25 Flattering Layered Hair Ideas for Women Over 70

Are you over 70 and considering a layered haircut? You may want a style that creates movement, but doesn’t make your hair look thin, stringy, or wispy. The right layered haircut can even lift your features, soften fine lines, and make it easier to style your hair.

**Starting a little below the cheekbone, smartly placed layers can create fullness at the crown and keep the length strong and healthy.** I always recommend personalizing layer depth to your hair’s porosity. This is particularly true for older hair, because ends that are overly textured can make hair appear wispy.

**With some layered shaping, a bit of subtle face-framing, and a light volumizing mousse at the roots, you can get instant fullness without any stiffness.** Check out these lovely layered hairstyles and pick one that speaks to you.

Most of the posts I see for layered haircuts for older women don’t take into account how the hair will be worn day to day, especially for hair styling after 70. I recall a 74 year old client of mine who had a bob cut that had not changed since the 1950s, because she was terrified that someone who told her not to get layers would make her hair look thin. Once I persuaded her to let me add some movement, she burst into tears because she believed the change made her look youthful again. The best layers achieve more than just providing hair with fullness or volume; they also eliminate the boring, lifeless appearance that hair can have and are good for adding personality.

The trick involves the layers, but also about how your hair behaves when you are not manipulating it. For example, some hair tends to kick out at the ends and it is best to play with that. Other hair just falls flat and could use some internal layering to kick it up a notch. Having heavy razor texturizing on mature hair is not ideal because it may go scraggly on you by day three, but hair can look so different with the right layering technique. You can even set your hair like that for the week with some volumizing mousse at the roots and a bit of drying. If you would like, I can show you some of my favorite layered looks and we can figure out what feels best.

Photos

#1: Soft Layered Cut with Easy Everyday Volume

I love this look! I can tell this cut will do what it needs to do. The layers are low so there won’t be weird puffiness at the top, but it has enough mid-layers so it doesn’t just hang there. It sits right above the shoulders, which is great for movement when you walk but not so long that it will drag your hair down. The volume is from the layering, which is what makes it easy to style at home without any product or effort. If your hair is naturally wavy this cut will be great for you. If it’s not, just a quick pass with a round brush when you dry will do the trick.

#2 Lavender Layered Bob with a Little Bit of Attitude

Many of my clients over 70 years of age, I wish they considered color choices more. Soft lavenders for example, would really match the client’s face when their hair goes silver or white. It creates a ‘blank canvas’ type of look. The bob haircut with loose waves is also really nice. It is less stiff and more relaxed, plus shoulder length will be able to allow for a ponytail on days you don’t want to deal with it. Color maintenance is a must and while great purple shampoos are in the market, it is nothing compared to how ‘alive’ the hair looks when the light is captured from the color. Beautiful!

#3 Light Layered Cut with a Soft Textured Finish

This haircut speaks for itself and is designed to have a go-with-the-flow feel. The blending of the different layers is so seamless that it looks like you have sky-high hair. The ends have some soft layering to avoid a blunt finish and it grows out great so you won’t experience that four-week salon panic. This is ideal for anyone with fine to medium hair and is looking for an effortless polished look because that’s exactly what this achieves.

#4 Silver Layered Bob with Soft Feathering

The face-framing layers are what really make this one. They are soft enough to draw attention to the eyes rather than the jaw, which is really flattering on just about all face shapes. The silver is beautiful and compliments the natural hair color nicely. The layers stay fine because of the hair’s fine texture so no unnecessary thinning is done. This is a super versatile style, and that’s hard to get with shorter styles. It looks great on a Tuesday morning running errands and it looks great for dinner on Saturday.

#5 Layered Pixie with Soft Crown Volume

I spend a lot of time on a pixie because working with less hair makes every detail more important, and this one is executed so well. Lift in this cut looks flattering without looking too poofy or helmet-ish. Everything looks good in the ears and nape area. If you’ve had long hair for a long time and have wanted to do a drastic change, this is the time to do it. Ending the cut, you’re going to start feeling a lot of things. You’re going to have to come in more often for trims, but with the hair this cut will take less time to style, and no more than it is now. It all evens out.

#6 Textured Silver Pixie with Tousled Finish

What I love most about the cut is the tousled effect. It creates the look of effortless cool hair, rather than a style that has been overdone or polished. It shortens enough length to allow this silver color to really show off because the light is able to hit it from every direction. The top is perfectly textured to show off the personality without being stuck or crunchy. If your face is on the rounder side this is a really good option because the height from the crown and how close the sides sit is very balanced. Just a tiny bit of texturizing paste on your fingertips and you’re good to go!

#7 Feathered Silver Shag with Face-Framing Bangs

I enjoy shag styles and this one in particular. Adult haircuts can be hit or miss, but these kinds of cuts work great for ‘more mature hair.’ This style has feathered bangs that blend into layers framing the sides of the face so there are no hard lines where the bangs start and end. The length that hits there gives a bouncy youthful movement that a one length cut won’t get you. This cut really works for hair that has some natural wave, and if that’s you, then this style just needs product for the waves and to be left alone, so it can do its thing.

#8 Warm Chestnut Waves with Layered Body

Your skin tone goes beautifully with that chestnut brown shade! The highlights look fantastic as well. I love how natural your waves look. They have that modern feel as opposed to the dated look of tight waves as if they were created with a curling iron. The layers create so much movement in the mid-lengths. The real test of a good haircut is that it doesn’t look flat, even days after washing, and yours certainly meets that test! I hope you took your time with blending the highlights because, honestly, the dimension they create is what brings the whole look together.

#9 Rich Auburn Layered Waves with Natural Movement

Warm and rich auburn is not too red and gives the hair a shine that cooler tones can not achieve. The layers are cut to sit just below the shoulders and work with the hair’s natural movement, which is the secret to a style that looks good every day and not just on salon day. I believe that auburn shades suit more skin tones that you’d expect. They can even be lower maintenance than blonde with the right depth. If you’re looking for a color that is vibrant but not too loud, this is a stunning option.

#10 Full Layered Cut with Soft Waves and Movement

There is nice volume and the good thing about it is that it is done using layering rather than teasing or excessive products, which means it moves with you, and that is what makes hair look alive. The waves are soft as well and there are just the right amount to keep it interesting without it looking like you spent a ton of time with a curling iron. The highlights are also subtle and sun kissed with great depth through the layers to give the entire cut a multidimensional look. This cut is one that actually fights the flat hair look for those with fine hair that tends to go flat by midday.

#11 Short Layered Cut with Airy Texture

For those who want their hair short without committing to a pixie, this is a perfect option. It’s short enough to feel lightweight and has enough length to style if desired. The ends are textured which helps to not look choppy, just light and airy. This is a great style for anyone who wants to be able to wash and go. You can literally run your fingers through it, do a quick blow dry, and head out. While I’ve definitely seen more interesting styles, sometimes cuts like this that are low maintenance and make life easier are exactly what you need.

#12 Layered Bob with Soft Waves and Easy Shape

This bob is the perfect length so it tucks behind your ears when you need it out of the way, and still looks intentional and styled when it is down. The soft waves are just enough to keep it from looking overly flat or blunt. There are layers around the face, and are exactly where I would spend the most time with a cut like this because that is where your eye goes first, and the way they are blended is really natural and flattering. If you want a change that doesn’t feel too drastic, but looks like a better version of what you already have, this will definitely be a good option.

#13 Curly Layered Cut with Defined Texture

If you have naturally curly hair, then this is the haircut for you! It will be easy to love your new curls as this haircut will highlight your natural texture. With this style, the layers will not become one big heavy mass. This haircut will frame your face by bringing those curls up. For this style, I recommend using a curl defining cream on wet hair to scrunch and then let it dry. The more you leave curly hair alone, the better they will behave. Curls are always better when they are highlighted. With a solid color, they will look worse than if you had highlights.

#14 Silver Layered Waves with Elegant Movement

When styled with the correct cut, natural silver hair has a certain sophistication. With the right length, hair can form sufficient waves without being weighed down. This cut features some layering at the mid lengths to increase movement. Many women fight their gray hairs for years, and in the end, find out that their gray hair is beautiful, especially when the cut is complemented by it, as in this instance. This look is also really nice when it is just air dried or even blown out, which gives you more options in the style effort you want to put in for the day.

#15 Silver Pixie with Feathered Layers and Soft Shape

I love the detail on this pixie. It looks very soft around the face and nape, and the hair doesn’t look wispy or thin, which is what you want to achieve with shorter cuts on finer hair. This cut is a little longer than most pixies, which I prefer on clients because it gives them some options in the days when the hair gets a mind of its own. The silvery color with the cut is great and almost looks intentional in an edgy way. It is because of the cut and the confidence to own it, and definitely not just gray hair.

#16 Layered Silver Waves with Soft Textured Ends

The cut’s textured ends give it a more modern touch. Without them, it would be another boring mid-length silver cut and there are a million of those. The ends are point cut which gives them a piece-y quality so they can move separately. This cut also has a really gentle movement which is so pretty. The waves look like they just happened on their own, and that is always the goal. I always consider how a cut grows out, and I think this one will grow out really well. Not everyone wants to be in my chair every six weeks and that is a reason I consider it.

#17 Warm Copper Bob with Layered Movement

I love coppers on mature skin because it warms up the skin. Your skin looks radiant, your eyes look bright, and your hair has that perfect lighting. This particular balayage is softly done so it looks sun kissed and not streaky. The layering in the bob is enough to give it some body so it doesn’t look flat even with day three hair. I’m going to be honest about this, because copper is one of the highly considered colours, you are going to want a colour depositing conditioner at home, as well as between appointments, but it is worth it if you love the warmth!

#18 Soft Curly Layers with Natural Volume

These curls are beautifully defined and super lively! I appreciate how the layers in this cut work with the curl pattern. When curly hair is incorrectly layered, it can create a really unflattering triangle shape. In this case, weight was removed in just the right areas so that the curls are able to bounce, and the overall shape is flattering and rounded. The gray ombre effect with darker lengths is stunning and uses our natural color, so it’s basically zero maintenance! This is the type of cut that gets better the longer you leave it.

#19 Silver Layered Cut with Soft Face-Framing Highlights

This one has beautiful framing highlights; they are lighter at the temples and in the pieces that fall closest to the cheeks. That brightens your whole face and you don’t need to color all your hair. The movement in the layers is good and the length just below the shoulders is versatile enough that you can wear it up or pull it back and nice on the go. I would use a large round brush and a blow dryer to style it for a smooth look, though leaving a little natural wave would look good too.

#20 Rich Curly Layers with Warm Color

This shade is really lovely, with it’s rich warmth helping to give a nice shine and health to the curls, and creating a soft 3D effect as the light hits each layer. For the length, shoulder length is perfect for curls of this size because they need enough weight to hold the shape but not so much that they get stretched. I always tell my curly clients that the cut is more important than the product, and a good leave in does help, because you will have styling steps to do, and if the layers are missing no amount of styling will fix it, this cut has the layers.

#21 Layered Silver Cut with Textured Ends and Natural Shine

I appreciate how all of the elements here come together so seamlessly. The silver color is healthy and shiny which is great to see. The ends are nicely textured so that this cut doesn’t get a super clean look, and the layers are so seamlessly blended together that you can’t tell where one ends and the next begins – just that it all melts together beautifully. I also love that this is a no-fuss style for someone who doesn’t want to spend a ton of time or energy but still looks really polished – that is appreciated a ton!

#22 Layered Copper Bob with Soft Wave

Another copper, and I’m not apologizing, and look how gorgeous that color is against her skin. The bob is just the right amount of layered to create movement, without losing the clean shape of the cut, and the soft wave helps to not feel too strict, or too proper. Copper is one of those shades that looks gorgeous and in person, and, in natural light especially. I think that’s what draws me to it repeatedly. If you’ve been playing it safe with your color for a while and you’re thinking of changing it up, this is the kind of different that still feels like you.

#23 Textured Copper Shag with Layered Body

It looks great on all ages, but I personally love how it looks on women over 70 and think it makes them look even better than the twenty-somethings on social media sporting the look. Mature hair has a softness and a quality that makes the layers in a shag fall nicely in a way that younger hair just doesn’t. The layers create a lived-in texture that you just can’t fake with a structured cut. To get that look, I recommend getting gloss treatments every few weeks to keep that warm copper color nice and shiny. If you wait too long between treatments, the copper can fade to a brassy look. Although, with a cut like this, the shape and movement make it and leave all the other considerations in the dust.

#24 Blonde Layered Bob with Feathered Bangs

Feathered bangs don’t work for everyone, and some hair stylists recommend them WAY too often, not taking into account the individual case. Having said that, these bangs are doing exactly what they are supposed to doing and case as an example of the positive attributes bangs can have. Blending of the bangs is noticeable at the very top of them where it is barely visible. The color is also in the right tone because the blonde is soft and not too bright. This medium length cut is going to give you enough volume so that you don’t have to spend twenty minutes with a blow dryer every morning, like some other styles. Just be ready to book some appointments for bangs trims because they grow fast and they’ll be in your eyes before you know it.

#25 Textured Pixie with Crown Lift and Clean Shape

This pixie haircut has a really good shape! It is clean around the ears and nape and you have this nice lift through the crown which stops it from looking flat or too close to your head. The top texture is loose and natural, and does not look over-styled. That ease is what makes a good looking pixie hairstyle and not one that looks like it is wearing a wig. This hairstyle will work especially if you have a round face because the height gives a nice lift. If you are considering going for a short hairstyle then this is a very good option because it modern without being too edgy.