Hair texture changes and often thins with age which is why long strands can start to look lacklustre and dull over time.
The best way to combat thinning is by adding layers, however, the incorrect placement or wrong type can often draw more attention to signs of ageing.
Hair experts have shared their dos and don’ts for mature women who may think about adding layers to boost the volume of their hair.
Jack Miles, founder of Wigporium, and Rosie Myers, founder of nope, have decades of experience cutting and styling hair, and both agree that four specific types of layers can have the opposite effect of helping people look younger.
Surprisingly, it’s more than just the length of them that matters.
Layers that are too short
Cutting layers too short can make women look older than they are, especially when the hair is a long length to begin with.
Rosie claimed that these contrasting, short chunks of hair “draw attention to wrinkles” and leave those with a visibly aged complexion “nowhere to hide” when it comes to distracting from them.
Layers that are too long
Many women say “I want layers but keep the length” when sitting in a hair salon chair, but there’s something to be said for the results. Jack explained: “When layers are cut too long, they can end up creating a ‘stringy’ appearance.”
In turn, the hair appears “thin and lifeless” and can “immediately age you”. If you’re someone with already fine hair, long layers can “give the impression that your hair is thinning with age”.
The length also drags down the face, particularly in those face-framing strands at the front. Heavy ends are another thing to watch out for, according to Jack, who suggested that it gives the illusion of “a drooping appearance”.
Layers that are too uniform
Jack, a hair expert, warns that “when layers are cut to the same length throughout the entire head, it can create a flat, monotone look”. This can result in hair appearing “look dull and lifeless”, and lacking dimension.
On the other hand, having too many layers doesn’t necessarily add volume. They can cause the hair to stick to the scalp, resulting in a choppy and messy appearance.
Rosie, another hair specialist, cautioned that if choppy layers are “too blunt they can end up making you look far older”. While some might think choppy layers are fun and youthful, they can “create a harsh, unbalanced look that can take away definition from the face”, leading to an “unruly and unkempt” finish.
Unless you have very dense, thick hair, too many layers can create an uneven appearance, and instead of making hair look voluminous, it appears dry and static. Jack adds that lots of layers are also unnatural, and “hard to pull off [if you’re over 40]”.
For a more youthful appearance, Jack suggests adding just a few layers to “soften the face” break up any harsh lines and boost roundness and body.
Cutting these layers on an angle allows the hair to move naturally, and can even “lift the face”.
Curtain bangs are a great way to add an edge to your hairstyle and can be stylishly accommodated into most cuts. Stylists assert that they’re also “flattering to all face shapes”.
Favour fathered ends rather than a blunt cut will work with curtain bangs to cheat and gentle, youthful appearance.
