Hair colour is something many people are open to changing in their lifetime but when it comes the style, it's easy to get stuck in a rut. 

A drastic change isn't always essential to cheat a younger appearance but it can make a huge difference when it comes to disguising grey strands or framing a slimmer face shape, which is a natural part of the ageing process.

Many hair experts have shared their take on the best styles for mature women, but one industry professional claims to have whittled it down to a trio of universally complimentary haircuts - and they're not all in favour of short lengths.

Sharing his wisdom on YouTube, hairstylist Justin Hickox said: "After working with thousands of clients, I've discovered three hairstyles that stand out.

"Clients love them because they're flattering, they help address some of the things that happen as we age, which means the people who wear them look more youthful, and the styles are timeless!"

Justin's expertise is well placed as a stylist with 29 years of experience dealing with clients, 85 percent of which are female, and more than 90 percent of them over the age of 40. He said the three hairstyles are specific to this age range and are do's that mature women "absolutely love".

The expert's first recommendation was a long layered cut, contrary to popular beliefs that shorter styles are the way to flatter a mature complexion. 

1. The long layered cut

According to Justin, it's important to work on visual styles when going to a hairdresser with an idea rather than using the name of a haircut. This is because they may interpret the term differently from what is intended, so images are always the best reference. 

As for why the long layered cut is a "really solid option", the hair expert suggested that the layers allow for lots of movement and texture, while the layering removes excess bulk from the bottom of hair strands. Justin said: "Many times on longer hair shapes the heaviness of one length can get very heavy at the top and full at the bottom and it creates a triangular shape that brings your eye down". 

This also stops volume from being added to the hair to balance a slimmer face shape, but with the right layers - even thin hair types look "fantastic" up, and down, and still have softness around the cheeks.

2. Layered bob

Justin highlighted a key difference between a 'bob' and a 'layered bob', urging that the layers "play a huge role in why this is so effective and why women over 40 love this." He pointed out that the bob style remains timeless through every decade, with one form of the style always being very current.

The layers combat the same shape concerns posed by long layered hair - the triangle shape created by hair that's full at the bottom. According to Justin, layering a bob takes the bulk out of the side of the hair because there's "simply not enough hair" for it to get too full at the base.

When done correctly, the volume is at the top of the hair rather than the bottom thanks to the layers that graduate the hair to a thinner texture where it's needed. The hair expert praised this shorter style for working with any outfit too - it can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. "They're so timeless and never go out of style", said Justin.

3. Pixie cut

Though daunting, the hairstylist explained that "the key to this length range", regardless of the length, is where the volume sits. According to Justin, women who are inclined to cut their hair to a shorter pixie style could benefit from having a little bit of extra length on top and a little more tapered inwards on the sides.

Justin said: "This alone makes a massive difference in where volume sits - it really forces volume to sit right in the temple to highlight cheek structure and lift the face a lot more." Adding a soft fringe is also very effective in creating a more youthful appearance and drawing attention to the eyes.

When the hair is tapered inwards towards the face on the side, the shape remains in the right areas without actually having to style your strands. This is a style donned by many mature celebrities including Jamie Lee-Curtis, Michelle Williams and Charlize Theron.