My Mom: My Biggest Fan

I am so grateful for my mom. Aside from her teaching me manners, values, discipline and always being there for me, my mother has had a direct impact on my adult life, my skin and my chosen career as an esthetician.

When I was 17 and getting close to graduating high school, like many teenagers, I didn’t know what career I wanted to pursue. I knew college wasn’t for me, but I was unsure of my path. However, when I was 18, it was my mom who suggested that I pursue a career in beauty.

My grandmother (her mother) was a hairdresser and owned her own hair salon, The Powder Puff Beauty Shoppe. As a child, I was always playing with her supplies and truly loved all things beauty-related. My mother remembered this and encouraged me to attend beauty school where she knew I would flourish. To this day, this was the best advice I have ever received because it opened the doors to the wonderful world of skin care. Even after 25 years, I still love it more than ever…

Read: My Beauty Role Model: My Grandmother

Read: Why I Love Being an Esthetician

I also attribute my good skin to my mom, not only because of her genetics, but also because of her emphasis on caring for her skin. Thankfully, she passed this practice on to me. Growing up, my mom always washed her face at night, used quality skin care products and had regular facials. In fact, when I was 21, my mom’s regular esthetician became my business partner and together we opened a skin care salon located just outside of Boston. (I sold it five years later and moved to Dallas to start Renée Rouleau Skin Care, but I’m still very close with my former partner.)

Read: Are You Aging More Like Your Mother or Your Father?

My mom still has great skin care habits, but these days, the skin care products she uses have her daughter’s name on them and I know that makes her very proud. On a recent trip to visit her in Wisconsin, I took a photo of her bathroom cabinet full of Renée Rouleau Skin Care products. She loves her lifetime supply and uses them faithfully. At age 75, her skin continues to glow!

My mom is a skin type #9 (Dry / Sensitive / Red / Aging) and here are some of her favorite products:

·       Phytolipid Comfort Cream (She has red, sensitive, dry skin with a bit of rosacea so this works wonders for her.)

·       Soothing Eye Makeup Remover (Her eyes are really sensitive and this never stings or leaves a greasy residue.)

·       Vitamin C&E Treatment (This gives her skin its daily dose of vitamin C to keep it healthy, and young-looking.)

·       Age Defense Moisturizer SPF 30 (Since her skin is really sensitive, this all-mineral, chemical-free sunblock moisturizer works beautifully to protect it from daily UV exposure that leads to premature wrinkles.)

Read: My Cure for Red, Sensitive, Extremely Dry, Flaky Skin

***Mom, thank you for noticing my love of skin care and suggesting that I enroll in beauty school. I am truly grateful. I love you!***

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

Need expert advice from a licensed esthetician? Schedule My Skin Prescription to get personalized advice in person, over the phone or via Skype or Facetime.

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

Renée Rouleau

Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real-world solution — products that are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”