Yes, that ashy blonde shade looked amazing when you were 20, but now that you're a little older and wiser, it's time to move on. "The problem is that women do not allow their tone and their color to evolve with their age," says Cutler Senior Stylist David Kastin.
Ashy hair color has cooler undertones, which can look almost gray -- especially when you're actually old enough to have gray hair. Plus, the cooler tones can make you look paler, like Cynthia Nixon does here.
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Hair Do: Warm Tones
"Warm tones tend to be the best for women 40+ because they make the complexion look alive and youthful," says Kastin. Who doesn't like the sound of that?
It's easy to make the switch. Just go for a blonde shade with warm, golden undertones like Naomi Watts', or you can go for a warm red or brunette shade. Just tell your stylist you want a "warm" shade, or if you're coloring your hair at home, avoid any box color labeled "ash."
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Hair Don't: Rapunzel-Esque Length
Kastin is quick to point out that there are exceptions to every rule, and some women in their 40s can look fantastic with long hair, like Demi Moore here. But for most mature women, long hair "does tend to drag one down and generally make one look older," Kastin says.
The key is to pay attention to your face shape and hair texture. If your hair is super healthy and your face is on the round side, you can give long hair a whirl. But if your face is long or your hair is either really thick or really fine, it's best to try one of the styles on the next slide.
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Hair Do: Medium-Length or Shorter Hair
Sure, it may seem like only "older women" go for short haircuts, but it's worth trying. If longer hair drags your facial features down, going shorter can be like a mini-face lift. The key is to stay away from stereotypical "mom" or "old lady" cuts and stick with something fresh and modern, like Halle Berry's choppy pixie.
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Hair Don't: An Overly-Complicated cut
Technically this is a good rule for any woman, not just those over 40. Kastin says to "make sure you get a haircut that you can make look good at home." The reasoning is pretty simple: If your haircut involves complicated and time-consuming styling, you probably won't do it most days, which means your hair is going to look less than stellar.
So if you're a whiz with a flat iron and have time to kill, go ahead and get an asymmetrical pixie like Jenna Elfman's. But if you don't know a round from a paddle brush, stick to one of the cuts on the next slide.
Remember when you were in your 20s and could (and did) wear any hairstyle you wanted? Bleached white-blonde, side ponytails, and maybe even The Rachel? That doesn't really fly in your 40s, does it?
Hairstyles for women over 40 are a little more limited. If you stretch outside those boundaries you could wind up looking like an old maid -- or someone desperately clinging to her teen years.
But that doesn't mean your only options are a mom bob or cropped, Kate Gosselin cut. There are plenty of hairstyles for mature women that are short, long, and everything in between.
That's why we talked to several pro hairstylists, who filled us in on all the dos and don'ts for older women. Follow their guidelines and you'll end up with a haircut, color and style that scream "sexy 40-something."
