To wear my hair long at 40

[BreatheitAllIn]

I'm sick of hearing what society deems as unacceptable after turning 40. I will cut my hair when I damn well please. Why do they get to decide? Does society tell men what they shouldn't do?

Recommendations for natural shampoos that reduce hair loss, aid hair growth, and aren't too expensive would be appreciated! I'm noticing my usual shampoos like L'Oréal Elvive etc are making my hair look flat, and not as much volume.

I will be 40 next year and no plans to cut my hair. It’s thick and healthy, no reason I should chop it.

OP check out the Abbey Yung method!

I’m 64 and have my thick shiny hair n a chin length bob. It’s a style I’ve always loved and I couldn’t care less if other people think it is ageing.

I’m 56 with long super shiny hair. I wash my hair every other day, I shampoo twice, only use conditioner on my ends and have a few different shampoos and conditioners on the go.
My hair grows really quickly so I have it cut every seven weeks.

I'm rocking a punky silver pixie cut, giving off Annie Lennox vibes and feeling mint about it. I've had variations of this cut for the last 25ish years. I dislike the current long hair trend. There's very little variation, so bland and a bit needy.

I think some of it is down to genetics. My mum had a full head of thick hair right up until she died aged 76. I'm 15 years past menopause ( mine started in my late 30's), and my hair is still as thick as it's ever been like hers. I'm not on HRT (never have been), and don't use any shampoo that's apparently "designed with menopausal women in mind". Mine sisters inherited my dad's not so thick head of hair and both have now got thin, fine hair after going through the menopause.

I'm 45 and my hair reaches my chest, no one told me there was a rule I had to cut it

I agree with that, absolutely. If the long hair is nicely cut and coloured (if necessary), then it doesn’t matter how old you are, unless it is badly cut and steel grey (I have someone specific in mind whose look at the age of 40 is the reason I would never let my grey hair grow long )

Mine’s a pixie cut too. I’ve not gone grey yet at 77! I’ve always loved white hair, as you can add different colours easily.

It's archaic nonsense.

My mum told me I should cut my hair (and stop dyeing it) when I hit 21 because it was 'ageing'.

Mind you, she also thought I should have 'grown out of' 'going out' by then, too.

And that, at 27 when my partner bought a new bike, he was too old for cycling.

Some people have funny ideas...

I'm 51 now and my hair is about bra strap length. It's been long and dyed my whole adult. When it's all gone grey, I'll stop dyeing it then.

Op, Much longer hair here, and also a few 10+ years older than you. Yes, I have heard it, a few years back. A couple/few different times over space of a few years, possibly first time in 30s, same person each time, but tbh I couldn’t care less. Yes, it is a lot of hard work, and I’m not as happy with it as I used to be (valid reasons), but whereas I may eventually get it trimmed a little I can’t see me ever not having long hair. I still get comments (positive, always) and compliments still which is nice but it’s always been only about how I feel about it. I used to absolutely love my hair. - so more than just ‘like’, as I do now - so I’m always slightly taken aback by compliments these days, but they are appreciated, esp if having a crap day, and nobody needs to say anything at all, so I do accept them in the spirit they are intended and that’s nice because, as I said, nobody needs to say anything at all.

I have never had a negative comment about my hair - apart from this one person (giving out details, whilst helping to provide context, would out me totally unfortunately, and I actually think it’s more personal from them. Too bad. ). So I’ll keep it growing, certainly for the foreseeable, because it really doesn’t matter if it does make my age catch up (or make me look older even) with me eventually 🤷🏼‍♀️

Sorry, couldn’t re-re-edit; I meant mainly the compliments and positive/nice comments from total strangers whilst out. The negative has been one person only, someone more close to me. Nobody else in my private life is negative about it either, even though they all know me enough to know I’d only ever want the truth and if I ask about something it’s because I want to know genuine opinions/advice etc, and not to have smoke blown up my arse so people I know are honest to me about anything, esp if I ask their opinions, but will also compliment me genuinely about whatever.

have a search I have given detailed instructions in the thread 👍

How long is your hair OP ?
Mine to to my shoulders but has lots of body so looks longer.
I'm 70 in september

Past bra strap, and hoping to keep it nice and healthy, as noticed it looking limp lately. The ichy scalp and greasy roots are driving me crazy. I've ordered some shampoo from one of the recommendations on here! Also going to apply a leave in conditioner

I'm 42 and my hair is almost to my arse! I keep talking about cutting it but DH and my teen DC keep saying that it's lovely and to keep it! My niece asked me this morning how I get it so healthy (I dunno, I just wash it 😄).

My 64 year old MIL has very long curly hair. It looks lovely.

One of my best friends, the same age as me, has hair a similar length to mine and she's doing all the hair oiling etc to get it longer! In fact, most of my friends have long hair, at least past their shoulders.

But if you've had that cut for 25 years you're hardly unbiased are you? Telling us long hair is bland and needy is as pointless as me giving my opinion on short hair would be. I dislike short hair just as much as you dislike long.

Just watching the presentation of trophies at Wimbledon, and both the Princess of Wales and Annabel Croft are looking great with beautifully styled long hair, at over 40

Annabel is around 60. I think Kate has extensions.

Definitely...Kate has had a headful of extensions for years! It's nowhere near what her natural hair would look like.

I’m glad I’m not the only one. I’m 35 and still feel about 24! I have long hair and dress how I want - I genuinely don’t give it a second thought. I’m going to a festival next week and it will be bralettes, denim shorts, and body make up galore. 🙃

I would recommend Routine Wellness. It’s made my (relatively long) hair so much thicker and smells amazing.

What a load of rubbish. I've had short hair for years and people always think I'm younger than I am. When I went from fairly short to very short I looked in the mirror and thought I looked even younger - and then my hairdresser said the same thing. Your hairdresser is a fool.

Needy how? Genuinely puzzled!

How on Earth is long hair a bit needy?!