Jennifer Chiu
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I booked the appointment at 40 😳

I booked the appointment at 40 😳

5 beauty things finally working at 40, the treatment I caved on, and a real mom confession.

Jennifer Chiu
August 19, 2026

Hi beautiful, ☕

I spent this week Googling symptoms at 2am…

You know the one. 😩

Where a headache turns into a full on panic.

Spoiler: I'm fine. But my 3-year-old got sick, my mom had a screening, my grandma had a scare, and something in me went…girl, you are not 20 anymore.

For years I ran on "I'll deal with it later." Turns out 40 is later. 😳

If you've been quietly ignoring your body too, I see you. 👋

Here's what I'm sharing this week:

✨ New beauty things working at 40 (and the treatment I caved on)
🌿 What I'm finally getting checked (prevention over panic)
💛 The motherhood week that nearly broke me

This is my "I finally like my skin again" face. Took some work.

The 40 year old shelf…

Taking my health seriously this year started on the outside too.

These are the fresh finds actually earning their spot on my 40-year-old face.

No gatekeeping, babe.

1. The tightening I did without needles 💫 My jawline started softening, so I finally did something about it. I tried Sofwave, ultrasound skin tightening with zero needles and zero downtime, and my lower face snatched itself back up. At home I keep the lift going with this resurfacing compound that firms while I sleep, plus this red light LED face mask twice a week. Tip: Sofwave takes 3 months for the full effect, but my lines were already lifted at week 6!

2. The collagen fix I'm still deciding on 💉 By 40 your collagen packs up and leaves without a goodbye, and I can see it in my cheeks. I'm considering Sculptra, the injectable that stimulates your own collagen instead of just filling you. Until I decide, I fake the bounce with this pro-collagen peptide booster overnight paired with the peptide plumping moisturizer (which I’m on bottle 3) Tip: Use facial massage techniques to lift and firm!

3. The hair thinning nobody warns you about 💇 My ponytail got noticeably thinner this year and I keep finding hair all over the brush. Every night I massage in this scalp thickening serum and the baby hairs are actually showing up. On wash days I rescue my ends with this rich hydration mask that makes them feel brand new. Tip: work the scalp serum into a dry scalp at night, never soaking wet hair.

4. The dark spots I'm finally fading 🍋 My dark spots from years of sun and pregnancy hormones love to hang around, especially on my cheeks. I love using this vitamin C booster serum during the summer to brighten and even me out, and the old marks are actually fading. Then I seal it in with this K-beauty barrier repair cream which I love for irritated skin. Tip: always follow your vitamin C with SPF so the fading actually sticks.

5. The glow I refuse to skip ☀️ I used to skip sunscreen indoors and my hyperpigmentation kept every receipt, so rude. Everyday, this Korean mineral sunscreen keeps my skin safe, and to fake that celebrity red carpet glow, I am obsessed with the Major Glow Balm, this little pot is actually insane. Now I get why all the celebrities use it. Tip: reapply at your desk too, daylight through a window still counts against you.

What I'm getting checked at 40 🩺

All the family health stuff this month made me make a list.

Not from a scary place, from a strong one. 💪

Prevention really is the best kind of self-care there is.

Bloodwork before symptoms🩸Watching my mom and grandma take charge of their health this month lit a fire under me, so I booked the full panel with my GP and naturopath. Honestly, knowing my numbers gave me more peace than any late-night spiral ever did.

The multivitamin and sleep fix I swear by 💊
My diet is good and I still don't hit everything a woman in her 40s needs, so I take this women's daily health multi + probiotic combo which is made for my hormones. And because my mom brain never shuts off at night, I added this sleep supplement and now I can finally get into a deep sleep.

When the sick kid came home 🧒 My 3-year-old caught everything this month and it wrecked all of us, so now I keep up with this kids' daily vitamins that my picky one thinks is candy. I heard about it on the Dr. Becky podcast, so I had to try it. Their tiny immune systems need the backup, and honestly so does my sanity.

Making peace with the worry 🤍 If you carry health anxiety too, first, I see you, and it really does get lighter. What is helping me reframe: don’t be afraid, be empowered and advocate for yourself. You know your body.

Some days I miss this version of me, then I remember who's waiting at home. 🥲

A thankless job…

Some weeks everyone is golden. 😃

Eating, sleeping, hugging me, swearing I'm the best mom in the world.

This was not that week.

My 3-year-old and my 6-year-old fought over everything.

A snack. The wrong snack. A whole day I packed with fun that ended in "I hate you, this was the worst day ever!"

It is a thankless job (at times), and this week I felt it in my bones.

It's 2:30pm, and summer camp pickup is in half an hour, and I'm staring down three loads of laundry, a messy house, snacks, dinner, and hopefully making it out to dinner with a girlfriend.

Some afternoons I sit at my desk and just want to cry. 😢

I do everything for everyone and often times I forget about me, and the guilt still whispers that I'm falling behind.

❝

Me trying to be a mom, lift weights, excel in my career, stay hydrated, eat enough fibre, get enough sleep, see my friends, text everyone back and not lose my sh*t.

So here I am. Exhausted, and trying to find the balance.

If you're in the same space, I see you. 💛