How to Style Short Hair Over 50 For Youthful Volume & Lift

Tools and materials:

• Hydrating shampoo
• For lightened hair: purple or anti-brassiness shampoo
• Hydrating conditioner masque
• Leave-in spray hair conditioner 
• Styling gel
• Blow dryer styling brush
• Duckbill hair clips
• Hair spray
• Plastic hair pick

1. Use a hydrating shampoo

In the shower, I use a hydrating shampoo. Follow the directions on the bottle. If your hair is not lightened, skip this step. I have lightened hair so I use a shampoo that helps tone down the brassiness and keeps the color on the cooler side.

After washing with the hydrating shampoo, I use the shampoo made specifically to keep blonde hair from warming up and keep it on for about 3-4 minutes. 

Once I’ve rinsed the shampoo out, I apply a hydrating conditioner and leave it for a few minutes and then rinse.

2. Apply leave-in conditioner

After gently towel drying my hair, I spray a leave-in conditioner all over my hair. 

3. Apply gel

Next, I apply a dime-sized or half teaspoon squirt of styling gel into my palm. I rub my palms together, then move my palms through my hair, working the gel and leave-in conditioner at the same time.

4. Blowdrying brush

I use a blow dryer styling brush with an oval head. This works great for short hair as I can easily wrap my short hair around the brush.

Some of these styling dryers have tufted bristles with boar technology that detangle hair. Make sure the one you use has high and low functions.

I start on the high setting and move the dryer brush around to dry my hair. This saves me time and works really well. When it’s mostly dry - like it feels dry to the touch, but there is still some dampness in the shaft of the hair - it’s time to add volume and lift.

5. Volumize and style

You know the saying “the higher the hair, the closer to God?” Well, I love hair with volume and lift. The way to get this look with short hair is to use the low function on the styling brush.

I separate the hair into 3 sections using 2 duckbill clips. I leave the entire bottom layer for drying and clip up the 2nd tier and the very front of the hair.

I curl the hair under, starting with the drying brush set on the low function on the roots. 

I do several passes until I get the look I want.

I work my way across the lower layer and once that’s done, I remove 1 clip and do the second tier following the same technique. I just have the front clipped up.

Once that’s finished, I do the same movements around the remaining hair.

When I reach the very front of my hair, I rotate the brush in the opposite direction and have the curl going upward. 

This gives a gorgeous sweeping look to the front.

Then, I let my hair dry and settle while I apply makeup.

6. Teasing hair

I use a plastic pick to style my hair.  

To add more lift, I backcomb or tease my hair. 

I start at the crown and backcomb underneath the hair, just at the root. 

7. Hair spray

Once it is lifted, I spray hair spray only on the backcombed area. 

I then backcomb both sides and also spray underneath only on the backcomb. You can see how I created lift at the top and the sides so it looks like I have much fuller hair.

I let the hairspray dry for a few seconds. 

Once it’s dry, I use my pick to gently lay down the hair without disturbing the backcomb because I want that volume!

I check the back as well. Once it’s all smooth, I spray my entire hair to keep it in place.

How to style short hair over 50 tutorial

If you’re a woman over 50 with short hair, I hope you try this technique for a flattering style with volume and lift for a beautiful result. Please let me know what you think and if you tried any of these tips! I love hearing from you!

Products used

• Haielle Hydrate Shampoo
• Haielle Hydrate Masque
• Malibu Blondes Wellness Shampoo
• Haielle Hydrate Leave-in Conditioner
• Kenra Professional Styling Gel 17
• Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush
• Duck Bill Clips
• Goody Comb & Lift Hair Pick
• Kenra Professional Volume Spray 25