It’s easy to fall into hair styling habits, but sometimes sticking with the same thing can make you look older than you really are.

From blowdrying your hair too straight to using the wrong shampoo, there are plenty of common hair errors that could be ageing you.

FEMAIL spoke to celebrity hairdresser, Anthony Nader, who has worked with the likes of Cate Blanchett – and he revealed the most common mistakes middle-aged women make.

The leading stylist also shared how getting ‘secret panels’ in your locks could take ten years off you.

OPTING FOR SOLID LINES

While a directional, graphic style might have suited you in your twenties, by the time you hit your forties, anything too sharp can look harsh.

‘Forego any harsh or hard lines, as they won’t do your face any favours,’ Anthony told Daily Mail Australia.

‘As you get older, you need to ensure your haircuts get softer and have texture as well.’

The hair stylist explained that softer textured ends will always suit middle-aged women, as the hair ‘will appear soft and to hug around the hairline’.

‘You want to avoid it looking too blunt as this will create hard lines,’ Anthony added.

BLOWDRYING TOO STRAIGHT 

Straight, sleek hair has long been in fashion.

But if you’re entering or in middle age, you might want to re-think it as your go-to look.

‘When you hit middle age, try to stop blowdrying your hair poker straight,’ Anthony said.

‘Invest in a middle-sized boar brush and use it while you’re blowdrying to help to give your strands more shape and volume.’

He explained that volume and bounce will ‘always give your hair more oomph and life, while leaving it straight can often age the face’.

GOING TOO DARK

When it comes to hiding greys, while the temptation might be to go dark and intense in your colour, Anthony said lighter is always better.

‘The lighter you keep your coloured hair, the more natural it will look,’ he explained.

‘Meanwhile, when you go too dark it can look wig-like and the grey strands will be more noticeable popping through.’

Take advice from a colourist and make sure you colour suits your complexion.

FORGETTING ABOUT A FRINGE

You might have had a fringe when you were five, but they work wonders for middle-aged women as well.

‘Curtain-shaped bangs hide a multitude of sins with regards to wrinkles on your forehead,’ Anthony said.

‘But you should try and go for a longer-skimmed look, as this will elongate and slim the face.’

USING THE WRONG SHAMPOO

Anthony said that once you hit middle age, a regular shampoo just won’t cut it anymore.

‘Invest in a gloss or shine shampoo and conditioner from hereon in, to give your hair back some of that hydration it so desperately needs.’

FORGETTING TO SOFTEN

Last but not least, Anthony said that all too often middle-aged women forget to add movement and body to their single-coloured locks.

‘Next time you visit the salon, get your colourist to add some chunky lighter panels around the face, but not on the hairline,’ he said.

‘I call these “secret panels” as thy sit underneath the part line and frame the face perfectly.

‘The reason why these are so good is because they soften your entire look and in turn soften your face.

‘They can help you to look up to ten years younger.’