Clogged pores typically are small closed bumps that may be white in color and often can be the result of previous large pustular blemishes where the infection did surface but some residual oil and bacteria stayed behind within the pore.

Exfoliating skin care products work to remove surface skin cells making way for blockages inside the skin to come to the surface, possibly resulting in a purging effect. Typically, the breakouts are minor and should subside within 2-4 weeks, making way for clearer, smoother and healthier skin…

Read: Do You Have Whiteheads, Blackheads, Pustules, Milia or Cysts?

For some, breakouts and blemishes can occur when using the Clarisonic brush, since Clarisonic gives an aggressive manual exfoliation (via the bristles of the brush) to the skin which, for some, can be too stimulating to the skin.

Read: Is the Clarisonic Brush Harmful or Helpful to the Skin?

TIP: If you’re experiencing a significant amount of blemishes, you may want to cut back the usage slightly to slowly introduce exfoliation to your skin. Also, using round particles like jojoba beads in your facial scrubs are far less likely to cause exfoliation-induced breakouts due to their gentle nature. See our popular Mint Buffing Beads, Micro Crystal Cream and AHA/BHA Cleansing Gel. Avoid facial scrubs with apricot kernels and walnut husks as they can scratch and irritate the skin causing bacteria to spread.

If your skin continues to have more than normal breakouts for more than two months, then it either may just be your skin (breakouts that coincidentally were going to occur anyway), or the exfoliating products are not agreeing with your skin.

The challenge will always be to determine which it is. It’s just so hard to know. If you suspect it’s the exfoliating products, keep in mind that not all formulas are equal so don’t rule out exfoliation completely because the benefits to the skin are huge – you just may want to try another product. When you do introduce a new product to the skin (whether it’s an exfoliating product or not), patch testing your skin is always a good idea.

Read: How to Patch Test Your Skin 

Read: Exfoliating Acids: Skin Tips for Using them Correctly

Read: How to Make Your Exfoliating Acid Serum Multitask

Which exfoliant products are right for you? See our nine skin types and get products recommended.

For expert skin advice, check out Skin Source–the A-Z guide on all things skin. Also sign up here for our skin tip e-newsletter, follow Renée Rouleau on Twitter and like our Facebook page. You’ll be your own skin care expert in no time!

If possible, prior to kissing, put a good, rich moisturizer on the face to provide a protective barrier to lessen skin irritation. However, putting on moisturizer prior to kissing is not always practical, so the best thing is to focus on calming the skin after the fact. Post-kisses, use a moisturizer that’s not only deeply moisturizing, but one that contains lipid-rich oils, which can help repair the moisture barrier of the skin like Renée Rouleau Phytolipid Comfort Cream…

When a man’s facial stubble brushes up against a woman’s skin, it is actually a form of exfoliation, albeit an irritating form, but the stubble can actually poke little holes in the skin, creating cracks in the skin’s moisture barrier. This allows moisture to escape, and irritants to get in more easily. Look for a moisturizer that contains lipid-rich oils such as Ceramides and Jojoba Oil, as these can aid in skin repair. Phytolipid Comfort Cream both repairs the protective barrier, as well as provides calming anti-inflammatory relief for red, irritated, and sensitive skin. Be sure to use a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser to wash your skin like Purifying Face Wash, because when the skin is already irritated, using a harsh, detergent-based cleanser will only exacerbate the irritation. If you prefer a cleansing lotion, use Calming Chamomile Cleanser is really soothing. Washing with something gentle is key.

Kisses are a fun part of life, so care for your skin in the right way, and you won’t ever have to worry about missing out!

Read: Expert Tips for Sensitive Skin

Get products recommended for your skin type by choosing one of our nine skin types.

Have a skin concern? Check out Skin Source—the A-Z guide on everything from acne, exfoliation and large pores to brown spots, sun protection and so much more!

Sign up here to receive our monthly skin tip e-newsletter delivered directly into your email box!

What I mean is: wrinkles are a fact of life and once they are formed, are very hard to get rid of without the help of Botox and injectable fillers.  But many people focus so much on them, they often overlook the texture of their skin, which is something they have far more control over with the help of at-home products and professional treatments such as chemical peels…

Read: Considering Having a Chemical Peel? Important Information You Need to Know

When I look at someone’s skin, the first thing my eye goes to is the texture. A good texture constitutes pores on the smaller size, lack of dry, flaky skin, an even tone with minimal brown spots and a healthy, glowing shine to the skin. We all want to age gracefully and naturally, and the easiest way to do it is to focus on a good exfoliation routine to give smooth textured skin that can last a lifetime.

What is exfoliation?

By removing dry skin cells, you reveal healthy and vibrant skin. When caring for your skin, the phrase “out with the old, in with the new” really holds true. Exfoliation removes expired, dry skin cells making way for new, healthy, plump skin cells. It also helps to reduce blemishes and break outs, lessen clogged pores, rid the skin of dryness and lighten brown spots and hyperpigmentation—all while smoothing the skin.

What are the different types of exfoliants? There are two types of exfoliants. First, a “chemical” or “acid” exfoliant does the work for you. You apply it, leave it on the skin, and it works to dissolve the dry skin cells. These exfoliants include ingredients such as Glycolic Acid, AHA’s and BHA’s, and enzymes such as Pumpkin, Papaya, and Pineapple. Try Renée Rouleau Glycolic Serum 10%, 17%, or 20%, and occasionally treat your skin to our  Triple Berry Smoothing Peel.

Second, a “physical” exfoliant means that you have to manually do the work. These exfoliants include facial brushes, sponges, and facial scrubs. Try Renée Rouleau Mint Buffing Beads or Micro Crystal Cream. A combination of both physical and chemical exfoliants will give your skin the best results.

How often should you exfoliate?

For chemical exfoliation: I suggest that you use one of our Glycolic Serums at night only, for seven nights on, seven nights off alternating with a hydrating serum. (See our collection of specialty serums.) As for our at-home peels, I suggest using these a few times a month to give your skin a boost of exfoliation.

For physical exfoliation: I suggest using a facial scrub 2-3 times a week. If you use the Clarisonic facial brush, you would use this in place of a facial scrub since it provides physical exfoliation. It’s not recommended to use both as you don’t want to over-exfoliate.

Read my review: Is the Clarisonic brush harmful or helpful to the skin?

Read: What’s the Best Way to Shrink Large Pores?

Read: My 7-Day Post-Summer Skin Repair Plan

Which products are right for you? See our nine skin types and get products recommended.

For expert skin advice, check out Skin Source–the A-Z guide on all things skin. Also sign up here for our skin tip e-newsletter, follow Renée Rouleau on Twitter and like our Facebook page. You’ll be your own skin care expert in no time!

What is an ingrown hair exactly? An ingrown hair occurs when a hair has been removed from waxing, and as it grows back, it curls back or grows sideways under the skin resulting in a sore, red, inflamed bump.

I’ll share a personal story that inspired me to write this blog post in the first place. Whenever I go to get my monthly bikini wax, my waxer always comments on how she can’t believe I never have any ingrown hairs. This girl is a full-time waxer, so I take her noticing as a big compliment. While I have always done certain things to help prevent them, until I heard it from her, I didn’t realize how many people have trouble in this area. Here’s what has worked well for me in preventing ingrown hairs and can help you too. (Note: Ingrown hairs occur more often in those with curly hair.)…

Day 1 – Day 6 Post Wax: For the first five days after getting waxed, the skin is fairly sensitive, so it’s important to not be aggressive with this area. I always apply a hydrating body lotion to the area to keep the skin cells moist.

Day 7 – Day 14: At this point, the hairs are not yet ready to come out the surface of the skin, but they are getting closer. This is where you need to start exfoliating the surface of the skin to ensure the hair can come cleanly out. Almost every day, I will apply a thin coat of Glycolic Serum 17%, followed by body lotion right after I get out of the shower. The acid serum will start to dissolve surface dead skin cells that can cause hairs to become trapped under the skin.

Day 15 – Day 30: Around two weeks out from your bikini wax, you may feel the skin starting to feel a bit prickly as some of the hairs, depending where they are in their life cycle, will start to want to come out. At the point you feel the skin feel prickly (and often itchy), you need to use physical exfoliants to scrub at the skin and loosen the hair from its surrounding skin to allow it come out easily. I use our Exfoliating Body Cloth with a mild shower gel, and I do this daily. I apply shower gel to the Exfoliating Body Cloth, and in light circular movements, I exfoliate the skin area. It is important to always follow with a body lotion or moisturizer to keep the skin cells moist. Because the skin can be a bit red after you’ve used the Exfoliating Body Cloth, I will use the Glycolic Serum 17% post-shower and before moisturizer, but I only use it every other day so not to sensitize my skin.

Usually, by a month out, most people need to get another bikini wax, so then you will start this recommended routine all over again.

This is what has worked well for me, and by following my step-by-step guide, ingrown hairs can be a thing of the past!

Readers, have you found something helpful to prevent ingrown hairs from a bikini wax? Share your comments below.

Read how to prevent ingrown hairs on your chin.

Need help with your skin? Be sure to check out Skin Source–Renée’s expert tips and tricks.

A few months back, I received a letter from my professional liability insurance company saying they were no longer offering insurance to all spa and cosmetic businesses and that effective Sept. 1, 2011, I would need to find another insurance carrier. I was pretty surprised to receive this letter because I had been with them for 12 years. This company specifically caters to the spa and cosmetic industry and had frequently advertised for years in all the skin care trade publications.

I didn’t give it a lot of thought but just proceeded to contact another company for my insurance needs. The agent assured me that she could find a carrier that would cover my business and its needs for liability insurance. A few days later she called me on the phone and said “Renée, what kinds of chemical peels and laser treatments do you offer at your skin care spas?” I proceeded to tell her that we don’t offer laser treatments, but we do offer peels…

She said the insurance carrier would need to know very detailed information about the peels; what percentages were they, what was their pH, where were they manufactured, who was doing them, how much experience do the estheticians performing them have, how often are we doing them…and the questions went on and on. The agent told me that the reason for all the questions was because a lot of insurance companies no longer find it profitable to provide insurance to skin care practices that offer aggressive skin procedures (both medical spas and skin care spas) due to the high amount of claims being filed by consumers for post-peel burns and scars.

At Renée Rouleau Skin Care Spas, we choose to offer gentler, less-aggressive peels for our clients and leave the aggressive ones to the medical spas and doctors offices.

But I certainly have had clients come to me through the years to help heal their skin from the strong chemical peels they have had elsewhere.

For the most part, time will heal all wounds and the burns will go away without leaving any scarring. However, I do recall one client that came to me after having a strong peel  around the mouth in an effort to remove lines and wrinkles, and completely lost her skin color (melanin) in that area. In addition, the peel wasn’t neutralized properly and she suffered a terrible burn which left behind scar tissue resulting in an uneven texture. She’s now confined to wearing heavy concealer for the rest of her life to cover up the drastic difference in skin color, but unfortunately makeup cannot conceal a damaged skin texture. Her effort to improve her skin backfired.

So what is my point in sharing this? To scare you into never having a chemical peel?

Absolutely not. I love chemical peels. There are so many experienced professionals out there that are very skilled with such procedures. Peels can certainly make improvement in regards to reducing pore size and smoothing the texture of the skin and for that, this is why I think they are great.

Read: Do You Need a Chemical Peel?

I share this to make you aware that when you are contemplating getting an aggressive skin procedure such as a laser treatment or chemical peel, you must do your research first because depending on the strength of the peel, these can be very serious procedures. Some skin care professionals seem all too happy to perform lasers and peels on anyone – whether there truly is a need or not.

So here is my advice before getting a chemical peel or other aggressive procedures:

- When consulting with your skin care professional, ask a lot of questions.

Why did you recommend this procedure over other treatments? Realistically, what side effects will I experience? What is the worse possible scenario I could experience with this treatment? How many years experience do you have performing this treatment on your patients? Is there a chance my skin could react negatively? If so, how would you handle this? Is there a type of skin this procedure is not recommended for? Once my skin heals, what will my skin look like? How many of these treatments will my skin require? Is there a less invasive option that would deliver the same results?

The more questions you ask, the more insight you will have in determining if you want to pursue a chemical peel with this provider.

- Always trust your instincts.

If something doesn’t sound right or they hesitated when answering certain questions, consider this a red flag. Remember, you are interviewing them to help determine if you can trust them with your skin. An experienced professional will be very candid when having this conversation and will appreciate your questions and NOT get defensive. I am always honest and up front with my clients about the potential side effects of the procedures I recommend – and my estheticians are as well.

- Get a second, third or even fourth opinion.

This is your face. It’s what the world sees every day. It’s so important to seek out a variety of professionals so you will have better decision making in determining the right facility and procedure for you.

- Never, ever rush into making a decision.

Especially if you have an upcoming event like a wedding or a reunion, you may feel pressured to have to get going fast but it is not wise to do so. A rushed decision is not always the best decision.

Read: How to Care for Your Skin after a Chemical Peel

Read: Chemical Peels are Best Performed from November to May

So let me share with you the approach that we take with chemical peels at my skin care spas. Our clients lead busy lives and because of that, they cannot always commit to down time with their skin. So I developed a six week treatment called Skin Repair Program that consists of three gentle chemical peels (performed every other week) alternating with hydrating, skin repair treatments. This approach gives your skin a controlled peeling experience and because it is done gradually over time, it can deliver the results of one stronger peel – minus the excessive dryness and peeling. And because of our gentler approach, we were able to get liability insurance without a problem.

What experiences have you had with chemical peels?

Have a skin concern? Check out Skin Source—the A-Z guide on everything from acne, exfoliation and large pores to brown spots, sun protection and so much more!

Without a doubt, the summer months can cause significant damage to the skin due to the amount of time spent outdoors, in the sun, and in chlorinated pools and saltwater oceans. Brown spots are increased, the skin’s texture gets rough, and the skin can be left feeling tight and parched and look less-than-radiant. I’ve created this effective at-home treatment to repair the skin from summer sun damage that your skin is sure to love.

What this treatment does: This custom 7-day treatment is designed to repair damage from aging, sun and stress and reverse the visible signs of aging. It encourages new, healthy skin cell growth while revealing smoother, more even-toned skin.

What you’ll need:

1. A gentle facial scrub. It’s mandatory to use one with ROUND beads, such as polyethylene or jojoba beads. (Note: Anything with natural grains such as apricot, almond or seed/shell powders can scratch and irritate the skin and should not be used with this treatment plan.) All of the Renée Rouleau facial scrubs use round beads only…

Recommendation: Renée Rouleau Micro Crystal Cream or Mint BuffingBeads

2. An exfoliating peel or mask formulated for home use. Choose one containing either glycolic, malic, tartaric, salicylic or lactic acids and something that is formulated to be left on the skin for 5-10 minutes and rinsed off. Generally masks and peels are stronger and therefore more effective for this treatment than a lesser-strength acid serum that is meant to stay on the skin overnight. Read more about exfoliating acids.

Recommendation: Renée Rouleau Triple Berry Smoothing Peel

3. A soothing gel mask. Masks come in the form of a gel, cream or clay, and while all have their benefit, for the purpose of this treatment I suggest using a gel mask due to its cooling, soothing and deeply hydrating properties.

Recommendation: Renée Rouleau Azulene Gel Mask

Total Cost: If you purchase the three recommended Renée Rouleau products, the cost will be $170-$173 (depending on which facial scrub you purchase).  Each product must be ordered on our website individually. Show now here.

4. Optional but highly recommended: An alcohol-free serum for your skin type. Since this treatment works to reveal fresher, younger cells, it’s important to protect and nourish them by applying a hydrating serum underneath your moisturizer at the end of the treatment.

Recommendation: See the collection of Renée Rouleau serums and choose one for your skin type. See our nine skin types.

Read: What is a Serum and Do I Really Need One?

THE TREATMENT: This is recommended for sun damaged, acne-prone, aging, oily, normal or dry skin types. (If you have thin, fragile skin, perform the sensitive skin treatment as suggested further down in this post.)

Night #1) Facial scrub + peel + mask

Step 1: Cleanse your skin with your nighttime cleanser. Rinse well. On damp, clean skin, apply a small amount of facial scrub (Micro Crystal Cream or Mint Buffing Beads) to the face and massage in gentle, circular motions for 60 seconds. Be sure to use on the crow’s feet area but avoid getting into the eye. Rinse well.

Step 2: Immediately apply a thin coat of Triple Berry Smoothing Peel to the entire face. Be sure to apply on the crow’s feet area near the eyes, but avoid getting onto the lashes or into the eyes. (Read why exfoliation helps with wrinkles around the eyes.) Leave the peel on for five minutes. (A tingling sensation is normal while the peel is on the skin.) After five minutes, rinse well with COOL water and gently pat skin dry with a soft towel.

Step 3: Apply a thin coat of Azulene Gel Mask to the entire face. Let dry for 10 minutes and rinse well with COOL water. Proceed with using an alcohol-free toner then apply a few drops of your favorite skin serum and follow with your nighttime moisturizer. At this point, skin should start to feel calm again, but reddening of the skin is normal.

Night #2) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for six minutes.

Night #3) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for seven minutes.

Night #4) Peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, you will NOT use the facial scrub. Leave the peel on for seven minutes.

Night #5) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for nine minutes.

Night #6) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for seven minutes.

Night #7) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for five minutes.

This concludes the treatment.

SENSITIVE SKIN TREATMENT: This is recommended for sensitive, fragile and easily-irritated skins. At least one hour prior to this treatment, put the Azulene Gel Mask into the refrigerator. This provides extra soothing relief for sensitive skin.

Night #1) Facial scrub + peel + mask

Step 1: Cleanse your skin with your nighttime cleanser. Rinse well. On damp, clean skin, apply a small amount of facial scrub (Micro Crystal Cream is best for sensitive skins) to the face and massage in gentle, circular motions for 60 seconds. Be sure to use on the crow’s feet area but avoid getting into the eye. Rinse well.

Step 2: Immediately apply a thin coat of Triple Berry Smoothing Peel to the entire face. Be sure to apply on the crow’s feet area near the eyes, but avoid getting onto the lashes or into the eyes. Leave the peel on for three minutes. (A tingling sensation is normal while the peel is on the skin.) After five minutes, rinse well with COOL water and gently pat skin dry with a soft towel.

Step 3: Apply a thin coat of Azulene Gel Mask to the entire face. Let dry for 10 minutes and rinse well with COOL water. Proceed with using an alcohol-free toner then apply a few drops of your favorite skin serum and follow with your nighttime moisturizer. At this point skin should start to feel calm again but reddening of the skin is normal.

Night #2) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for five minutes.

Night #3) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for seven minutes.

Night #4) Peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, you will NOT use the facial scrub. Leave the peel on for five minutes.

Night #5) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for five minutes.

Night #6) Peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, you will NOT use the facial scrub. Leave the peel on for five minutes.

Night #7) Facial scrub + peel + mask
Follow the same instructions; however, on this night, leave the peel on for five minutes.

This concludes the treatment.

Things to know: Perform this treatment prior to bedtime so the skin can rest, relax and renew throughout the night. It is normal to experience skin sensitivity during this treatment which may include: sensitivity to warm or cool water, dryness, peeling, tightness and the skin may appear flushed and feel warm to the touch. All of these are considered normal as this is part of the exfoliating and skin repair process, and will subside within a week after completing the program. Discontinue the treatment if these side effects are not tolerable. Be sure to wear sunscreen (applied generously) during all daylight hours.

The results: Smoother, less-lined, more-even toned and glowing skin.

My skin loved it so much, when can I perform it again?

You will love the results of this repair treatment. For severely sun damaged skins, you can repeat again in three weeks, but no sooner than that.

Is your skin in need of serious repair and you live in the Dallas area? Schedule a Skin Repair Program in one of our skin care spas. Read more info here.

Want to have a skin consultation with skin care expert, Renée Rouleau? Click here to see which cities and countries Renée will be making appearances this year!

Have a skin concern? Check out Skin Source—the A-Z guide on everything from acne, exfoliation and large pores to brown spots, sun protection and so much more!

Exfoliation = the removal of surface dry skin cells.  It’s considered one of the most important techniques that people can perform on their skin to resolve certain skin problems as well as achieve healthy, glowing and young-looking skin.

Never before have there been more potent and powerful gels, acids and peels available for skin care enthusiasts to keep their skin looking young. That’s the good and bad news.  While peels and exfoliants can work wonders for skin, too much of a good thing can cause major damage–and I see it often…

The benefits of exfoliation:

-open clogged pores

-stimulate lipid production to keep skin moist and the barrier intact

-promote cell turnover

-remove dryness and surface flakiness

-break up pigmented cells to reduce

-smooth the texture of the skin

-soften the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, chicken pox scars and acne scars

-make large pores appear less noticeable

-an increased sun sensitivity by 45% putting the skin at risk for sunburns

-encourage new collagen formation

These days, I’ve noticed the trend, “If it’s not burning or stinging, it’s not working.” Clients won’t come right out and say this to me, but I know they are thinking it. In the quest to look younger, people are doing too many aggressive exfoliating treatments (at home and in spa) that are actually injuring their skin.

Too much exfoliation can cause:

-a stripped barrier function causing dehydration, flaking, redness and inflammation

-dryness (moisture seeps out of cells)

-aging due to chronic and prolonged inflammation

-a destruction of healthy cells

-a stimulation of melanin activity resulting in an increase of hyperpigmentation

-products to sting and irritate the skin (due to stripped barrier function)

So, you’ve over-exfoliated…now what to do?

Here are some simple solutions to repair your skin:

-Make sure you always use as directed…it’s as easy as reading the directions

-Use facial scrubs with round grains that roll easily over skin and do not apply a lot of pressure (All Renée Rouleau scrubs used round grains only)

-Avoid toners containing alcohol (All Renée Rouleau toners are alcohol-free)

-Give your skin balance with a little of everything – not too much of one thing

-Look for ingredients like ceramides, hazelnut, rose hips seed oil, borage, jojoba, and soybean; they help to build up the skin s barrier and help it to keep it intact

-Avoid washing with harsh cleansers and opt for a baby washcloth that is gentler on skin

-Always wear a sunscreen 365 days a year – rain or shine to keep sun sensitivity at a minimum

-Avoid using Vitamin C serums that cause a tingly sensation on the skin (Use our gentle, no-sting Vitamin C&E Complex)

-Avoid using mint or menthol-based products that can cause a tingly sensation on the skin until the skin is repaired

-Discontinue using the Clarisonic brush until the skin is repaired (Read: Is the Clarisonic Brush Harmful or Helpful to the Skin?)

Bottom line: Go easy on your skin. Your intention to help your skin may in fact be harming your skin. Be sure to listen to your skin, as it will tell you when something is too much. If your skin is irritated, it will let you know and you have to respect that. Always work with Mother Nature, never against her.

Read: Must-Have Skin Care Ingredients for Those Who Exfoliate Regularly

Have a skin concern? Check out Skin Source—the A-Z guide on everything from acne, exfoliation and large pores to brown spots, sun protection and so much more!

Get products recommended for your skin type by choosing one of our nine skin types.

Observing the three woman, the one thing that struck me most was how much Cheryl Tiegs’ skin was fading. What do I mean by that? When the skin ages, less oxygen and nutrients are being delivered to the skin. For example, by the time you are 75 years old, you have about 50% less blood vessels in your face, so with less vessels, it means less blood is flowing to the skin. And this is what is starting to cause Cheryl’s skin fading, lacking the glow and looking fairly washed out.

Simply adding a brighter blush could make an instant improvement in the skin looking brighter, and since her blush color was very subtle, it added to the dull, tired look (Don’t get me wrong, at age 64, Cheryl looks beautiful)…

It’s so important to focus on keeping good circulation in the skin so nutrient-rich blood can deliver what it needs to the skin to keep it glowing.

-Try incorporating products containing vasodilators. This includes ingredients such as peppermint and ginseng which work to give the skin a pick-me-up! Try Renée Rouleau Triple Berry Smoothing Peel, Revitalizing Ginseng Toner, Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel and Mint Buffing Beads. When applied topically to the skin, these ingredients work to dilate the blood vessels, therefore, allowing the skin to accommodate more nutrient-rich blood. With continued use, you can get skin that glows!

-Avoid smoking. Smoking causes cells to be starved of oxygen resulting in dull, tired-looking skin.

-Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol which can impair circulation.

-Avoid yellow-based colors for makeup and clothing (mustard, olive green, khaki, burnt orange) as they can make the skin appear sallow. Mineral makeup is a great choice for giving your skin the look of radiant glowing skin!

-Massage in your moisturizer. When applying your moisturizer, massage into the skin using firm circular motions to help increase blood flow. Read: Moisturizer Do’s and Don’ts

-Get professional facials. They are extremely beneficial for stimulating circulation to get your skin glowing. Read: Ten Reasons to Get a Facial and see the skin care services available at Renée Rouleau Skin Care Spas.

-Make sure you use skin care products formulated exclusively for your skin type. To get the best results for your skin, it’s very important to use products catered to your skin’s needs. Choose your skin type.

Read: Six French Beauty Tips

Have a skin concern? Check out Skin Source—the A-Z guide on everything from acne, exfoliation and large pores to brown spots, sun protection and so much more!

Sign up here to receive daily blog posts via email OR sign up here to receive our monthly skin tip e-newsletter via email!

Step 1: Cleanse the skin with a mild, sulfate-free cleansing gel like Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel or lightweight cleansing lotion or Rosemary Mint Cleanser to remove makeup, oil, and bacteria.

Step 2: Use either a mild facial scrub with round grains like Mint Buffing Beads or Micro Crystal Cream massaging over the skin in circular motions for 60 seconds and rinsing off well, or use an acid-based exfoliation (such as Triple Berry Smoothing Peel) left on the skin for 7-10 minutes and rinse off well. Both of these are designed to remove surface dry skin cells so that a mask can work deeper within the skin…

Sometimes if I feel as though my skin can use an extra boost exfoliation and can handle it without getting too sensitive, I will use my use my Mint Buffing Beads first followed by a 5-minute application of Triple Berry Smoothing Peel to give twice the exfoliating results.

Step 3: After rinsing off your exfoliator, apply 4-5 drops of a skin serum suited for your skin type. The benefit of using a skin serum is that it will enhance the results by delivering potent, active ingredients into the skin. Be sure to apply around the eyes, but not too close to the lashes to avoid irritation. See the collection of Renée Rouleau serums.

Step 4: Apply a thin coat of a mask suited for your skin type. Dry skin? Use a cream-based mask like Pure Radiance Mask. Dehydrated, sensitive, and combination skin? Use Azulene Gel Mask. Normal, combination skin in need of brightening? Try a non-drying clay mask like Vitamin C Mask. Oily, problem skin? Try using an antibacterial clay mask like Detoxifying Mask. Leave on for 10-15 minutes, rinse well, and follow with moisturizer.

Voilà! A facial at home, guaranteed to get your skin glowing in no time.

Read: 10 Reasons to Get a Facial and schedule at Renée Rouleau Skin Care Spas in Dallas and Plano, Texas!

Read: What is a Serum and Do I Really Need One?

Read: Five Tips to Care for the Skin on Your Back

Which products are right for you? See our nine skin types and get products recommended.

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The scrub: Mint Buffing Beads is a gentle exfoliant to give the skin a healthy glow while smoothing the skin, reduce clogged pores and promote a brighter, more even-toned skin.

What’s in it: Unlike harsh natural grain scrubs that use apricot kernels and walnut husks, Mint Buffing Beads used perfectly round jojoba beadlets that gently roll across the skin without causing irritation or unnecessary sensitivity. Mint botanicals work to increase blood circulation to brighten and refresh tired skin.

Why you should use it: It leaves your skin feeling refreshed, renewed and glowing. Simply put, Mint Buffing Beads is a glow in a jar!

Watch this video to see Renée share why Mint Buffing Beads is a product you’ll want to have in your routine!…

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