A haircut that lifts the face, works brilliantly on finer strands, and is easy to manage might sound too good to be true, but Helen Mirren has perfected the formula. Since joining the ‘bixie’ trend, she’s demonstrated just how flattering and versatile the style can be. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, she takes it to the next level with a soft, youthful fringe.
The actress, 81, showed off the new look at a recent red carpet appearance at the Savannah Film Festival. Her gleaming silver bixie was smoothed down for a polished finish, with the lengths tucked neatly behind her ears to show off a pair of pearl earrings. But it was her new, wispy fringe that really completed the look.
‘Helen’s bixie is already such a flattering cut, and the addition of a soft fringe makes it even more beautiful,’ agrees Jason Collier, celebrity hairstylist and Key Opinion Leader at Jerome Russell Bblonde.
'The bixie sits perfectly between a bob and a pixie, giving her the softness and femininity of a longer cut with the lift and lightness of a shorter style. The fringe brings everything together by drawing attention to the eyes and creating a lovely frame around the face,’ he says.
A well-cut fringe can be a real beauty game-changer for mature women. As Jason tells GH, it offers plenty of benefits: ‘A fringe can be incredibly flattering as we get older because it helps balance the proportions of the face and draws attention towards the eyes. It can also help soften the appearance of fine lines across the forehead, while the way it frames the face creates a more lifted, youthful-looking finish.’
The key, says Jason, is to keep it soft and airy. ‘Unlike a heavy, blunt fringe, which can sometimes feel quite severe, a lighter, feathered fringe creates a softer effect and blends naturally into the rest of the haircut. Helen's look is a great example of how a soft, textured fringe can enhance a shorter cut without making it feel too structured.’
Safe to say, Helen has us convinced that a bixie and fringe is a match made in hair heaven. Better yet, Jason tells us it won’t take much upkeep either. ‘The beauty of this look is that it feels polished without being overly done, and the right layering means it can be relatively easy to maintain between salon appointments,’ he says.
If you plan on taking her look to your next appointment, Jason suggests discussing a few key details with your stylist. ‘You want to make sure that the cut has enough layering to create lift and movement at the crown, while retaining softness around the ears and nape. I'd also recommend asking to keep the fringe slightly feathered rather than blunt, this means it can be worn forward or swept to the side depending on how you style it.’
Styling, thankfully, can be kept short and sweet. Jason says a few key products is all you need. ‘A volumising mousse like Bstyled Thickening Mousse can help add lift at the crown and give a shorter cut like the bixie extra body, while a small amount of smoothing cream through the fringe can help keep it soft and polished without weighing it down.’
Jerome Russell BStyled Thickening Hair Mousse
It’s official: Helen found a haircut that ticks all the boxes.
