Four women enjoying their best hair in their 20s, 30’s and 40s

Your Best Hair in Your 20s, 30s, and 40s. Here’s What to Do

How Your Hair Changes at Age 20, 30, and 40

Your best hair in your 20s is very different from your best hair at age 30. At age 40 your tresses will change even more. As a Trichologist (haircare expert) and stylist, my job is to help you manage how your hair changes between age 20 and 40. The good news is that the right haircare means you can have your best hair at every life stage. 

 

 

Your lifestyle and haircare habits absolutely show up in your hair health. My top Trichologist tip is to always invest in your hair at every life stage – your future self will thank you.

Here’s how I help my clients have their best hair in their 20s, 30s and 40s:

 

The Best Care for Your Hair at Age 20

The number one best thing you can do for your future hair health is to get proactive about your haircare in your 20s. If that decade is behind you, don’t worry, it’s never too late to start future-proofing your hair. 

 

 

Here’s how to easily get ahead of symptoms of hair aging with proactive haircare:

✅ Use a heat protectant every time you heat style:

Heat styling is one of the major causes of hair damage. High heat damages the cuticle (outer protective layer) leading to hair breakage.

Heat styling can also lead to texture changes (loss of your natural curl pattern) and even irreversible structural damage like bubble hair (swollen strands caused by using heat tools on wet hair).

 

 

A heat protectant like Mend breaks the cycle of repeated heat stress on your tresses by protecting your hair up to 450°F and decreasing breakage by up to 45%.

 

✅ Proactively clean up your haircare routine:  

Yes, it’s time to clean up your haircare act. Choose clean haircare products and spare your hair from exposure to harsh cleansers (sulfates), additives, fragrances, and preservatives that can do long-term damage to your hair. Your hair and scalp will thank you for switching to a clean haircare brand like Arey. 

Arey follows the Credo standards for clean haircare because it makes sense for your hair, your health and our planet. That’s why all our haircare is cruelty-free and free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten and artificial fragrances. 

Read more about clean beauty and why it matters for your hair.

 

 

Shop Arey’s Bestselling Clean Haircare Bundles:

Future-Proofing Your Hair at Age 30

Welcome to the decade when you reap the rewards of all your hard work in your 20s. Your 30s are the perfect time to reassess your life and health goals and implement some serious self-care.

 

 

For many of us our 30s is when our hair first starts to show age-related changes as well as the effects of your lifestyle habits. If you’ve been over-processing, bleaching, or regularly styling without heat protection, it’s going to show up in your hair. 

Here’s how to take the best care of your hair in your 30s:

✅ Get proactive about grey hair with targeted nutrition: 

The average age to see your first grey hairs is 30, so when you see those first silvery strands, don’t panic. 70% of the reason why you go grey is NOT due to genetics. Other factors like diet, lifestyle choices and haircare habits can impact the rate at which you go grey.

  

 

As you age, your body doesn’t process nutrition as efficiently, so your hair starts to suffer. It’s not easy to always eat the perfect diet for your hair health. That’s why Arey’s core haircare product is our supplement Not Today, Grey. Not Today, Grey nourishes your hair and helps delay and even repigment grey hair.

You can read more here about Arey products that are clinically-proven to delay grey hair growth. 

 

✅ Caring for your hair after postpartum hair loss: 

If your 30s is when you choose to start a family, your hair will also experience that postpartum hormonal rollercoaster. Pregnancy can change your hair quality and thickness, including sudden, scary, postpartum hair loss and thinning. Don’t panic.

Here’s what to do to boost hair growth and health after pregnancy: 

    • Boost your diet with antioxidant-rich foods and an anti-aging nutritional supplement like Not Today, Grey after you are done breastfeeding.

    • Switch to a clean, balanced shampoo and conditioner like Wash and Smooth that rebalances and nourishes your hair.

    • Don’t stress! Stressing out makes everything worse – especially hair issues. Your hair should recover its thickness and volume within 6 months.

If your hair loss is extreme or continues beyond six months, then make sure to consult your doctor.

     

    Why Your Scalp Health Matters at Age 40

    Your 40s are a very special time for your hair and scalp health. Hormonal changes mean your scalp produces less natural moisturizers (sebum) leaving you with a dry, itchy scalp and parched hair that’s frustratingly hard to style. Thankfully, there are many ways to care for your scalp that can restore your hair’s health, shine, and vitality. 

    Here’s how to boost your hair growth and scalp health in your 40s:

    ✅ Get serious about your scalp health:

    Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. If your scalp is dry, itchy, inflamed, red, or suffering from buildup, it can contribute to hair thinning and slow your hair growth cycle.

    Here’s how to add some scalp care into your haircare routine:

      • Protect your scalp from chemical irritation. If you’re using hair dye, you could be causing irritation to your scalp skin. Apply a few drops of Arey's water-based serum Calm It Down™ to your scalp 4-6 hours before coloring to reduce irritation.

      • Soothe your scalp after coloring or other chemical treatments. Apply Calm It Down™ daily until irritation stops. Studies show that 90% of users experienced reduced redness after 3 days.

     

     

      • Bust buildup with an exfoliating scalp scrub. Have you ever scratched your head and found white gunk under your nails? That’s buildup. The best way to stop itching from buildup is to detox your scalp regularly with an exfoliator like Scrub

    Read more about scalp health here. 

     

     

    Shop Arey’s Bestselling Scalp Care:

    Arey, Clean, Effective Haircare for All Your Life Stages

    Want more great information about living your best life through different life stages? Check out our Arey LIVE where I chat with Patti Quintero, Founder of Uma Mother.

    We want to be by your side through all the changes that different decades throw at you. That's why we offer 25% off on all auto replenish orders to help keep you on track with your hair health goals. Because we believe that science + consistency + time = results.

    We are Arey.

    Have questions? Check out our FAQ page or say hey@areygrey.com.


    Jay Small with customer

    AuthorJay SmallJay Small is a sought-after hair stylist and Trichologist in Los Angeles with over 22 years of experience. His clients consist of high-profile business and creative leaders. He trained as an apprentice to the owner of Paul Mitchell and worked in education and product development for Paul Mitchell Systems. Jay is incredibly passionate about the creative process both in terms of styling hair and developing effective products.