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    22 Hair Care Products Reviewers Over 50 Swear By

    "It took me 'til my 50s to find this amazing product. I sure coulda used this in my 20s."

    1. A moisturizing in-shower hair treatment for a quick burst of hydration. In just eight seconds — eight! — it starts working to leave your mane feeling silkier, softer, and smoother after washing.

    Reviewer with natural hair that looks voluminous, healthy, and shiny
    Reviewer with soft and shiny straight hair

    Promising review: "I am 66 years old. I have fine thinning hair. Followed instructions. Blew dry my hair. How awesome was it? My hair now feels regular in thickness and holds a curl and actually has body. I wish for a lifetime supply. Will use this from now on." —Mortimer Brewster

    Get it from Amazon for $9.59.

    2. A splurge-worthy hair and body mist with notes of vanilla, salted caramel, and pistachio that'll make you smell like you just walked off a sunny beach in Brazil.

    Promising review: "LET’S START WITH THE AMAZING SMELL! OMG! If you spray this one time and smell it you will be [obsessed]. Not lying! My teens love it, my 90-year-old mother loves it, and I love it. I can’t say enough about this line of products. I get sooooo many compliments about how delicious it smells and my friends all wanted to know what I was wearing. LOVE, ADORE, YUMMY! Highly recommend." —Terrie

    Get it from Amazon for $24 (available in six scents).

    3. An air-dry leave-in curl cream because — surprise! — frizz-free curls that are bouncy, defined, and hydrated don't require a blow dryer.

    Reviewer showing results of using OGX air-dry cream
    Reviewer after using OGX air-dry cream

    Promising review: "I am in my 60s with light blonde hair that's been color-treated for years. I have 2A-B waves when I use a curl cream/gel, and a frizzy mess when I don't. I just received this last week and am absolutely loving it!! It is light, but man, it does hold those waves/curls. I don't really notice the fragrance but I'm not sensitive to that. Also, the next day I sprayed some distilled water on my hair to bring it back to life, and my hair sprang right back. It holds and holds, isn't crunchy, and I noticed my hair is looking more shiny than usual, and this is the only new product I've been using." —Flanamom

    Get it from Amazon for $7.97.

    4. An anti-humidity spray so you can give humidity a metaphorical middle finger. This spray creates a waterproof coat around your hair that blocks out moisture (that eventually leads to frizziness). As if that wasn't already magical enough, this effect lasts up to 72 hours or through two to three shampoos!

    reviewer with shiny-looking frizz-free hair
    another reviewer with soft-looking frizz-free hair

    Promising review: "I don't usually try all the latest hair things because my hair is very fine and it doesn't like product. But I received it as a sample, and I can't believe how nice it made my hair and how long it lasted. I have to wash every single day, or my hair would be limp and lifeless. You could tell if I didn't wash my hair for one day. This miracle stuff makes it so that I don't have to wash my hair for a good three days at least and it still looks fresh. It also lasts between washes, so I only have to use it every other wash or sometimes not for three or four. I can't live without this now that I found it. It took me 'til my 50s to find this amazing product. I sure coulda used this in my 20s!" —B.S.

    Get it from Amazon for $25.74.

    5. dandruff shampoo to banish white flakes from your scalp. It's made with ketoconazole 1%, an antifungal ingredient that'll tell your dandruff it's no longer welcome here.

    before reviewer image of hair and scalp covered in dandruff
    after reviewer image of no dandruff on scalp

    Read more about ketoconazole shampoo at Cleveland Clinic.

    Promising review: "This is without a doubt the best dandruff shampoo ever. I am 50 years old and have had very bad dry scalp and dry skin on my face and ears all my life. I have tried everything on this side of the moon without any success until now. This stuff truly works and is amazing. I literally put it on my face and even on my ears where I’ve always had problems with dry skin, and after even the first use I saw amazing results — no more itching no more flaking. I can actually wear a black shirt now with confidence; no flakes to worry about . I truly highly recommend this product and the only downfall I can think of is where was it when I was a teenager and had to endure many embarrassing moments. Thank you so so much for this shampoo. It’s worth every last penny!" —stacy

    Get it from Amazon for $15.88+ (available in two sizes).

    6. A dry shampoo powder if you're looking for a travel-friendly option (it's a powder, not an aerosol can) to mattify your roots, absorb excess grease, and help extend the life of your hairstyles between washes.

    reviewer tapping the sponge on their roots to apply the white powder
    Reviewer's transformation with “Before” showing greasy hair and “After” showing hair that doesn't look greasy

    Promising review: I love this product. I have never gotten the hang of the dry shampoo spray, but this works like a charm! I know many reviews say it's great for children, but I am 50 years old, and I love it!" —Carolyn

    Get it from Amazon for $18.

    7. K18, a leave-in reparative treatment for anyone who's put their hair through the wringer. It's fan-flipping-tastic at restoring moisture and softness in your strands if you frequently bleach or chemically treat your hair, or if you use heat-styling tools often.

    a buzzfeed editor with soft blonde hair
    a bottle of k18 repair hair mask
    Melanie Aman / BuzzFeed, Sephora

    I bleach my dark brown-black Asian hair blonde every six to eight weeks, so I was immediately intrigued when I first heard some stylists at my salon raving about K18. And it turns out the rest of the world loves it too, because it was sold out at Sephora the first time I tried to buy it. I eventually snagged a bottleand was gobsmacked at how much softer my hair was. Seriously. I spent the whole day touching my hair, and even my boyfriend agreed that my mane was noticeably silkier. 

    Olaplex was my go-to before I tried K18 and I still stand by it as a product, but I really love that K18 is a leave-in treatment rather than an in-shower mask. Having to let the Olaplex sit for 10 minutes felt like forever, especially when I wasn't taking an everything shower (you know, the ones where you exfoliate and shave). With K18, you let it sit in your hair for four minutes post shower to activate and then you can style your hair (or just let it air dry like I do). 

    I've found that my hair is softest the next day, so don't be discouraged if your hair looks or feels the same the day you use it. One last thing: it is pretty pricey but a little goes a long way. The 15 mL tube I bought has lasted ~five washes, and eventually K18 can become a maintenance product so you won't need to use it every time you wash your hair."

    Promising review: "My hairdresser used this on my hair and it instantly made it silky. I decided to purchase it because I’m 52 and my hair has had a different more frizzy texture over the past few years. I have used this for several months now and can say it works really well. It’s expensive but I don’t wash my hair every day so it has lasted me a bit. It seems to repair damage as it states." —AW

    Get it from Amazon for $29+ (available in two sizes).

    8. Or a budget-friendly collagen-coating hair treatment (some reviewers say it works as well as K18 and Olaplex) that'll revitalize a mane that's dry, damaged, and overprocessed. Waking up with frizz-free hair? Umm, yes, please!

    BuzzFeed editor's before and after photos showing that the cream made their hair less frizzy and more smooth
    The tube
    Bek O'Connell / BuzzFeed

    Promising review: "This product has a light but really lovely scent. I absolutely love it! My almost waist-length hair was seriously damaged by my last hairstylist. I've tried everything to make my hair shinier and more manageable, with less frizz. I've been through countless deep conditioning treatments with little results...till I found CER 100! I'm in my early 50s so I have far from 'virgin' hair. If mine looks this great, that says a lot! My only wish? That it came in a bigger tube/bottle!" —C. Fordham

    Get it from Amazon for $6.65.

    Read our review of Elizavecca's CER-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment to learn more about why my colleague calls it, "the miracle product I've been searching for."

    9. And since it's also been mentioned, a splurge-worthy bottle of Olaplex No. 3 because this stuff means business. It'll revive your dry, damaged, colored hair like no other. As someone who spends four-plus hours bleaching my hair every six to eight weeks, I can 100% vouch for this miracle in a bottle.

    reviewer with graying 3b curls that look springy and hydrated
    reviewer with straight hair that looks free of damage

    Promising review: "For the price of this small bottle I had very high expectations, and it truly delivered! This is not a hair conditioner. As it says on the bottle, it is a 'hair bonder.' I am 55 years old and I dye my gray Asian hair every 3–4 weeks. This makes my hair very frizzy and dry-looking no matter how much I condition. After using this twice — I washed my hair first, towel dried it, applied Olaplex, left it on for 10–15 minutes each time, did a quick rinse, towel dried it, and then blow dried it — the result is just amazing! No more frizz and fly-away hair. That was two days ago and still looks good." —SusannaF

    Get it from Amazon for $30.

    10. A detangling brush so you can stop using the phrase "rat's nest" to describe your hair before brushing it. The Glide Thru Detangling Brush has flexible bristles that separate knots without pulling and breaking your strands.

    Happy reviewer who used the brush to detangle their 3c-4a hair
    Reviewer with knotted hair
    The same reviewer with detangled hair after using the brush

    Promising review: "I have long, straight, baby-fine hair halfway down my back. When I wash my hair, it gets tangled the most. I just got out of the shower...and am fascinated by how well this thing worked through my WET hair. I hardly lost any hair! Being 56, I am lucky to have all this hair! Having a tool like this ensures I will keep as much as I can!" —Blind Man Frank

    Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in 1-pack, 2-pack, and nine colors).

    11. A bottle of Fanola purple shampoo to strip the brassiness from your hair so your gray looks ice cold instead of streaky and yellow.

    Reviewer before and after showing the shampoo took their hair from orange and brassy to cool and light blonde
    Reviewer showing silvery gray hair that doesn't look brassy

    Promising review: "It works and doesn't look blue. I’m 85 years old, and it took all the yellow out of my hair, and now it is a nice, uniform steel gray instead of streaked." —Amazon Customer

    Get it from Amazon for $9.97+ (available in three sizes).

    12. A Chi automatic curling iron if you constantly singe your fingers on a hot barrel. Insert your hair into the chamber, and the curler will automatically wrap your strands around the heated rod. A beep will alert you when the curl has set. The best part: The barrel protects your fingers from getting burned.

    Before photo of reviewer with straight hair
    Same reviewer with their hair inside the curler
    After photo showing the same reviewer with perfectly curled hair

    Promising review: "I get so many compliments on my hair. The curl holds for days! It is so easy to use. It only takes me about 20 minutes to use. I love that there is a timer for how long the hair is in the barrel, so each curl is the same. I am 55, and this is very easy to use — no more burning my skin or hands or anything because the barrel is inside." —Luvtoshop

    Get it from Amazon for $67.71+ (available in six colors).

    13. Or a set of flexible curling rods for heat-free curls and more time back in the morning not spent using a pair of hot tongs. Use them on wet or dry hair and then sleep on 'em. The results = perfect heatless curls.

    Reviewer with hair in rollers and one section of hair that has a soft curl to it after the curling rod has been removed
    Reviewer with natural hair after removing the curling rods, revealing ringlet-type curls

    Promising review: "I love these rollers. My hair is very thin and the hot rollers and dryer that I have been using further destroyed my hair. These rollers are easy to use. I put a little water on each section, roll, and usually wait two hours. My curls are great, and stay all day. I am 70 years old." —The Sutherlands

    Get 42 rods from Amazon for $9.95.

    14. An argan oil hair mask that'll repair your hair's elasticity and make it soft and shiny again. If split ends and dryness are making it hard to style your strands, this deep conditioner can help with that. It's safe for all hair types and is paraben- and sulfate-free.

    Reviewer before and after showing the mask smoothed and reduced frizziness of their waist-length hair
    Reviewer with long, smooth, shiny red hai

    Promising review: "At 54 years old and menopausal, my hair has changed from fine and soft to fine and frizzy. The mask has remedied that and my hair is like it was when I was younger. Soft, manageable and I am getting compliments on it." —Jeanette B

    Get it from Amazon for $12.95.

    15. A Mielle rosemary mint scalp oil because TikTok is absolutely obsessed with this so you better grab it before it sells out. This biotin-infused hair-strengthening oil helps smooth split ends, moisturize dry scalps, and deeply nourish 3A–4C hair.

    another reviewer showing their shoulder-length hair in june, then again in september, and then again in january
    reviewer with thin eyebrows that look thicker and darker after using the scalp oil for a few weeks

    Promising review: "OK, over-50 female club members, this is for you. My hair has not only been getting thinner, but the texture has gotten dull, dry, and impossible to style. I came across this product in one of my desperate online searches to find anything to help restore shine to my hair. I doused my scalp and ends with this and put my hair into a ball cap. Then, I was outside doing some gardening in the 80-degree heat for about six hours. I was sweaty and very hot when I came inside to shower and rinse this stuff out of my hair. I didn't blow dry, just air dry. And to my amazement, my hair is now SO SHINY and GLOSSY that I can very easily slide my fingers through my hair! It looks incredible! So the true test will be to see if it actually regrows my hair...esp my non-existent eyebrows, which I plucked back in high school and never grew back. So far, I'm very happy with this purchase and will continue to use it." —Justme

    Get it from Amazon for $9.97.

    16. A curl-activating cream so your curls stay curls instead of turning into a ball of frizz the moment you step outside of the house. It enhances your natural curl pattern while reducing frizz — a win-win! It's also designed to add volume, bounce, and shine for days so your day one ringlets look just as good on day three. And that's a win-win-win!

    Reviewer with tight curls showing the product adds shine
    Reviewer with a short, slight waves

    Promising review: "I ordered it, tried it the day I received it, and went back to Amazon and ordered 4 more bottles the same day. NO JOKE. I cannot be without this stuff. It made my hair look and feel exactly like I wanted it to. I’ve never had a hair product do that for my hair before in my 50+ years! I am SHOOK, I tell you. I have top-of-shoulder length hair, with 2b wavy curls, and my hair is medium thickness and slightly on the fine side (but not too fine). I used an amount about the size of a nickel or a fat dime. PERFECTION! I let it air dry about 75% of the way and then used a diffuser to scrunch it for about 1–2 minutes. That’s it. WASH AND GO curly hair. When my hair was completely dry, it looked soft and moisturized, was not too flat or too fluffy, & my curls were controlled and beautiful with ZERO CRUNCH and ZERO OILY/GREASY FEEL" —Hardy Clan

    Get it from Amazon for $6.48.

    17. A Revlon hot air brush to help you go from wet, tangled, frizzy hair to a shiny, salon-worthy blowout in minutes. 

    Reviewer's hair with a straightened right side and natural texture on the left
    Reviewer with half of their curly hair straightened

    The brush has special vents that allow air to flow so hair dries faster. Plus, it's quicker than using a dryer and then a flat iron or curling iron, which equals less heat damage.

    Promising review: "First-time review because I’m so happy with this dryer/styler! My hair is about shoulder length, very fine with a slight curl, and now it has some gray. It’s also frizzy, no matter what I use. I’m 61 years old, so trust me, I’ve used a lot of products! Never have I been able to get my hair to look like it did after leaving the salon, EXCEPT after using this. I watched some YouTube videos first for some pointers and then gave it a try. It’s easy to use, even though it’s bigger than I thought it would be. My hair came out beautiful! Smooth, soft, no frizz, and lots of volume. Hope this review helps anyone out there that has similar hair!" —Anon anon

    Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in nine colors/styles). If you've tried barrel-shaped hot air brushes before without success and have tighter curls or coils, you may want to try the paddle brush version, which reviewers with 3A–4C hair swear by.

    18. Or a 3-in-1 hot tool with interchangeable heads if you want options when it comes to barrel sizes. It'll style, curl, and volumize for the jaw-droppingly low price of less than $30.

    reviewer with loose waves
    Reviewer posing and showing off their voluminous blowout

    It comes with a smoothing concentrator head for precise drying, a 1.5-inch brush head for volume, and a 1-inch brush for curls and waves.

    Promising review: "I'm 60 years old, and I have used this one for 15 years now. I have tried others but always come back to this one. I have thick curly hair, so I need one that is 1200w. The others are not hot enough to style and defrizz my hair. I don't have to use a curling iron anymore, which saves time and is less damaging. I don't wash my hair every day, so I wet my hair slightly and use this to lift, volumize, and style my hair in two minutes every day. TIME SAVER. I use mine daily, and mine last up to two years. Best one I've used. I just tried one that was $60 and came back to this one. More expensive doesn't make it better." —Snyd

    Get it from Amazon for $29.89.

    19. A scalp massager for not only treating yourself to a relaxing scalp massage but also for getting that blood flowing to your head while simultaneously breaking down buildup like hairspray and dry shampoo that's making your hair oily and difficult to style.

    reviewer holding a teal silicone brush with massage points
    reviewer showing new hair growth

    Promising review: "I noticed a difference in using this for about a month, twice a week. I am 58 and have had thinning hair for a very long time; this brush seems to be thickening the spots where I have hair. I see why so many people are very happy with it." —J. G.

    Get it from Amazon for $6.98+ (available in three colors).

    20. Verb hair oil that'll gift your hair with a weightless blend of moringa seed oil, bamboo extract, and argan oil that simultaneously moisturizes, strengthens, and adds shine while leaving behind a light, fresh scent (because no one needs to know this is third-day hair).

    reviewer with curled hair that looks soft and moisturized
    reviewer holding pump bottle of the oil

    Promising review: "I have shoulder-length hair that is frizzy without product. This product is the best I have ever used in my 56 years. If I put it on damp hair and blow-dry, my hair looks great and bouncy. If I use my flat-iron after blow-drying, it stays smooth, even on rainy days." —delenbaas

    Get it from Amazon for $20.

    Not convinced? Check out our Verb Ghost Oil review (#5) for more deets!

    21. A hair repair serum because dry, dull, frizzy hair has no place on your head. This hydrating formula contains argan oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E to add shine and smoothness.

    Promising review: "Truly, this is the most amazing serum that I have ever used. I’m a 66-year-old grandmother with colored, thin, and wavy hair. I have tried many products in my life. A few drops — let’s say two when your hair is wet and two when it’s dry — will make the magic. You will experience soft, easy-to-handle hair. And the smell is so pretty. BTW, I got one for one of my granddaughters (she is 14 with curls), and she texted her mom, saying, 'Mom you have to try it, and the smell is fantastic.' DO I have to say more? NO!" —Placeholder

    Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in pack of 2 and pack of 4).

    22. A color-depositing conditioner so you can skip the hassle and mess of at-home box dyes or the hefty price tag of a salon visit. Each time you wash your hair using this conditioner, the color will become more vibrant.

    Reviewer showing off their red dyed natural hair
    Before and after images showing the effect of the gray conditioner

    Just FYI, the reviewer on the right uses the color-depositing conditioner in addition to Boldify hair fibers.

    Promising review: "At 59 years old, I decided (during the pandemic) to quit coloring my hair. I shaved my head (seriously). The gray was a shock but not as shocking as the white. I really hated it but didn’t want to go back to dying it. Enter this onyx toner, which I mix with the silver gray. I put it on my shoulder-length hair in the shower, then rinse off about 10 minutes later. It leaves a beautiful salt-and-pepper look on my hair. I’ll never be without it. I only do this weekly, so the bottles last a long time. I tried the silver, but I like the onyx and silver-blue mixture better. It’s been nothing but positive for me for the past 3+ years. No white or yellow-toned hair for me. I Love this stuff!" —Amazon Buyer

    Get it from Amazon for $22.95+ (available in 2 sizes and 21 colors).

    The reviewers in this post before trying these products: