Does shorter hair age you?

Short hair doesn’t age you — the wrong short cut does. If a haircut is too severe, too flat, or too dated, it can definitely draw attention to features in a less-than-flattering manner. Any shape or form that looks like it was constructed for a structure or that has too much rigid, outdated sculpture (think helmet-like cuts or sculpted pixies, with no sense of softness or its-too-structured-to-be-you pixie cuts) can make you look older. Conversely, a classic but modern short shape can lift the face, deepen the eye, then sharpen it with a certain freshness and vibrancy that lack — well — when you get longer hair.

It’s all about the texture. A soft-layered bob or a loosely tousled crop with movement often looks more youthful than long hair that hangs flat and lifeless. I mean, Charlize Theron and Halsey make it look so easy when they rock the cut because when their hair suits their vibe, they exude confidence and style — two things that don’t age. Don’t get me started on when you wear earrings or want to highlight your collar or bone structure. Quite possibly the shortest of all the short hairstyles can really enhance any presence.

In the end, age is not in the product; it is in the energy that the hair emits. And if that short hair suits your vibe, short hair could be the most freeing of all styles.