What would it be like to have your hair look like fall without being too much? This season, it is not about re-inventing the wheel, it is about improving what is already good. The 2025 trends range from dimensional brown tones to buttery highlights and softly blended honey brown, all of which are meant to flatter rather than overwhelm. Whether you’re craving bold contrast or low-maintenance glow, there’s a color here that speaks to your life right now.
Curious what’s trending for women 40+ this fall? Let’s dive in.
Soft Chocolate Curls with Natural Volume
There’s something timeless about a shoulder-length curly cut that celebrates every coil without trying to control it. This brown is more of a soft chocolate that picks up the late-autumn light in just the right amount to give a glowy frame around the face. The volume is not puffed or forced, but sits naturally, and the slightly off-center bit makes it modern without being styled within an inch of its life. It is easy to wear, no-fuss, and fully in line with the Best Fall 2025 Hair Color Trends for Women 40+, particularly, in case you adore your natural texture but desire something a bit more refined.
Fall is all about protection and moisture when taking care of curls. I tend to use Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Leave-In Defining Cream. It softens frizz without turning curls into limp noodles. And if you’re stepping into drier air, don’t skip a weekly mask—Oribe’s Moisture & Control Deep Treatment Masque is a little luxury your curls will thank you for.
I’ve personally grown into my curls after 40. I struggled with them, year after year, trying to straighten, stretch, or silence them. However, adopting them in a tone that adds depth to them, such as this brown with the tiniest highlights, has been a game changer. I have found that it gives me a glow on my skin and makes me a bit more alive even on the days when I am not wearing any makeup.
There’s no rush to go bold if you’re not ready. A muted color such as this one can be the silent self-esteem builder that does just what you want–without making a noise about it.
Beige Blonde Layers with Sweeping Bangs
This is a clean, rounded, full of movement cut, particularly with those feathered highlights that take the base brown to a multidimensional beige blonde. It’s classic with a twist. The broad front pieces form a near sculptural frame, with the focus on the cheekbones without harsh lines. This one is perfectly in line with the 2025 trends, particularly among women who desire polish but do not want to make it complicated. It also suits nearly all face shapes- which, to be frank, is a reason why it is a staple every year.
Maintenance-wise, I would suggest a purple toning shampoo once a week or so to keep the brassiness at bay. My current fave? Amika’s Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Shampoo. And to maintain the ends looking fresh, you need a heat protectant, and I recommend the Color Wow Dream Coat. That silky texture won’t hold without protection.
This color always makes me think of the light of early fall, bright, golden, yet soft. After I turned 42, I experimented with a similar shade, and it made my skin tone look so good that people who did not know me were wondering whether I had a tweakment. Nope, just great highlights and a good cut!
Don’t let the layers scare you—they grow out beautifully and give you room to play with styling, even if you don’t have tons of time.
Textured Brunette Shag with Wispy Fringe
This tousled brown shag is edgy and feminine at the same time with ginger brown highlights that are just right. This is a daring, young cut that does not overdo it with the choppy ends and undone fringe. If you’re craving something that says “I’m evolving” instead of “I’m clinging to the same style from 2002,” this one’s for you. It hits the current shag revival that is sweeping the 2025 runway recaps.
This style loves dry shampoo and texture spray—perfect if you’re in your 40s or 50s and don’t wash your hair every day (who does?). I have been successful with R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo and Trophy Shine + Texture Spray. They’re like second-day magic in a bottle.
To me, this haircut has energy. It moves when you move. It works whether you’re running errands or going out for cocktails. Frankly, when I did something like this in my mid-40s, I felt noticed once more not because it was a fashionable thing to do, but because it was something that finally felt like me.
It feels liberating to have a cut that does not need to be perfect. It gives your features a chance to shine without over-managing each strand.
Cool-Toned Brunette with Voluminous Blowout
This is your blowout moment- brushed back with airy volume and soft highlights playing through a cool brown base. The cooler undertone balances it out on tan skin asian tones, and the layers are flowy to give that effortlessly full silhouette. It is the type of style that you can just put on with a warm sweater and feel like you are ready to go. Certainly, one of the most wearable concepts of the Best Fall 2025 Hair Color Trends for Women 40+.
This type of voluminousness does require a round brush blow-dry or a hot air brush such as the Dyson Airwrap or Revlon One-Step. I prefer to apply the Full Dry Volume Blast by Living Proof to fix the body without crunch.
I’ve seen this shade worn beautifully on women in their 40s and even 50+. It’s subtle but commanding. An excellent change to anyone who is going darker yet wants dimension and life.
This cut is soft and therefore suitable to women who want ideas that are not overworked yet stylish. Nothing about it feels try-hard.
Golden Layers with Curtain Bangs
This appearance is as though a warm breeze is blowing through a golden orchard, it is layered perfectly, with soft highlights that melt into a buttery blonde. The curtain bangs open the face in the most flattering manner, and it is one of the most flattering concepts of women experimenting with new, but traditional cuts. This style has a light and soft feel to it that comes across as elegant, feminine, and understatedly trending in the 2025 season.
To keep color such as this bright, I suggest a color-safe shampoo that will maintain the creamy color. Hydrate Sheer by Pureology is a great product on finer hair that does not make it heavy. When you heat style, incorporate a thermal spray-Color Wow Speed Dry makes hair dry quicker and adds shine.
I once had this color as fall was just coming in and I swear it made everything I wore feel more luxurious- like the golden light outside was trailing behind me. Such a tone actually goes well with cashmere, neutral makeup, and that glow-within-vibe that we all adore.
It is not youth, but glow, dimension, and movement. And this one’s got all three in spades.
Short Wavy Bob with Platinum Tips
This is a contemporary short haircut that is a showstopper- the messy bob adds the right amount of texture, and the slight platinum highlights on the ends add a high-end touch. The root is a deep ash brown and the mid-length to ends fade into lighter brighter ribbons. This isn’t your average “mom cut.” It is stylish, self-assured, and completely up to date with 2025 trends of adult glam.
This shorter cut works well with a little salt spray and a quick blast of the diffuser. I have Ouai Wave Spray in my arsenal because of this fact, it does not make hair crunchy but rather softly tousled. And to prevent the ends turning yellow, apply a violet conditioner once a week. Kristin Ess makes a great one for drugstore budgets.
I was convinced that short hair would mean that I would have less styling options, but in reality, this type of bob has proved to be more versatile than I expected. It keeps up with casual denim days to a blazer-and-lipstick moment and never feels dull.
If you’re over 40 and craving that fresh shift without fully reinventing yourself, this might just be your next signature move.
Rooted Blonde Waves with Face-Framing Highlights
This hairstyle is pure dimension. Light, face-framing highlights are on a neutral brown base that flows out into creamy waves that bounce with softness. It is one of the most photogenic styles of the season and it is ideal for women who want a new look but not too dramatic. It is also low maintenance, which the rooted technique helps maintain, something I always enjoy as the days grow shorter and time seems even more valuable.
