I stand by my statement that this combination improves with time. Every time I have clients wishing to go full bleach or do a single process, I suggest a warm light brown with a few highlights and their whole face changes. It’s not dramatic like a soap opera, it’s more like someone changed the light and the mood.
One of the biggest, and embarrassingly, longest lessons I have learned is that dimension is more important than shade. Years ago, I had a stunning client in her sixties who had a medium brown color that was as flat as a puddle. Then one day she came in and said she was tired of looking ‘filled in’ and honestly that is the most perfect description of a single process color I have ever heard. We kept the same depth but added a few highlights and a little warmth around her face and she started crying. It wasn’t because it was a drastic change, but because for the first time in many years, her hair actually looked like hair and not a helmet. That is what great highlights do these days, they make your hair look alive again. I want to show you 15 looks for women over 60 that I absolutely adore, especially if you want to bring some life back to your hair color, and it’s ideal for silver hair or if you’re just ready to try something a little more adventurous.
#1: Sleek Cinnamon Tinted Layered Bob
I appreciate the work done here with the layered cinnamon tones on a light brown base. It is warm, but without going too far into the red zone which can feel like a bit of an unnecessary commitment. The way it wraps around the face is doing exactly what we want, it softens everything without making it obvious. The layers provide the movement that is so needed when the hair starts to thin a little. I recommend the visual texture to help. A round brush is best to keep that bend during your blow dry, but this is quite low maintenance for how put together it is. The color fade is very seamless, which means less maintenance and that is half the battle as well.
#2 Soft Caramel Swirls on a Mid-Length Cut
While I might be a bit biased, I think a mid-length cut with caramel highlights looks great, especially with these layers. The added volume is amazing and the lighter pieces around the face brighten everything up and give a more sophisticated feel. You have hit that point where people say, “You look amazing!” and they just can’t figure out what has changed. Those are my favorite compliments to hear. If your hair is a bit more on the curlier side, you *may* have to smooth it out with a flat iron, but this cut looks really nice with some natural texture. This style is going to be great from wash day to wash day.
#3 Warm Auburn Tousled Bob for Mature Women
In my opinion, there is a very unique beauty that women over sixty with auburn hair possess. It could be that the warmth in their hair brings out their skin’s natural color. This bob is modern and not overly styled. The layers framing the face and adding volume where it’s needed, like the cheeks. To keep the shape of the waves you’ll need to wash and style it every day so use some volumizing mousse. This look may not be very simple in the morning, but it’s really only about five minutes worth of work.
#4 Classic Chestnut Bob with Soft Ends
This hairstyle has a nice simplicity to it. The base color with chestnut shades and highlights in light brown fits really well with what I assume to be your natural color. I think the hair length is a chin length haircut which is pretty common. I would do this on clients quite frequently because it tends to suit most face shapes, something longer bobs can’t always do. This haircut has a very strong and structural look to it, but the softer ends also contribute to a more relaxed aesthetic. If you like to spread your hair appointments apart to 10 or 12 weeks, you may want to avoid this haircut, as it’ll start looking bad by month 4. For hair that is fine to medium, this haircut is ideal.
#5 Effortless Short Textured Cut for Stylish Seniors
This is the kind of hairstyle that you can literally air dry and walk out the door with minimal effort. These highlights are perfect for the look because they make the hair look simple and practical without compromising on dimension. The extra layers also give it volume as well as added texture. In the case that your hair has gotten thinner, this can be especially beneficial. I know the feeling! On those days where, When your hair is looking like it has little volume, a texturizing spray will go a long way. Beyond that you won’t need to put much effort into it. I would really encourage my clients to go for a cut like this because it really does make life so much easier.
#6 Glamorous Dynamic Waves with Subtle Highlights
The stars of this look are the various highlights. The way the waves are cut helps them catch the light so well that the depth of the color is something that even a high quality color could never give. This style is very sophisticated while being very easy and casual enough for a Tuesday. It looks wonderful and is perfect for medium to thick hair. People with fine hair shouldn’t be discouraged either because it is quite achievable with some volume root spray. The real time consumption comes from the curling. If you like the process and enjoy the curls, it will be worth it.
#7 Chic Feathered Shag for Fine Hair
I love a good shag haircut, and this one is especially good! I love how this cut hits at the collar bone, it gives enough length to pull it back if you want to, but still keeps it short enough for lazy days, which I love. The feathery layers give the fine hair volume that it desperately needs (and rarely gets on its own). The scattered highlights throughout the light brown base smartly brighten the face without being stripey. I love everything about this style. However, I think the face framing highlights will grow out and lose their impact before the rest of the color. If you fall in love with this look, budget for a partial highlight every few months to keep the brightness where it matters.
#8 Graceful Golden Layers for Ageless Elegance
A good example of a style that is quietly confident is this chin length bob with golden highlights. It isn’t begging for attention, but looks amazing and allows the wearer to carry on with their day without all the distraction that other styles can bring. The gold tones in the layered sections of the cut contrast nicely with the light brown base, and provide volume so good that you won’t have to fight with it each morning. This bob is very flattering for rounder faces with medium density hair as it offers a face lengthening effect because of the layers. To maintain the polished look, this bob will need trimming every six weeks.
#9 Flirty Tousled Waves in Sun-Kissed Brown
The energy is my favorite part. I love how it’s shoulder length. That length is that ‘just right’ zone where you can basically do anything with it. The tapered waves create an effortless tousled look, which I think a lot of women over sixty want, but don’t know how to ask for. The sun-kissed highlights look subtle enough for people to think ‘I just got back from somewhere warm,’ which is the goal. Layering through the mids and ends adds volume for the thinner hair. When you want waves to look intentional and not just like you slept on them, use a curl enhancer product while your hair is damp.
#10 Stylish Copper Tinted Tapered Pixie for Elegant Maturity
Some people see going short as a sign of giving up while others see it as a bold decision, and this pixie cut definitely falls into the latter category. The cut has some structure thanks to the tapered sides, and the extra top volume adds a playful element. This cut has great wash and go potential, and it will only take another ten minutes to style in the morning. The extra height is especially good for rounder face shapes as it gives nice balance to the overall look. The tradeoff is that you’ll have to maintain the shape by visiting your stylist every four to five weeks, but considering the time you’ll save on styling, it will definitely be worth it.
#11 Sleek Silver Layered Bob with Face-Framing Highlights
I love this look because it embraces the grey and doesn’t hide from it. The face-framing highlights complement the natural silver beautifully, and you also get a rich look that you lose when you cover grey hair. The bob haircut is also more low-maintenance, and the added layers provide shape through the crown and help the hair to hold its volume throughout the day. If you have natural grey hair or are mostly grey and are unsure what to do next, this is the ideal look for you. The blunt cut ends give it a polished, smart look, and the layers add just enough fun, This combination really is all you need.
#12 Voluminous Textured Waves in Light Brown with Blonde Highlights
This is a compliment to the stylist who cut the hair because the layering technique here is really doing overtime. The movement that the mid-length layers are creating is making the fine hair look much fuller, and the light brown and blonde highlights are giving that depth that make the eyes perceive twice as much hair as there actually is. I might be overselling it, but it really is one of those haircuts that just works. If you are going to do something similar, make sure to ask your stylist for face-framing layers, because that’s what is pulling everything together around your features. It’s the kind of effort that really pays off, but you will need some styling time in the morning to get these waves cooperating.
#13 Subtle Walnut Waves with Gentle Highlights
I love how soft this looks. The walnut base is such a good grounding color and the blonde highlights are the perfect touch to lift it. It’s dimension without the drama which is sometimes just what you want. The waves give fine hair some volume and the layers help avoid a single block look. This will be great for heart/shaped and oval faces as it will frame the face without being too much. It really frees up visual space around the jaw and temple area. The maintenance for this cut will be more than a blunt bob because the layers will need to be reshaped more often to keep that movement but the color is more forgiving and you can go longer between appointments.
#14 Sunlit Bronze Cascading Waves for Medium Hair
This style embraces grey which is beautiful and uses some lovely bronze hues that brighten and draw attention to the natural warmth in the hair and make everything feel intentional. The cascading waves of this medium length cut provide a lot of movement True test of a hairstyle. This hairstyle is compliments natural wavy hair. It will be easy to achieve this style at home if your hair is naturally wavy. If your hair is straight then a big barrel curling iron will do the work for you. The small face framing layers create just enough of that effortlessly detail that leaves people guessing how you look that good.
#15 Elegant Sable Stacked Bob with Luminous Highlights
This hair style is very easy to maintain, with the potential for a lot of shape and structure. This style features silky highlights in a sable brown base color, which is very classy. With layers stacked in the back, you achieve this style’s volume, and best of all, you won’t have to spend 20 minutes each day with a round brush to create the volume. These fresh highlights don’t jump to the front and take the spotlight from the cut, but they do create some interest. The subtle asymmetry in the style is nice because it helps it stay fresh and not too predictable. One thing to keep in mind about this style is that the back is going to grow out in a way that could look mullet-ish, so make sure your trims are frequent! If you keep up with your trims, this will be a great cut!
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