Celebrity stylists are urging women over 50 to rethink common cuts, colour choices and at-home routines after identifying a series of hair mistakes that can add years to the face and undermine hair health.
London-based stylists interviewed for a Daily Mail feature said issues such as outdated bobs, heavy fringes, wearing hair too dark and ignoring scalp and fibre health are among the most frequent missteps. They recommended measured, targeted changes — not drastic one-off makeovers — to restore lift, movement and shine.
Michael Van Clarke, founder of a Marylebone salon and an award-winning hair-health product line, says the A-line bob is a frequent culprit. "Right now, we are seeing a lot of women with A-line bobs and a few clunky steps posing as layers, but this style really doesn’t work as hair gets older and fluffier at the ends, and so wider at the bottom," he said. He recommended "graduated, precise, delicate layers around the face, flowing into longer layers at the back" to restore movement and a more youthful swing.
Tom Smith, co-founder of Aevum salon, warned against full, blunt fringes for women whose facial features are changing with age. "Many women in their 40s and 50s are tempted to cut a full fringe to cover their wrinkles," he said. "Since everyone’s face squares off as gravity takes its toll, a full fringe can make your face look heavier. Instead, opt for sweeping lightweight and textured fringes and face-framing styles."
Richard Ward, the royal and celebrity hairdresser known for working with the Princess of Wales, highlighted colour that remains too dark as a common error. "The mistake a lot of women make when getting older is wearing their hair too dark. They try to go with the same colour they had at 21 — but our skin tone changes as we get older and the colour you once had simply won’t work for you anymore," he said. He advises going "two or three shades lighter than your original colour to match your skin tone."
Beyond cut and colour, experts emphasised foundational hair health. Edward James, who works with public figures including Joanna Lumley, said clients often focus on colour at the expense of condition. "Without healthy hair, colour will never shine the way it should," he said, adding that modern glossing treatments can act like a "reset button" when used twice a year to smooth the cuticle and add hydration. He also urged attention to scalp care and elasticity of the hair fibre so hair "bends, bounces and shines rather than snaps." He recommended Aveda’s Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo and Refreshing Protective Mist and Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer as at-home supports.
Jo Hansford, who founded a Mayfair salon and has worked for more than 30 years with high-profile clients, cautioned against rushing into dramatic changes during personal transitions. "Many women in their 50s deal with big life changes such as menopause, divorce or grief and often feel it’s time for a makeover," she said. Hansford advised making changes gradually — a couple of shades up or down in colour, or an intermediate length before committing to a full bob — and experimenting with wigs or hairpieces to test a new look.
The stylists’ guidance comes amid continued public interest in hair choices for older women, from celebrity transformations to media coverage of royal hair decisions. The Daily Mail reported the interviews and curated the product recommendations that accompanied the stylists’ advice.
Taken together, the experts recommended softening blunt lines, lightening colour to suit changing skin tones, prioritising scalp and fibre health, and pacing changes to allow adjustment. They said these adjustments can refresh appearance without drastic interventions and help hair better reflect individual style as it evolves with age.