20 Hairstyles for Women Over 60 With Wavy Hair That Air Dry Well

By The Salon Notes EditorsUpdated 20 looks8 min read

Wavy hair can be the easiest hair to own after 60, or the most confusing. Gray strands often grow in with a different texture, so waves that used to fall neatly may now frizz at the crown and go limp at the ends. A cut that follows your wave pattern, plus a simple wash-day routine, brings the shape back.

The first 15 looks are cuts, ordered from short to long. After those come five easy styles for second-day waves, from a half-up clip to a loose bun. Most of these air dry, so your blow-dryer can stay in the drawer.

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How to Get Better Waves After 60

  • Get a cut that respects the wave. Many stylists cut wavy hair dry or partly dry, so they can see where each wave falls. Layers should start no higher than the cheekbone, or the top can puff.
  • Use products on soaking wet hair. Fine waves like a lightweight foam, while thicker waves do better with a leave-in cream topped with a light gel. Apply before you towel off so the waves clump together.
  • Dry without touching. Blot gently with a soft cotton tee or microfiber cloth. Then air dry or hover a diffuser on low heat and low speed, and keep your hands off until hair is at least 80 percent dry.
  • Refresh, don't rewash. On day two or three, mist with water mixed with a little leave-in conditioner and scrunch. Waves bounce back in about 2 minutes.
  • Calm the top layer. Gray strands may feel wiry and stick up through the waves. Smooth a pea-sized amount of styling cream over the surface only.
  • Trim before the ends get stringy. Waves lose their spring when the ends split. Short wavy cuts need a trim about every five weeks, longer ones about every eight.

1. Wavy Pixie With Loose Movement on Top

Wavy pixie with loose movement on top on a woman over 60 with gray hairSave

Short hair can still show off a wave. Leave 2 to 3 inches on top, and the bends turn a simple pixie into something soft and lively.

Scrunch a dab of light cream through damp hair and let it dry on its own. Start to finish, it takes about two minutes.

Best for: fine to medium waves.

2. Short Wavy Shag

Short wavy shag with textured layers around the ears, woman in her 60sSave

A short shag lets waves pile up around the crown and ears, giving height without a round brush. Close layers at the nape keep the shape neat.

Spray in a sea salt mist and twist a few pieces around your finger. Leave the rest messy.

3. Beachy Chin-Length Bob

Beachy chin-length bob with tousled waves on a white woman in her sixtiesSave

This chin-length bob looks like you just came back from the coast. Long layers inside the cut let the waves spread out, while the ends stay blunt enough to look tidy.

Apply foam to soaking wet hair, then scrunch upward with a microfiber towel. Diffuse for 5 minutes and stop there.

4. Angled Bob With Brushed-Out Waves

Angled bob with brushed-out soft waves, longer in front, woman over 60Save

Brushing out natural waves softens them into a polished, glamorous bend. An angled bob, slightly longer at the front, gives those waves a clean frame.

  1. Let hair air dry with a light cream.
  2. Once it is completely dry, brush through gently with a wide paddle brush.
  3. Smooth a drop of oil over the surface.

5. Center-Parted Wavy Lob

Center-parted wavy lob just past the shoulders on a Latina woman in her 60sSave

A center part splits waves evenly, so they fall in two soft panels. At just past the shoulders, the lob has enough weight to keep waves from frizzing upward.

Few cuts here ask less of you. Wash, add product, air dry and go.

6. Wavy Lob With a Soft Fringe

Wavy lob with a soft fringe falling to the brows on a woman over 60Save

Bangs on wavy hair look relaxed when they're cut a little long and allowed to bend. A soft fringe just past the brows blends into the lob's waves.

Dry the fringe quickly with a blow-dryer to stop frizz, then leave everything else to dry naturally. Twist any wayward pieces back into place with a drop of cream.

Stylist tip: have the fringe cut dry. Waves shrink up, and a wet-cut fringe can end far shorter than planned.

7. Shoulder-Length Waves With Long Layers

Shoulder-length waves with long layers on an East Asian woman over 60Save

Long layers at shoulder length keep waves bouncing instead of weighing them down. It's the classic wavy cut for good reason, since it's easy, flexible and works with any part.

Scrunch in mousse and let the waves set on their own or under a diffuser. Flip your part to the other side on day two for instant lift.

8. Fine Wavy Hair With a Blunt Perimeter

Fine wavy hair cut with a blunt perimeter at the jaw for fullness, woman over 60Save

Fine, wavy hair can look thin when cut with too many layers. A blunt perimeter at the jaw or collarbone keeps the ends dense, and the waves add body on their own.

Skip heavy creams, which weigh fine waves down. A volumizing foam and a quick diffuse at the roots work better.

Ask your stylist for: a blunt outline with very few layers, and soft point cutting only at the front.

9. Dense Waves With a Rounded Shape

Dense thick waves cut into a rounded shape at shoulder length, South Asian woman over 60Save

Thick waves often swell into a triangle. Rounded layers through the sides and back spread the volume evenly, so the shape stays balanced.

Rake a cream and gel combo through soaking hair. Let it dry fully, then break up the stiff cast by scrunching with oiled fingertips.

10. Shaggy Waves With a Feathered Fringe

Shaggy waves with a feathered fringe and lots of layers on a woman in her 60sSave

Shag layers love waves. The short layers at the crown spring up, the longer ones fall in loose bends, and the feathered fringe ties it together.

Almost any wave pattern can wear it. Diffuse upside down for 3 minutes to boost volume at the roots.

11. Salt-and-Pepper Waves at Shoulder Length

Salt and pepper waves at shoulder length during a gray transition, woman over 60Save

Growing out your gray? Waves help blend the line where old color meets silver. Shoulder-length layers let the mix of tones show as movement, not stripes.

At the salon, a clear gloss adds shine to both the colored and natural sections. Keep trims regular to cut away old color faster.

12. Collarbone Waves Tucked Behind the Ears

Collarbone-length waves tucked behind the ears on a Middle Eastern woman over 60Save

Tucking waves behind the ears shows off your earrings and keeps hair off your face. At collarbone length, the waves still have room to move below the ear.

Ask for slightly shorter layers right behind the ears so the tuck sits flat. It's a smart choice if you wear glasses.

13. Long Wavy Layers With a Side Part

Long wavy layers with a deep side part on a white woman in her late 60sSave

Long waves look full and soft with layers beginning near the collarbone. A side part adds lift where the hair flips over.

After applying product, plop your hair in a cotton T-shirt for 15 minutes. Then let it air dry the rest of the way.

Styling time: 5 minutes plus drying.

14. Long Beachy Waves Framing the Face

Long beachy waves with face-framing layers on a Black woman in her 60sSave

Face-framing waves put softness right around the cheekbones, and the rest of the length stays long. The look feels casual and relaxed.

Twist two or three front sections with a little gel while damp. Once dry, separate each wave with your fingers.

15. Wavy-Curly Hair With Rounded Layers

Wavy curly hair with rounded layers and defined spirals on a Latina woman over 60Save

Some hair sits between wavy and curly, with S-waves on top and loose spirals underneath. Rounded layers, shaped on dry hair, even out the two patterns.

Use a curl cream underneath and a lighter foam on top. Diffuse on low and lift the roots with your fingertips at the end.

Best for: 2C to 3A texture.

16. Half-Up Waves With a Tortoiseshell Clip

Half-up waves held with a tortoiseshell clip at the crown, back view, woman over 60Save

Second-day waves look fresh again in a half-up style. Gather the hair above your temples, twist it once and clamp it with a medium claw clip.

The twist adds lift at the crown, and the waves below still show. You'll need less than a minute.

17. Low Ponytail With a Silk Scarf

Low wavy ponytail tied with a silk scarf at the nape, side view, woman over 60Save

A low ponytail keeps waves tidy on a busy day. Tie it loosely at the nape, then wrap a silk scarf over the elastic and let the ends hang.

Pull a few pieces loose around the face for softness. Silk also creates less friction than a plain elastic.

18. Side-Pinned Waves

Wavy hair pinned back on one side with bobby pins, woman in her sixtiesSave

Pinning one side back adds polish without a full updo. Sweep the hair above one ear back and secure it with two crossed bobby pins.

Shoulder-length to long waves suit it, and it looks smart at dinners or events. Choose pins that match your hair color, or go decorative with pearl pins.

19. Messy Bun for Second-Day Waves

Messy bun for second-day waves with loose pieces at the nape, woman over 60Save

Waves give a messy bun built-in texture, so it looks full without teasing. Twist the hair loosely behind the crown, wrap it around itself and pin.

Let a few waves fall around the face. On day three or four, this is the easiest option of all.

Styling time: 2 minutes.

20. Waves With a Wide Headband

Medium wavy hair with a wide padded headband pushed back from the face, woman over 60Save

A wide headband pushes waves off your face and covers flat or frizzy roots in seconds. Padded or knotted styles add a little height at the top.

Slide it on from the nape forward, then nudge it back an inch from the hairline. Fluff the waves behind it.

A Simple Wash Day Routine for Waves

  1. Shampoo the scalp only, then condition the lengths and rinse with cool water.
  2. While hair is still dripping, rake in a leave-in, then foam or gel.
  3. Scrunch upward with an old T-shirt.
  4. Air dry or diffuse on low until about 80 percent dry, without touching.
  5. Once fully dry, scrunch gently to soften any stiffness.

Repeat every two to four days, with a water mist in between. Want more cut ideas? Start with our haircuts for women over 60 guide. Thick waves get their own list in haircuts for women over 60 with thick hair, and finer waves are covered in haircuts for women over 60 with fine hair.

Frequently asked questions

Is short hair better for wavy hair after 60?

Not always. Short cuts dry fast and show off waves at the crown, but they lose their shape quickly between trims. Shoulder-length cuts and lobs give waves more weight, which helps them stay defined.

Do layers look good on wavy hair?

Yes, when they are long and soft. Layers let waves bounce and stop the bottom from going wide. Very short layers on top can puff, so keep the shortest at the cheekbone or below.

How do I wear long wavy hair at 60?

Ask for long layers from the collarbone down, a few face-framing pieces and a regular trim. On the second or third day, a half-up clip, a low ponytail with a scarf or a messy bun keeps it neat.

Why does my gray hair feel frizzier than my old waves?

Many people find gray strands feel coarser or drier than their pigmented hair, so they frizz more easily. More moisture helps, from a hydrating conditioner to a leave-in and a smoothing cream on the top layer. If your texture changes suddenly or your hair starts shedding, see a dermatologist.

What haircut should I get for wavy hair?

Look for a stylist who cuts with your wave pattern, often dry or partly dry, and ask for long layers and a fairly solid perimeter. Lobs, shoulder-length layers and shags are the most popular choices for wavy hair over 60.

TS
The Salon Notes EditorsEditorial team

Our editors research current haircut trends, salon techniques and the questions readers ask most, then turn them into practical style guides. Every guide is reviewed and updated regularly.

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