Short Hair Styling Guide for Mature Women

Every woman wants to have a great hairstyle, no matter what her age. Short styles for mature women range from simple and elegant to fun and sassy, and they can be easy to create.

Seven Short Hairstyles for Mature Women

A few simple steps and the right styling products can help you create a great style that fits you perfectly. LoveToKnow sought advice on short hair styling for mature ladies from experts Edmondo Blando, owner of Salon Vanity and an internationally-trained stylist, and Sanda Petrut, a top stylist of the renowned Maxine Salon in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. The following styles are not only flattering for mature women, but are easy to create as well.

Short, Straight, and Sassy

Although many mature women add curls to their hairstyles, there are plenty of straight styles they can wear, too. A short straight look, like Annette Benning wears, with relaxed choppy pieces, is a confident style with a little attitude. It works best for mature women who want a chic yet modern style. It is also a great look for women with thinning hair because it helps give the illusion of thicker hair and can be styled to minimize thin areas. Sanda Petrut gave LoveToKnow the steps on how to achieve this style:

1. First, Sanda suggests applying mousse to damp hair, and recommends Kerastase Mousse Substantif.
2. Next, blow dry using a vent brush while drying to create lift at the root.
3. Finish the look with a small round brush to round the ends to obtain maximum volume.
4. If you're styling a look like this with dry hair, Sanda suggests applying a product that will create texture, such as Shu Uemura Cotton Uzu.

Short Windblown Style

A feminine yet polished look, short hair in a windblown style can look fabulous on mature women. The slight flips help draw the eye upward, which helps detract from fine lines on the face and give a more youthful look. Sanda shares how to achieve this elegantly modern look:

1. Apply mousse, such as the aforementioned Kerastase Mousse Substantif to damp hair.
2. Next, Sanda says to blow dry the hair by flipping the back nape and the first inch on the sides directing back the hair. When styling, Sanda says, you'll want to think of hair being blown by the wind.
3. Style using a small round-brush on the top to smooth the hair and add volume.
4. Finish with a light hold hairspray.

Casual Short Curls

A short curly style can be very versatile. It can be worn with bangs, bangs curled and slightly to the side, or without bangs. This is also a good one for thinning hair because the curls add volume and the soft lines of the hairstyle are very flattering to mature faces. To achieve a soft, curly hairstyle, Sanda says to once again begin with mousse to add volume and hold. Then:

1. Use a medium large round brush while drying to add additional volume and smooth the hair.
2. Use a 1" curling iron to create the curls and add texture to the hair. (Turn the ends of the curls facing outward or inward toward your face, depending on how you want the style to look).
3. Complete you look with a light-hold hairspray once you have the curls in place.

Razored Layers

Edmondo Blando shares that the layered style popularized by Lisa Rinna is a winning look for mature ladies. Edmondo says the Lisa Rinna look is great because "It's easy to style and perfect for thinning hair." To create the look yourself, have your hairstylist give you a good cut with layers and razored ends. Then at home, Edmondo shares his two-step process for styling:

1. Scrunch the bottom of the hair with curling cream or gel to create some waves.
2. Then, blowout the top smooth.

Modern Pixie

Another top pick from Edmondo is the modern pixie. He says, "This cut is easy to manage with a rocker edge for women with a youthful side." For a basic style, he says simply:

• Apply a volumizing cream to damp hair and you're ready for the day.

A modern pixie is often a little longer in the front or sides and works well for mature women with fine hair. Many female celebrities, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Sharon Stone, have made a pixie cut part of their signature style and show how well it work well for mature ladies. It can also be styled in different ways, including:

• Blown dry in different directions for a relaxed, casual style.
• Combed neatly with gel and parted to the side for a polished look (if your hair is extremely fine or you have obvious thinning areas, be cautious with this look, however).
• Curled with a small barrel curling iron and finger-combed for an easy, feminine style.

Side Swept Bangs With Short Hair

A short style can get added impact with side swept bangs. Edmondo says this is a great accent because "bangs work for every face shape and every texture of hair." These bangs also have the added advantages of softening the face and hiding fine lines on the forehead. These type of bangs work well with short, cropped cuts.

To style side swept bangs:

1. Blow dry the bangs with a brush underneath in to add volume.
2. Choose where to you want your bangs parted (many women choose an off-center part), then brush the bangs to either side.
3. Mist lightly with a flexible hold hairspray to set the style but allow movement.

Old Hollywood

Short hair can achieve plenty of volume (which is often lacking in mature hair) by adding curls. To get a sophisticated look, Edmondo says:

1. Embrace natural texture by using a curling rod. Hot rollers are another great option for an old Hollywood look.
2. After curling the hair or taking out the hot rollers, finger through.
3. Then gently brush the hair.

For any of these styles, Edmondo suggests the following products for mature hair:

• Shu Uemura Essence Absolue: "This conditioning oil moisturizes dry, damaged hair while adding shine."
• Shu Uemura Muroto Volume: "This combination of lightweight, vitalizing shampoo, conditioner and hair mask helps to reinforce and rebuild the hair fiber adding vitality and shine."

Tips for Short Styling

• Avoid using too much styling product. Stiff hair overloaded with product is especially obvious on short hair.
• Consider styles with some softness rather than severe styles, which can emphasize fine lines.
• Consider volumizing products or root-lifting sprays for thicker-looking styles.
• Piecy, choppy and spiky styles work especially well for short hair and can look fabulous on older women. These can be great alternatives to perms for women who want a wash and wear look without curls.

Feeling Great in Your Short Style

Update your short style to fit your lifestyle, and don't worry so much about following trends. Today, fashion is about making your own personal statement no matter what your age. If you want to wear your hair gray and spiked, go ahead if this is the image you want to convey.

Short hairstyles for mature women are all about creating a look that works for you. Work closely with your stylist to come up with the cut that is best for you and your hair, and then play with different styling methods for one that makes you look and feel your very best.