Why Your Hair Routine Needs to Change After 40

As we enter our 40s and beyond, many women start to notice changes in their hair. Locks that used to be beautiful, soft to the touch, and easy to manage are now a source of frustration and anxiety. It’s not your imagination; it’s hormones! As women age, physiological changes (especially those related to menopause) can affect hair’s thickness and texture, leaving you struggling to style it and feeling helpless.

However, just because your hair is changing, that doesn’t mean you’ll never love it again. You most certainly can. You must adapt your haircare routine and find the right products to fit your changing hair needs.

Start at the Top

Beauty editors everywhere agree that scalp care is the new skincare, which is even more critical when caring for aging hair. Your scalp ages 6x faster than the skin on your face, skin cell turnover slows, and the body produces less collagen, so choosing products that help hydrate, nourish, and exfoliate your scalp will help set the proper foundation for healthier hair.

Watch The Heat

As our hair thins, many of us turn to heat styling products like curlers and curling irons to create fuller-looking styles, which can end up stripping fragile hair of moisture, resulting in breakage and (gulp!) even more hair loss. The key is to use heat protectant products whenever you heat style to help hair hang onto moisture and shine and use the lowest heat settings to avoid burning hair. Of course, heat protection sprays can only do so much, so consider going heat-less whenever possible and use a deep conditioner 1-2x/week to add back moisture and give strands a rest.

Better Tip: If you love styling your hair, use a styling tool without high heat, like the RevAir Reverse-Air Dryer.

Don’t Overwash

Most women are in the habit of washing their hair every day. Still, you might notice that washing hair too often can strip away natural oils found on hair and scalp, leading to dryness and itching or excessive oil production as the scalp tries to overcompensate. If you’re over 40, and your scalp and hair are already becoming drier due to decreased sebum production, you could end up with really dry, coarse hair.

Instead of washing each day, you may want to consider a dry shampoo to help extend the time between washing. Also, conditioning your hair well to help it retain moisture, especially as it changes texture, will help it become softer and manageable again. If you must shampoo daily, choose gentle, sulfate-free products with scalp and hair-nourishing ingredients.

Choose The Right Products for Aging Hair

Your hair changes as you age, and so should your hair products. Just as our skin has different needs in our 20s versus our 50s, women 40+ require products specially designed to address the condition of the scalp, the quality of the hair, and the body’s inner health to help them achieve their thickest, healthiest hair. That’s why Better Not Younger offers a complete line of hair care products here.

Are you ready for way better hair?