Let me tell you something I’ve learned over my years working behind the makeup chair in Los Angeles—there’s this magical moment that happens when a woman hits her forties. It’s like she suddenly stops apologizing for taking up space and starts embracing exactly who she is. And you know what? Her hair should reflect that same confidence.
I remember working with a client a few years back who walked into my studio with her curls pulled back in the tightest bun I’d ever seen. When I asked her about it, she sighed and said she thought her curly hair was “too much” now that she was older. My heart broke a little. By the end of our session, after I’d shown her how stunning her natural texture could be with the right cut and styling, she actually teared up looking in the mirror.
Your forties are when you get to rewrite all those ridiculous beauty rules you’ve been following. And if you’ve got curls, whether they’re natural, permed, or coaxed into existence with the right products, this is your time to let them shine. So let’s talk about thirteen stunning curly hairstyles that are perfect for this stage of life.
The Neck-Length Layered Bounce
What This Style Is All About
This is hands down one of my favorite recommendations for women embracing their curls in their forties and beyond. Picture this: curls that hit right at your neck, with layers that start around your cheekbones and cascade down, creating this gorgeous, dimensional bounce. It’s not too long, not too short—it’s that perfect middle ground that feels sophisticated without being stuffy.
The beauty of this cut is in how the layers work with your natural curl pattern. Instead of creating that dreaded triangle shape, the layers encourage your curls to spiral and bounce in different directions, creating movement and volume in all the right places.
How It Works Best and Why You’ll Love It
What makes this style particularly flattering for women over forty is how it frames the face. Those shorter layers around your face act like a natural contour, drawing attention to your cheekbones and eyes while softening the jawline. This length is also incredibly practical—long enough to pull back when you need to, but short enough that it doesn’t take forever to style or dry.
How to Make It Work for You
The cut is everything. You need a stylist who understands curly hair and cuts it dry, not wet. For styling, apply a curl-enhancing cream to soaking wet hair, then scrunch in a light gel. Don’t touch it while it dries. Once it’s completely dry, scrunch out the gel cast to reveal soft, defined curls. Sleep on a silk pillowcase to prevent frizz overnight.
The Elegant Side-Swept Curly Bob
Understanding This Timeless Look
There’s something inherently chic about a curly bob, especially when it’s styled with a deep side part that sweeps across your forehead. This isn’t your basic bob—it’s sophisticated, it’s intentional, and it makes a statement without trying too hard. The length typically falls somewhere between your chin and shoulders, and that side sweep creates beautiful asymmetry that’s incredibly flattering.
Why This Style Elevates Your Look
The side-swept curly bob is particularly magical for women over forty because it creates instant lift and volume at the crown while keeping the overall silhouette controlled and polished. That side part and sweep directs the eye in a way that’s incredibly flattering, creating length and drawing attention upward. The length is perfect for showing off statement earrings too.
Creating and Maintaining This Sophisticated Style
Getting this cut right requires precision. You want the back to be slightly shorter than the front, creating that gentle angle. Part your hair while it’s wet, then apply your products and let it dry with that part in place. Once your hair is completely dry, apply just a tiny bit of lightweight pomade to the swept section, smoothing it back from your face.
The Voluminous Curly Shag
The Modern Take on a Classic Cut
The curly shag is like the cool older sister of the regular shag—it’s got all that edge and attitude but with this gorgeous, feminine softness from the curl texture. It features lots of layers throughout, choppy ends, and fantastic volume. Those choppy layers and varying lengths create this almost 3D effect with your curls, where they’re bouncing and moving in different directions.
How This Style Celebrates Your Natural Texture
What makes the curly shag so perfect for women over forty is that it completely rejects the idea that you need to “tone down” as you get older. This style is bold, full of life, and celebrates texture. The layers also remove bulk, which makes your curls spring up and feel more alive.
Tips for Rocking This Bold Look
You absolutely need a stylist who knows what they’re doing with this cut. After washing, apply a volumizing mousse at the roots and curl cream through the lengths. Scrunch everything up toward your scalp to encourage those curls to form in different directions. The best part is that it’s supposed to look a little undone, so you’re not aiming for perfection.
The Sophisticated Curly Pixie
Embracing the Short and Stunning
A curly pixie on a woman over forty is nothing short of spectacular. It’s bold, confident, and says you’re secure enough to wear your hair exactly how you want it. The curly pixie features short sides and back with slightly longer curls on top, creating beautiful contrast between structure and softness.
Why This Cut Is Perfect for This Stage of Life
The curly pixie draws all attention to your face—your eyes, your bone structure, your smile. It’s also remarkably low maintenance. You can literally wake up, maybe add a tiny bit of product, scrunch, and you’re out the door looking polished and put together.
Making the Curly Pixie Work for You
This cut looks best when freshly trimmed every four to six weeks. For styling, a small amount of curl cream or pomade worked through damp hair is usually all you need. Define those curls on top while keeping the sides smooth. Accessories like small clips or decorative pins can completely transform the style from day to night.
The Cascading Curly Lob
The Perfect In-Between Length
The lob—or long bob—falls between your collarbone and shoulders, with layers that create this cascading effect as your curls fall naturally. It’s a comfortable middle ground that still feels like you have plenty of hair to work with, while being significantly easier to manage than longer lengths.
Understanding the Appeal of This Length
The curly lob elongates the neck and shows off your shoulders and collarbones, which is incredibly elegant. This length is also fantastic for versatility—you can wear it down and natural, pull it into a low bun or ponytail, or create soft updos for special occasions.
Creating Your Perfect Curly Lob
The key is layering that starts around your chin or just below, gradually getting longer. After washing, apply leave-in conditioner followed by curl-defining cream. Scrunch in gel if you want more hold. To maintain the cascading effect, refresh your curls in sections on non-wash days.
The Romantic Curly Layers with Bangs
Adding Bangs to Your Curly Style
Curly bangs, when done right, are absolutely gorgeous. We’re talking about soft, wispy bangs that blend into longer layers, creating this romantic, face-framing effect. Those soft, curly pieces around your face create a dreamy vibe that completely transforms your look.
Why Curly Bangs Create Magic
Soft, curly bangs on women over forty soften facial features while adding a touch of playfulness. They draw attention directly to your eyes and create this natural spotlight effect on your eyes and cheekbones. The longer layers that accompany these bangs create beautiful flow and movement.
Styling and Living with Curly Bangs
Cut them longer than you think they should be, because they’ll shrink up when they curl. Treat bangs separately from the rest of your hair when styling. Apply curl cream specifically to the bang section, using your fingers to encourage the curls to fall forward and frame your face.
The Tapered Curly Afro
Celebrating Natural Texture with Structure
The tapered afro combines the volume and beauty of natural curls with a structured, shaped silhouette. The hair is kept shorter on the sides and back, gradually getting longer toward the top and crown, creating this beautiful rounded shape that showcases your curl pattern.
The Power and Beauty of This Look
This isn’t a style for someone who’s unsure of themselves—it’s a statement. The shape creates beautiful proportions, with tapered sides emphasizing your facial features while the volume on top elongates your face and creates height.
Maintaining Your Tapered Afro
You’ll need to visit your stylist every three to four weeks for touch-ups on the tapered sections. For daily styling, moisture is everything. Apply leave-in conditioner to damp hair, then follow with a cream or butter. Use a pick to shape the hair outward from the scalp, creating that beautiful round silhouette.
The Loose Curly Waves with Face-Framing Layers
Soft, Flowing Beauty
This style creates gorgeous, loose, beachy waves that flow and move beautifully, enhanced with strategic layers that frame your face. It’s softer than a true curly style but more textured than straight hair. The waves are relaxed and flowing, and those face-framing layers add dimension.
Why This Style Works Beautifully
These loose waves with face-framing layers create a softening effect that’s incredibly flattering. The waves add volume and movement without being too structured. This style bridges the gap beautifully between casual and formal—you can wear it to brunch or a business meeting.
Creating and Caring for Your Waves
If your hair is naturally wavy, enhance what you’ve got. If it’s straighter, create these waves using a large-barrel curling iron, curling away from your face with loose ends. For curlier hair, apply smoothing cream and blow-dry with a round brush to relax the curl pattern slightly.
The Stacked Curly Bob
Volume and Shape Combined
The stacked bob creates volume and shape at the back of the head while keeping the front longer and sleek. With curls, this becomes even more dramatic and beautiful—the stacked back gives you gorgeous, voluminous silhouette while the longer front pieces frame your face elegantly.
The Appeal of This Structured Style
The stacked curly bob addresses volume at the crown and back of the head. The cut itself gives you that lift—you’re not fighting gravity with products alone. The longer front pieces create beautiful face framing while the shorter, stacked back keeps the overall look from being too heavy.
Achieving and Maintaining the Stacked Look
The back needs to be cut at an angle that creates gradual stacking. For styling, focus on creating volume at the roots in the back. Apply volumizing mousse to damp hair, particularly at the crown. Use clips to hold the hair up at the roots while it dries.
The Half-Up Curly Crown
Elegant Versatility in One Style
The half-up curly crown involves pulling the top section of your curls back and securing them at the crown, while leaving the bottom half down and flowing. It’s romantic, practical, and endlessly versatile. You can make it sleek and polished or loose and bohemian.
Why This Style Serves You So Well
Pulling the top section back opens up your face and highlights your eyes and cheekbones, while the cascading curls in the back add femininity and softness. This style is incredibly practical for days when you want your hair off your face but don’t want to commit to a full updo.
Creating Your Perfect Half-Up Style
Take a section of hair from ear to ear across the crown of your head. For a polished look, smooth the top section back before securing it. For a more relaxed look, tease the crown section slightly before pulling it back. Secure with a decorative clip or pins, then gently pull at the crown to create more volume.
The Long Layered Curly Mane
Embracing Length with Movement
If you’ve got long curly hair and want to keep it, the long layered mane is your answer to avoiding that triangle shape while maintaining length. This style features layers throughout, starting fairly high up to create movement and dimension, while keeping the overall length intact.
The Timeless Appeal of Long Curls
Long curly hair on a woman over forty defies the old-fashioned notion that women should cut their hair short as they age. The layers prevent the weight of long hair from pulling your curls straight. You get volume, movement, and definition instead of stretched-out waves.
Managing and Styling Long Layered Curls
Section your hair into four to six parts for styling. Apply your products section by section for even coverage. Scrunch each section to encourage curl formation. Maintain the layers with regular trims every three to four months. Sleep with your hair in a loose pineapple on top of your head to maintain volume.
The Textured Curly Pixie with Longer Top
Modern Edge Meets Feminine Softness
This variation features very short sides and back with a longer, textured top section full of curls. The contrast between the short sides and the curly top creates drama and interest while being incredibly easy to manage day-to-day.
Why This Cut Makes an Impact
The textured curly pixie requires confidence, and confidence is incredibly attractive. The short sides show off your face, neck, and bone structure, while the curly top adds softness and femininity. You wake up with volume—no teasing, no sprays, no fuss.
Styling Your Textured Curly Pixie
The top should be long enough to show your natural curl pattern—usually at least three to four inches—while the sides can be quite short. Apply curl cream or mousse to damp hair, scrunching it upward. Use a diffuser from underneath to add lift, or use your fingers to direct the curls in different directions.
The Curly Balayage Lob with Movement
Color and Cut Working Together
This style combines the beautiful shape of a curly lob with strategic color placement that enhances the movement of your curls. Balayage creates a natural, sun-kissed effect, and when combined with curly hair, it creates incredible dimension. Each curl catches light differently, showcasing the different tones throughout your hair.
Understanding the Power of This Combination
The color dimension adds instant life and vibrancy to your hair. Balayage brings back natural variation in tone, creating depth and interest that makes your curls look fuller and more dynamic. The beauty of balayage is that it grows out gracefully without looking stark.
Creating and Maintaining This Dimensional Look
You want a lob with layers between your collarbone and shoulders. For color, balayage should be one to three shades lighter than your base color for a natural look. Maintain with good hydration—color-treated hair needs moisture. Use sulfate-free products to help your color last longer.
Conclusion
You know what I’ve learned after all these years? The most beautiful hairstyle is always the one that makes you feel like yourself—only better. These thirteen styles aren’t rules or requirements. They’re possibilities. They’re starting points for conversations with your stylist and with yourself about what you want your hair to say about who you are right now.
I think back to that client with her curls pulled back so tight. When she left my studio that day with her curls bouncing freely, she said, “I feel like I’ve been wearing someone else’s idea of what I should look like, and I didn’t even realize it.” That’s what I want for you. Your idea. Your expression. Your beautiful, curly-haired self taking up exactly as much space as she wants to take up.
Your forties and beyond are when you get to stop performing and start living. Your hair should reflect that freedom. Whether you choose the drama of a long curly mane, the boldness of a tapered afro, the elegance of a side-swept bob, or any of these other beautiful options, make sure it’s a choice that feels authentic to you.
Work with a stylist who understands curly hair. Take care of your curls with good products, silk pillowcases, and regular trims. But most importantly, wear your curls with confidence. That’s the real secret to any of these styles looking amazing.
I’ve spent my career making people beautiful, but the truth is, I’ve only ever helped them see and showcase the beauty that was already there. Your curls are beautiful. They always have been. These styles are just different ways to celebrate them.
So choose the style that makes your heart beat a little faster when you imagine yourself wearing it. Book that appointment. Take the leap. Because beauty isn’t about perfection. It’s about confidence, creativity, and feeling empowered to express yourself however you choose. And there’s nothing more beautiful than a woman who knows exactly who she is and isn’t afraid to show it—curls and all.