Lisa Barrett | Midlife Writer & Content Creator

And we are off… into 2026 and so far, I’m loving these bright, frosty mornings. Long may they shine ☀️ With all the ‘new beginnings’ energy around, and me promising myself I’ll be more consistent with writing and posting (again 😅), it feels like the perfect time for a little re-introduction. (I hope you liked the fun facts on these carousel pics!) 👋 A big hello to my gorgeous followers, new and old. Thanks for being here! My career began at Cosmopolitan as a 20-year-old, fresh out of secretarial college and unable to believe my luck at landing a job on the coolest glossy ever. That’s where I honed my love of writing about beauty and health…wellbeing wasn’t even a thing in those days! Since then, I’ve been Beauty Editor at Cosmo and Woman’s Own, written for Sunday Times Style, FT How to Spend It, HELLO! Second Act, Prima, Woman & Home and many more. I even had my own weekly page, Midlife Mum, in Love It! magazine… and yes, I really did love it. 🩷 Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed working with brilliant beauty and wellbeing brands, creating content, writing copy and consulting on what women in our demographic actually want. Not what brands think we want. And it’s heartening to see more brands finally noticing the power, influence and voice of older women. We are definitely no longer invisible. No siree! So why am I here? On this page you’ll find real-life thoughts, pro-age confidence tips, beauty, wellbeing, aesthetics and a touch of style. I like to share skincare that actually works and have honest conversations about midlife and beyond. You won’t find airs and graces here (though I do like to feel fancy now and then). Just showing up as myself and hopefully reminding you that despite what life and hormones are chucking at you, you really are fabulous exactly as you are. 🥹 So, if you don’t mind overly long captions (sorry!) and fancy a few gentle hints and tips to add a little more glow along the way… I’m your gal.✨ Always feel free to DM me or comment because another thing you’ll find about me is I’m always up for a chat! Hugs, Lisa 😘

Hello Gorgeous Friends! 👋 Don’t you find it funny how you reach midlife, and all of a sudden you realise – ‘I know what matters and it isn’t what I thought it would be when I was in my 20s, 30s or even 40s.?’ For me, I’ve got to 56 and I can truly say that although there are some things in life I’ll never work out – and I don’t think we’re meant to and that’s why it unfolds into strange, wonderful, and powerful chapters that we never saw coming. That’s its magic ✨ But these are things I know for sure... ✋🏽 I would love you to find out what I know for sure - so please pop over to my newsletter (link in stories) and you can read all about my thoughts there! Then, why not subscribe to receive my newsletter regularly and let’s chat about what you know for sure. I’d love to keep this convo going! Have a lovely day 💋 #WhatIKnowForSure #MidlifeWomen #Midlifewriter #50plusandfabulous #midlifewellbeing #lifeandstyle #menopausejourney #messymidlife #midlifestories

WHAT IS SHE DOING NOW? 🙄 I know! I really do know that I should try to be more professional on these squares. I ‘should’ get my videos on point and learn to filter, curate and live the insta life to get myself more opportunities with brands who are looking to work with midlife ‘influencers’ in the beauty, wellbeing and lifestyle sectors. Perhaps I would have the coveted 10,000+ followers if I tried to be more ‘insta algorithm friendly’ but you know what? Here’s what being the real me has been doing in the last couple of weeks… ✨ Writing a newsletter for a skin expert ✨ Creating copy for a beauty salon website ✨ Collaborating with a vibrant, wonderful team on launching an exciting midlife market product. I’ll be handling influencer outreach, copywriting, and creating content on my social channels. ✨ Assisting a global brand in clarifying their new product launches for the midlife demographic. I offered insights as a midlife woman attuned to what we want and don’t want, contributed to package design ideas, crafted advertising statements, and provided feedback on product performance with suggestions for improvement. ✨ Crafting an Instagram Optimisation Guide for midlife co-founders of a thriving ‘in real life’ business. This guide aimed to enhance their online presence and help promote their offerings to a broader audience ✨ Consulting with a passionate founder on future project clarity. I offered advice on writing improvement, tone of voice development, and business strategy streamlining. ✨ Creating UGC (User Generated Content) for two lifestyle brands that see me as their ideal demographic. I genuinely enjoy UGC, especially when I resonate with the brands. Not bad for a 56-year-old woman who gets regular menopausal brain fog, anxiety, imposter syndrome and is a champion procrastinator. Maybe I will eventually sharpen up my professional image - but until then - messy midlife seems to be winning! 🏆 #midlifewomen #midlifecontentcreator #menopausejourney #keepingitreal #freelancewriter #50plusandfabulous #agepositive #beautyatanyage #writersofinstagram

This is the first birthday I haven’t been with #StressedHusband since we were 22. So I thought I’d treat him to a proper post on the grid because it seems fitting - and - even though I might not always let on to him - I do believe he deserves to be front and centre in my life (sometimes) 😊 The first pic on this reel is his 23rd birthday in Australia and I’d know him about 2 weeks by then. Not long, but long enough to know this would be the first birthday of many I’d be sharing with this cute, funny, kind, lovely Essex Boy. #wykyk I love that my camera roll is full of pictures of us enjoying ourselves by the river, on the beach, with the kids, with the dogs - with our friends and families. And I’m looking forward to running out of storage on my iPhone by filling it up with even more memories of us and our shenanigans over years to come. Because he’s not here with me today (he’s on our son’s stag do so double celebrations for him!) I will mark the occasion by bombarding him with pictures of me and the dog and the dresses I’m trying on for the upcoming wedding. (I’m off shopping with the eldest for Mother of the Groom dresses - send your recs this way!) Oh, he’s a lucky man! 😆 But honestly - I never forget that I’m a very, very lucky woman to have found my soulmate and best friend 🥹🩷 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN JOHN - see you soon (and pick me up some perfume in Duty Free) Love you 🥳🥂🩷

Morning all! It’s a beauty one from me today 🩷 If there’s one woman who really gets what women want from makeup in midlife and beyond, it’s Trinny Woodall. And her new Lip Reset Kit is about to be everywhere. 💄 I popped into the Trinny London HQ yesterday for a sneak peek before today’s launch, and here’s the lowdown… Born from the question Trinny’s always asked: “How can I improve ageing lips without filler?” The Lip Reset Kit combines: ✨ a creamy, smudge-proof liner to redefine lips ✨ a nourishing non-sticky lip oil/gloss hybrid ✨ peptides + hyaluronic acid to smooth lines and boost moisture Trinny says 95% agreed it added volume and definition, giving lips a softer, plumper, healthier look without the stickiness. Think: your lips but juicier. 💋 What I loved? It feels very midlife-friendly: easy to apply, comfy to wear, glossy without the disco-ball vibes, and brilliant for dryness and those little feathering lines. Makeup artist Caitlyn picked Mica + Teal for me. I was slightly terrified of the darker liner at first, but she showed me how to feather it into the gloss so it looked modern, not full-on 90s - though I did manage to smudge her good work before even leaving the store 😣 There are 10 shade combos and I reckon you’ll have a hard time choosing just one! #PRINVITE Have a lovely day! 😘

I am not sure whether I’m making the 8-year-old me proud because I didn’t achieve her goal to live with dolphins and mermaids in a house under the water - but I hope to be here long enough to make my 80-year-old-self proud! Here’s how: ✨Showing up and not taking myself too seriously. I like to have a laugh and find fun in things. That doesn’t mean I take myself as a fool - far from it. I have serious experience in life - I work hard, play hard but I know my boundaries. ✨Continuing to learn. I love learning new things and somehow manage to shoehorn different strands into my career, from writing to content creation to running Face Yoga classes. I’m sure I’ll carry on evolving! ✨Keeping my body moving and strong. Getting my steps in, and having a go at activities that challenge and excite me. Lately - a big YES to dancing round the house like a loon, cycling through the Belgian countryside for miles (it was so much fun!) and managing thigh-trembling, heavy inclines on a hike in Tenby. ✨Looking after my skin. If I’m honest, yes I’d love to turn back time on my face - I moan about wrinkles, brown speckles and saggy skin, but I’ve learnt to accept them. If I can improve the things I don’t like I will -but I won’t panic about it. I know now that beauty really is an inside job - and a genuine smile makes up for a lot! ✨Empowering women. I love getting messages here from followers who I’ve helped in some way - by being honest, showing up when I’m not looking perfect and offering some midlife look good/feel good advice. Watching other older women grow and step into their groove as they age makes me thrilled! ✨I hope my 80-year-old self will thank me for realising it’s never too late to start, get curious, or do the things that make you feel alive. If you’re looking for inspiration to make your 80-year-old self proud, pop over and read Tracy’s advice @thewellbeingwisdomclub She’s a huge inspiration to me and exactly the vibes I aspire to be as I get older. ❤️ #womenover50 #midlifewomen #midlifecontentcreator

There’s never a dull moment as a midlife writer and content creator ✨ When you’re working on videos that require sunshine - you can bet it’s dark and rainy - and when you need it to be cosy nighttime vibes - the sun will shine! ☀️ And if you’ve also got a deadline to write a feature for a magazine, take the dog for a walk and check in on your mum and dad, you will definitely keep fluffing your lines and have to start over (and over) again! But you know what? Despite constantly full iPhone storage 🙄 I really enjoy it - I love that I’ve worked with some fab brands that I’d recommend to midlife women because I’ve used them myself. And the fact that I’m writing for magazines I’ve always read (albeit online rather than in print nowadays) is something I didn’t know I’d still be doing at 58. I mean, I was 20 when I joined the team at Cosmopolitan. Just goes to show ladies - age doesn’t stop you from doing what you want - or stepping into new ventures(content creating for me) and finding out you’re not too shabby at it and it makes you happy! Remember, it’s our time to shine so go get it girls! ✨ Midlife content creator. Midlife women. UGC. Freelance writer. Beautiful in midlife. Wellbeing writer and content creator.

As a midlife beauty writer and content creator, constantly bombarded with ever-changing beauty ‘rules’, my “am I bothered?” expression is definitely getting stronger as the years go on 😄 I started my beauty career in my early 20s at Cosmopolitan… surrounded by products, advice, and all the things I should be doing. But 30 years later? I don’t actually do half of it. My routine these days is… selective (sounds better than lazy 😉) Ungroomed brows, no blow-dries, skipping body moisturiser, no double cleansing - and a very relaxed approach to makeup. That’s not to say it’s all a good thing - my crocodile-skin legs are a work in progress, and I do love it when I actually make the effort with glowy makeup, swishy hair and a groomed brow. But I’m no longer trying to do all the things… and I’ve never felt more comfortable in my skin as it ages. ✨ I’ve shared more over on Substack (link in stories) - what I’ve learnt, what I’ve let go of, and what I still swear by. Have a read… I think you’ll enjoy this one. 🩷

And one day… we close our eyes for the last time. 🩷 Wow - I found that audio and it really got me in the feels! How many times have I laid awake at night wondering what it’s all about and whether I’ve left things too late. Or I’ve put off doing something just because I thought ‘oh, maybe I’ll do it tomorrow…’ But really, what are we waiting for? 🌼 To lose a stone To find the perfect outfit For the house to be tidy For the kids to leave home To feel more motivated For your hips to stop aching For your bank account to look healthier Let’s start now - just as we are. Don’t wait until everything lines up neatly - because we know deep down, that it never really does. Blow the dandelion. Make the wish. Then go live it. ✨ Big hugs xxx

I thought this audio was perfect for me today! While I sat at my desk looking at my ever growing to do list, feeling as if my bum was stuck to chair 👀 I didn’t do SO many things that I wanted to get done! But here’s what do DID do… 💥 Had a walk with my birthday girl who is living at mine for now (so I did go outside for a bit at least!) 💥 emptied the dishwasher and re-stacked it (yes I know #StressedHusband will redo it properly 😝) 💥finished off creating some content for a client 💥added some more stuff to my to do list 💥spoke to my dad on the phone and had a laugh 💥played with my dog and sang to him a lot 😆 So there you have it - I might not be having the kind of high-powered, worthy of being on Dragon’s Den type day, but there were some glimmers of joy and that’s what counts! Tomorrow, I’ll drink more water, exercise and get half way down the to-do list 🙌 Hope your day was productive - if not, don’t worry - we all have those days! 🩷🩷🩷

I LOVE sunny days but that golden globe in the sky has been teasing us with a few hours here and there and playing peek-a-boo behind the rain clouds! Well, I’m not hanging around - I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands with these fab bronzers from Gatineau! ☀️ This isn’t an ad - I’m just a pale and pasty gal, sick of her winter and post bug pallor, standing in front of some skincare asking it to sunkiss me! 🤣 And kiss me it did! Look at my face - it is finally ALIVE! I’ve mentioned the Gatineau Golden Glow Gradual Tan Face Serum before and it really lives up to the hype. I add a few drops at night to wake up looking like I’ve been on a relaxing break to the Tropics rather than a wet, windy dogwalk round the local park! What’s more - all of this bronzing range has top level skincare ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and its famous Tri-Golden Glow Complex of sunflower, turmeric and jojoba to soothe and nourish skin. Stunning! ✨ The wash off tan from Golden Glow Blurring Body Bronze is perfect for lessening the panic of bringing the legs out of hibernation and The Golden Glow Gradual Tan Cream is so natural and easy to use - it’s a beauty editors favourite! ✨ So this is just a little update from me to my midlife ladies who might be looking for a bronzing range to rate - this is it! Have you tried it yet? Leave tour fave skin boosting bronzers in the comments - sharing is caring! 🥰 #ad/pr #midlifewomen #summerskincare #skinthatglows

Life right now: Not on the beach but tethered to the toilet thanks to a gastro bug that I thought was on its way out but decided to do an extended encore. 💩 Sadly, this means I’m missing my youngest’s birthday dinner tonight with the kidults. Booo. And now #StressedHusband is clutching his stomach… so that’s promising 👀 I woke up feeling completely bleurgh and did the worst possible thing… started scrolling Instagram. “What are you doing?” my brain screeched. “You’re lying there in smelly PJs, looking slightly green, about to compare yourself to women who have it all together… and you know you are going to feel worse.” Yep. I knew that but decided to jump into that awful self-sabotaging thing we tend to do. But then… something stopped me. Post after post from women sharing their “then and now” after breast cancer. Raw, vulnerable, unbelievably strong. Wow. Suddenly my little pity party felt really embarrassing. 😳 These women have been through things I can’t even begin to imagine and are still showing up, sharing hope, lifting others - and being incredible role models. 🩷 Talk about a shift in perspective. While I might need to stay just a quick dash from the loo right now, I’m going to lie on the sofa with my Lucozade and Imodium, load up my kindle and remind myself that life is for living. Even on the slightly grim days. 🤢 Hope you’re all well! See you on the other side.