Published in Younger YouView Article Source December 2010
Forget all the old "rules" (and who made them, anyway?). Just because you're 40 (or 50, or 60 or 70+), you don't have to get a helmet hairstyle to salute the passing of youth. Just as it's not compulsory to have Rapunzel tresses because you're 20.
"There are no rules," Liz Tagla, salon manager of Bauhuas Hair in Sydney. "If you're confident enough to wear a style then go for it. In today's society, it is so difficult to guess how old someone is. It's up to each individual but for some going against the grain and defying the `rules' is what makes them younger.
"Today's woman really looks after herself, inside and out. She eats a healthy diet, exercises, has a career and does what she can to take care of her appearance.
"No matter what age you are, the length that your hair `should' be is quite an individual decision. You need to take into consideration your face shape, your body shape, your lifestyle, maintenance and so forth.
"It comes down to confidence and being comfortable with yourself and who you are – don't try to be someone else."
But whatever length you opt for, Dario Cotroneo of DARIO salon in Sydney, urges mature-age women not to play it straight. "One very important tip for over-40s is to try to avoid straight hair. It draws attention to your face and emphasises any lines you may have, whereas waves and curls draw attention away from your face and therefore minimises the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles."
LONG STORY
"If you feel longer hair suits you, then, whatever the length, you need to have a good cut regularly so that your hair has a style and is not just `long hair'," says Liz. "The older you get, the more important this point becomes.
"Your hair needs to look healthy and well maintained and the longer the length, the more essential styling, colouring and density becomes.
"Keep your hair in good condition by having regular trims (this will also maintain your style) and treatments."
SHORT STORY
"I would generally recommend short hair for women who are outgoing with big personalities and who are comfortable in their own skin," says Dario. "The older she gets the more volume is required. To give a modern finish use Alterna's Caviar Molding Crème, $37.95 (all prices are recommended retail only) to separate the style so it looks sharp and individual." (For Alterna stockists phone 1300 437 436).
Says Liz: "Short hair really has to suit your face shape and the style becomes extremely important – shorter hair draws attention to your face and your body at the same time. It can emphasise certain features and detract from others and because of this it can completely change your look.
"You need to find a stylist who is experienced at analysing features correctly while taking into consideration your lifestyle. A good cut `technically' is crucial. It needs to be said though that you can't hide behind your hair and therefore the shorter you go the more you need to be confident about your body and about who you are.
"Some women find it liberating to go short after having longer hair all through their teens and 20s. There is a misconception however that short hair is easier. In order for your style to be short and low maintenance, it needs to be very short, cut with precision and suitable to your hair type, growth patterns and so on.
"I'd recommend going shorter in stages – you can always cut more off but unless you're going to opt for hair extensions, you can't as easily add length on!"
SCALP
"Not many women realise how important the scalp condition is, and how it affects the condition of your hair", says Liz. "Use a good quality home care range which will be gentle on the scalp and keep it healthy and balanced."
THINNING AND HAIR LOSS
"A thick head of hair is better than Botox!" says Liz. "If your hair is fine or it has thinned out over the years, then you should definitely consider adding bulk and volume with hair extensions. I'd suggest only considering human hair extensions made from the highest quality hair. Permanent options are best as they fit in with your lifestyle and your everyday look. [At Bauhuas] we use and recommend only the best hair extensions, Great Lengths, as they have a large range of colours and lengths which enable us to create results that are completely natural."
COLOUR YOUR WORLD
Says Dario: "Women must all have their hair professionally coloured. When we colour our client's hair, the goal is to rebalance the face. Colour placement is based on face shape suitability, bringing life to their face and complexion. In my salon we use Lakme Colour because it gives us lots of flexibility when creating individual colour looks for our clients. In general, my philosophy in regards to colour is lighter tones expand the face and darker tones slim it down.
"I can't stand women above 40 going very dark using one block colour. This makes them look like they are trying extremely hard to be young. Women above 40 should always go for soft and flattering tones that work with their skin tone and their age. Not what used to work 20 years ago."
IN YOUR 30s
Keep it longer if you can, it looks fresh and young and very feminine (as with Angelina Jolie, pictured top) says Liz. "In this decade you may be starting a family and hair needs to be manageable and easy. Money is spent elsewhere so your personal 'luxuries' are less of a priority."
IN YOUR 40s
Says Dario: "Women who are over 40 should get very soft edges around the perimeters of their haircut. Stronger blunt cuts will draw attention to lines in the face which results in them looking older.
"The classic mistake is that too many women do not layer their hair as they get older. Hair that is all one length creates a downward energy and therefore brings the face down. Which results in looking older.

Click here for our photo gallery: Celebrity Hair - The Roaring 40s.
"As I said, it's important for women over 40 to avoid really straight hair. Try and look at using some MYCURLs ($89.95) in your hair with Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Styling Tonic, $32.95 to assist in creating curls and movement easily."
Says Liz: "40 is the new 30! Women in their 40s are confident and they've come to a point in their lives where they know what works for them. I'd say they have the freedom to wear their hair how they want and if they'd like to keep it a little longer, they should. Shoulder-length hair or just a bit longer can be quite youthful at this age.
"In your 40s and 50s, you may be getting your career back on track. You again have more money to spend on your appearance and more time, too. You're aware that you're getting older but you're more confident about who you are and prioritise taking care of yourself.
IN YOUR 50s
Says Dario: "Hair needs to get bigger each decade to compensate for the face dropping with age. You have to keep your hair balanced with your face so, if the face is 50 years old, then it will need a hairstyle that requires lots of lift to compensate for the face dropping with age. This is the key when moving through the decades.
"So if you love your long hair you will have to look at having your hair layered to assist your style with lots of height. Most importantly, to assist your haircut you must have your own hair volume kit, such as a volume shampoo, conditioner and mousse to create sustainable, lasting volume.
"Use a good quality shine product like Alterna's Caviar Rapid Repair Spray, $34.95, for gloss and then secure your style with Alterna's Caviar Working Hairspray, $32.95. Just like your skincare and makeup kit, the older you get the more you have to have in your hair kit!"
Says Liz: "There are degrees of length and I wouldn't suggest extremely long hair once you start moving into your 50s as it can have an adverse effect – it can actually age you.
"My suggestion is to keep with shoulder length and shorter at this age. Keeping it slightly longer (shoulder length) can be softening and flattering on your face.
"In your 50s your hair texture and density changes because of hormonal reasons [such as menopause]. Consider adding volume to fine, thin hair with a few strands of hair extensions. Don't go too extreme with length as it still needs to be believable and flattering.
"The 50s is a good time to decide whether to go much shorter. Think Sharon Stone [before she grew it back to shoulder length, anyway!] or keep a bit of length. It's essential to maintain a bit of colour, add some warm and stay away from ashy tones."
IN YOUR 60s
Says Liz: "A 60-something with very short hair looks fabulous! A layered style is feminine and softer and easier to maintain. It's not advisable to have too much length in this decade as it can drag your face down. Shoulder length hair is the longest that you should consider. The colour and texture of your hair changes as it tends to be greyer.
"Colour needs to be light-mid shades and as natural as possible. It can be very harsh if it's too dark and too blonde can be trashy. If it's fine hair, consider adding bulk and volume with hair extensions."
IN YOUR 70S+
It is definitely advisable to go shorter, says Liz. "It's more about manageability and maintenance. Your income decreases and although you still care about your appearance, it should be with minimal effort. It's a cliché but you want to age gracefully.
"Your hair texture, colour and density also changes as you get older and this may influence your choices."
DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME – OR ANYWHERE ELSE!
Liz has some definitive hair no-nos for women over 40:

• Perms!
• Horrendous bright colours.
• "I think the main mistake [older women] make is that they lose confidence to try new styles so end up pulling it back or get stuck in a rut as a `safe' option".
• "Another huge mistake, which is extremely common, is choosing the wrong colour. And having one-dimensional colour."