5 styling tricks make hairstyles over 60 livelier without a cut

A little more height on the top of the head, a soft wave over the ear, the bangs freshly shaped – and the same length of hair suddenly looks significantly younger. Upbeat hairstyles for women over 60 depend on the cut much less often than the many before galleries on the Internet would suggest. The styling technique usually determines the effect: how you blow-dry, where the part sits, how the bangs fall. This is the best news for all those days between two hairdressing appointments when the cut is actually still in place, but the hair hangs flat and tired from your head. Five simple steps are enough to get existing hair back on track – and it rarely takes longer than the journey to your first cup of coffee.

Volume on the top of the head: the blow-drying technique for short hair

The fastest freshness effect comes from above. Short hair immediately looks more lively as soon as the top of the head is raised – in the Pixie this principle is often called “crown”: the sides remain short and lie close, the top hair is worn a little longer and placed in a targeted manner.

This is how it works: Blow-dry the hair until it has a residual moisture content of around 80 percent, grab a round brush with a diameter of 25 to 33 millimeters and pull the top hair strands vertically upwards on the top of the head. The hairdryer blows on the roots from below against the direction of growth. Finally, cool each batch for a few seconds using the cold setting – this way the volume stays put and doesn’t collapse again immediately.

It’s up to you how strong your appearance will be: subtly roughened it remains suitable for everyday use, energetically blow-dried back it creates a small pompadour with real presence. The subtle version is sufficient for everyday life, save the full swing for the evening at the theater.

The cut plays a role in fine, thinning hair: a long pixie cut for women over 60 with incorporated layers visually stretches a round face and allows the lengths to fall fuller. If you are looking for more grip and movement, you will find the right structure in shag hairstyles for more volume. Between appointments, however, the hairdryer and brush bear the brunt.

Waves in the 60s style: this is how you can create curls with a curling iron

Soft waves in the style of the ’60s and ’70s are back, and they look extremely good on mature hair. The movement conceals thinner areas and at the same time brings shine into play.

The structure is manageable: create a deep side parting, divide the front sections into finger-thick strands and use a curling iron to curl each strand backwards, 25 to 32 millimeters away from the face. The tips remain free, which makes it look more modern. After a few seconds, loosen the curl and catch it in the palm of your hand when it is cool – the curl only lasts when it is cold. Finally, loosen the whole thing with your fingers instead of the brush.

Even shorter hair can do waves, as long as the strands are long enough to wrap around once. This works effortlessly with a bob or lob, but with a very short pixie the length is usually not enough.

Heat protection belongs in front of every curling iron, no exceptions. A short spray on the dry length creates a film around the strand, which protects the cuticle and preserves the shine. Fine hair over 60 in particular quickly responds to too much direct heat with dryness and split ends.

The bangs make the difference: fringed, curtain bangs or chin bangs

Hardly any detail changes the face as much as the bangs. A fringed, slightly arched fringe lies softly over the forehead, conceals the first wrinkles and immediately appears more youthful. The texture is important: thinned, irregular tips fall naturally, a dense straight edge quickly appears.

Not every fringe suits every length. Curtain bangs – the version that is parted in the middle and fall outwards – are best shown from lob length and frame the face like a curtain. For a chin-length bob, chin bangs are the more elegant choice: they end at the level of the chin and emphasize the cheek area. Our pony variations for medium-length hairstyles provide suitable suggestions.

Between two hairdressing appointments, keep the bangs in shape yourself: slightly dampen the area, blow-dry it down over your forehead with a small round brush and pluck the ends apart with your fingertips. A pony grows about one to one and a half centimeters a month – after four weeks at the latest it becomes long enough to be annoying.

Change the parting for new momentum: asymmetry and A-line

For many women, the top of their head has been in the same place for decades, and that’s exactly where their hair lies flat. Pull it once to the other side and the roots get extra volume because the hair stands up against its usual direction of fall.

For an asymmetrical look, create a deep side parting and let one side fall significantly longer than the other. If you like it softer, choose the A-line: middle parting, the front parts longer than the back of the head so that the contour points forward. Both variants tolerate a subtle undercut at the nape of the neck, which makes the hairstyle lighter and stretches the neck.

Glasses wearers align the bangs and front steps with the frame: The bangs ideally end just above the top edge so that the view remains clear and the glasses do not compete with the hair. Our pixie cut versions for glasses wearers show which cut goes well with which frame.

Handle and texture: the root trick with powder and dry shampoo

Fine hair falls apart throughout the day, no matter how carefully you blow-dry it in the morning. A little texture right at the roots helps here. A touch of volumizing powder sprinkled on the hairline and worked in with the fingertips lifts the strands and gives a hold that lasts all day.

Dry shampoo can do the same thing and also removes the greasy shine at the roots – practical for the second or third day after washing when you don’t want to have to blow-dry again. Spray on sparingly, allow to take effect briefly, brush out thoroughly. This keeps the top of your head airy and the hairstyle looks well-groomed without you even having to use a hairdryer or curling iron.

Which technique suits which hair length

Not every technique is worthwhile for every length. This overview shows at a glance how you can achieve the greatest effect for the least amount of effort on short, medium-length and long hair.

hair length	Best technology	Tool	Time expenditure
Short (Pixie)	Blow-dry volume on the top of your head	Round brush and hair dryer	about 5 minutes
Medium length (bob, lob)	Waves and curtain bangs	Curling iron and heat protection	about 10 minutes
Long	Change of parting and soft waves	Handle comb and curling iron	10 to 15 minutes

You don’t need more than a handful of tools: a round brush, a curling iron, a heat protection spray and a comb with a pointed handle for parting. This covers each of the techniques in this article and the set fits in every drawer of the dressing table.