5 Hair Mistakes That Make You Look Older

Let’s face it, you feel young, so you want to look young. The right haircut can complement and brighten your features, while a poor haircut can age you drastically. Many women don’t realize that they can get haircuts or hairstyles that make them appear older. To make sure you’re not unwillingly aging yourself with older hair, avoid these five common hair mistakes.

1. Highlighting Your Hair to Cover Greys

As more grey hair appears, women want to avoid this older hair look and assume they should color the grey away. If a significant portion of your hair is now grey, highlighting all of it will result in an unpolished look. This is because grey hair has a different texture than your normal hair. If you highlight the greys, it can be like shining a light on your hair’s mismatched texture. Instead, discuss with your stylist what the best approach is for you. If you have a beautiful silver that has taken over the majority of your color, consider embracing it!

2. Adding Too Much Volume

As we age, our hair thins and appears flatter than before. One of the most common hair mistakes is overcompensating for this by adding too much volume. The right amount of volume can add lift to your hairstyle to make you look youthful and healthy. However, don’t overdo the volume, as this results in a look that screams older hair. Intense high volume is reminiscent of the hairstyles of the 1980s and doesn’t do anything to help you appear younger.

3. Trouble Creating the Right Part

Many women may be surprised to find out how much their part can impact their overall appearance. A part straight down in the middle looks good only on some women and tends to be harder to pull off as you age. As you age, you produce less collagen. The collagen left in your face is unevenly distributed and often concentrated in the chin area. This concentration highlights your chin and makes your face appear more elongated. A middle part only serves to elongate the face more, giving you an older appearance. Conversely, a side part done correctly can help balance the facial proportions and make your hair appear more voluminous. Discuss with your hairstylist if your current hair parting is contributing to an overall older hair look.

4. Cutting The Wrong Length

Many women simply have older hair because they have cut to the wrong length. This mistake can happen in a variety of ways. You can have hair without layers, losing any impression of volume, leaving a flat appearance. You can have hair that started as a bob haircut but is now too long and is left looking droopy. Or, maybe you have long hair that has gone to a length that could now be considered ‘crazy cat lady’ length. Avoid all of these hair mistakes by booking frequent trims with your hairstylist. Regular appointments will keep your hair at an attractive length and healthy from split ends.

5. Incorporating Too Many Hair Accessories

In an attempt to appear young, some women go too far into trends that they can’t pull off. This is especially true with hair accessories. A current trend is oversized scrunchies and big clips. However, older women look like they’re trying too hard when they incorporate these preteen hair accessories into their daily look. Generally speaking, we say less is more with hair accessories. Choose accessories that match your hairstyle and that are generally subdued. Instead of fun hair accessories, visit your hair salon and get a complicated hairstyle! You get all the fun of an elevated hair look but without the too-young hair accessories.