Spring clean your pores with a professional facial.
Without a doubt, the most effective way to clear out blackheads and clogged pores from the skin is to have them manually removed with a professional facial. Then to maintain the results, use a concentrated, alcohol-free AHA serum. (Try Renée Rouleau Glycolic Serum 17% to penetrate into the pores to help keep them clean.)
Lighten up your moisturizer.
The heavy creams required during the winter aren’t as necessary in the spring. Switching to a lighter-weight cream will allow your skin to breathe better, while still giving your skin the hydration it needs. Take the skin cream test. Apply your moisturizer and wait for five minutes. If after five minutes, you touch the skin and you can still feel the moisturizer, it means it’s too heavy. Your skin acts like a sponge. It takes in what it needs and the rest sits on top. Moisturizers that are too heavy can suffocate the skin and caused clogged pores.
Don’t neglect your neck.
Wearing scarves during the winter can cause dryness and irritation to the skin on the neck. Now that the spring is here and you’re revealing more skin, give your neck some TLC by exfoliating with scrubs (not acids). How to:
While looking upward to keep the skin taut, apply a facial scrub to the front and sides of the neck and massage lightly in circular motions for 60 seconds. Since the skin on the neck is delicate, it’s important to use a facial scrub (Renée Rouleau Micro Crystal Cream) that doesn’t contain natural grains such as walnut husks, apricot kernels, seed or shell powders as they can scratch and irritate the skin. We also recommend not to apply a lot of pressure when using a scrub. Rinse well and wipe with facial sponges or a baby washcloth.
Brighten up your skin.
The dry air of winter can make the skin look dull, tired and sluggish. Look for serums or moisturizers with ingredients like Vitamin C (Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate is best for sensitive skin) and Bilberry Extract to brighten the skin, fade discoloration and give a glow. (Try Renée Rouleau Vitamin C&E Complex)
Wear sunscreen daily.
You should have been using a moisturizer with an SPF all winter long, but in case you didn’t, now is the time to start. Sun exposure is the #1 cause of skin aging, so using a sunscreen moisturizer on both your face and neck will be sure to keep your skin protected. Look for chemical-free ingredients like Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide which provide excellent protection while feeling lightweight on the skin.
Out with the old, in with the new.
All the buzz these days is about chemical peels. The cold, dry air builds up layers of winter dryness on the skin, so a good intensive exfoliation with a chemical peel will peel away dullness to reveal younger-looking, fresher skin.
Read previous Renée Rouleau post on Beauty Snob about chemical peels.
Clean out and donate.
More often than not, your skin care cabinet is packed with products that you intend to use, but never do. If you haven’t used it in a year or more, it’s time to let it go. Many domestic violence shelters gladly accept unused/gently used beauty products for their women who are in need. The Renée Rouleau Cosmetic Donation Program donates to The Family Place in Dallas.
