I won't do this again to my skin 💀

Hi beautiful, ☕️

I had something simple planned for this week.

Nothing too deep—just a few things I’ve been loving lately. 💄✨

But you know how life goes.

I got a DM that made me pause. Some habits I’ve been clinging to suddenly didn’t feel like me anymore and then a phone call that shifted everything. 📞

Here’s what we’re getting into:

• The beauty trends I’m officially done with 👋

• What I’d actually tell my 20-something self 💭

• And the phone call that reminded me what really matters 🥹 

More on that later… 💛

Trends I’m over…

I’ve tried a lot in the name of beauty.

Some of it worked. Some of it… aged me five years and emptied my wallet. 😅

Here’s what I’m letting go of (and what I’m reaching for instead):

1. The full-face glazed donut look 🍩
I thought it was giving glow—but really, it was just grease. Now I glow on purpose with this niacinamide dew drop serum (on my third one) and set the rest with my dream skin cushion with SPF 50 that keeps me looking fresh and protected Tip: Stick to two glow-giving products max—anything more, and it’s a slip ‘n slide.

2. Overthinking the base 🤯
I used to layer moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, foundation, powder… and wonder why my face felt like a mask. Now I use this fusion water magic SPF 40 (legit one of the best textures I’ve tried) and pair it with this color-correcting skin tint when I need a little extra. Feels like nothing, looks like everything. Tip: Less really is more.

3. Contour like it’s 2016 🎭
At one point, I was chiseling my nose so much, it looked so unnatural. These days I use this perfecting nude bronzer (that literally makes me look naturally tanned) and I use this $6 sculpting brush that that blends it out in literal seconds. Tip: A little warmth on the outer face gives way more payoff than a full contour.

4. Lip liner overload 💋
There was a phase where my lips entered the room before I did. Now I stick to this creamy lip liner that actually matches my lips, and I top it with my bee glow tinted lip balm that makes this lippie a perfect match. I’m already on my fourth tube. Tip: Match your liner to your natural lip tone—not your fantasy lip tone.

5. Playing chemist with too many actives 🧪
One serum for glow, one for texture, one for vibes—I had no idea what was even working. Now I stick to this 3-in-1 night serum and it’s a game changer! (it has Vitamin C, melatonin & bakuchiol) and then I apply the white lucent brightening cream my mom uses all summer long. Tip: Let your skin barrier chill—it doesn’t need drama.

If I could go back…

A 20-year-old DM’d me asking what I’d do differently if I could go back to my 20s.

And honestly?

I cringed a little… remembering the apricot exfoliator, drying cleansers, the DIY masks, and the full glam on a Tuesday morning. 🫠 

Here’s what I wish I knew sooner:

I’d stop scrubbing like I was sanding drywall 🧽
I used to go in with grainy scrubs like I was prepping my face for paint. These days I use my K-beauty panthenol cleanser that’s super gentle (and takes off all my makeup), and this AHA liquid exfoliant once a week—no more flakes, no more freak-outs. My skin’s been way more chill since.

I’d take my neck and chest seriously 🙈
I was doing a 7-step routine on my face… and nothing below the chin. My mom taught me to layer this Japanese neck contour cream all the way down my neck, and follow with extra-firming décolleté moisturizer that legit softened my chest in less than 2 weeks. My mom noticed. That means it’s good.

I’d hydrate instead of chasing that tight-skin feeling 🧊
I used to chase that tight, squeaky-clean feeling like it meant my skin was working. Instead, I got flakes and breakouts. Now I would use this duo: K-beauty rice toner for that main character in a K-drama glow, and follow with the ceramic milk ampoule (which I will not stop talking about) that locks it all in without the grease.

I’d wear way less makeup 💄
Back then, it was full coverage or nothing—and you could tell. Now I would go minimal like using this hydra-luxe foundation from a celeb makeup artist (I’m shade #8 Golden—it blends like a dream) and this blurring powder blush (in shade #44) that makes me look way more alive than I feel.

I’d stop multitasking my skincare routine 🌀
I was layering brightening, exfoliating, and anti-aging like I was running my own lab… and my skin was not impressed. I’d tell my younger self to stick to this lift + firm collection (budget-friendly and actually works) and pair it with a beginner-friendly triple-retinoid serum that’s made for skin in its 20s—no flaking, no drama.

What really matters…

I missed my mom’s call.

Then she called again—immediately. And if you know moms, you know… that means something’s wrong.

She told me my grandma—her mom—wasn’t doing well.
She hadn’t been eating or sleeping, and was in the hospital.
Then she said, “I need to go back to China. It might be the last time I see her.”

Everything just stopped.

I saw her not just as my mom—but as a daughter.
Still caring for me, now needing to care for her own mother, too.

It made me emotional—for her, for me, for all of us.
How quickly life shifts.
How we’re mothered…
and then become the mother.
And one day, maybe the one who’s cared for.

I’m a mom, a partner, someone who tries to hold it all.
But lately, even the smallest moments feel big.
Packing snacks. Making a call. Saying goodbye.

I know not all of us have our moms.
Some are grieving.
Some are waiting.
Some are holding it all quietly.

Whatever your story is—you’re not alone.

There’s something beautiful in how we keep going.

How we keep loving. How we keep showing up, even with hearts stretched in every direction.

So hug your people. Take the photo. Say the thing.
We don’t get to control time—but we do get to choose how we show up.

Thanks for being here. ❤️‍🩹 

Love,

—J

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.