Sagging Jowls & Under-Eye Bags
A: When you're trying to draw attention away from areas such as sagging jowls or under-eye bags, the main goal is to choose a hairstyle that creates upward visual lift and adds movement, rather than drawing the eye downward or emphasizing the areas you're concerned about.
Texture, Layers & Bangs
Introducing softness throughout your hair is essential. Layers, gentle waves, and softened edges prevent hard visual lines that tend to draw unwanted attention to sagging skin. Pay close attention to where your layers and volume fall. Adding fullness around the crown or cheekbones lifts the entire face visually, drawing the eye upward and away from both under-eye bags and the jawline.Be cautious about very severe or geometric lines in your haircut if your goal is to create a softer appearance. A very blunt cut or sharp edges can create a strong visual boundary that can accentuate sagging, whereas softer transitions blend much more seamlessly into the contours of your face. This doesn't mean that blunt cuts are necessarily unflattering (they can look great on some women), but they generate a different visual effect.
For under-eye bags, bangs placement can make a significant difference. Soft, side-swept bangs or airy curtain bangs can frame the eyes nicely. They can disguise fine lines and shift the focal point toward your eyebrows and cheekbones. However, try to avoid heavy, straight-across blunt bangs that end precisely at the eye-level. It creates a horizontal line that can act like an arrow pointing straight to under-eye puffiness.
Length & Proportions
The length of your hair and how it frames your cheeks are critical factors when dealing with jowls. A cut that ends right at the jawline (like a classic chin-length bob) will act as a pointer to sagging jowls. A better alternative is to choose a style that ends clearly above your jaw (like a pixie cut), or let your hair grow longer so it falls below your collarbone to visually stretch your neck.Another consideration is the shape and direction of the hairstyle. Creating volume or movement around the center of your face changes how your overall face shape is perceived. However, there isn't a rigid rule that says you must add horizontal lines or avoid vertical ones. The most flattering choice will depend on your face shape, hair texture, hair density, and the features you would like to emphasize or minimize.
Hair Color & Highlights
Hair color can influence the overall impression of your face. The contrast between your hair color, your skin tone, and your features determines where light and shadow fall. So, choosing a color that harmonizes with your complexion can create a softer, more youthful look. Placing lighter tones or face-framing highlights around the top of the face and temples (rather than near the jaw) can bring light upward and diffuse shadows caused by under-eye bags.
However, there is no universal rule that dark hair makes wrinkles, jowls, or under-eye bags look worse. Nor is there a rule that going two shades lighter will automatically make you look younger. Instead of automatically going lighter, consider whether your present color provides a level of contrast that flatters you.
A slightly softer version of your current shade, some subtle highlights, or a carefully chosen blend of tones may be worth considering. The goal isn't to make your hair lighter, but to find a color that complements your skin tone and the overall effect you want.
The best hairstyle is one that directs attention toward the features you like best while giving the areas you're concerned about a less dominant appearance. A good stylist can help you experiment with the placement of layers, volume, bangs, and color so that the result works with your particular face rather than following a one-size-fits-all rule.
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See also:
Choosing a hairstyle for the mature woman
Does your face shape change when you get older?
Should older women keep their hair short and out of their face?