I used this 15 years ago...and I still do ✨💁🏻‍♀️

Hi beautiful, ☕️

I decluttered my beauty drawers this week—and wow. 👀 

So much stuff I thought I needed.

Half-used creams, random serums I kept “just in case.”

But what stayed? The ones I re-buy on autopilot and show up for me…even when I’m running on fumes.

Which pretty much sums up my life lately.

So this week, I’m sharing what I keep coming back to:

💄 The beauty buys I’ve repurchased 10+ times
🧠 Tiny nervous system habits that are helping me feel like myself again
💛 A parenting confession I wasn’t ready to share

I keep buying these…

When I did my beauty drawer purge, I had a moment.

Why was I holding onto 18 mascaras I never use... but re-buying the same serum like it’s oxygen?

Here are the ones I’ve loved in every skin season:

1. The mist and serum that brought my skin back from the dead 🌿
   This combo is basically a facial in two steps. The beauty elixir mist wakes me up, acts like a hydrator, primer and setting spray. This ginseng activating serum makes me glow, and I’ve used more bottles than I can count of each (over the last 15 years!)—no regrets.
   Tip: Keep the mist in the fridge—your tired morning face will thank you.
   

2. The lip duo that’s basically communal property now 💋
   My mom steals it. I give it away. I rebuy it... and hide it. This peptide lip balm makes me feel fancy and this plumping lip mask saves my lips when I fall asleep with drool and regret.
   Tip: Layer the balm over your fav liner for an easy, glowy “I tried today” look. 📹 You’ll see why I hoard backups, watch the swatch here.
   

3. The base that fakes 8 hours of sleep (and sanity) ✨
   This perfecting foundation stick (which I take everywhere) + magic skincare concealer combo doesn’t cling to dry patches or settle into “mom lines.” It just makes me look... alive (in the best way)
   Tip: Warm the stick with fingers or blend with a brush. Here’s my video applying the foundation stick!
   

4. My mom’s skincare obsession—I finally get it 🧬
   My mom’s been using this enriched skin softener + power-infusing serum for years and her skin is baby soft—like, freakishly smooth. I’ve used many bottles of both, and yep, totally hooked. Mom’s are always right.
   Tip: Use both on damp skin before bed—you’ll wake up feeling expensive.
   

5. The blush that makes me look less dead 💗
   This celebrity MUA creme + powder blush duo gives me cheekbones, a pulse, and makes me look like I’ve been outside. Pair it with this complexion enhancing booster and yes, it makes you look like you just came home from a sunny vacay.
   Tip: Dab the blush on lips and cheeks, then hit the tops of cheekbones with the booster for fake sun + sleep. ✨ 

I’m not okay, but this helps…a lot

I was doing everything "right"—but still felt off.

I wasn’t tired, I was fried.

These are the 5 little things I’ve started doing.

Just simple habits that are bringing me back to me. 👇️ 

• At 40, I found my vitamin 💊
  I’m almost 40, and taking vitamins isn’t optional anymore—it’s maintenance. But let’s be real: not all vitamins are created equal. These essential women’s capsules cover the gaps I know I’m missing in my diet, and the synbiotic+ pre, pro, and post-biotics have seriously helped my gut—no bloat, no gassiness, no regrets.
  Tip: I keep them next to my morning coffee setup so I actually remember.
  

• Breathing instead of scrolling or screaming 🫁
  Huberman’s double inhale + long exhale is my go-to when I’m about to lose it. My jaw unclenches. My chest softens. My toddler's tantrum becomes... tolerable.
  Tip: Do this before school pickup—it's free, fast, and wildly effective.
  

• Legs up the wall 🧘🏻‍♀️
  I literally just flop on the floor, throw my legs up, and stare at the ceiling like I’m rebooting. No music. No scrolling. Just me and gravity. And somehow? I feel more human after.
  Tip: Set a 7-minute timer and let your body chill—it's shockingly effective.
  

• Magnesium mocktail for my mental state 🍋
  I mix a scoop of magnesium powder with cold water and sip it like it’s a sleepy girl cocktail. My nervous system exhales before I even hit the pillow.
  Tip: Stir well and drink it (an hour before bed), especially on days you feel wired.
  

• Walking without stimulation (no phone, no guilt) 👟
  When I leave my phone at home and walk, my brain comes back online. I solve problems, breathe deeper, and sometimes—shockingly—I enjoy being alone.
  Tip: Just say “8 minutes” to yourself and go. The reset is real.

Motherhood is breaking me (a little)

This week? I snapped. 💢 

My kids were whining, fighting, and emotionally everywhere.

And I just… lost it.

I yelled. Loud.
Then came the guilt spiral.
That awful, hot feeling that floods in right after you say the thing you didn’t mean. 😥 

They cried. I cried.
We all stood there in the wreckage of a moment I wish I could rewind.

And what hurt the most?
How quickly they forgave me.
How fast they ran back into my arms.
I was still stuck in shame, and they were already in healing.

It made me realize…
I’m not mad at them.
I’m touched out, stretched thin, and honestly, just fried.
I keep trying to do it all, perfectly, without pausing to ask what I need.

And sometimes?
I don’t even want to try.
I want to disappear into a hotel room with room service, a bottle of wine and zero noise.

But I won’t.
Because love pulls me back.
Because repair is still love.
Because even in my worst moments, my kids still feel it.

So if you’re in your “I love them but I’m not okay” era—same.

You’re not alone.
You’re not failing.
And your softness will return.

Thanks for being here and for letting me vent like this is group therapy. 🫶 

See you next week. xx

More beauty guides you’ll LOVE…

P.S. Keep an eye on your inbox every Wednesday for your weekly dose life lifts & tips!

Thank you for being a part of the VIP squad! Stay tuned for more! 🤍

xo Jen

All of the linked products are independently selected and curated by me. If you love and buy something I link to, I may earn commission.

Copyright 2025 Chiu Studio Inc. All Rights Reserved.