Medium hairstyles for women over 50: fresh ideas for every hair type

It's easy to see why medium hairstyles for women over 50 are so popular. A stylish medium-length cut is short enough that it doesn’t take forever to dry but long enough to provide plenty of styling options.

Don’t just take our word for it – medium haircuts are hugely popular with celebrities in their 50s and beyond. Viola Davis, Jennifer Connelly, and Sandra Oh are just a few of the famous faces who sport mid-length styles, from long bob hairstyles to shaggy curly hairstyles or a shoulder-skimming bouncy blow dry. 

“There are no rules when it comes to what you should or shouldn’t do to your hair once you turn 50,” says Nick Willis, Senior Master Stylist at Charles Worthington. "But there are tips that can improve the way you wear your hair and look your best." So if you were wondering should women over 40 cut their hair simply because of age, that would be a no. Ready to get inspired? We've curated flattering medium hairstyles for women over 50 plus the expert advice you need to make each look work for you.   

Face shape: square, heart or oval | Hair type: curly, medium to thick

Styling Tips: This gorgeous shaggy style is enhanced by a relaxed curl and wave pattern. Use a diffuser when drying curls to gently encourage natural texture with a bit of mousse or curl cream to boost body and hold.  

Face shape: any, particularly oval | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: When styling thicker hair at this length, ensure your hair is adequately prepped. We recommend a hydrating hair mask before dividing your hair into sections and blow drying each smoothly with a round brush. 

Face shape: oval, square | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: Perfect beach waves can be styled at lob length using your best curling iron. We recommend dividing your hair into sections, pointing the barrel down towards the tips of your hair before taking each piece, and wrapping it around just once or twice for loose waves. 

Face shape: Square, round, heart| Hair type: fine to thick

Styling Tips: A tousled bob is best achieved when the hair is left to air dry or by giving it a rough blow dry. We recommend prepping the hair by brushing through some mousse to build volume in the hair and set the style. 

Face shape: any, except round | Hair type: fine to thick

Styling Tips: Prep for this style by focusing attention on the roots of your hair, using volumizing spray to build volume before blow drying. If you have natural curls, we recommend letting your hair air dry and twisting it in your fingers.

Face shape: oval, heart | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: This glam layered style is best achieved by blowdrying with a round brush or a hair dryer brush. The aim is to build volume and create bouncy flicks that spotlight the graduated cut, then set with hairspray. 

Face shape: any | Hair type: curly, coily 

Styling Tips: For an effortless and easy look, opt for au-natural with these air-dried curls. To sustain the volume of your natural hair, we recommend prepping with a hair mousse or, after drying, use dry shampoos to build volume and grit. 

Face shape: oval, heart | Hair type: natural

Styling Tips: To keep locs looking glamorous, wash your hair every two weeks to remove excess oil and rebalance the pH of your hair to encourage healthy growth. When washing, work the shampoo into the roots of wet hair and air dry for the best results. Avoid direct heat as this can damage the locs. 

Face shape: any, except maybe square | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: Brush through your bob with a wide tooth comb when wet to gently detangle the hair, before drying a large ceramic vented brush. Divide your hair into sections, gently pulling each piece of hair forward and down to ensure a sleek finish. 

Face shape: any | Hair type: fine to thick, curly or coily

Styling Tips: If you have naturally straight hair but want to create these corkscrew curls, the trick is to divide your hair into small sections and wrap each piece tightly around the barrel of the curling wand to set the curl. Set the look with hairspray. 

Face shape: any, except maybe square | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: If opting for this style, be prepared to visit a hairdresser every six weeks or so to maintain the blunt cut. With medium hairstyles with one-length ends, ensure your hair is properly hydrated, using one of the best hair masks or serums to boost the shine. 

Face shape: heart, oval | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: A bouncy layered hairstyle can be expertly created at home with a round brush, a good hairdryer, and a curling wand. Before applying heat, we recommend using heat protection for hair. Then, divide hair into sections before blowdrying, using your round brush to create a loose wave. Finish with the curling wand, wrapping the ends of each piece once around the barrel. 

Face shape: oval, heart, square | Hair type: fine to medium

Styling Tips: The mullet is not a style for everybody, but it certainly makes an impact. To achieve this ultra textured look, we recommend giving it a rough blow dry upside down, running your fingers through it to build volume. Set the look with hairspray and maintain volume by applying dry shampoo to day two or three hair. 

Face shape: any, except round | Hair type: fine to thick

Styling Tips: Styling this rounded bob is best achieved with a round brush and a hair dryer. Divide your hair into manageable sections and pull each out to the side, curling underneath at the ends to achieve a rounded look. To style side bangs, curl the round brush under the hair and pull outwards to add dimension to the look. 

Face shape: oval, heart, square | Hair type: natural

Styling Tips: To maintain this beautiful twist hairstyle at home,  air dry your hair and use hair butter to combat frizz.

Face shape: any, except maybe heart | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: This style is best achieved by giving the hair a bouncy blow dry and lightly backcombing the roots to maintain volume. Ramp up dimension using a hair mousse when wet and set the look with some hair spray. 

Face shape: any | Hair type: fine to thick

Styling Tips: When opting for a bouncy, curved finish with block bangs, befriend your round brush. When drying, pull the hair out to the side and curl underneath at the ends, repeat the motions with the block bangs and finish with shine-boosting hairspray.  

Face shape: round, heart | Hair type: medium to thick

Styling Tips: Opting for lots of layers when you visit the hairdressers is a great way to manage the weight of thick hair as well as add a trendy spin on any medium hairstyles for women over 50. This style looks the best when left to air dry or roughly blow-dried to maintain the volume. 

Face shape: round, heart, oval | Hair type: curly, coily

Styling Tips: Transitioning to gray hair is a fabulous way to help dyed locks become happier and healthier. Lighty tousling this feathered style will help show off the various lengths, while side partings are an easy way to change up a look and make a statement with your hair. 

Face shape: long, heart, oval | Hair type: natural, thick

Styling Tips: There are many different types of curls that can be created with a curling wand - the narrower the barrel, the tighter the curl. Whatever shape of curl you are planning to create, divide your hair into sections, point the wand down, and wrap each piece around the barrel once or twice to create the perfect curl. 

Face shape: any | Hair type: straight medium to thick

Styling Tips: Balayage hair is the perfect way to revive your look in a subtle way as it incorporates plenty of your natural color. For low maintenance balayage, visit your salon two to three times a year for light touch-ups, or alternatively, for a stronger look, speak to your stylist about traditional highlights or babylights.