With age comes grace – and your curls can be a lovely statement of your beauty and confidence. If you are over the age of 70 and want to change your look, you can get inspired by our modern collection of curly hairstyles. Whether you want a big change or a small change, these hairstyles will help you to embrace beautiful soft waves or big curls, and will let you express your personality.
One thing I find really cool, is when a 70 year old woman sits in my chair, I love when they say, “It’s been decades since I wore my hair curly”. Many women have stories about extensive blow drying and flat-ironing because of the professional assumptions made about them. One of my clients was a retired university professor, and she had straightened her hair for over 40 years! When I finished styling her natural curls and she saw her reflection, she cried. It was not a dramatic style, nor a fashion statement. She felt like she was alive again.
I think we should think about these types of haircuts differently. It is not about some anti-aging trick, or what the latest thing is with getting the ‘right’ haircut for your face shape. The right haircut supports texture, so therefore, it can be about the hair having its way with the balance. Hair is not the only thing that changes as we age, so do curls. They can become looser, coarser, or they can start to go in all different directions. These changes can be beautiful as long as you stop trying to fight them. I keep returning to these styles and for good reason. They work in reality, and not just on the runway.
#1: Soft Silver Curl Contour
The curls framing the face looks lovely and has a certain natural elegance to it. The layers are airy and bouncy and provide lifting to the hair unlike the mid-length curls that weigh you down. Fine hair types may be surprised at how much movement this type of cut provides. Using a small amount of curl-enhancing cream and you are good to go.
#2 Dynamic Bronzed Tousled Crop
The design of this cut shows that a lot of thought has gone into it. The length is also good as it keeps things manageable. The warm bronze shade complements mature skin as it adds warmth without looking overdone. If you want to go shorter but are worried about losing all of your texture, then I would keep this one in mind as you won’t lose any texture.
#3 Silver Soft Curls with Natural Volume
The thing that stands out most for me in this style is the way the curls clump together; it’s a totally organic phenomenon that is difficult to recreate. It has to do with the curl pattern and the cut. There’s a relaxed feel to this that looks super lived-in, almost like she woke up and the hair just fell into place how she wanted. This type of natural volume is especially rare in thinner hair, so it is truly a gift. This look is versatile enough that for a dinner you could put a clip in to dress it up, or for a Tuesday morning you could leave it as is and it would be just as good.
#4 Effortless Natural Gray Tousled Curls
There is a certain length to gray curls that looks stunning. It isn’t overstyled or too fussy. It’s just hair in all its healthy glory. The density is great here and the way it naturally frames the face is super organic. If your curls are this thick and natural, you will want to focus on moisture. Gray hair gets dry and that is when it looks frizzy instead of purposeful. A good leave-in conditioner can be game changing.
#5 Brunette Spiraled Soft Curls
The haircut has chin length, voluminous curls at the crown, and spiral curls. I think the curls will do most of the work once we achieve the shape. Without defining products, I will say spiral curls can get a bit unmanageable, but it is a small price to pay for the effort that this hairstyle looks like. People will notice this haircut and ask you if you’ve changed something and you can smile.
#6 Classic Salt-n-Pepper Curly Bob
The bob hairstyle will work with all hair types, but particularly excels with the addition of a curl as it creates even more volume. Depending on your desired look, bobs can be styled to be clean and polished everyday or they can be styled to be messy, as demonstrated in the “salt and pepper” example. The length is appropriate for all types of curls and the salt and pepper color adds a nice touch. If you are embracing your natural grey hair this is the perfect hairstyle for you, as it requires minimal commitment!
#7 Charming Silver Voluminous Curls
This is the type of style I recommend when someone says their hair feels flat. The volume on top lifts everything and adds some energy to the overall look. For curly hair, medium-short lengths are the spot because you get fullness without losing the weight to pull your curls down. All this needs is a little mousse at the roots when it’s damp, a quick scrunch, and then let it air dry.
#8 Elegant Silver Cloud Curls
The layers look soft and cloud-like! I also see good movement without added weight which is great for finer hair. The silver is gorgeous and the length is perfect – long enough for shape and short enough for easy upkeep. If you want to style your hair quickly in the morning without spending a lot of time on it, but want it to look like you put in a lot of effort, this is a great option!
#9 Lush Natural Gray Defined Curls
It’s so nice to see all that character in the coils! The density looks great, and I think cutting it right above the shoulders was a good choice since it gives the curls enough room to spring up without getting tangled or matted underneath. One of the best things in my opinion is how the gray color goes with her warm skin tone. It’s a nice contrast and you don’t always get to see that richness. Given how thick and coily her hair is, moisture is a non-negotiable. She needs to be wetting it at least once a week, and with a good deep conditioner, to keep it looking nice!
#10 Soft Voluminous Silver Curls for Refined Elegance
This style will do all the talking. The layers will certainly add some body, and the best part is that there is not much you will need to do after wash day! As curly hair turns silver, it tends to hold its shape better than you would think as it is a little drier so it won’t fall as quickly and it is naturally drier. If you do go for this, I would suggest discussing curl enhancing treatments with your stylist that will add some moisture, it will be worth it!
#11 Refined Silver Waves with Side-Swept Bangs
I like how side-swept bangs soften everything while still keeping it open. It’s a small detail that changes the whole vibe of the cut. The waves are a little more on the relaxed side which gives an effortless, casual feel. Also, the gray hair is just gray. I really think gray hair is more beautiful than trying to cover it. The cut will need to be reshaped every couple of months to maintain the layers falling like that, but it is pretty low maintenance in between appointments.
#12 Natural Gray Spirals with Defined Texture
I love how neat this looks and it does not come off stiff, that type of balance is much more difficult than people think. The shape works especially well here as it follows the natural growth pattern instead of superimposing something geometric on curly texture. The tightness of the definition of the curls comes mostly from how you dry them, and if you are using the right anti-frizz gel for your texture.
#13 Graceful Natural Gray Layered Curls
I appreciate the goal, and I adore the effortless soft flowing layers on naturally gray curls. I imagine with the procedure being streamlined, she likely spent around five minutes on it. I find it very purposeful that the layers are placed to give the right amount of volume in the right places while avoiding the extreme weight at the ends. This is something that I think about quite often when I’m scissor cutting curly hair on someone who prefers the style to remain uncomplicated. Regarding styling maintenance, the biggest issue is humidity, but day to day the fuss is very low and it doesn’t get any easier than this for curly hair.
#14 Textured Silver Corkscrew Curls
These corkscrew curls look incredible at this length! The silver shade really captures the light beautifully, playing off the dimension in the curl pattern. Also, the layers keep the style feeling light. This is one of those styles where texture is key, so be sure to keep those curls hydrated to maintain definition in the spirals. Other than that, this is a really easy style that gives you a lot of bang for your buck!
#15 Platinum Curly Pixie for Feminine Flair
I appreciate older women with curly pixie cuts because their unique features are on display with their hair so short. I think it is beautiful. People usually don’t appreciate the freedom that comes when they no longer have to schedule hair color appointments until they start to go grey. Curly pixie cuts can create an appearance of more volume, particularly if your hair is on the thinner side. Longer cuts stretch out the curls and reduce their bounce, so a curly pixie cut is a great way to achieve that look! Plus, all it takes to achieve the look is some curl defining cream!
#16 Artistic Silver Tight Curls with Voluminous Crown
This design’s most important element is the use of volume, as it draws the eyes upward and opens the entire face. I find this style to be very flattering for most. This tight curl pattern is very sculptural. I find it way more interesting to work with than other styles because tight curls like this hold a shape that other looser textures do not. The main upkeep is to ensure that the curls remain moisturized, however, from a structural stand point, this style holds up well between appointments. If you want to add a dimension without changing the whole look, some subtle highlights woven into the grays would work nicely.
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