9 Unflattering, Aging Hairstyles No One Should Have In 2024, Stylists Say—Plus What To Try Instead For A Decade-Defying Look: Avoid Too Many Layers & More

Are you looking for a new hairstyle that feels modern and makes the most of your hair type? Look no further. Your best style yet could require little more than making a few adjustments to your current hairstyle and bringing it more into the current day. Hairstyle mistakes are easy to make, and you’ll know you’re making them when something feels just a little off. Whether your hair color isn’t complementing your skin tone or your hair feels too flat and it’s making thinning hair look thinner, here are nine unflattering, potentially aging hairstyles, according to hair stylists, and what you can try instead.

Too Many Layers

Layers require balance to look their best. Add a few layers to your hair in just the right places and you can frame your face and features and give your hair body and depth. But if you over-layer your hair, it can look choppy and thinner than it is.

Your best solution is to allow your hair to grow out a bit and ask your stylist to go easy with layers and leave your ends blunt if you want your hair to look thicker.

Too-Long Hair

What’s the definition of too-long hair? That will depend on what length looks too long for your face and starts to feel like it’s dragging your features down. If your hair is constantly battling split ends, that’s another clue that it needs more frequent trims.

You may not have to cut your hair short, unless you want to. But giving it a good, healthy cut of a few inches can help it look healthier.

Stiff Bouffants

Angelina Jolie rarely makes a hairstyle mistake, but a stiff bouffant is instantly more aging. Your goal may be to give your hair more height and lift at the roots so that it looks thicker, but all you may need to do is conservatively tease your hair at the roots and comb it back. Going easier on the hairspray can help.

Dyeing Your Hair Too Dark

If you’ve always been a dark brunette, it can be difficult giving up on a color that served you well. And you don’t have to go blonde or even light brown to look more youthful. But adding a few subtle highlights to break up dark black or brown hair can create depth and make your hair look thicker, while also giving your skin more light and radiance.

Ashy Tones

There’s a major caveat with this tip: ashy tones look amazing on some skin tones. If you are one of those people who can get away with ash colors, keep it up. But many skin tones, including cool tones, can clash with ash tones and the colors can make flaws on the skin stand out more. Talk to your colorist about the undertones in your skin and the hair color tones that will complement it.

Blunt Bob

It feels like, at some point, many of us cut our hair into a blunt bob — it’s that classic a cut. But if you feel like your blunt bob is falling flat at your roots AND at the ends, with zero movement, the problem could be it lacks layering. Adding face-framing layers, to start, can automatically turn a blunt bob into a major style.

Perfect Curls

Anything too “perfect” — whether that means curls, waves, updos — can begin to look aging as you get older. A more casual look with a variety of curls and waves, and don’t be afraid to let natural texture come through, can be your ticket to a more modern look.

Blunt, Thick Bangs

Bangs are great — they can provide a twist on any hairstyle you sport and put the emphasis on your eyes and cheekbones. But blunt, thick bangs may need a stylist to layer and cut into them a bit so that they don’t just lay flat on your forehead.

Straight, Flat Hair

Straight, flat hair can pick up the oils on your scalp more quickly and look undone and unpolished. Using a root spray and maybe even some mousse before styling your hair with a round brush can give straight hair a voluminous boost, or you can add heatless curls or waves to your hair to give it instant volume.