My mom made me do this...🔥

Hi beautiful, ☕️

Last week, I got influenced.

I saw a 20-something blending this flawless, glowy foundation…so I bought it.

Spoiler: it did not look like that on me. 😅

That’s when it hit me…my 40-year-old skin plays by different rules now.

So I went looking for bases that make skin look real, fresh, and alive again.

Here’s what we’re diving into this week:

💄 Base combos that finally brought my skin back to life
🌿 The back pain fix I didn’t know I needed
💭 Funny (and spooky) superstitions I still follow…because my mom said so

The base is everything at 40

At 40, foundation gets tricky. 😅 

What used to glide, now grabs.

I wanted glow, but everything started clinging, caking, or vanishing by lunch.

So I went on a mission to find bases that melt in and bring back that effortless, 25-year-old kind of glow.

Here they are:👇

1. the sleepy-skin fixer ✨
When my skin looks flat or tired, I grab this glowing, skin-like foundation that gives that just-had-a-nap glow (I’m shade 4). I pair it with a face base duo primer that adds hydration and helps everything melt together.
Tip: Warm it in with your fingers. A damp blender is my go-to for application.

2. the dew comeback 💧
On mornings when my skin feels tight, this hydrating skin glow base brings life back immediately. It moves with my face instead of fighting it. I layer it with this super hydrator (on my 2nd bottle) to keep everything glowing and bouncy.
Tip: Mix a tiny drop of the hydrator right into your base, it keeps that mid-day flake and fade away.

3. the real-life filter 😍
This airy, blurring formula smooths pores and softens fine lines without hiding your skin. I finish with a touch of soft powder only where I tend to shine.
Tip: Press the powder gently where you need it most. Swiping breaks the blur and lifts coverage.

4. the three-minute face 🪄
For mornings when I have no time, I reach for this creamy stick foundation. It melts in fast and pairs perfectly with this vital skincare concealer to fake eight hours of sleep.
Tip: Warm the stick on your jawline first, then blend upward for a lifted, even look.

5. the touch-up glow ✨
My on-the-go cushion gives that forgiving, dewy finish that survives long days and dry flights. Then I gently mist this light truffle serum spray to reactivate it and bring the glow back (this one has over 15K reviews over 4 stars!) The hype is real.
Tip: Mist, pat, and go — it makes your makeup look freshly done, not freshly added.

🎥 watch my tutorial to see these in action

I thought pain was normal…

I used to wake up feeling 80…

Back aching, shoulders tight, convinced it was just “getting older.” 👵

Then one night, I fell asleep on the couch… and woke up pain-free.

Maybe it wasn’t my body. Maybe it was just how I was sleeping.

Turns out, pain isn’t normal — it’s what happens when we stop paying attention.

Here’s what finally helped👇

Sleep setup reset 🛋️
I swapped my “luxury” pillow for a flatter, firmer one with down alternative and tucked another foam support pillow between my knees. My spine stopped screaming and mornings stopped hurting. Yes, getting older means more pillows (and I’m here for it).
Tip: Sleep where you actually feel comfortable — not where it looks Pinterest-perfect.

Stretch the slouch away 🧘🏻‍♀️
All those hours at my laptop caught up to me — I live in “tech neck” posture. Lying on this yoga foam bolster and opening my chest for two minutes a day has helped more than a chiropractor. I’ve had this for over 10 years. BONUS: you can wash the cover! Best investment ever.
Tip: Do it before bed while scrolling TikTok (you’re already there anyway).

Walk, don’t wait 🚶🏻‍♀️
I bought this portable walking treadmill pad last fall and haven’t stopped using it. It’s perfect for rainy days or lazy moods, and walking between long work days has helped my mental health, gets my steps in while I binge watch “Building The Band”.
Tip: A few ten-minute bursts a day add up fast — your body just wants movement.

Support from the inside 💪
I’ve been adding micronized creatine powder and advanced collagen peptides to my morning coffee lately. It’s well-researched for women and great for strength and energy. I’m playing tennis twice a week and noticed my energy lasts longer, recovery’s faster, and my joints aren’t yelling at me anymore.
Tip: A scoop of each in your coffee — that’s it. Your body and skin will thank you.

The biggest lesson?
You’re not falling apart — you’re just out of alignment.
Once I fixed that, my whole day (and mood) shifted.

My mom made me walk over fire…

When I was a teen…

My mom told me that if I ever walked past a cemetery… 🪦 

I had to step over a bowl of fire 🔥 before coming home — so the ghosts wouldn’t follow me. 👻 

I didn’t question it.
I just… did it. 😂

Seemed like an easy trade if it meant no ghosts coming home with me.

Because in our house, superstition wasn’t weird — it was normal.

No washing your hair before Lunar New Year.
No gifting shoes or clocks.
Never stick chopsticks upright in rice…because ancestors.
And definitely don’t sleep with your feet facing the door. 

As a kid, I used to roll my eyes. 🙄 
Now? I kind of love it.

These little rituals…

The incense, the red envelopes, the quiet habits you don’t even realize you’re still doing…

They’re how I stay connected to where I come from.

They’re tiny pieces of my culture that feel like home.

So yes, I'll wear red on New Year. 🧧 
I skip black at celebrations.
And if my mom tells me to walk over fire again, I’ll probably grab the lighter.

The older I get, the more I understand what she was really teaching me…that protection, in any form, comes from love.

And maybe that’s what all these little rituals are…

Reminders that we’re still guided, still watched over, still connected. ✨ 

See you next week. 💕 

xo Jen

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xo Jen

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