The Better Blog
5 Hassle-Free Curly Hairstyles
Summer Kickoff: Essential Guide to Summertime Hair Care
While many of us remember to slather on sunscreen to protect our skin in the summer sun, we don’t always think about what our hair needs. With socializing and spending more time outdoors finally part of the plan, our hair counts more than ever!
Chlorine, saltwater and sun are all drying, so when it comes to summer hair, the keyword is moisture. A lack of moisture in our hair can lead to split ends, breakages and dandruff, as well as an overproduction of natural oils to compensate for the dehydration.
We’re here to talk about how to protect, style and repair your tresses in any summertime situation.
Let’s get started!
6 Biases Against Women’s Hair
As women, we put up with a lot of opinions about our hair, and this (often) unsolicited advice only increases as we age. We all know that age bias exists, and our hair is no exception. There's ageism in hair care, in advertising and in much of the media we consume.
So many "shoulds" are piled onto women, especially after 40: We should wear certain hairstyles "appropriate" for middle-aged women, we should cover our grays and we should chop off longer locks—and many of these have permeated the workplace as well.
If there's no one drowning out the judgment, this can feel overwhelming!
At Better Not Younger, we get it. Our company was founded specifically to push back on the belief that there's no market for quality, aging hair-care products. Newsflash: Women don't simply disappear after we hit menopause!
We compiled a list of past and present hair biases, including aging hair-care biases, that women have been hearing for far too long, plus our take on these false, outdated myths!
Why the New Hair Frosting Trend Is the Easiest Way to Grow Out Your Gray Hair
It’s always fun getting in on hair trends, especially when you can spin it to work on your own hair. Hair frosting is the latest way to highlight your hair, and while women everywhere are hopping on this frosted hairstyle bandwagon for its cool multidimensional look, we couldn’t help but think how it’s a great way to start transitioning to gray hair!
A blond to gray hair transition or going from brown to gray hair can be done with a frosted hair color. Frosting is a low-maintenance coloring technique that can work for gray hair. And anyone can do it—no matter your hair color, type or texture. When your brown or blond hair begins going gray (or even if you’ve been coloring your grays for years!), all you have to do is find that frosted hair color that matches your gray roots and apply it from root to tip on the graying strands. Keep reading for all the info on hair frosting so you can ask your hairstylist to try out this trending technique on your grays asap.
Layered Bangs Are Back in a New Way
We’ve all gone through a phase of thinking we desperately need bangs. While cutting bangs on a whim is rarely a good idea (especially short, blunt bangs), if you have bangs on the brain, consider some of the latest hairstyles with bangs. Long, layered bangs are extremely popular these days, and for good reason.
These hairstyles with bangs require much less commitment than a short bang does for a few reasons. One, your bangs are longer so the cut isn’t as dramatic. And two, if it turns out these latest hairstyles with bangs aren’t for you, it’ll take less time to grow your hair back out into how you had it before.
Now when you’re thinking about the latest hairstyles with bangs, you must, of course, look to Hollywood, as the stars are the best inspiration for your next trip to the hair salon. Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry have dabbled in long layered bangs, opting for hairstyles that allow them to sweep their long bangs away from their face when desired. Cynthia Nixon has a piecey, side-swept bang on her pixie cut, and her And Just Like That character has a similar but different side-swept bang, too! Priyanka Chopra also has long bangs that she pulls out from time to time, giving a slight frame to her face. And while her bangs are on the short side of long, you can’t talk about the latest hairstyles with bangs without mentioning Zooey Deschanel. She’s made thick layered bangs part of her signature look.
For a few trendy takes on the latest hairstyles with bangs, check out Better Not Younger’s ideas ahead. And because it’s not uncommon to experience some buyer’s remorse when trying out bangs, we’ll also get into how long it takes to grow your bangs back out and how to take care of your hair during the process!
8 Everyday Hairstyles That Damage Your Hair
Without even thinking about it, you might be damaging your hair every single day. That’s a bummer, right? But your go-to hairstyles might not be doing your hair any favors, especially if you’re not using easy protective hairstyles that will keep your strands strong and healthy.
While some hairstyles may seem obvious as far as damage is concerned, others may not. Pulling your hair into a tight bun will obviously cause some breakage, but does wearing headbands cause hair loss? (More on this later!)
There are many ways you can help your hair stay strong but there are also ways you can stop damage in its tracks and bring your hair back to its healthy state. Even if you’ve been wearing harsh hairstyles for years, you can backtrack by opting for hairstyles for damaged hair or easy protective hairstyles that will show your locks some love.
Keep reading to find out which everyday hairstyles could be wreaking havoc on your hair so you can switch over to hairstyles for damaged hair that are more protective.
The Cutting Edge: The Right Way to Cut Your Aging Curly Hair
There’s something so luxurious about a trip to the salon, even if you’re just getting a haircut. Allowing someone to play with your hair for an hour while styling it to perfection is not only a great way to relax, but it just makes you feel good in the end. For curly girls, a haircut may be a bit more involved than those with straight hair, but with the right stylist, it’ll go off without a hitch. It’s all about understanding hair texture, curl definition and curly hairstyles!
There are a few things to know, though, about getting a haircut for curly hair, especially mature curly hair, and finding the perfect curly hairstyles. We spoke with hairstylist Monica Davis, who is also the founder and editor in chief of My Straightener, for some details on the right way to cut curly hair (and how to take care of it at home between salon visits).
7 Ways to Save Your Strands from Damage While You Sleep
We think a lot about how to protect our hair while we're awake: getting routine trims, not brushing our fragile hair while wet, avoiding tight updos and using a heat protectant prior to applying hot styling tools. But we tend to pay less attention to preventing hair damage while sleeping.
To protect hair while sleeping, it’s important to focus on both hair restoration while we sleep and physically preventing hair breakage during the night. This dual approach to overnight hair health will help you achieve your healthiest, most vibrant hair yet!
Read on for ideas for protective hairstyles to sleep in and our best tips for preventing hair damage while you're sleeping!
Great Lengths: What to Know When Growing Out Your Hair
Growing out short hair is not for the faint of heart! Longer hair requires more maintenance and TLC, especially on the ends. You wait impatiently, envisioning yourself with long, silky locks that are super versatile. You can't wait to get there.
But the caterpillar doesn't turn into a butterfly overnight. Growing the long tresses you desire takes time. A few weeks into growing out your hair you might have questions: Are there any good haircuts for growing out short hair? How can I encourage hair growth? Am I destined to look shaggy for the next few months? HELP!
Not to worry. We have the scoop on some cute transition hairstyles for growing out short hair, which are terrific haircut ideas for women over 40, plus hair-care tips and products to help you on your hair growth journey!
7 Best Short Haircuts for Women Over 40
Our hair is one of our best instruments of self-expression—no matter our age. But we know that as we age, our hair can become thinner, which can make it harder to manage and style. This doesn’t have to be the case, though! There are plenty of short hairstyles for women over 40 that are easy to maintain, style and wear with confidence.
Short hair can be comfortable and low-maintenance, and offer endless styling possibilities that certainly aren’t boring! It can be chic, alluring and playful, too—and it can even highlight your beautiful cheekbones. Keep reading for more benefits of sporting short hair, plus our favorite short hairstyles for women over 40.