I love experimenting with beauty products and changing up my routine as needed. Here are some skin, hair and body care beauty products I love using. (Note: I don’t get paid to promote any of these products and it’s not a sponsored post!)
Shower Gel
Rituals Foaming Shower Gel – I first discovered this when I was in the Netherlands in my friend’s shower. It’s now sold in the States but for a few years, she used to send it to me. It’s a gentle, non-drying foaming mousse that I use twice a week with an exfoliating glove. The key when exfoliating is that you never want to use a shower gel that has any drying properties, such as one made with sulfates. The reason for this is because as you’re exfoliating off the dead cells, you don’t want the newly exposed cells to be subjected to harsh, drying detergents. This defeats the whole purpose of exfoliating in the first place. I don’t use this as a daily shower gel because especially post-workout, I want something a little stronger to give a better cleansing experience.
“As you’re exfoliating off the dead cells, you don’t want the newly exposed cells to be subjected to harsh, drying detergents. This defeats the whole purpose of exfoliating in the first place.”
Body Exfoliant
Kessa Exfoliating Glove – I have been on the search for something to exfoliate the skin on my body when I don’t have time to use a scrub and I finally found my all-time favorite one. This one is easy to use since it’s a glove and the texture is nice and rough so it gives an excellent exfoliation.
Hair Styling Cream
Oribe Creme For Styling – I have finally been learning to work with my natural waves and will occasionally let my hair air dry. I’ll use this to soften the waves and manage frizz.
“I love beauty products…it’s why I got into the beauty business in the first place! I get paid to play!”
Perfume
Byredo Perfume – I’ve never been much of a perfume girl but having the perfume on a roller ball makes it really easy to use. The Gypsy Water scent is described on their site with words like soil, forest, and campfire with notes of bergamot, juniper berries, and lemon. It’s a beautiful scent and I love it. Plus, it inspired me to name my new puppy, Gypsy Rose!
Exfoliating Acid Serum
Renée Rouleau Pore + Wrinkle Perfecting Serum – For the hot summer months, I’ll keep my exfoliation on the gentler side by using Renée Rouleau Ultra Gentle Smoothing Serum which is a 10% blend of exfoliating acids. Now that it’s fall, I’ve bumped it up to a 17% formula with Pore + Wrinkle Perfecting Serum. I use this twice a week to really smooth my skin by dissolving away surface dry cells. It’s also great for removing some of my head-induced summer sun spots and making my pores look much smaller. (I’m a skin type #2. What type are you? Take this skin type quiz.)
Makeup Powder
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder Iridescent Strobe Light – Who doesn’t love a good glow? I know I do. I have spoken a lot on my blog about how makeup can do miracles for improving the look of the skin. And the reality is…there just isn’t a skincare product that can make the skin glisten and sparkle like makeup can—which is why I am loving this powder. I was told to use it as a highlighter on just certain areas of the face but I dust it on all over my face. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on my skin since I started using it.
If your skin is looking dull, read how to get a glow.
Luminizing Liquid
Algenist Reveal Concentrated Luminizing Drops – To enhance the #ReneeRouleauGLOW, I’ll add a few drops of this to my foundation. (Currently using Laura Mercier Candlelight Glow.) It gives a nice little sheen to the skin without feeling greasy.
Shampoo
Oribe Serene Anti-Dandruff Shampoo – My scalp has gotten itchy ever since I got into my 40s. It’s not dandruff, but just gets itchy once in a while so this has helped a lot. Plus, it’s really gentle on my hair and doesn’t leave me with a post-shampoo tangled mess after I use it.
Makeup Powder (As Sunscreen)
Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder – I actually use this as sunscreen, not as a makeup powder. Let me explain. So, my new puppy wakes me up at 6:45 am every morning whimpering because she’s ready to get out of her crate and go to the bathroom after holding it all night. I don’t want to make her wait any longer and since I’ll also be taking her for a 30-minute walk afterward, I need to protect my skin from the morning sunlight coming up. I quickly throw on my clothes and then dust a generous layer of this powder on and out the door we go. What most people don’t realize is that most powder makeup uses titanium dioxide which is a sunscreen ingredient. The powder doesn’t say it has SPF because Revlon didn’t choose to get it approved as a sunscreen. They are marketing it as makeup but to me, it is protecting my skin just fine when I’m in a rush and don’t feel like putting on a lotion. I used to use an official SPF-infused mineral powder (ColoreScience) but it is expensive and they only have a few shades (none of which matched my skin color) so this one serves its purpose.
As for makeup, I think of it as skincare. Read my skincare rule #6.
Feminine Product
Love Wellness The Killer – So this isn’t technically a beauty product but yeast infections certainly aren’t beautiful. For those occasional times when I feel something coming on, this boric acid suppository does a total reset “down there”. My gynecologist had suggested that I look into using boric acid and I’ve been super happy with this brand. As for vag cleansing, I always use Moisture Protecting Cleanser because of its low pH of 3.5. It’s approved by my gynecologist to help create a balancing environment. (Yes, if you don’t use the right pH cleanser down there, it can cause problems!)
Daily Sunscreen Moisturizer
Renée Rouleau Weightless Protection SPF 30 – This is the true love of my life. I created a sunscreen that doesn’t cause breakouts, clogged pores, or irritation and doesn’t pill up under makeup. It’s one of the products I’m most proud of because trust me, developing a sunscreen is not an easy task. It’s been a best-seller since it first came out in the early 2000’s and I wouldn’t think of ever changing it. It works, no need to fix what’s not broken.
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.”
