Lately, I’ve been thinking about how quickly 28 has flown by. I’m not 29 yet, but it’s creeping closer, and I can feel this little shift happening—I’m in my skincare, self-care era. Some of these lessons I picked up from friends, some from trial and error, and some I had to learn the hard way (usually after falling asleep in makeup). So before this chapter closes, I wanted to write down the 28 things my skin has taught me this year.
☀️ Prevention > Correction
The sun is responsible for ~80% of aging.
Mineral sunscreen > chemical sunscreen.
Don’t just wear SPF outdoors — screens count too.
Hats and sunglasses are anti-aging tools (and chic).
🥑 Beauty From the Inside Out
Blueberries are basically nature’s retinol.
Green tea/matcha for antioxidants.
Tomatoes = lycopene glow.
Turmeric & ginger = inflammation fighters.
Spearmint tea helps with hormonal breakouts.
Hydration is skincare (simple, boring, effective).
🧴 Skin Rituals That Matter
Double cleanse at night.
Don’t over-exfoliate (2–3x a week max).
Vitamin C in the morning, retinol at night.
Moisturizer seals everything in — don’t skip it.
Neck & hands age as fast as your face — treat them too.
💻 Modern Hacks
Blue light can damage skin → screen protectors + SPF indoors.
Swap harsh scrubs for enzyme cleansers.
Sleep on silk pillowcases (less friction, more glow).
Clean your phone screen — it touches your face more than you think.
Get consistent, not extreme: results come from routine.
🖤 Lifestyle Fixes
Sleep is skincare.
Move your body daily (circulation = glow).
Alcohol + sugar = dull, inflamed skin.
Stress shows up on your face.
Ice rolling to depuff (bonus: feels amazing).
✨ If you wanna step it up (When You’re Ready)
Consider facials/microneedling over fads.
Invest in quality over quantity with products.
Remember: no product works if you don’t use it consistently.
And I couldn’t help but wonder… what happens when the little rituals we swear by become more than just skincare? Maybe it’s the lemon water before coffee, the vitamins in the morning, or the ice roller that wakes us up better than caffeine ever could. Somehow, those small habits start to add up—and suddenly the glow in the mirror tells a story of discipline rather than chance and I’m craving a little discipline in my life right now.
Prevention Over Correction
If 80% of aging comes from the sun, then prevention is our ultimate investment. Mineral sunscreen should always win over chemical. SPF isn’t just for the beach—it’s for laptops and iPhones, too. And if hats and sunglasses keep you chic while doubling as anti-aging armor, why not make them part of the outfit?
Beauty From the Inside Out
The inside always shows on the outside. Blueberries become nature’s retinol. Green tea or matcha fuels your cells with antioxidants. Tomatoes lend their lycopene glow, while turmeric and ginger fight the inflammation we can’t always see but definitely feel. Even spearmint tea, humble as it seems, helps with hormonal breakouts. And let’s not forget water—simple, boring, effective. Hydration will forever be the most underrated skincare step.
Rituals That Matter
A double cleanse at night isn’t glamorous, but it’s transformative. Over-exfoliation might feel like progress, but restraint is wisdom and —two or three times a week, max. Vitamin C in the morning, retinol at night, and moisturizer as the seal to lock it all in. And the neck and hands? They tell time as loudly as your face, so treat them with the same respect.
Modern Hacks & Lifestyle Fixes
In the digital age, blue light is our new sun—protect your skin even indoors. Switch harsh scrubs for enzyme cleansers, swap cotton for silk pillowcases, and wipe down your phone more often (it touches your face more than you’d like to know). Add in sleep, daily movement, less sugar and alcohol, and yes, ice rolling—it’s discipline disguised as self-care.
The Bigger Picture
Here’s the truth: no product, no matter how promising, works if you don’t use it consistently. Glow isn’t born from a miracle cream; it’s born from rituals repeated every day.
Lately, I’ve been slacking. My serums have gone unopened, my pillowcases haven’t been swapped, and some nights, makeup wipes replaced discipline. But something in me craves structure. So, for the next 14 days, I’m committing to these rituals. Already, with just a handful of changes, I can see the difference. And if a few tweaks can shift my reflection, I can only imagine what two weeks of true intention might do.
Maybe the real glow-up isn’t in the jar we haven’t bought yet, but in the little choices we actually keep. Because when it comes to skincare—and maybe life—the sexiest thing you can wear is consistency.
Toodles!
X, Jennie