Jennifer Chiu
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My whole face fit in *this* pouch 💄👜

My whole face fit in this pouch 💄👜

Everything I packed for glowy vacation skin, no-foundation makeup and looking cute while chasing kids 🏖️✨

Jennifer Chiu
April 25, 2025

Hi beautiful, ☕️

Okay, I’m two days late posting this…

But better late than never, right? 😂

We just got back from Scottsdale, and I need to say it louder for the moms in the back: Traveling with kids is not a vacation 😂

But this time?

I came home glowing. Not just surviving, not just “barely held it together,” but actually looking like I had a few moments to chill in between the chaos.

Wild, I know.

So I’m spilling everything:

💄 The skincare lineup that kept me glowing all week long
🎒 Everything that fit in my one beauty pouch (no fluff, no extras)
💛 And the real moment I’ll remember from this trip

Skincare that made the cut…

I’ve done the whole “just in case” packing and still forgotten the one thing I actually needed. 😆

This time, I kept it tight.

Just the skincare that made me feel hydrated, calm, and glowy, here’s what I packed:

for fake sleep glow
When you didn’t sleep but need to look like you did. This brightening serum evens skin tone and gave me that “good genes” finish. I have gone through more than 10 bottles of this serum!
Tip: Apply on freshly cleansed skin after a cold splash! ✨
my skin barrier BFF
Thick but never greasy. I love using this skin protectant cream. It locked in moisture, soothed redness, and saved my face from full-on desert dryness.
Tip: I used it at night like a mini mask and woke up dewy every time. 🌙
milk for my thirsty skin
It’s soothing, light, and makes my skin feel instantly calm and soft. This rice toner gives that milky, plush hydration when my face gets dry or tight after being on the plane!
Tip: I swipe it on before SPF and makeup sits way better. 💧
my under-eye warrior
My mom absolute loves this wrinkle smoothing eye cream. I always bring this with me travelling because it makes my under eyes brighter, smoother, and look way less sleep-deprived than I actually am.
Tip: I kept it cold when I could — total game-changer. 🧊
spf that feels like skincare
Zero white cast, invisible finish, and it actually worked with my makeup. The glow was glowing. Now I get the hype. Everyone loves this K-beauty physical sunscreen!
Tip: You can skip the primer, because this gives the glow. ☀️

Everything I used, nothing I didn’t.

I used to pack like I was getting ready for a red carpet — three palettes, five lipsticks, and an “emergency” highlighter… just in case.

Only to use none of it. 😆

I brought only what I knew I’d use — and somehow looked more pulled together than I do at home.

This is the travel beauty bag that kept it all together (skincare + makeup). It fits way more than you'd think and doesn’t take up your whole suitcase. I love it.

Here’s what came with me (and earned its spot):

my no-foundation fix
I didn’t have time or patience for foundation. This daily spf tint (I’m shade 22W) gave me just enough coverage, SPF, and made me look like I actually slept.
Tip: mixed it with moisturizer and called it done 🏖️
my face, but fresher
This creme + powder blush duo gave me instant color and brought me back from zombie status. It's perfect for travel and made me look alive when I really wasn’t.
Tip: tapped it on my lips too, what a lifesaver 💕
concealer that carried me
I left foundation behind, but this skin correct concealer covered the zero sleep, mom stress, and whatever my under-eyes were doing.
Tip: used it wherever I looked tired — which was everywhere 🙌
the lip that saved my face
My lips were dry, my face felt blah. This lip oil balm gave me hydration, shine, and just enough color to fake it. I have multiple tubes of the color lychee!
Tip: reapplied before dinner and suddenly looked put together 💋
the mascara that showed up
Pool days, sweaty meltdowns, airport air (it didn’t budge). My eyes looked open, lifted, and less overwhelmed. Honestly, can’t believe how good this waterproof mascara is.
Tip: Heat up your lash curler with hot tap water for long lasting lift! 👁️
one brush, did it all
I didn’t miss my full brush kit once. This one blended tinted SPF, blush, base, — everything. I honestly love this multi-purpose skin brush so much!
Tip: wiped it clean with a tissue and kept it moving 🖌️

skin’s glowing, kids are yelling — balance 💁🏻‍♀️✨

What I'm really taking home…

Picture this. 🖼️

There was a morning on this trip where both kids were screaming over the same granola bar (I packed four), one had sunscreen in their eye, the other was sobbing because their sandal “felt wrong”…

And I was trying to drink cold coffee while Googling “fastest toddler-friendly breakfast near me.”

For a second, I thought:
Why did I think this would feel like a break? 🫠

But then we got to the pool.

The sun was out. They were laughing.

That deep, belly-laugh that makes you stop and smile, no matter how overstimulated you feel.

I sat at the edge, feet in the water, and actually exhaled.

No phone. No checklist. No pressure. Just a moment. 💖

And I realized…this trip wasn’t restful, but it was real.
It wasn’t curated, but I was there.
Not just physically, but fully.

I downloaded 3 podcasts and didn’t listen to a single one.
I wore the same outfit twice.
We ran late. I forgot things. I raised my voice.

But I also laughed until I cried, ate dessert with my kids, and let go of perfect.

That’s what I’m really taking home. 🏡

Not just a well-packed pouch or a decent vacation photo but a reminder that the best moments aren’t the planned ones.

They’re the messy, loud, sticky, beautifully chaotic ones.

And somehow… those are the ones that matter most.

Thanks for being here every week, it means so much to me. 💛

See you next week!

xo Jen