Gwen Stefani on Creating Beauty Line GXVE in Her 50s: 'I Know What I'm Talking About'

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Gwen Stefani has no doubts when it comes to her new title as a beauty entrepreneur.

On Wednesday night, the three-time Grammy winner was honored at the New York Women in Communications' 52nd Annual Matrix Awards at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City and spoke with PEOPLE on why she's trailblazing the beauty space at 53.

"In some ways, it feels like everything I've done has led up to GXVE," Stefani shares of her debut makeup line (pronounced "Give") on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, where she was presented with the award by her husband and fellow The Voice coach Blake Shelton.

With years of experience in the style industry — The Sweet Escape artist also founded her clothing lines Harajuku and L.A.M.B. — Stefani says that building her cosmetics brand "from nothing" was a way to give back to herself and others that "feeling" only experienced with the power of makeup.

"I feel really excited about GXVE right now and this new chapter in my life because I'm in my 50s. I have teenagers, I have a trail of things that I've done and this is something so new and something that I feel like could be my give back," Stefani, who has been "makeup crazy" since she was little, tells PEOPLE. "I think there's a lot of women and men out there that just want to feel a certain way, even if it's temporary. I feel like makeup is a place where you can get that feeling."

"It was almost like a ritual I needed to do every day to get to be the person I needed to be. When I would give that gift to other people and do their makeup, they would have this epiphany about themselves," she adds on why she launched GXVE Beauty earlier this year.

RELATED: Gwen Stefani Says She 'Prayed' About This 'Next Chapter' of Her Life While Launching GXVE Beauty

gwen stefani
gwen stefani

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While she says creating GXVE is an endeavor "I wish I would've done sooner," there's an element of assured confidence with her new role.

"When it comes to makeup, it's a little bit like — the confidence is cocky because I know what I'm talking about and I feel like that's what people are going to trust me on. They're gonna be like 'OK I'm just gonna go to Gwen because she knows what she's talking about.'" Stefani, who even did her own makeup at this year's Met Gala, tells PEOPLE unapologetically.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 14: Gwen Stefani performs onstage during Spotify Celebrates Wrapped with “A Totally Normal Party for 2021” featuring a special performance by Gwen Stefani on December 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for Spotify)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 14: Gwen Stefani performs onstage during Spotify Celebrates Wrapped with “A Totally Normal Party for 2021” featuring a special performance by Gwen Stefani on December 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for Spotify)

Rich Fury/Getty

RELATED: Gwen Stefani on Skincare, Her Beauty Brand and Why She's Moving Away from Her Iconic Red Lipstick

When it comes to the conversation around aging, Stefani shares that it's not something she obsesses over.

"It's just a very slow process. It's hard to see it when you're younger, but when you're older, it's not as bad. You're still alive," she adds.

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She embraces the journey, especially with the "love affair" she has with her fans, who are growing older alongside her. "Everybody's aging with me – the people that have been on this journey with me, that have cared about me, they're getting older too."

"I think as soon as someone says, 'We don't want you anymore,' then I'll be like, 'OK, I'll go melt away on a couch in Oklahoma with Blake and I'll be fine,'" she jokes. "I [will] know I've overstayed my welcome or whatever it is, but I just feel so blessed to be able to keep being creative," she concludes.