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18 Wash and Wear Haircuts For Women Over 60: Time-Saving Chic
Dr Meena Zareie (GMC)
Medically reviewed by
Dr Meena Zareie (GMC)
Updated on September 3, 2024

Wash and wear haircuts for women over 60 can help simplify your beauty routine. These styles look effortlessly polished with a simple wash and minimal styling, freeing up more time in your day. 

Up to 50% of women develop androgenetic alopecia at some point in their life [1], the most common form of hair loss, which causes diffuse thinning and tends to worsen with age. On top of that, natural changes often affect your hair as you get older, such as increased dry, brittle hair, slower hair growth, and more frizz.

If this is the case, you may struggle with the extra effort it takes to maintain an elegant hairdo. Diffuse thinning and dry hair can make styling a challenge, and a poorly chosen hairstyle can highlight a widening centre parting or thinning hair around the crown. 

Fortunately, you still have plenty of options, and these styles offer solutions for women with all different types of hair. In this article, we’ll explore: 

  • The best wash and wear haircuts for women over 60
  • Healthy hair tips for women over 60
  • What to do if you’re experiencing hair loss
Table of Contents

The best wash and wear haircuts for women over 60

Whether your hair is dead straight, wavy, curly, or coily, there’s a stylish haircut for you. Here are some of our top picks, including wash and wear haircuts for women over 60 with thin hair. 

1. Straight short bob with a fringe

Straight short bob with a fringe for women over 60

This short, straight bob with a fringe works great as a wash and wear hairstyle if you have naturally straight hair. It’s one of the best short hairstyles for women over 50 —tThe fringe helps to frame your face and it takes minimal effort to keep it looking chic. 

2. Pixie cut with curls or waves

Pixie cut with waves for older women

A pixie cut with waves works well for older women with naturally wavy, curly, or coily hair. As shown by Jada Pinkett Smith, this style creates an effortlessly sophisticated look. You can use gel or mousse to style your pixie, holding it in place over any areas of thinning hair. 

3. Short symmetrical afro

Short symmetrical afro for older women

This short, symmetrical afro is a stylish, low-maintenance hairdo. It’s a great hairstyle if you want your afro curls out of your face, but don’t want to use protective hairstyles such as braids or cornrows. These styles come with a risk of traction alopecia [2], a type of hair loss caused by excessively tight hairstyles or accessories. 

4. Undercut pixie

Undercut pixie for women over 60

Looking for something more edgy? This undercut pixie cut is striking on women of any age, and can be an excellent choice if you want to make a statement. It can also be styled and volumised to cover areas affected by female pattern baldness.

5. Bouncy layers with a mix of shades

Bouncy layers with a mix of shades

This cut is a fashionable way to embrace the grey, saving time and money on blending greying roots with darker hair. The subtle range of shades adds depth to this style, and minimal colouring means less risk of dryness and brittleness. Check out our expert tips for transitioning to grey hair with highlights

6. Flowy beach waves

Flowy beach waves

Some women over 60 struggle with slow hair growth and breakage which can make it hard to maintain long locks. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. If you’ve got longer hair, embracing the wave can be a great way to maintain volume while disguising any diffuse thinning. 

7. Beachy bob

Alfre Woodard’s beachy bob

A beachy bob adds shape and volume to your hair with minimal effort. This look uses lots of short layers to add natural volume, which can be perfect if your hair tends to get weighed down, or if you need a hairstyle for thinning hair on the crown. 

8. Short pixie

Short pixie haircut for women over 60

The short pixie works just as well if you have straight hair. This edgy cut is extremely low-maintenance, requiring minimal styling time other than a short trim at the salon every few weeks. 

9. Combed out curls

Combed out curls for women over 60

Looking for a wash and wear haircut but struggling with frizz? Why not embrace it? Gently dry with a diffuser to achieve this looser curl pattern, limiting hair damage while you create a look that’s pure frizzy chic. This haircut can also be a lifesaver if you want to hide areas of thinning or balding. 

10. Textured crop

Textured crop for women over 60

This low-maintenance haircut involves cutting your hair close to your head with different angles and lengths. This creates slight movement, fullness, and texture. It can be a great way to disguise thinning around your parting or crown and works for straight, wavy, or curly hair types. 

11. Shoulder-length shag

Shoulder length shag for women over 60

The shag is an on-trend haircut that can be very flattering for women over 60. It blends a long, wispy fringe into choppy layers that frame your face. Short layers can create volume if you’re struggling with flat, thin hair. 

12. Feathered cut

Feathered cut for women over 60

These short, feathered layers give your hair texture and movement — perfect if your longer hairstyle is flat or lifeless and you’re looking for a change. Feel free to experiment with different lengths for this fashionable cut. 

13. Brushed back pixie

Brushed back pixie for women over 60

Brushing back your pixie can give it an edgy look while strategically covering areas of diffuse thinning. Use gel, mousse or spray to style your pixie and add volume.

14. Voluminous round wedge cut

Round wedge cut for women over 60

The soft layers of a round wedge cut frame your face and add a tonne of volume. Choose this style to revive flat hair and volumise further with some light mousse or spray. 

15. Bouncy 90s cut

Bouncy 90’s cut for women over 60

This bouncy 90’s cut has plenty of layers, creating body and volume. If you have natural waves, this style can be incredibly low-maintenance. 

16. Blunt bob

Blunt bob for women over 60

This single-length bob can be incredibly low-maintenance if you have naturally straight hair. If your hair is naturally wavy, curly, or coily, it may not be the best hairstyle for daily wear. Using hair straighteners every day puts your hair at risk from heat damage, especially if you’re over 60. 

17. Curly bixie

Curly bixie for women over 60

Not quite a pixie but not quite a bob, the bixie is the best of both worlds. This bixie looks great with natural curl, making it a great wash and wear option for women over 60 with type 3A-C hair.

18. Long pixie

Long pixie for women over 60

This wash and wear haircut for ladies with straight hair adds instant volume. Feel free to use light products to strategically style around your parting and crown to disguise any areas that may lack natural thickness. You can also consider some of the best hair growth thickness products to give thin hair some more body.

Healthy hair tips for women over 60

It can be difficult to style your hair the way you want it as you get older. You’ll likely experience natural changes to your hair texture, thickness and colour that come with age. These may include: 

Fortunately, it’s still possible for women over 60 to have healthy, vibrant hair. Here are some of our top tips to keep your hair looking its best at 60 and beyond. 

Keep your hair hydrated

Women over 60 may lack hair moisture as their scalp produces less sebum than younger women [19]. Using layers of conditioner can reduce hair breakage [4], and products like shampoo for dry hair can be a good option. 

Style it gently and minimise heat

Hair becomes more fragile and prone to breakage as you get older. Detangle your locks gently with a wide-toothed comb, starting from the ends and working up to the roots. A good time to do this is in the shower when your hair is coated in conditioner. 

Overusing heat styling tools can damage hair of any age, but ageing hair is more vulnerable to heat-related hair loss. Let your locks air dry when possible, and avoid blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons as much as possible. Use a heat protectant spray if you decide to use heat. 

Woman over 60 having her hair cut

Get regular trims

Cutting your hair every 6-8 weeks can reduce split ends and encourage healthier locks. Unfortunately, it’s a myth that cutting your hair makes it grow faster, but it does make it grow healthier. Trimming the ends regularly helps prevent split ends from travelling further up the hair shafts, leaving only healthy hair behind. 

Eat a balanced diet

A balanced diet for healthy hair can give your body the nutrients it needs. Certain mineral and vitamin deficiencies can cause hair loss, such as iron, zinc, and biotin [5]. 

A diet containing plenty of unprocessed fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains can ensure you‘re getting enough vitamins and minerals for healthy hair growth. Many supplements are also available, such as biotin for hair growth, but further research is needed to confirm their benefits. 

Are you experiencing hair loss?

While hair loss hairstyles for thinning hair on the crown can be helpful to conceal hair shedding, they’re not always enough. If you’re self-conscious about thinning hair or it’s limiting your choice of hairstyles, help is at hand. Our specialist hair doctors can diagnose the cause of your symptoms with diagnostic trichology tests, such as a hair pull test or blood tests for hair loss.

They will then work with you to create a personalised treatment plan. This may include lifestyle advice and medication such as minoxidil, or you may be a candidate for a natural-looking hair transplant.

A hair transplant is permanent and may be able to restore thick, youthful locks for a lifetime. Book a consultation at one of our clinic locations for an assessment with one of our experts.

18 Wash and Wear Haircuts For Women Over 60: Time-Saving Chic, Wimpole Clinic

Dr Meena Zareie (GMC)
Medically reviewed by Dr Meena Zareie (GMC)Updated on September 3, 2024
The Wimpole Clinic offers FUE Hair, Beard & Eyebrow Transplants & Trichology.
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