Jennifer Chiu
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Overwhelmed...but my skin isn’t 😅✨

Overwhelmed...but my skin isn’t 😅✨

How I survived a rough day, beauty pick-me-up's that saved my skin and 3 things that pull me out of a rut.

Jennifer Chiu
March 12, 2025

Hi beautiful,

So, you probably noticed I didn’t post last week.

It wasn’t planned, but my body? Fully clocked out. ⏱️

Like, absolutely refused to participate in life.

I sat down to work, and instead, I found myself staring at a wall, questioning everything.

Emails? Couldn’t do it.
Filming? Absolutely not.
Thinking about my to-do list? Immediate shutdown.

So, I did what I never do—I took a break. For my own sanity, I closed my laptop, sat with my journal, and had a good cry. Yes, seriously. 🥹

But now? I’m back, recharged, and ready to talk about:

The beauty pick-me-ups that make me look alive when I feel like a mess.
That “I can’t do this today” moment & how I got through it.
3 things actually pulling me out of a rut.

Beauty pick-me-ups that ACTUALLY work…

You know those mornings when you wake up, glance in the mirror, and you're like, "Wow, I literally look how I feel"?

Yeah, same.

So I started using these quick beauty combos.

They’re easy, fast, and always make me feel a bit more put together:

Slugging, But Make It Lightweight
When my skin feels dry, I love slugging—but the full Vaseline method is a little much. Instead, I layer an antioxidant serum (my mom’s fav!) and cicaplast balm, then gently press a thin layer of this lightweight facial oil on top. I wake up with soft, glowy skin that doesn’t feel greasy.
✨ Tip: Squalane oil is my favorite for this—it’s moisturizing but never heavy.
Emulsion + Foundation for Dewy Skin
Foundation looking cakey? Try mixing it with a Japanese-style emulsion for lightweight hydration that melts into your skin. It’s my secret weapon for achieving a dewy, radiant finish without the heavy makeup feel.
✨ Tip: Use your fingers to blend—it warms the mixture, helping it melt into skin seamlessly.
AHA/BHA Liquid Peel for Baby-Soft Skin
When my face feels rough and my skin care stops working, I swear by a weekly AHA/BHA liquid peel. This one gently exfoliates, brightens dullness, and leaves me with softer, fresher-looking skin by morning.
✨ Tip: Always follow up with a soothing moisturizer to keep your skin calm post-peel.
Skin Tint + Barrier Cream = Instant Glowy Base
My shortcut to fresh, glowy skin without foundation is mixing a pump of my fav skin tint with SPF 40 + a pea sized amount of this barrier build cream. It’s sheer, natural, and makes me look awake, hydrated, and effortlessly radiant.
✨ Tip: Use a damp sponge to blend for the most natural finish.
My Dark-Circle Miracle Combo
For days when my dark circles make me look permanently exhausted, I tap a bit of my trusty brightening and depuffing eye contour cream gently into my under-eye area, followed immediately by a waterproof color corrector cream. Instant brightness, zero cakiness, and it lasts all day.
✨ Tip: Use your ring finger to gently blend—the warmth helps everything settle without tugging at delicate skin.

Overwhelmed, but grateful (IYKYK)

Ever had a week where it feels like you're doing a thousand things, yet nothing actually gets finished?

That was me. 🙋‍♀️

The kids, the mess, work deadlines, school sign-ups—it’s all just a blur of small tasks that never reach "done."

It's like a chaotic loop: clean the house, answer emails, make snacks, repeat.

Last week I hit a wall.

My body literally said NO to everything, and instead of forcing myself through, I stopped.

I sat, journaled, cried a little, and realized something big:

The world didn’t fall apart when I paused.

Here's how I'm dealing with the overwhelm (and maybe it'll help you too):

Celebrate tiny wins. Sent one email? Packed a lunch? That counts.
Lower my expectations. Perfect isn't realistic (or necessary!).
5-minute breaks are everything. Coffee alone in my car is therapy, honestly.
Outsource without guilt. Grocery pickup, Instacart, meal kits, whatever makes life easier.

Me, mentally preparing for a weekend of non-stop kids’ activities. 😵‍💫

3 things saving me from a full-blown meltdown

Lately, I've been feeling really on edge. 🗻

Like, scrolling endlessly on my phone, avoiding responsibilities, and just not feeling like myself. 🤳

So, I decided it was reset time.

These are the three things literally pulling me out of it:

My Walking Pad Obsession
I bought this vibrating walking pad from Amazon, and honestly, it's become my best friend. I hop on, turn on a reality show, and suddenly I've walked 30 minutes without realizing it. It’s exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise—a lazy girl’s dream. 🚶‍♀️

What to do: Find a show you love (current binge is ‘Running Point’), and walking becomes "me-time," not a chore.

Mood-Boosting Vitamins (That Actually Work)
Taking NAC, Magnesium and Cortisol Manager has seriously boosted my mood and energy. Turns out feeling "off" might just mean you're missing key nutrients. I even asked ChatGPT to help build my vitamin routine! 💚

What to do: Always take vitamins after eating so your stomach stays happy and obviously ask your doctor beforehand!

"Mom, I Want To Hear Your Story" Journal
I bought this sweet little book from Amazon called "Mom, I Want To Hear Your Story." It's a journal where I write short stories about myself for my kids to read when they're older. I realized they know me mostly as the snack provider, sock-finder, and bedtime enforcer—but this way, they'll know the real me one day too. 🥹