Jennifer Chiu
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Is this really happening to me at 40? 👀

Is this really happening to me at 40? 👀

A brutally honest look at turning 40 — and the beauty + wellness tweaks actually making me feel human again.

Jennifer Chiu
December 04, 2025

Hi beautiful, ☕️

Lately I’ve been Googling things I never thought I would at 39…

Like why I’m suddenly…

- Wide awake at 3 a.m.
- Having hot flashes at random times of the day
- Irritated at dust particles
…and crying because my kid said “I love you” in a ‘weird’ voice.

And for the first time I caught myself thinking…
Wait…is this perimenopause?!

I laughed it off at first…like, no way, not me, not yet…but honestly?

Could it be? 👀

Inside this week:

🧴 5 “wait… since when?!” skin changes no one warned me about
🌙 Tiny resets I’m clinging to so I don’t cry in the pantry again
💔 The personal tea I almost kept in the group chat

Perimenopause is unhinged but at least my face doesn’t have to be✨

Wait…is this for real?

No one warned me that almost-40 skin comes with its own personality…

And possibly signs of perimenopause?

Some mornings I wake up with random texture, mystery dryness, and a face that says…

“I slept… but did I?” 😭

Here’s what I’ve been switching up to stay ahead of the chaos:

1. Hydration became a non-negotiable overnight

My mom warned me my skin would one day turn dramatic for no reason… and that day arrived. If you haven’t started using ectoin serum, babe, start yesterday. This is my second bottle and I just can’t get enough of the glow and softness. I pair it with this hydra zen cream after and I’m legit in shock of how plump and cushy my skin feels now 😅.
Tip: Damp skin first. It saves me every time.

2. Soothing angry skin is a top priority

The stuff I used in my 20s? My skin now rejects it like a bad ex 😂. One swipe and suddenly I’m red and irritated. So I switched to this black rice toner (which I use under makeup for glass skin) and this moisture hydrator gel that feels like a cold de-puffing hug when my face decides to be offended.
Tip: Avoid harsh exfoliants (especially the ones with beads!)

3. Retinol nights require emotional support now

I used to slap retinol on like I was invincible. Now my skin needs a whole pep talk and a bedtime story first. I use this softer retinoid serum that doesn’t send my face into panic mode and follow with this K-beauty hyaluron moisture cream (I’m not kidding, this one I’ve been using AM/PM and my skin is glowing!). So great for dry, winter skin.
Tip: Forced retinol = chaos. Start with twice a week.

4. SPF is now part of my personality

The way pigmentation clings to my almost-40 skin should honestly be illegal 😭. This super tinted hydrator (shade 3) keeps me looking alive. I pair with this be velvet makeup cushion in shade beige (I’m currently obsessed because the color match is unreal!) Watch a live tutorial here.
Tip: Keep SPF everywhere. Emotional support SPF + your cushion.

5. I’m chasing “bouncy skin” like it’s cardio

Hormones gave my face a slight deflated balloon vibe and I simply refused to accept that storyline. So I use this Japanese eudermine essence (my mom’s favorite) and this AHA + HA super hydrator (I’ve gone through 1 large and 1 small bottle) that makes my skin glow and look like a glazed donut 😂.
Tip: Press products in. It feels fancy and your skin eats it up.

What’s saving me in my new hormonal era

Somewhere between…

The hormone chaos, the random energy dips, and my kids asking for snacks every 12 minutes…

I realized I needed a new routine just to feel semi-sane 😭.

My 25-year-old self would laugh at the things helping me now, but honestly?

These little habits are the only thing keeping me from fully unraveling:

My veggie soup era is shocking all of us 🥣
I cannot do salads right now, but give me a pot of boiling veggies and I will thrive. This mediterranean bean soup is how I sneak in nutrients, and even my sister-in-law loved it after giving birth. If she approves, I know it’s legit.
Tip: Add lemon at the end. It fakes effort instantly.
The trio that changed everything 💊
I wish I started this gut–skin trio sooner because my body has been screaming for…years? I definitely don’t eat a full range of nutrient-rich foods every day. This trio is filling all the gaps my diet refuses to. Three months in and my digestion is calmer, skin is happier and I finally feel like a functioning adult.
Tip: This mind + muscle drink at night? I’m sleeping like a mom who magically gets 8 hours.
Warm drinks only, call me Asian or whatever 🔥
Cold anything? Absolutely not. My mom drilled into me that I should avoid anything “cold” getting into my body, and honestly it stuck. My warm ginger-green tea drink in my favorite insulated tumbler makes me feel grounded, especially in winter, and my whole system stays calmer.
Tip: Switch to warm drinks when you can. Your body will unclench.
My nighttime scrolling was out of control 🤳
Bedtime with kids can drain my soul (because why do little humans who need to sleep don’t want to sleep?!) 😂 I’d reward myself by doom-scrolling until midnight. Instead, I started leaving my phone in my room and reading instead has actually made nights feel peaceful. Current favs: Don’t Believe Everything You Think + The Courage To Be Disliked.
Tip: Put your book where your phone usually sits so your hand defaults to it.

This is my ‘I slept 7 hours but somehow feel 97’ perimenopause fit 😅

I’ll be honest…

Admitting that I might be in my perimenopause era felt like saying…

“Hi, I’m officially old now.” 🙃

Some days I still feel like my 20-year-old self, full of energy and possibility…
And other days I feel exhausted, emotional, and like I aged five years overnight 😭.

But then I heard something that stopped me:
“Why be afraid of it? Just prepare for it.”

And it hit me…

I don’t need to fear this season. I just need to support myself through it. 💛

I’ll scroll through photos of my kids and feel that familiar glow of,
“Wow… I’ve lived so much life, and I’m proud of all of it.”

Maybe it’s the hormones
Maybe it’s the memories
But I’ve never felt more aware of my age and also more grateful for it at the same time.

This season is forcing me to make choices that aren’t just for everyone else…
…but finally for me too. ✨

Lately I’ve been choosing:
• more rest even when my to-do list is long
• quiet moments I don’t have to earn
• things that make me feel like me again, not just “mom-me”

And the wildest realization?
I matter here too. 💛

So let me ask you…
What’s the one thing you want but haven’t given yourself permission to have?

Start there. You deserve it already. ✨

See you next week. 💗