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Plenty of beauty rules seem to appear the moment a woman turns 50.
Cover your greys! Cut your hair short! Stop wearing certain styles! Buy products specifically labelled “anti-ageing”!
But according to Sydney hairstylist and founder of RAW by Anthony Nader, Anthony Nader, those rules are well and truly outdated.
Instead, the way we care for our hair as we get older should be less about our age and more about what is actually happening to our hair. Amen!
And yes, that can mean making a few changes to your routine.
“When this milestone hits, there are three ‘mane’ contenders that I personally notice with my salon clients’ hair,” Nader told Mamamia.
“Density unfortunately thins, the texture may become coarser as silver/grey hair strands lose their colour pigment, and the shine won’t appear as lustrous.”
In other words, your hair may not behave exactly as it did in your 30s and 40s, and guess what? That’s completely normal!
The trick, he says, is to stop fighting those changes and start giving your hair what it actually needs.
So, what actually changes in your hair after 50?
One of the biggest changes is a loss of density, while individual strands can also feel coarser as they lose their pigment.
Grey and silver hair can also look less shiny, which means your old haircare routine might not be doing quite enough.
“For me, the biggest change is how you need to start a new routine to nourish your thirsty hair,” Nader explained.
From your 50s onwards, he recommends focusing on four things: hydration, gentle cleansing, heat protection and using a hair masque once a week.
But before you rush out and replace your entire bathroom shelf, there’s one important caveat.
Your haircare routine should be based on your hair type, not simply your age.
The simple over 50s haircare routine Nader recommends.
Nader is a big believer in keeping things simple.
“I love nothing more than a simple, yet very effective hair care routine,” he said.
His starting point is a shampoo and conditioner suited to your actual hair type.
If your hair is coloured, look for products designed to maintain hydration and shine. If you have virgin hair but use heat styling regularly, opt for a gentle shampoo and conditioner that won’t strip your strands of their natural goodness.
For hair that needs deep nourishment and shine, Nader recommends the Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo 250ml ($86) and Conditioner 200ml ($90).
If a bougie shampoo isn’t in the budget, we love the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Shampoo 340ml ($9.99) and Conditioner 340ml ($9.99).
There’s also one product Nader really doesn’t want you skipping: heat protectant.
“I swear by using a heat protector,” Nader emphasised. “This protectant is far from a gimmick, and you should always apply it when blow-drying or using hot tools. Think of this spray as a shield.”
His top pick is the Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray 175ml ($69), which can be sprayed throughout the hair before layering your usual styling products on top.
Another more affordable pick is the Toni & Guy Prep Heat Protection Mist, $20.
If your hair is thinning, less might actually be more.
Fine or thinning hair is one of the biggest concerns Nader sees in his salon with women over 50, but his advice is surprisingly simple.
“With fine hair, I think less is often more,” he said.
The goal is to create lift, texture and body without coating the hair in so much product that it becomes flat.
He recommends starting with a lightweight volumising shampoo and conditioner, then applying a thickening spray through the roots and lengths before blow-drying.
His recommendation? Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray, $42.
If you’re looking for sonething a little more wallet-friendly, we love the ELEVEN Australia I Want Body Volume Foam 200ml ($31.96) to create root lift and body before blow-drying.
But there’s another trick that doesn’t involve buying anything at all: changing the way you blow-dry.
Nader recommends using a large round brush to lift the roots upwards, while positioning the nozzle of your hairdryer underneath the section you’re working on.
“This is a really effective way to get a longer-lasting lift, and your hair shape won’t collapse,” he revealed.
The ingredients to look for in your haircare.
When it comes to ingredients, Nader says the focus should be on hydration, strength and protection.
His go-to ingredients include proteins, amino acids, ceramides and nourishing oils.
But, as always, context matters.
If your hair is fine, be careful with very heavy oils, butters and overly rich hair masks, which can make strands look flat surprisingly quickly.
And there’s another piece of advice that might save you from an unnecessary beauty splurge: don’t automatically buy something just because the bottle says it’s for “mature” or “ageing” hair.
“Hair type, scalp condition, colour and styling habits are much more important when deciding what you actually need,” Nader noted.
No, you don’t have to cut your hair short after 50.
This might be the most important thing Nader wants women to know.
A persistent idea is that women should automatically cut their hair short once they reach a certain age
Nader isn’t having it.
“You know what really bugs me? There is still this notion that once you reach a certain age you need to cut your hair short or have a particular hairstyle, and I don’t agree with that,” he said. “It’s so primitive and closed-minded.”
Instead, he said your haircut should come down to your face shape, hair texture, lifestyle and, most importantly, what you actually want.
“If you want a longer hair length, go for it.”
His one condition, though, is to keep the ends clean and sharp, so the hair looks thicker and more luxurious, rather than “like the long-lost band member of Fleetwood Mac.”
And if you’re embracing your natural silver or grey hair, Nader is equally enthusiastic.
“I’m with you 100 per cent,” he said.
The trick is keeping those strands looking polished. He recommends a shine gloss every three to four weeks to help silver and grey hair look smoother and more lustrous.
A precision haircut with the right shape and movement can also make a huge difference, he explained, while a hair colour that complements your complexion can help the overall look appear healthy, polished and relatively low-maintenance.
The biggest hair mistake women over 50 are making.
Ultimately, Nader’s best advice is less about a particular product or haircut and more about changing the way you think about your hair.
“Don’t fight your hair,” he urged. “Work with what you have now rather than trying to make it behave exactly as it did 20 years ago.”
That means investing in a great haircut, keeping your strands hydrated, protecting them from excessive heat and choosing styling products that create movement rather than stiffness.
Because healthy hair doesn’t have an age limit.
“Healthy hair with beautiful soft movement and shine will always look modern, regardless of any age,” Nader said. And we couldn’t agree more.
What are your favourite hair products? Have you tried any of the above? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
Feature image: Instagram @jenniferaniston.