I almost skipped this...😮‍💨

Hey beautiful, ☕️

Happy New Year! ✨ 

You’re either reading this slightly hungover, still wrapped in a blanket…

Or in your fresh start mindset before noon.

Either way, I’m really glad you’re here because I’ve got a story for you.

A few weeks ago, I booked a family trip to Mexico to escape the rain.

Sun, warmth, a reset…everything felt perfectly timed. ☀️ 

And then…something happened the first night. More on that later.

Inside this week:

✈️ the beauty resets I do every January (you’ll see why)
🤧 what I reach for when my body starts whispering “uh oh”
🌴 the vacation lesson I didn’t expect and how it’s going to change 2026 for me

What I always come back to…

Once January hits, I feel like I owe it to my skin to reset.

Winter quietly drains it…a little more dryness, a little less glow.

Until one day I realize I look more tired than I feel. 😩 

That’s why I never skip this.

This is what a year of small changes actually looks like. 👇️ 

1. the “I look exhausted” fix ✨
Winter is so rude to my skin. No matter how much I sleep, I still look tired, so this is the combo I never skip. I layer my fav ectoin barrier serum (and babe… you should’ve started this yesterday) with this super glowy gel, and suddenly my face looks lit-from-within without going shiny or greasy. This is my everyday go-to combo.
Tip: apply both on damp skin so everything melts in instead of just sitting there.

2. fake-rested skin in one step 🌞
When I want even skin but don’t want to look like I’m wearing makeup, I mix this super tinted hydrator in shade 03 with one drop of this illuminating self tan and suddenly my complexion looks warm, healthy, and alive. This is my “did you just get back from vacation?” base. No foundation needed.
Tip: mix it on the back of your hand — one drop is all you need.

3. the lip routine that saved my winter 💋
Dry, flaky lips ruin everything, so this has been my entire winter lip routine: a hot towel, gently swiped side to side to lift all the dry skin, followed by a propolis lip mask (it’s magic…I don’t know how else to describe it). Throughout the day, I nourish with a plasma lip repair compound that actually treats, not just coats.
Tip: do this at night and wake up with completely different lips.

4. the one base that doesn’t age me 🫶
I’ve realized the more makeup I wear, the older I look, except with ‘les beiges’ healthy glow foundation in shade B20. It’s skin-like, natural, and somehow looks better by 6pm than when I first apply it. It makes your skin look like filtered IRL (think K-beauty girl glow). I pair it with this celebrity MUA double take duo blush and I look like I shaved off 5 years.
Tip: apply with fingers for the most natural, seamless finish.

5. new year, new hair energy 💇🏻‍♀️
Is it just me or does January make you want a full hair reset too? I already booked my cut, and my stylist told me to do two things before I come in. 1. nourish the scalp a week before so I’ve been using this scalp longevity treatment (my scalp is no longer itchy or flaking!) and 2. use a rich hydration cuticle-sealing mask to keep strands hydrated.
Tip: healthy hair starts at the scalp, not the ends. Do this at least once a month!

When something feels off…

Picture this. 🎥 

We finally slow down after weeks of go go go…

And my body immediately goes, oh cool… now I can fall apart. 🤧 And of course, on the first night in Mexico.

Not full sick.

Just that annoying feeling where you know something is brewing and you’re trying to catch it before it turns into a full thing.

Here’s what works for me:

• warmth first always 🌿
  When I start feeling run down, I stop trying to fix it and go straight to warmth. Soups, broths, tea. It’s grounding and instantly calming. I’ll sip ginger, turmeric and honey tea all day long like it’s my job.
  Tip: warmth relaxes your nervous system which helps your body recover faster.
  

• the thing I never forget to pack 💪
  When travel messes up my routine and meals are all over the place, this is my safety net. I bring my multivitamin pre-probiotic travel packs because it’s one simple habit and I don’t have to think. In winter, I always add a this vitamin dropper because no sun plus stress is a recipe for feeling off.
  Tip: take it in the morning before the day gets away from you.
  

• that post viral cough everyone has 🫁
  Is it just me or does everyone right now have that cough that lasts for weeks? I had it too and finally asked my doctor about it. Using a steroid inhaler calmed my airways and I honestly stopped coughing that same day. It wasn’t mucus. It was inflammation.
  Tip: always check with your doctor but calming the airways can change everything.
  

• the thing we all ignore until it’s too late 🧠
  Stress. It sneaks up on you and lowers your immunity without asking permission. I’ve been really intentional about diaphragmatic breathing. Slow deep breaths into the belly that tell your body it’s safe to relax.
  Tip: even two minutes can pull you out of fight or flight.

I didn’t see this coming…

I honestly thought I was doing fine going into that trip. ✈️ 

I wasn’t exhausted. I wasn’t burnt out. I felt… okay.

But the weeks before were louder than I realized.

Planning, weather stress, kids stuff, life humming in the background.

And the second everything slowed down, my body did too. 🤧 

That’s when it clicked for me. Our bodies don’t break down when we’re busy. They wait until we feel safe enough to let go.

Which is probably why New Year resolutions feel impossible.

January shows up asking us to do more, be better, fix everything — when most of us actually need the opposite. ✨ 

What matters isn’t what you promise yourself on January 1st.
It’s what you do quietly between now and Christmas.

So this year, I’m trying to listen earlier. Before my body has to force the lesson.

If you’re starting the year feeling a little tired, a little off, or like you need recovery more than motivation — same. 🫶 

Here’s how I’m easing into the new year instead 👇

• Start small attainable habits.
• Lower the pressure.
• Support your body before your ambitions.
• Let rest count as productivity.

No reinvention required.

Just a little more care, a little more attention, and a lot more grace.

Here’s to a great new year and an even better, more rested version of you. 💕 

See you next week.

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xo Jen

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