Hair tips for your 50s+

  Sharon Stone - celebrity hairstyle50s: To crop or not?

Sharon Stone

When you get to 50, ignore the idea that you have to go short. The biggest issue is that you may find your hair starts to thin a little, because of hormonal changes. “Many women do find short hair easier to maintain when they’re older, as it can get out of control and frizzy,�?says Leo Bancroft. “But different rules apply to different hair types.�?

Your hair may also lose a little of its natural shine and become more rebellious, so step up your conditioning regime and introduce more protein to your diet, as it aids healthy hair growth. If you do want to go for the chop, keep it soft �?not severe. “Get your stylist to use texture techniques instead of blunt cutting, which gives unflattering hard lines,�?advises Andrew Barton. “Curved fringes and lengths that can be tucked behind ears look great and keep hair free-flowing rather than too set.�?

Short, sassy cuts can often take years off your face, but it needs to be a good cut and beautifully coloured with radiant shine. And remember that you’ll need to adapt your hairstyle to suit your change in hair type, whether it’s long or short.

Get Sharon’s look

Sharon’s hair has been cut into the nape of her neck, close on the sides and choppy on top. “By having some longer lengths in the front, it keeps it versatile and feminine,�?says Leo. Get lift at the roots by scrunching in Aussie Dual Personality Volume + Conditioning Mousse, £3.49. Rough-dry hair then smooth ends with a round brush.

You’ll need regular re-styles to keep its shape, as it’ll grow quickly. If your hair is thinning, try L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Aminexil Advanced, £80. Aminexil keeps the collagen round the hair follicle supple so hair can grow, while Omega 6 Nutricomplex feeds nutrients.

  Julie Christie - celebrity hairstyle60s plus: Wear it soft

Julie Christie

Hair growth tends to slow down in this age group, so try to give yourself a daily scalp massage. “It can help increase the blood flow from the scalp to the hair follicles, thus encouraging hair growth,�?says Andrew Barton.

As you can see from Julie’s hair, there’s absolutely no need to stop colouring your hair, but if you decide to take the plunge and go completely grey, simply add a few weaves of colour around your face to enhance your skin �?it tends to work especially well for people who have blue eyes and cool skin tones. Most importantly, go for a soft style and keep hair free-flowing to make you look more youthful.

Curls and colour will lift your whole face, but if you want to keep it straight, add layers and give it volume at the roots using Schwarzkopf Professional Seah Hairspa Mineral Volumiser, £13.50.  

Get Julie’s look

Julie’s hair has been cut into a classic short bob then layered to emphasise the curls, which are also accentuated by her highlights. Set hair on heated rollers after applying a salon-quality mousse such as Charles Worthington Curl Perfector Mousse, £4.49.

“Even if your hair already has natural curls or waves, you can enhance them further,�?says Chi Wong. “Leave the rollers to set for at least 30 minutes, then pull out the waves with your fingers or, very gently, with a comb.�?

Fix with Wella High Hair Crystal Styler, £7.50, and use a little TOMMYGUNS Smooth & Finish Crème, £5.99, to finish and keep any frizz at bay.