a bob length, the layers around the face keep it soft and flowing without the usual angular lines of a bob, and the layers in the crown or around the perimeter give lift and movement." We love Viola Davis's soft, layered, and tousled bob, while Zinno says that Helen Mirren is another example of this gorgeous look.

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Shoulder-Length Cut With Layers

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"Jennifer Aniston has had this length, and what makes it look youthful is when the ends are shattered to keep it from looking blunt and heavy around the perimeter," says Zinno.

He suggests longer angles around the face and below the jawline to keep the look flowing and soft.

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Medium-Length Cut with Long Layers

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Eva Longoria has also demonstrated soft, shattered angles in the past, which she seamlessly wore between sleek and straight styles and in effortless, loose waves. Hemple says long layers always give off a youthful appearance. She adds that off-center or side parts that "fall naturally in place can make the eyes seem wider to give you a more youthful appearance."

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Medium-Length Cut with Side Fringe

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"A favorite timeless hairstyle for long hair is cascading layers flowing from a shorter length around the face — a long fringe or side bang — to longer to the back," says Zinno. "This creates movement in the style and opens up the face." He suggests this cut styled in soft waves just like Julia Roberts.

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Long Cut with Waves

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As far as how long is too long? Zinno suggests keeping your length around the breastbone area. Hemple adds that waves or bouncy style, like Christie Brinkley's here, "open all facial features to compliment a bright open look that makes you look rested."

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Low Messy Bun

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Zinno says that youthful-looking updos should be kept slightly undone and casual and never too tight or polished. We love this low coif seen on Keri Russell.

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High Ponytail

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Jennifer Lopez's high, snatched ponytail has a lifting and tightening effect on the face. Curl the ends to give the style a soft, effortless vibe.

Updated by

Tessa Petak

10 Youthful Hairstyles That Are Truly Age-Defying (13)

Tessa Petak

Tessa Petak is a Brooklyn-based writer who helps to cultivate InStyle's illustrious news coverage across a wide range of topics including celebrity, fashion, and entertainment. She also produces and composes celebrity profiles and features for the site and InStyle's digital issues.

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10 Youthful Hairstyles That Are Truly Age-Defying (2024)

FAQs

Which hairstyle makes you look younger? ›

Medium-Length Cut with Long Layers

Hemple says long layers always give off a youthful appearance. She adds that off-center or side parts that "fall naturally in place can make the eyes seem wider to give you a more youthful appearance."

What are the four haircut mistakes that instantly make you look older? ›

Jack Miles and Rosie Myers have decades of experience cutting and styling hair. Between them, they have said four types of layers can age someone. These are layers that are too short, layers that are too long, layers that are too uniform, and having too many layers.

Which hair part makes you look younger? ›

The Center Part

"The middle part is one of the most fashionable hair trends," Bergamy tells us. "It gives a more youthful look without looking childish." It tends to work best on faces that are more or less symmetrical, but can also help elongate shorter, wider face shapes.

What hair length makes you look older? ›

Mitch Stone, stylist to the stars, warns, "once hair has passes your ribs, it is officially making you look older." Trimming a few inches off your locks is an easy fix for this common hairstyle mistake, taking years off your appearance and revitalizing your look.

Does short or long hair make you look younger? ›

Will having long hair or short hair make me look younger? If you have medium to thick hair, a lengthier mane can give off an air of youthfulness. But if your hair leans thin, it's best to go with a cut that's mid-length or shorter to lend natural volume to your look.

What color hair makes you look younger? ›

Ten out of ten colorists agree, shades that are warm-toned read more youthful than cool-toned hair colors. Spicy copper reds, rich caramel brunettes, and soft honey blondes will warm up your complexion for younger-looking skin (hold the retinol).

What makes an older woman look younger? ›

Moisturizing helps keep your skin hydrated and when your skin is hydrated it looks visibly plumper,” Dr. Lal explains. “So using things like hyaluronic acid and ceramides is going to help retain that moisture and give your neck and your hands a more youthful appearance.”

Should a 70 year old woman wear bangs? ›

Bangs are magic for mature faces and hair and solve many age-related issues but most of all they make women feel sexy, flirty and fashionable.

Does a bob make you look older or younger? ›

“A bob is one of those styles that can make some people look younger—if done right. But when it's done incorrectly or done on the wrong face, it can make you look older.”

What's the best hairstyle for a 70 year old woman? ›

A shag haircut offers choppy ends and tousled layers that flatter fine, thin strands- making it ideal for women in their 70s. The typical features that make up a shag hairstyle include choppy layers around the crown and lots of texture.

Do bangs make you look younger or older? ›

Bangs can add personality and youth to a person's appearance, but not all bangs have the same effect. Blunt bangs can draw attention to the middle of someone's face, which may or may not reveal their age. Also, bangs must be the correct length to accentuate facial features without casting shadows.

What is the most flattering hair length for over 50? ›

One of the most versatile and universally flattering hair lengths for women over 50 is shoulder-length. This medium length allows you to experiment with different styles while still maintaining a youthful appearance.

What makes a face look younger? ›

Protecting your face from the sun is the single best way of keeping it youthful. Much of the damage comes from the UVA part of the light spectrum, so you need to put on sunscreen that protects against it and UVB light, which causes sunburn. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat is also a good idea. Creams and lotions.

Does curly or straight hair make you look older? ›

As a curly girl, you already have a head start. Women with curly, textured hair tend to look younger than straight-haired counterparts as they age.

Does the center part make you look older? ›

The Mistake: A Severe Center Part

Why it ages you: "As you age, gravity's effect can draw the face down; the center part draws attention to that pulled-down look," Dujic says. Do this instead: Part your hair a little further down the side of the hairline.

Which haircut makes you look younger? ›

A pixie cut can be incredibly rejuvenating. This short hairstyle draws attention to your facial features, giving you a bold and youthful appearance. It's a versatile style that can be tailored to suit various face shapes and hair types.

What is the best haircut for a woman with jowls? ›

The expert's favourite long-hair style for women with jowls is the long bob - or "lob". She explained: "Alternatively, the asymmetrical lob (long bob) is a versatile style that draws attention away from loose skin around the neck area and helps conceal other insecurities like a crooked nose.

Can a 70 year old woman wear long hair? ›

The option to grow waist-length hair at 70 is very much a part of that. “We are moving away from the ideology that women of a certain age need to have their hair cut short,” agrees Dom Seeley, Color Wow's international creative director.

What is the best haircut for a 65 year old woman? ›

What is the most popular haircut for women over 60? We find it hard to choose between the pixie cut and the bob, both of which are very popular with women over 60. Pixie cuts have lots of sass, while the bob is incredibly versatile and can be smooth, feathered, side-parted, or flicked out at the ends.

Does cutting your hair make you look older or younger? ›

Does short or long hair make you look younger? Long hair can enhance facial features by diverting attention away from wrinkles or age spots and adding volume to your hair. Short hair does not need to age you, though, as the style and texture of shorter hairstyles can add a youthful appearance.

Does straight or curly hair make you look younger? ›

The wrong hair color can make you look washed out, and a bad haircut can make you look dated, even when paired with the most up-to-date makeup and fashion trends. As a curly girl, you already have a head start. Women with curly, textured hair tend to look younger than straight-haired counterparts as they age.

What face shape makes you look younger? ›

Round-faced people tend to look younger for longer than others as they store fat in the cheeks and keep it there for a youthful appearance. Therefore, dull and sagging complexions will take longer to develop on round faces.”

Do I look better with long or short hair? ›

The answer is surprisingly simple. There's an easy, and we mean easy, way to decide if short hairstyles are in your future. We call it the 2.25 rule. Practically fool proof, this rule states that if the longest part of your chin is less than 2.25 inches from the tip of your earlobe, then short hairstyles are for you.

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