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Getting older doesn’t mean you’re obligated to wear certain clothes, so why should your hairstyle be any different?
If you’re looking for a fresh new hairstyle that breathes youth and vitality into your life while also allowing you to achieve that sleek, silver-fox look you deserve, read on to find some inspiration for your next perfect hairstyle. Hairstyles are all about expression.
And there’s no age limit. Maybe you like to keep your hair short and easy to maintain, or perhaps you enjoy long, flowing locks that you can curl, blow out, braid, or whip up into an elegant updo.
No matter your style, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best hairstyles for Black women over 50.
The Best Hairstyles for Black Women Over 50
First, you’ll need to assess your length. Have you already got short hair? Or do you have long hair that you want to cut? If either of these applies to you, check out the first 5 hairstyles on this roundup.
If you have medium-to-long hair and want to keep it that way, the second set of hairstyles in the roundup below should help spark some creativity for your next ‘do.
Style Inspiration: 10 Ways to Rock Your Gray
Before we get to the styles, here’s some information on how to take good care of your gray hair so you can style it however you want. Hair, especially Black hair, is easily damaged by factors like the sun, excessive heat, styling, infrequent trimming, dyes, harsh shampoos, and the list goes on.
That’s not to say that you can’t still wear those tight ponytails and braids that make you feel like you’ve got it all together or use heat to blow out or straighten your hair, but you should be conscious of how often you’re wearing these styles.
Moisturizing and conditioning your hair regularly and in between styles is everything.
Make sure you have a few base products (a trusty shampoo, conditioner, and styling cream or gel) that work well with your hair texture and curl type so you can come out of that wash day feeling fresh and new and with your hair as shiny as ever.
You should work in a wash day at least once a week to ten days, but you should customize your routine and how often you cleanse based on how well your hair acclimates to the washes.
If you braid your hair, make sure to incorporate a wash day each time you remove the braids, and deep condition if you can. It’s best to deep condition your hair every time you wash, or at the very least, once or twice a month.
You should aim to deep condition and wear protective styles throughout the summer months and in the coldest winter months to avoid drying, damage, and split ends.
With all that out of the way, it’s time to decide which style suits you and your personality best. It’s important to decide how long or short you want your hair to be which will depend on how you’ll want to style your hair every day and the time and effort you’re willing to put into it.
Finally, here are 10 of the best hairstyles for Black women over 50. Now, keep in mind that not all of our examples show models actually over 50. However, the styles are universal, and can be worn by any age!
Read Next: How to Care for Natural Hair
Short-to-Medium Styles
For the ladies who prefer the simplicity and beauty of short hair, below are 5 of the best ways to style it. These are just some ideas to get you started; all of these hairstyles are highly customizable to fit your aesthetic.
Style 1: Close-Cropped/Buzzed
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If you want a low-maintenance hairstyle, opt for a close-cropped or buzzed cut. It’s just as it sounds — your hairdresser will use clippers and buzz your hair as close to the scalp as possible.
Though there aren’t many ways to style this cut, you always have the choice to wash and go, and you don’t need to worry about your hair frizzing, getting damaged, etc., and you can rock your natural gray or add some dye into the mix.
Style 2: Natural Fohawk With Low Fade
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This style is perfect for ladies who want to rock short, low-maintenance hair with a twist. The natural fohawk with low fade features short sides with natural coils on top for a pop.
You can add more volume by picking out your coils for extra shape. Try letting some of your coils fall around your face for some framing, and don’t be afraid to add some color to the top, or let your natural gray shine!
Style 3: Sassy Pixie
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You can’t go wrong with a pixie cut, especially if you enjoy short hair but want something with a little more sizzle to it. There are a few different variations of the pixie you can choose from, including:
- Super short pixie with choppy layers
- Short pixie with bangs
- Spiked pixie
- Pixie with feather spikes and bangs
- Choppy pixie with jagged edges
- Fohawk pixie with undercut
If you want to add bangs to your cut, there are several ways you can style those. Side swoop bangs; short, choppy bangs; curtain bangs; face-framing bangs; and braided bangs are all fabulous choices.
Style 4: Short Afro
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This style is perfect for women who are experiencing thinning of their hair. The shape lays perfectly and naturally on your head and requires minimal styling. You can choose to dye it for a pop of color or let your natural gray shine through.
Style 5: Short Bob
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For women who love their short, to-the-point hair, the bob cut is a great style to have. It’s highly versatile in the length or layers you get, and you can add almost any bang to the look. A great bob is one layered with longer bangs for face-framing.
Medium-to-Long Styles
If you prefer to keep length in your hair and don’t mind putting in a little more effort to style, the hairstyles below may be a good option for you.
Style 6: Sleek Ponytail
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The sleek ponytail is good as an everyday style but also doubles as an elegant style that you can wear to various occasions such as weddings, special dinners, holiday parties, and more.
Read Next: How to Do a Sleek Ponytail
Style 7: Natural Curly Bun
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This bun style transfers naturally from unstyled hair. Simply gather your hair up into a high pony, use your favorite products for a sleeked back look on the head.
Then, position your curls on the top of your head and fasten with a ponytail holder, scrunchie, or clip. You can choose to leave some curls free for face framing or add some braids to lead back into the bun to jazz it up.
Style 8: Braids
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Braids make a super fun and super versatile hairstyle. Not only do they offer reduced styling time, but there are many types of braids you can get. Some of the most popular braid styles are:
- Medium box braids
- Upside-down chunky braids with buns
- Pulled back cornrow braids
- Asymmetrical braids and curls
- Thick, twisty braids
Style 9: Braided Styles
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Once in braids, the options of how to style your hair are endless! Not to mention the reduced styling time required. Some of the most popular ways to style your braids are:
- Braided bun
- Top knot for small braids
- Lengthy braided pony
- Bob braids with beads
If you like to accessorize, you can add colored strands, beads, rings, clips, etc. to your braids or any style.
Style 10: Sleeked Straight
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No relaxer is needed for this style — simply blow out your hair and then hit it with the flat iron. There’s no better way to show off that natural gray color than this sleek style.
And since your hair is already blown out, this style transfers nicely into other ‘dos like the sleek ponytail, half-up-half down, and straight hair with curls at the end.
Things to Consider
What are your hair goals? Are you set on long, flowy locks? Or do you want a haircut that’s simple and easy to maintain and style? The first 5 styles are best for short hair and can help you achieve that wash and go.
They’re also versatile in how you can dress them up for different occasions. If you’ve got long, flowing locks and want to keep those, the second set of hairstyles are some of the best ones to add to your repertoire.
No matter what you decide, you can always change it up later. If you decide to cut your hair, for now, it’ll always grow back! Hopefully, this list of the 10 best hairstyles for Black women over 50 has helped you choose your next style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still wondering which style is for you? Read on for some of the most commonly asked questions about this style round-up to help you decide.
Are pixie cuts feminine?
Yes! A cut that used to be seen as “boyish,” is now worn by many women and customized in the most beautiful ways, like curly/wavy, layered, colored, with bangs, etc.
What face shape best suits short hair?
Anyone can rock a short cut, regardless of bone structure. But the face shapes that are most complimented by short hair cut are oval, square/rectangle, and heart-shaped faces. This style looks the best on round faces because it adds angles and structure to the face which can soften the features.
Is a short cut good for older ladies?
A short hairstyle is an excellent choice for older ladies because it’s a highly customizable, chic, and timeless look. You can spend as much time as you want to style it with your products, or simply wash and go. It’s a win-win!
What face shape best suits long hair?
You don’t need a certain face shape to pull off long hair, but the most compatible shapes are oblong, square, diamond, and heart-shaped faces.
How do you maintain long, healthy hair?
Maintaining your pixie is easy; simply visit your hairdresser whenever your hair gets too long for your liking. You can opt for the same style you had before, or switch it up to something new.
So, What Are the Best Hairstyles for Black Women Over 50?
You can’t go wrong with any of the styles on this list. But no matter which hairstyle you choose, stay true to yourself. There are no age limits for any style; the most important part is to find something you like that’s easy to maintain. Happy styling!