The Ultimate Guide to Refreshing Your Hair

If your hair’s feeling drier, less manageable, or frizzier than it used to, it’s a good reminder that hair evolves just like your skin does, and that’s not a flaw, it’s a cue to adjust your approach. Over time, factors like heat styling, colouring and natural hormonal shifts can change how strands behave, often leaving them finer, drier or less glossy than they once were. The key is understanding that your scalp is skin, and when you support it well, your hair follows. With the right cut, colour placement and care, it’s entirely possible to bring back shine, movement and that elusive ‘good hair’ feeling, no drastic overhaul required.

“Everyone’s hair changes with age, because our scalp simply isn’t as robust as it was in our 20s and 30s,” says trichologist Anabel Kingsley. But does that mean that good hair has an expiry date? Absolutely not. “It’s all about adaptation,” says Anabel. “You change your skin regime when it stops suiting you, and it’s the same with your hair, it needs different things as you age! It could be cutting-edge treatments that gloss over the sins of your past, snipping away the years with a flattering new cut, or a switch-up in products to regenerate ageing hair, using skincare-inspired formulas, such as Nioxin’s new Activ-Renewal Age Defense range (from $57, ozhairandbeauty.com.au) which contains hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids and niacinamide for better hair and scalp health.

Ready for a quick blast of fresh hair? Here’s how!

REVIVE AND REWIND
How to chop and change for the better.

The facelift fringe
For such a tiny change, a fringe has a huge impact. Hence why A-listers who get one are often suspected of visiting a surgeon rather than a salon. “It’s not a one-size fits all,” says hairstylist Gustav Fouche. “It’s about understanding where the fringe should sit on a face shape. It puts all the accent on your best features and draws focus away from the areas where lines develop first. Your fringe’s exact shape and length should be determined by a stylist’s expert eye, but it needs a soft, feathered texture. This gives a feeling of lightness and takes away the heaviness of a hard line.”

A swoosh of hair blusher
Here’s where colouring meets cosmetics. The “hair blusher” technique, using cleverly placed pieces to brighten skin tone, is something that celebrity colourist Zoë Irwin swears by for a youthful boost. “A great example is Victoria Beckham’s lighter pieces, placed at cheek-level downwards, she says. “I use those sort of toasted pecan and soft copper tones to instantly lift the complexion, mimicking the ageless effect of blush.”

The new wave
Are you still curling your hair by clamping the ends in a hot rod and rolling it up? That can create a dated look that’s much curlier at the ends and flat at the roots. Swap it for a look that’s “all movement, texture and effortless polish”, advises hairdresser Greg Hill.

“Take small sections of hair and wrap them around a curling wand, working from root to tip,” he advises. “Hold the ends out to keep them straight and relaxed. Hold for just a few seconds, enough to bend, not curl. Next, let the hair cool, then flip your head forward and gently rake with your fingers before finishing with texturising spray. The result is modern, undone waves that look like you woke up fabulous, not freshly curled.”

Short cut to youth
Going shorter? Keep it soft and fresh, says A-List hairdresser Larry King. “Short hair should move and catch the light.” A great example is the “sexy texture” he recently injected into actress Robin Wright’s hair. “Her hair is cropped, but we left enough length through the crown and around the face to play with. It gives that gorgeous, flicky texture when you style it. It’s confident and so feminine!”

The collarbone bob
According to hair expert Zoë Irwin, “The most ageless bob is one that hits below the jaw and has a really strong, blunt edge with some layers inside the cut. The reason it’s so youth-boosting is because the line of the cut falls slightly longer at the front and curves around the jaw. Sagging around the jawline is often a concern but this style combats it by visually strengthening the profile of the jaw. It also swings as you move, which is always flattering!”

The grey revolution
Embracing grey has never been more fashionable or flattering. Even brunettes, who’ve traditionally struggled with growing-out pains, can make the transition seamlessly using the “silver halo” technique. “The look is created by brightening the silver tones around the hairline, where women typically go grey first,” says Gustav Fouche. “The contrast between the silver and darker grey areas looks really clean and makes the skin tone pop. Greying blondes, meanwhile, can opt for a ‘greige lights’ effect. “It’s an elegant blend of grey and beige woven into blonde highlights, honouring the natural silver while brightening and warming the complexion,” explains hair guru Tom Smith. “It reframes grey hair as a valuable starting point on which to build, rather than fully conceal. Keep grey hair bright with a toning shampoo such as Provoke Touch of Silver Brightening Shampoo, ($12.95, Chemist Warehouse), which contains violet pigments to neutralise brassiness.

Extend life
Hair extensions don’t have to be about length. They can be a secret midlife boon, discreetly adding thickness in areas where it’s most needed. “Hair ‘fillers’ are small tape-in extensions that are precision-placed to restore volume, usually around the front of the hair, which tends to be finer as we get older, explains extensions expert Hadley Yates. “It’s the hair equivalent of a subtle, skilled tweakment, restoring youthful fullness.”

To chop or not?
Want to stick with long hair as you get older? There’s no reason why you can’t or shouldn’t. However, a trim can actually create the effect of more hair, according to hairdresser Michael Douglas. “Look at your hair when it’s freshly blow-dried,” he advises. “If it’s easy to see through the ends of your hair to your clothes, it’s a good indicator that having 3-4cm chopped off the ends, and the layers slightly trimmed, is a good idea. It gives a much bolder, blunter outline and a thicker effect overall. People are surprised to realise they look like they have more hair once those wispy ends are gone.”