The Easiest Way To Fake A Brow Lift, From A Makeup Artist (Great For Those 50+)

Your skin will undoubtedly sag with age. None of us are immune to the effects of gravity—so at some point, all of us will experience skin laxity. I'm likely not breaking any news here, but you'd be surprised by how many people don't realize their brows start to droop, too.

"Eyebrows are hair attached to skin and muscle. As we age, that muscle will begin to slacken and sag," legendary brow expert Joey Healy once explained regarding uneven brows. "In many circumstances, the muscle and skin will begin to weaken at different rates, creating asymmetries in the face." 

To lift this hooded skin, experts recommend daily habits like facial massage and microcurrent, plus other in-office treatments if you crave more immediate results. Or you can always fake a lifted look with makeup—here, celebrity makeup artist Rebecca Restrepo shares her No. 1 hack for a perky brow area. 

First things first: Comb those hairs. "Use a clean mascara spoolie and brush your eyebrows upward," she notes. Your brow hair naturally becomes more sparse over time, but combing them upward can help you pinpoint any noticeable gaps. 

Feel free to fill those in if you'd like, or run a tinted brow gel through those hairs as you comb them through. As Restrepo says, "You can use an eyebrow tint with a spoolie if you want to darken the area, but don't go too dark—doing so will make the eyebrows stand out too much." 

Next, grab your concealer du jour (our favorites here if you're in the market for a new formula). "Once eyebrows are going upward, you can add a light dotting of concealer in the arch of your brow to make the brow appear lifted," Restrepo says. "Blend it lightly with your fingers." You could also use highlighter if you want a little more shine; the key is to bring the attention right underneath the center of your brow, which will help it appear higher. 

As a general rule: Lighter hues bring forth an area, while darker tones recede. So by tapping on a shade lighter than your natural skin tone (be it concealer or a proper highlighter), you center that focus and make the eyes pop. 

If you want to go the extra mile, you can tap that same highlighter in the inner corners of your eyes—this further opens up the orbs and makes you appear wide-awake. 

It's arguably the simplest trick in the book: To fake a brow lift with makeup, simply comb up the hairs and dot a light shade of concealer underneath your arch. It may not sound like much, but the best makeup tips for mature skin often have a less-is-more approach. "One common mistake I see with women 50+ is that they think they should use more makeup to cover flaws," Restrepo says. A little concealer really goes a long way.