I've spent more than two decades as a Beauty Editor, testing everything from the latest cutting-edge skincare to makeup that promises to make your face instantly glowy, but at 48, I've added an extra step into my daily routine and it makes more difference than all the lotions, potions and facials I've tried over the years.
The step making this big difference? Brow gel. Those little wands and pots of tinted or clear magic that promise to lift and shape your brows. I've long been told that well-defined eyebrows help to "frame your face" in seconds, but I've never bothered with my brows.
Until now. In my forties, I've noticed subtle changes in my face. The kind of quiet changes that creep in during perimenopause: a bit of drooping around the jawline; some slackness around the eyes; a slowly creeping downwards brow. And more recently, I have noticed my brows have started thinning too, which took away a bit of personality in my face. My eye area needed a little more definition to help everything pop again, and mascara alone wasn’t quite cutting it.
That's when brow gel came in. I'd interviewed a makeup artist for one of my articles, who mentioned how she never leaves the house without brushing up her brows with a gel, and I decided to try it.
She recommended e.l.f Cosmetics Brow Lift, $6 / £6, and unlike more traditional brow gels, this comes in a pot, so I also bought the brush that goes with it, which has a double-ended applicator with a spoolie on one end and a flat tool on the other that presses the hairs into place. It's so easy to use and it gives my brows a subtle hold and shape, without any stiffness or crunch.
The result was instant - a lovely and natural eye lift. It made my face look more structured and more polished
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Brow benefits
I always knew tidy brows made a difference, so I pluck away the strays sparingly and fill them in with a brown pencil on really special occasions, but I have never really thought about the power of brushing them up. But this step has become my secret weapon for looking more awake, lifted and put together, especially on bare-faced days.
© WireImageAnd it turns out, I'm not the only one. Look at the midlife women redefining beauty right now - Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman and Brooke Shields - they all have fuller, brushed-up brows that frame the face without overpowering it. I am not talking about those trending HD brows you see on TikTok. This is a subtler, more stylish and confidence-boosting version.
© Getty ImagesFor me, adding brow gel is a small act of beauty rebellion. At this age, I'm not chasing trends that the 25-year-olds are doing - I'm just elevating what I already have. And I love that this step doesn’t try to change my face. It just enhances what’s already there.
"I'm not chasing trends that the 25-year-olds are doing - I'm just elevating what I already have."
What I've come to realise is that our routines are allowed to evolve. Just because you've always done your makeup one way doesn't mean it can't shift. And sometimes, the most impactful changes are the simplest. No needles, no filters - just a tiny tweak that brings definition and a touch of makeup magic.
So if you're over 40 and overlooking your brows, let this be your nudge. Try brushing them up with a gel. Because I know that at 48, beauty isn't about rules - it's about rediscovery.
