Jennifer Chiu
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Why your skin feels “off” lately 😮‍💨

Why your skin feels “off” lately 😮‍💨

I’m fixing my dry skin, trying mom’s wildest wellness hacks, and finding a new kind of confidence.

Jennifer Chiu
October 24, 2025

Hi beautiful,

You ever wake up and feel inside your nose? 👃

Like, so dry you could practically hear it crackle when you breathe?

That was me this week.

My cheeks felt tight, my skin was itchy, and the air in my house turned into a full-on moisture vacuum.

That’s when I knew — fall had officially arrived. 🍂

If your skin’s throwing a similar tantrum, same.

Here’s what’s inside this week:

✨ My flake-off survival kit (and how I’m babying my barrier right now)
🥢 Mom’s “unhinged but kinda genius” wellness tricks
🌿 What no one tells you about confidence in your 40s

The flake-off era is over. Hydrated and unbothered. ✨

Flake off…(for real this time)

Every fall, my skin decides to leave the chat. 💬

I step out of the shower, towel off, and there they are…

Little snowflakes of skin falling like confetti. ☃️

Here’s what’s helping me look less like I’m shedding and more like I slept eight hours.

1. Layer like a sandwich 🥪
If you’re not using an ectoin booster, your life is about to change. This has been a dry skin saviour for me! I pair it with this multi-protection moisturizer with SPF 15 and my skin looks like a glazed donut! When I skip it, my makeup cracks by lunch, when I don’t, my skin looks quenched. Tip: Keep your serum near the sink, you’ll remember to use it!

2. The double sip 💧
If your skin still feels like sandpaper, it’s begging for more layers. I go in with this royal jelly lotion toner, then a super hydrator serum to get that soft, glassy glow instead of that mid-fall flake fest. Tip: Tap your toner in with your hands — no cotton pads, no waste, just glow.

3. The crusty-zone cure 💖
Around my elbows and knees, things get rough — literally. A rich hinoki body cream and a multi-use ointment are my ride-or-dies for that stingy, flaky chaos. They calm, smooth, and make me look human again. Tip: Apply right after showering to get full absorption.

4. Lotion’s not enough 🧴
Fall skin wants soup, not water — so I go for a this waterless body stone that soothes instantly and locks everything in. I’m obsessed with it. I also found this Japanese tsubaki oil for dry hands and cuticles (because this mama is constantly cleansing and washing). Tip: Exfoliate beforehand to get the softest skin.

5. Shower without regret 🫧
Hot water feels holy, but it’s secretly wrecking your skin barrier. I swapped to a mineral rich body scrub and use these exfoliating gloves (my third pair now!) twice a week — smooth, glowy, no scratchy drama. Tip: Moisturize while your skin’s still damp — that’s when it actually counts.

My mom’s unhinged wellness hacks…

My mom has a PhD in unsolicited health advice. 😆

If you grew up in an Asian household, you already know — every cough, zit, or bad mood had a “natural” cure. 🍵

Half of them sounded insane… until I tried them as an adult.

Here are the 5 that actually stuck (and weirdly, kinda work).

1. The antioxidant tea combo 🍵
When I’m feeling sluggish or my skin looks tired, I brew fresh ginger and green tea together (my Mom’s go-to detox and energy fix). It warms you up, calms your stomach, and boosts your immunity. Tip: Let the green tea brew, the longer it sits, the more benefits you get!

2. The hair-growth pep talk 💇🏻‍♀️
Mom used to say, “Take care of your hair — it’s your lifelong accessory.” I’ve always been gentle with it, and lately I keep hearing about these hair supplements people can’t stop raving about. I get the hype — prevention just feels smarter these days. Tip: Start before you need it.

3. The massage ritual 💪
She called it “moving the energy.” I call it surviving mom-life back pain. My shiatsu massager is basically a household member at this point (5 years strong and still magic). I swear I’ve fallen asleep mid-massage more than once. Tip: Always use the heat setting, you won’t regret it.

4. The postpartum baby hairs 👶
I took my prenatal vitamins religiously, but what I didn’t do…and totally regret, was taking postpartum hair supplements. Because no one warns you how your hair basically stages a walkout after birth. Mine’s still growing back, and those baby hairs? So cute…until they’re not. IYKYK. Tip: Support your hair from the inside early!

4. The eternal scarf rule 🧣
She used to chase me with one at the door…now I get it. Wind and cold wreck your skin barrier fast. I stash this neck warmer in my car and closet for cold days. Tip: Protect your neck, your skin (and mood) will thank you.

✨Cheers to growing softer, slower, and stronger…in all the right ways. 🍷

The soft power of 40.

I saw a video the other day that said something like…

❝

“Confident women walk slow, speak with purpose, and listen more than they talk.”

And I don’t know what it was — maybe the music, maybe the timing — but it hit me. 💫

In my 20’s, I was constantly seeking approval.
I wanted to be liked, to be accepted, to fit in with the room.
I’d replay conversations, wondering if I said the wrong thing…
Or if people thought I was trying too hard. 😬

Now? I couldn’t care less.

It’s not that I don’t care about people.
I just don’t attach my worth to what anyone else thinks.

Something shifts when you hit your 40’s. You start to move differently.
You realize how much energy you wasted trying to prove yourself instead of just being yourself.

Confidence now feels… slower. quieter. softer. 🌸
It’s showing up to school drop-off barefaced and fine with it.
It’s saying no without the follow-up paragraph of explanation.
It’s pausing before reacting because peace feels better than being right.

And yes, life’s still messy.
I’m still juggling kids, work, moods, and a little hormonal chaos… 😅
But there’s a sturdiness now. A quiet strength.

I don’t need to rush.
I don’t need to compete.
I don’t need to perform.

I just need to be steady.
Present.
Me. 🌿

So here’s to walking slower, listening more, and knowing that confidence doesn’t mean loud…it means anchored.💖

See you next week.

xo, Jen