Jennifer Chiu
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It's my birthday...and I wasn't ready for this 🎂🕊️

It's my birthday...and I wasn't ready for this 🎂🕊️

My 40th birthday beauty lineup, what I actually do when nobody's watching, and the story I almost didn't tell you.

Jennifer Chiu
February 20, 2026

Hi beautiful, ☕

Today is my birthday. I am officially 40. 🫢

I'm not okay…but I think that's the point.

This week hit me in ways I didn't expect.

My mood swings were wild
I ugly cried to my husband
I couldn't stop thinking…

Am I really halfway through my life now? 💭

But then something happened that put it all into perspective.

Inside this week:

💋 5 beauty combos that make me feel like me again
🤍 The self-care confessions I've been hiding from everyone
🐯 A phone call from my mom that changed how I see everything

I’ve lived a few lives already and somehow 40 feels like the most honest. 💭

What my face needs at 40…

Nobody warned me that 40 would come for my face first. 😐️

I went from "she looks great for her age" to "ma'am, are you okay?" real quick.

These 5 duos are what my face needs:

1. The serum combo that replaced my whole morning ✨
I was overcomplicating everything until I paired this 7% ectoin serum with my pro collagen peptide moisturizer and suddenly my skin just… looked right. I wish someone told me about this sooner because I would've skipped 10 other serums. Tip: Use these Korean PDRN toner pads first to prep before layering.

2. The butter lip I can't stop wearing 💄
I found my perfect low-effort lip. This squalane butterglow lip balm gives me that soft, glossy, "she definitely takes care of herself" look. (See me swatch it here) Babe, if you only buy one lip product this year, make it this one. I line my lips with my fav signature lip liner in shade coupe for a little extra definition. Tip: Slightly overline your cupid's bow with the liner.

3. The redness fix nobody talks about 🩹
I've had red patches near my nostrils and cheeks for years and just kind of accepted it. Then I started using this redness corrector on those spots before tapping my vital skincare concealer in M1 under my eyes. I couldn't believe how much better my skin looked with just these two products. Tip: Use the corrector only where you see redness, not all over.

4. The blush + bronzer that bring me back to life 🌸
Some days I catch my reflection and think… where did my color go? This forever contour stick in shade 1 warms and sculpts my face. Then I add this supersuede blush in color ‘bella’ on top to give me that flushed, healthy, "I just went for a walk" look. My mom saw me wearing this combo and said "Did you take a day off?" 😂 Tip: Apply bronzer in a 3-shape along your temples, cheeks, and jawline first. (Watch this reel) for 4 lip + cheek combos’s that stun!

5. The glow + protect combo I wish I started sooner ☀️
I focus so much on my face that I forget my body needs love too. This glow boosting sunscreen with SPF 50 gives radiant skin without the white cast. I pair with the OS-01 body moisturizer which prevents zombie cells from aging your skin. I don't know what type of science wizardry this is, but it's Harry Pottering my skin back to its 20's. Tip: Apply the body moisturizer right after your shower while skin is still damp.

My secret life at 40…

Now that I'm officially 40, I'm going to tell you what actually fills my cup.

I don't talk much about it because it might surprise you.

It's not glamorous, it's not trendy… it's just mine. 💛

My favorite hour of the week ☕
Me, my reading chair, sunshine through the window, and a green tea with a good book. No screen, no kids yelling, just silence. I'm currently reading Reminders of Him and honestly I forget I have responsibilities.
Not feeling guilty about the things I actually love 🙅‍♀️
Only my BFF's and now you know this… my perfect day off is a cozy café with a book, foot reflexology, a nap (at the foot reflexology 😆), browsing home decor stores, and ending with a glass of wine and a nice dinner. And if I'm feeling really productive? I'll sneak in a tennis lesson. Too much? 😂
My nervous systems was on high alert 🚨
I don't know if it's being 40 or perimenopause but some days near ovulation I turn into a completely different person. I noticed a huge difference when I started taking these stress supplements with ashwagandha and saffron. I feel so much calmer in my luteal phase.
Shopping for things that make me feel put together 💎
Quiet luxury jewelry has been my thing lately… this stacking Richie necklace with the matching tennis bracelet turned my tired school drop-off face into "she's got somewhere to be." Sometimes one accessory changes your whole energy.

If I could go back, I’d tell him how often his voice still finds me 🕊️

The call I wasn't ready for…

Entering my 40's feels like a roller coaster I didn't buy a ticket for.

My birthday is today. I should be celebrating.

But also…I got a call from my mom a week ago. Her mom had passed. My grandma.

So I'm holding a cupcake in one hand and sadness in the other.

And somehow that feels exactly like what 40 is. 🎂💔

She came to Canada when I was young, but decided this life wasn't for her and moved back to China.

But I remember her. Her energy. Her fire. The way my mom described her like she was the strongest woman alive.

She grew up on a farm in a small village, kept the entire household together, and raised every kid (there are 6 of them) with bare hands and zero quit in her.

About 15 years ago, I went back to that village. I saw my grandma then too. I didn't know it at the time… but that was the last time I would ever see her.

Here's the part that gave me chills…

In the Chinese zodiac, she was a Tiger. 🐯

My mom's a Tiger. I'm a Tiger. And so is my 3-year-old daughter.

Four generations of Tiger women. How crazy is that?

Lunar New Year was just a few days ago, and the timing of all of this feels like it means something.

Her passing, me turning 40… it all hit at once. I wasn't feeling great this week if I'm being honest. Actually, I was just really down. And I kept circling around the same questions…

Am I living my best life?
Am I enjoying the journey?
Am I staying present?

And then I came back to something my grandpa once told me.

❝

"You’re 20. You blink. You’re 40. You blink. You’re 60.
Remember, life is meant to be lived."

I have a picture of him on my desk. And every time I see it, I hear him saying that. 💛

Here I am at 40, suddenly aware of how finite time is—and somehow more grateful than ever.

Because grief has a funny way of snapping you back into what matters. The tiny moments. The sunshine through the window. The way my daughter grabs my face with both hands and says "mama, you're my best friend."

That's the life worth living. That's the one my grandma wanted for us.

And I think she'd be really proud of the Tiger women she left behind. 🐯