The Best Hairstyles For Your Age

Just as you should change your wardrobe, skincare, and cosmetics as you age, you also should adjust your hairstyle. "Updating your hair is a quick and inexpensive way to overhaul your look as you enter into different life phases," says Oded Gabay, celebrity hair stylist and owner of the Lovella salons in New York. Moreover, the bones in our face change as we age and affect the shape of features, according to a study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Hormonal shifts, occurring during pregnancy and menopause, can also influence the thickness and texture of your tresses -- and which styles will be most flattering. Take this advice from celebrity stylists to get fabulous hair -- no matter the number of candles on your birthday cake.

"Your 20s are the time to experiment because you're trying to figure out which styles work best with your unique face-shape and hair texture," says Gabay. "You can test out edgier cuts and take risks." To really make a statement, go for a style that's long on one side and short on the other.

"A very short cropped or pixie haircut works because it hugs the head and frames the face," says Nelson Vercher, a celebrity stylist at The Rita Hazan Salon in New York. "Your youthful features can pull it off and it's a super-cool, confident look."

"Try a sexy, shoulder-length bob with slight layers and a wavy, tousled texture," says Vercher. "The short length and angles make it sophisticated, but the bed-head texture keeps it sexy and cool."

"Bangs look great on any length hair," says Vercher. "They make your style feel fresh, accentuate your eyes and cheekbones, and look polished whether you're wearing your hair down or in a ponytail. Plus, they're very youthful."

"You have to be careful because the wrong short haircut can make you look older than you are," says Vercher. "Something shorter on the sides and in the back, but heavier on top, will give you the volume you need to help balance out your features. Just be sure to keep the style messy rather than stiff."

"Another look I love for the 40s is a cut that falls past the shoulder with tons of layers," says Vercher. "It has a lot of body and volume, and it's versatile so you can easily wear it up or down."

"It's a myth that you have to wear short hair once you get to be a certain age," says Gabay. "Wearing your hair a bit longer — about shoulder-length — can actually make you look younger. Layered, and slightly angled cuts help soften your features. Plus, if your hair is thinning due to hormonal shifts, going too short can make it look sparse."

You don't want to go super-short when you're in your 50s because the cut will likely look too severe. "The right short hairstyle can look chic and modern on a fifty-something woman, but it should have more length on the sides and top of the head to divert attention from wrinkles and neck imperfections," says Gabay. "This helps draws the attention up to your eyes."