Glow After 40

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Most read 2026

5 min read

This is the real reason your lashes keep thinning after 40.

If your lashes have been thinning and your mascara keeps making it worse, you're not alone, and you don't need extensions or a prescription serum to fix it. Most women either accept it, or cycle through tubing mascaras that still clump and smear. But there's a third option most people don't know about yet.

Thinning, shorter lashes affect millions of Australian women, particularly from their mid-forties onward, as falling estrogen shortens the lash growth cycle. It happens gradually. Mascara starts clumping on the few lashes left. Eyes look smaller and more tired no matter how much product goes on. By the time most women notice it, they've already spent months rubbing mascara off every night, not realising the rubbing is what's pulling the weakened lashes out.

 

The usual solution? Extensions that risk traction damage to the natural lash line, strip lashes with glue that can trigger a reaction, or a growth serum with real medical warnings attached. None of it touches the actual cause.

 

What most don't realise is that there's now a simpler way: a mascara built around the rub-off cycle itself, so removing it each night stops working against the lashes she has left.

"I got home and my eyes were red and puffy again. I just wanted to cry, I was so over it." Denise R.

What is a gentle-hold tubing mascara?

A gentle-hold tubing mascara wraps each lash in a flexible tube instead of coating it in a hard film that flakes and has to be scrubbed off. The tube holds its shape all day, then releases completely with warm water, so the nightly rub-off that pulls at fragile lashes never has to happen.

 

The key word is releases. Not all tubing mascaras are equal. Many rely on the tube alone and leave the lash to fend for itself underneath. The ones that actually help pair that tube with real conditioning actives, working on the fragile phase mature lashes are already in.

How it works

1 - Wraps each lash in a gentle tube

A flexible tube forms around each lash instead of a hard, flaking film, so it keeps its curl and hold through the day. Because the tube isn't fused to the lash, there is nothing to scrub off later.

2 - Releases completely with warm water

When it's time to take it off, warm water alone breaks the tube down, no rubbing, tugging or oil-based remover required. The fragile lashes underneath are never pulled at just to get clean.

3 - Conditions the lash while worn

Provitamin B5, shea butter, keratin and vitamin E sit against each lash inside the tube, working on it while it's held rather than just masking it. The formula supports the lash through its fragile phase.

What makes a good tubing mascara?

The ingredients are everything. A good tubing mascara should pair the tube with real conditioning actives, not rely on the tube alone. The more of these working together, the more it protects lashes that are already fragile.

 

If a brand doesn't disclose what's actually in the tube, that's an immediate red flag. Always check for the following:

Gentle-Hold Tubing Complex

- Wraps, doesn't coat, each lash

- Holds shape all day

- Releases with warm water only

Provitamin B5

- Softens lash texture

- Supports flexibility, less breakage

- Works while mascara is worn

Shea Butter

- Deep nourishment

- Softer, less brittle lashes

- Supports the lash line

Keratin

- Strengthens lash structure

- Supports a fuller look

- Helps lashes hold shape

Vitamin E

- Antioxidant protection

- Conditions as you wear it

- Supports lash health over time

What are the best mascaras for thinning lashes in Australia?

We tested and researched the most popular mascaras and lash treatments available to Australian women in 2026. Here's what we found.

#1: LashRenew™ | Gentle-Hold Tubing Mascara

Our top pick for 2026 . seviraglow.com

((4.8/5)/5)

Ingredients:

Ingredients: Vitamin E, Provitamin B5, Shea Butter, Keratin, Gentle-Hold Tubing Complex

Pros

Tube-and-condition formula, not tube alone

Full ingredient transparency

Currently 1+1 FREE

Fragrance-free & ophthalmologist suitable

Australian-based team

Cons

Online-only, not sold in stores
Title

LashRenew pairs a tube that wraps each lash with real conditioning actives, Provitamin B5, shea butter, keratin and vitamin E, so it addresses the fragile lash phase directly instead of just avoiding damage. It's fully transparent about its formula, removes with warm water alone, and is backed by a 30-day guarantee. Our clear number one pick.

SHOP NOW - 50% OFF

#2: Maybelline Lash Sensational

maybelline.com

((3.9/5)/5)

Ingredients:

Ingredients: Waxes, film-formers, pigments (no conditioning actives disclosed)

Pros

Widely available at pharmacies

Bold volume in one coat

Cons

Clumps and flakes by afternoon

Requires rubbing to remove

No actives for fragile, mature lashes
Title

Maybelline Lash Sensational is a mainstream volumising mascara, cheap and easy to find, but it wasn't built for thinning lashes. Reviewers report it flaking and clumping within hours, and a standard formula like this still needs rubbing to remove, the exact habit that pulls out fragile lashes.

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#3: Professional Lash Extensions

various AU lash salons

((3.4/5)/5)

Ingredients:

Ingredients: Synthetic lash fibres, semi-permanent glue (full formula not disclosed)

Pros

Dramatic, instant length

No daily mascara routine

Cons

Risk of traction damage to natural lashes

Requires ongoing salon visits & cost

Poorly trained technicians are common
Title

Extensions give an instant, dramatic look with no daily routine, but they carry real risk. Poor application can cause traction damage to the natural lash line, and an undertrained technician can leave bald patches that take months to grow back.

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#4: Latisse (Prescription Serum)

latisse.com

((3.1/5)/5)

Ingredients:

Ingredients: Bimatoprost 0.03% (prescription-only solution)

Pros

Clinically studied lash growth

Dermatologist prescribed

Cons

Requires a prescription & ongoing cost

Risk of permanent iris darkening

Can cause redness, itching & swelling
Title

Latisse can genuinely grow longer lashes, but it comes with real medical warnings, including permanent darkening of the iris in rare cases, plus swelling, redness and itching. For a cautious buyer, that risk is a lot to accept just to look normal again.

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Title

Conclusion

Only one option on this list actually fixes the habit that's pulling lashes out, instead of covering it up or risking your eye health to get there. The choice is straightforward.

 

LashRenew™ Mascara is the clear winner, and with the current 50% off offer, there's very little reason not to try it.

Why rubbing off your mascara was never going to work

More Australian women are moving away from standard mascara, not because they want more drama, but because clumping, flaking and rubbing it off every night simply isn't worth the lashes it costs them.

LashRenew tubing mascara

Standard mascara

Removes with warm water only

No rubbing or tugging required

Real conditioning actives inside

Fragrance-free & ophthalmologist suitable

Built for fragile, mature lashes

Curved brush, no clumping

Why LashRenew is loved across Australia

Over 2,846 Australian women have tried LashRenew™ Mascara. Here's what they're saying.

My lashes are so much more sensitive than they used to be and this is the first mascara in years that hasn't left my eyes irritated by the end of the day. It builds nicely without clumping.

Angela R.

✓ Verified Purchase

The best part for me is removal, just warm water and it's gone, no scrubbing at my lash line. My lashes actually look fuller after a few weeks of using it.

Fiona M.

✓ Verified Purchase

I wanted fuller lashes without looking like I was trying too hard. This gives a natural lift and length that holds up all day at work.

Narelle P.

✓ Verified Purchase

Took me a couple of tries to get the brush technique right on my shorter lashes, but once I did the results were worth it. Removal is genuinely easy compared to my old mascara.

Julie D.

✓ Verified Purchase
Title

Ready to try LashRenew Mascara risk-free?

4.8/5 - Based on 2,846+ reviews

Removes completely with warm water alone

Conditions each lash while you wear it

Free shipping across Australia

1+1 FREE - limited time

30 day money back guarantee

SHOP LASHRENEW NOW

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Due to the current 1+1 FREE offer, this price will not last. Order today to lock it in.

CLAIM YOUR OFFER
Title

This article is editorial content produced by Glow after 40. Results mentioned are based on customer feedback and individual experiences. Results may vary. The 50% off offer is subject to availability and may end without notice. This page may contain affiliate links.