The Ultimate Midlife Skincare Toolkit: Renée Rouleau on What Actually Works

Renee Rouleau: 00:00:00

Toss your makeup, throw it out. More than likely, you have had those lipsticks for years, those eye pencils for years, all the things. Toss it out. Change is good.

And you walk into a room and people are like, wow, girl, what have you been doing at home?

Roxy: 00:00:13

Lasers. There's red light masks. There's microneedling at home. Like, what are the things that we should have in our toolkit?

Renee Rouleau: 00:00:21

Like, I refuse to do ab workouts, and so I'll just put those on my abs twice a week.

Roxy: 00:00:26

Oh, my God. Okay, that's a new cheat code. I'm down for that. I'll be calling that company next.

Renee Rouleau: 00:00:33

I always tell everyone, once a year, mandatory movie watching is yes, man, because how often are you saying no to things?

Roxy: 00:00:43

The ideal kind of midlife skincare routine. Like, morning and night. What are your non negotiables and, like, what order would you put things in?

Renee Rouleau: 00:00:52

No one has any secret access to anything, you know? I mean, menopause is just aging. So you want all the collagen boosting things, all the firming things. You want all the moisturization things.

Is the core message behind Renee Rouleau is if you don't know your skin type, are you even getting results?

Roxy: 00:01:14

If you've looked in the mirror lately and thought, what is going on with my skin? This episode is for you.

Celebrity esthetician and skincare pioneer Renee Rouleau joins me today to decode what's actually happening to our skin in midlife and how we can treat it smarter, not harder.

From collagen loss to jawline sag to trendy new buzzwords like exosomes, NAD and skin flooding, we're diving deep into the ingredients, treatments, and routines that really work. And because Renee's Also in her 50s, she's walking this path right alongside us with the receipts to back it up. Renee, welcome to the iconic midlife.

How are you today, Roxy? So excited to reconnect.

Renee Rouleau: 00:01:59

How's it going? It's going great. I'm here at my home office in Austin, and the weather's beautiful. We're about to have a little cool down, which is going to be nice.

And, yeah, it's great here. I love Austin.

Roxy: 00:02:11

Are you, like, fully Texan now? Have you let go of all the Massachusetts roots and, like, taken on Texas?

Renee Rouleau: 00:02:19

I mean, I've been here for 29 years, so I kind of feel like it. Fun fact. Me and Rox's husband went to high school together.

Roxy: 00:02:28

That's correct.

Renee Rouleau: 00:02:28

In Boston.

Roxy: 00:02:29

That is correct. And look at you two now.

Renee Rouleau: 00:02:32

I know, right? We're the only ones, like, practically that made it out, right? Not entirely, but yeah.

Roxy: 00:02:39

You know, it's funny you say that, because I also look back at, like, my going growing up in Dallas, you know, which is a big city as well, but a lot of people stayed back, like, kind of in the bubble. So it's interesting to see, like, who actually migrates out and then who stays in, you know?

Renee Rouleau: 00:02:55

Yeah. And all the people who. All the people who stayed in wishes they would have migrated out.

I read an article once, and that's actually why I'm in Austin. I was. It was 11 years ago, and me and my now late husband, we were, you know, living in Dallas, and I had lived there for 19 years.

And I read an article. We can maybe link it in the show notes because it's so good. And it said. It said, staying is settling.

Why you need to move seven times in your life or no, five times in your life. And I read this article and I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, I mean, I moved a ton as a child, but. But it's referring to, like, as an adult, Right.

The idea is like, get out of your comfort zone, et cetera. And I realized I had only moved once as an adult, which was from Boston to. To Dallas. And.

And so I showed my husband this and I was like, oh, my God, this is so cool. It was just, like, super inspiring. And he was French, and he's actually lived a million places, so he's already done five times.

But we ended up moving to Austin six months later because of that article. Wow.

Roxy: 00:04:05

It's like you made the decision, like, you were like, this is happening.

Renee Rouleau: 00:04:09

Well, yeah, because the article was so inspiring. And so actually it was a friend's husband that posted it on Facebook.

And I ended up reaching out to him and I said, I want to let you know that I'm moving to Austin because of that article that you posted. Oh, wow.

Roxy: 00:04:22

He must have been like, that's cool.

Renee Rouleau: 00:04:24

I know. Changing people's lives. And I've shared. Exactly. And I've shared this, like, on social.

Throughout the years, and other people have told me they moved because of it.

Roxy: 00:04:34

Wow, that's really interesting. You kind of get that itch, you know, like.

Renee Rouleau: 00:04:38

Well, I mean, the idea is you just, like, you know, think about, like, when you travel, right. When you travel, you go someplace new, and all of a sudden, like, your eyes just, like, open wide and you're like, everything's just so new.

It's not when you see the same thing every day, it's it's like, it's. You don't see the beauty in anything anymore, you know, and part of feeling. You know, they say the comfort zone is where dreams go to die.

And so when you're in someplace new, it brings out new sides of your personality. It brings out adventure and excitement and. Yeah, it's like you feel young and youthful again.

Roxy: 00:05:15

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, and speaking of, like, you know, change and kind of uprooting, you know, I feel like in midlife, too, you know, women are kind of getting this itch, you know, where they're like, I need to make a change. I need to do something different.

So I think it's really interesting that you, like, took that step and actually made it happen, because a lot of women actually feel stuck, and they feel like they can't move, even though they want to.

Renee Rouleau: 00:05:38

Right.

Roxy: 00:05:38

You know, was that ever, like. Did you ever have, like, any of that stickiness where you're like, maybe I shouldn't, like. Or was it just like.

Renee Rouleau: 00:05:46

Well, I mean. I mean, when I lived in Dallas, my company was based in Dallas, and I had two skincare spas there.

We shut them down right before COVID but I just thought I was going to be there forever. And I moved every. You know, when I say I moved a lot, from kindergarten to my senior year in high school, I was in seven different schools.

I moved every two to three years. I lived in Minnesota three times, Went to, like, six different schools there. Boston. I lived in Boston twice.

We lived there from fifth to eighth grade, moved away, and I came back end of my sophomore year.

And so, yeah, I was like, okay, well, even though I moved so much growing up, I was like, well, this is kind of home now, and I was getting the itch to kind of like, really? Is this all there is? Like. And even though I love Dallas, but I just was so used to change, and I always love change.

And so when I read the article, I was like, God, this is so inspiring. And it was my husband that said, let's move. And I was like, maybe we can't, like, the company's base here. He's like, why not?

And so when you really say why not? Like, yeah, anything's. Figure it out a bowl. So, yeah.

Roxy: 00:06:59

And talk about figuring things out. My God, look at your career. I mean, you really figured things out. Like, coming from Boston, going to Texas, becoming this, like, huge skincare guru.

I mean, that in and of itself is such an accomplishment. I feel like you also, like, hit it. Sure. I feel like you also hit it at the Right. Time too.

Like, it kind of was like the perfect storm of like all the factors, like your skill, your knowledge, like your passion, but also the timing of everything.

Renee Rouleau: 00:07:29

Yeah, I mean, you know, I, I mean, I'm. I still consider myself an indie brand, but back when I started, I mean, we just celebrated 29 years of Renee Rouleau skincare. Like 29 years.

I was 26 years old. Moved to Dallas all by myself. Started a skincare spa there.

Didn't know one person in Dallas, but I had a mad crush on Troy Aikman and he was there and I was like, I'm going to marry him, then this is where I need to be. And that's just how that works. And then years later, he became my client, which is really funny. And now we're friends. But anyway.

But yeah, a whole long story actually. Texas Monthly just did a story on it and the headline was like something about like, I came for the super bowl ring or something. So anyway.

But yeah, you know, it's, it's. I was an indie brand and you know, people really love a good indie brand. Right? There's intimacy to it, there's authenticity.

And people were craving also like expert advice. Right. There's many skincare products. I mean, back in, you know, in the 80s and 90s or whatever, it was these huge massive companies that had.

That were selling skin care and people love an expert at the end of the day. And to this day people love an expert and. But it was really challenging in the early years because getting.

I'm a product formulator as well and have my own line and getting brands, I mean cosmetic, I mean contract manufacturers to take a chance on you because the minimums were so high, you couldn't just order 500 of a product. It was like, hey, 25,000 per sku. And I'm like F55 products based on nine skin types. Like, I couldn't do those big minimums.

And I finally found a contract manufacturer that I pleaded with them and they believed in me and I still do business with them to this day. And now obviously are. I'm meeting the higher, you know, minimums and whatnot. But so, yeah, so it's. But it's been.

I mean, at the end of the day, I attribute my success to still being so passionate about what I do. I mean, that's it. Like it doesn't always, you know, it doesn't always feel like work. So. And that's beauty in it.

Roxy: 00:09:39

Was there ever a time when you're like, fudge this. Like, I just Want to throw the towel in? Like, I just. I'm, like, over it. Like, were you ever, like, have you ever had those thoughts?

Or was it always just like, I'm going to figure it out?

Renee Rouleau: 00:09:50

Never once?

And I've always said to myself, like, kind of like, when I talk about, like, living in Dallas for so long, I'm like, wow, you know, I moved so much growing up. Am I really going to be here forever? Yeah, I guess I will. And there's been times when I'm like, is this literally all I'll ever do?

My whole life is skin care? Because I started at 19 right out of. Out of high school. I went right to school to become an esthetician. So it's like all I've ever known.

And I said, like, there's been times when I was just like, is this it? Like, you know, maybe there is another career out there for me. But I really. But then I quickly realized, and again, I'm so passionate about it.

But I think why I love my career so much is I wear so many different hats, right? If I was just. If I was just an esthetician and all day long, hands on skin, like, I would have gotten bored. And. And that's why.

And I probably did get bored because, you know, I quickly started a business in Wellesley, Massachusetts. I had a skincare salon there for five years with a business partner. So I started business at age 21.

So I was able to, you know, P L and, you know, and supply chain and ordering and inventory and marketing and finance and all the different hats. And, you know, fast forward to today. I mean, let's see my work day yesterday. What did it include? I had to make a decision on. Make a decision on.

We're selling some office furniture because we're moving into a new space and it can't fit. So I'm dealing with, like, operations and moves. I have to make a decision on, like, what kind of wi fi plan we're going to go in the new space.

I had to make decisions on, like, we're going to sell our forklift, and we have to get a different type of forklift. I can't, you know, like, just. Just, you know, I mean, it's like, you know, it's all the things aren't just skin, but I love it.

So I, you know, I feel. I feel like I have the variety of everything. I'm kind of a semi expert at a lot of things, and. And it's fun. I mean, in business.

I mean, just this morning I was on the phone for 90 minutes trying to track down a charge showing up on our bank account that I didn't know what it was. And I have people that can help with this stuff, too. But, like, you know, just, I learn a lot.

Roxy: 00:12:06

And that prepares you for life as well, you know, when you're wearing all these hats, right? And there's been a lot that's gone on, but I definitely want to start out with some skincare stuff with you because, wow, you know it all.

So tell me if you feel this, too. And I. I don't know if it was, like, crossing over into my 40s when it first kind of started, but.

Renee Rouleau: 00:12:29

All of a sudden I felt like.

Roxy: 00:12:30

The moisture in my body just, like, disappeared. Like, everything got dry. So it's like the skin got dry, the hair got drier. You know, the hormones are, like, going kind of all over the place.

As somebody who also is in midlife, did you also experience, like, these kinds of things with you, especially with your skin?

Renee Rouleau: 00:12:49

Yeah, I mean, I think. I mean, I've always been an oily skin person, and the. So that's. I've never been dry skin on my face, so I've always been an oily skin person.

I'm much less oily now. So, yes, I definitely. The oil kind of has stopped, but I'm not that dry. I'm more like. If you think, like, oily, then to normal than to dry.

If we're going to go in those categories, I'm more like normal, but maybe in winter can be dry, where people who were dry and never had oil, like, then it's. You know, then they're really bone dry. Because the reality is, yeah, those. You know, the moisture definitely depletes.

And so, yeah, I've definitely noticed on the skin, I mean, on my body more definitely getting drier. Like, I definitely need heavier moisturizers on my body. But, yeah, that absolutely happens. I think also, I mean, not.

I think, but what happens is the collagen loss, right?

That is, you know, I'm 56 and, you know, definitely the 50s is really when, you know, that's when I feel like, really, that loss of elasticity really comes into play. That's definitely what's happening. And it's due to hormonal changes and less of that skin plumpness.

Roxy: 00:14:05

Oh, my gosh. You know what else, Renee, I've been experiencing? Sometimes I look at my face and I'm like, I'm breaking out like a teenager again.

Like, I feel like hormones are like, like, kind of.

Renee Rouleau: 00:14:15

Yeah, then that happens too, right? Yeah. Like, do you see that perimenopause and all? Of course. Yes, absolutely. Yeah. And it's mo. It's most.

It's more so like more cystic acne, people can kind of get like more stubborn kind of cystic breakouts, more so the ones that come to the surface. That's not to say that people can't get both, but. Yeah, no, absolutely, we did.

I mean, we get a lot of people all of a sudden complaining about adult acne in their 50s, so. Absolutely. I feel like adult acne just never goes away.

I almost feel like there's more adult acne than there is teen acne because it spans for three decades, right. From 20 on, where teens are. It's just like that 13 to 19. So I definitely hear a lot about adult acne. For sure.

Roxy: 00:15:00

Yeah. I feel like the hormones are like raging too, like kind of up and down and like fluctuating at this time.

And it's like that really comes out on the skin with all these, these different symptoms. You know, it's like, have you found a way to kind of. When you have skin issues like that, you go to for relief.

Renee Rouleau: 00:15:18

So I mean, I think you always just have to look as what problem are you trying to solve or what problem are you experiencing? Right. And you know, I'm not. There are some menopause skincare lines that cater strictly to that, but I. To me, that just seems like marketing hype.

Like, they might have, like, I saw a brand have like a cool down spray or something like that, and they put kind of like, you know, menthol or something in it. So when you put it on the skin, it feels like cooling and that's fine.

But like, that's not really, like, I mean, that's not getting to the root of hot flashes, right? It's not like it's gonna. It just makes you feel a little better and that's fine too. But I.

But at the end of the day, I mean, regardless whether you're in menopause, perimenopause, whatever. I mean, or perimenopause is kind of in menopause, but regardless, like, it's just all the things that happen with aging, right?

So whether your products say specifically meant for menopausal women, it doesn't matter. Like, no one has any secret access to anything, you know, I mean, menopause is just aging.

So you want all the collagen boosting things, all the firming things, you want all the moisturization things. And you know, so I'm glad you're.

Roxy: 00:16:36

Bringing up some ingredients because I kind of wanted to go through some of these with you because they're everywhere, all over social media. You know, people are really like, you're saying they're marketing to women in midlife with like some of these ingredients.

So tell me what your take is on some of these. So the first one is peptides. Do you like peptides?

Renee Rouleau: 00:16:54

I do. So peptides are a short chain of amino acids and they play a really big role role in keeping the skin firm and youthful.

They act like little messengers that signal the skin to produce more collagen is what they do. And there's many different types of them, but they're used in skincare products and yeah, great in eye creams as well and neck creams. But yeah.

So regular use of peptides can help with elasticity. And I think that the challenge is we also have to be mindful of expectations of skin care. Right.

Like, especially when you're dealing with elasticity, you're literally talking about gravity. So, like, it's, it's not that you're going to put a peptide cream on and all of a sudden it's a facelift in a bottle.

But we look at everything as helping the greater good. It's doing a slow drip to the skin. And the research is really solid. And so, yeah, I mean, any type of peptide. And again, the.

There's lots of them, but I'm a big fan and I formulate with them all the time.

Roxy: 00:17:58

So good on peptides. What about exosomes?

Renee Rouleau: 00:18:03

So those are really buzzy right now. And let me talk about. I use the word buzzy. So, you know, having been an esthetician for 37 years now, I have seen so many ingredients come and go.

And so me as a formulator, when I'm creating products, I very much, you know, I, I go to Suppliers Day, which is a trade show in New York, and it's for raw materials. Raw materials, meaning the actual ingredients. Right.

And when you walk around a supplier's day, all just like going to a trade show, there's booths, right? Tables and booths, and they're pitching the flavor of the day, the flavor of the month or whatever. And so when you walk around there, you know, it's.

I love, I love going to that show because it tells you what's kind of the latest, but the latest doesn't necessarily mean the greatest. Right. And because there's, you know, I mean, I can't tell you how many ingredients I've seen that were supposed to be the greatest.

And Then never to be heard of again or whatever. So me as a formulator, I stay really, you know, I have two meetings a week with my chemists and we're always having conversations.

What's the data showing, what's the research showing? And particularly as it relates to exosomes. So it looks promising.

They're essentially tiny little messengers that support skin repair and renewal and they can be sourced both from animals and plants. So it can be a little controversial especially as it relates to getting them for mammals.

But, but, yeah, but, but plant based exosomes are showing promising. But again, I mean helping with collagen and you know, they, they typically, they're, they're hard to get into the skin.

So it's always about like delivery system.

What seems to be the most promising certainly for getting things into the skin is if you have it with like a microneedling treatment more so than in a, it's just, it's still up for debate, you know, how much it can get into the skin in a product. So, but yeah, they, you know, they, they everything, they're helping with wound healing and skin texture.

So but if somebody doesn't want to do microneedling to get it into the skin, then they should stick to peptides.

Roxy: 00:20:33

Okay, so peptides over exosomes if you're not going to microneedle.

Renee Rouleau: 00:20:37

Correct.

Roxy: 00:20:38

Okay, what about ectoin?

Renee Rouleau: 00:20:41

Ectoin, that is for calming. So it's used in a lot of like sensitive skin products. It's naturally produced by microorganisms and it works by helping shield the skin from stress.

Good for hydration, good for skin barrier, which we know skin barrier is certainly a hot topic, but yeah, it's a, it's a great. I don't formulate with it, but everything I see about ectoin looks great.

Roxy: 00:21:09

Okay, what about pdrn? That is like everywhere now the salmon sperm.

Renee Rouleau: 00:21:14

Yes, yes. So yeah, it was very buzzy.

I was just the co host of the Science of Skincare summit here in Austin, which is a dermatology esthetician conference conference and this was certainly a hot topic. So most of the data on this ingredient is showing, is shown through injectables and through microneedling.

So it's a small DNA strand and even though it's small, it's too big to penetrate the skin on its own. That's why it needs some sort of penetration support, hence microneedling. So it has similar benefits to peptides.

But so again helping you know, with firming and skin's repair processes, promoting, you know, you know Growth factor. It's a growth factor is what it is. But it. So, yeah, so it's still. People are still playing around with it. And.

But it also doesn't have to only come from salmon. It can come out of broccoli and rose roses. You know, those are more like vegan options.

But yeah, so far, I mean, it's buzzy and people are using it and. But like any buzzy ingredient, we'll see if six months or a year from now, we're still talking about it. Right.

Like, that's, that's, that's really the ultimate lip mist test is if we're still talking about it in a year and then what about.

Roxy: 00:22:44

Which this is not only I feel like topical for face, but it's injectable, it's ingestible. Is. How can that help us? Yes. With skin care.

Renee Rouleau: 00:22:55

Yeah. So I do take it in orally in a supplement. But NAD is, Is a. An antioxidant that's part of our cellular pro processes.

And as we age, NAD declines, and that's why it's kind of popular with the aging set. And niacinamide is also a great ingredient for increasing cells NAD production. So in topical skincare.

And niacinamide tends to be more effective, is what I'm finding. But I think for oral, that's how I'm taking it because that's the research that I'm seeing where it's most effective.

And I love niacinamide on the skin, but because niacina cinnamide is really effective for cellular processes as well. So it's good to take.

Roxy: 00:23:49

You could even maybe double up and take. Ingest it, but then also use it in your skin care.

Renee Rouleau: 00:23:55

You could. I mean, yeah, it won't hurt. Absolutely. Topically, but, yeah, I'm not. I'm seeing more data on taking it orally.

Roxy: 00:24:01

Okay, now let's move on to some acids, because there's two of them that have really, I feel like sprung up over the last year or so that a lot of people are talking about. And that's transozemic acid and azelaic acid.

Renee Rouleau: 00:24:16

Yeah. So they're both very different from one another. But tranexamic acid is. How to say it. But it's not an exfoliating acid.

So unlike glycolic, lactic, and azelaic, it's not exfoliating the skin, but tranexamic acid. The research shows that when it's a minimum of 2%, I think 2 to 5% is the range that it helps to stop two pigment producing pathways.

The two pigment producing pathways is both inflammation as well as UV exposure and it's helping to target pigment in the skin. So it's, it was first prescribed orally and it's still probably the most effective way to get it into your system.

But now it's working topically and the research is just really good on it. And we came out with a product called Hyperfix Fading Toner, which is a twice daily toner for hyperpigmentation and it's super effective.

So for brown spots, melasma, pregnancy, you can use during pregnancy, post breakout marks. It's really good for targeting pigment. It's also for all skin tones and doesn't cause irritation. But yeah, tranexamic acid is amazing.

It's a derivative of amino acid lysine. But yeah, love transamic acid and it's, I'm happy and I love formulating with it and the feedback's been incredible since we launched that product.

Now azelaic acid, on the other hand, it's, it's not, it's not very valuable because it works best at 15%, which is a drug prescription level. So it's for, it's mostly for like acne rosacea, pustular rosacea. But it can take a long time to work and you have to use it at 15%.

And formula for at home formulators are not using it at 15%. So if you're not getting what the research shows that you need it, that percentage that the research shows, then it's not that effective.

Roxy: 00:26:37

Okay, good to know.

And there's also like this thing that's taken over social media and that skin flooding where people are putting product after product on their face but not letting it dry in between. How do you feel about that? Should we be letting things dry in between or should we just flood the skin and just let it all soak in?

Renee Rouleau: 00:26:56

Yeah. So skin flooding, you know, like you said, is the process of, of layering multiple hydrating products to maximize, max, maximize hydration.

We know that skin cells are like fish and they need water to live. So I'm all about hydration. The problem is, is that the skin can only absorb so much and at some point. So think about.

I always like to use the analogy of like your kitchen sponge, right.

So if you have a dry, you know, a dry sponge and then you add, you put it in the bottom of your sink and you turn the water on and you flood the sponge, it fills up the sponge and then when it's maxed out, it Just rolls over the top, that water.

Roxy: 00:27:40

Right.

Renee Rouleau: 00:27:41

And so. And so, you know, and then you also have to think that if you're putting one serum on and then when it touches your skin, that's.

That's being activated at 100%. And then now all of a sudden you put another serum on and now it's kind of diluting the other serum and that one is kind of diluting it.

And so they're both kind of diluting one another. And so you're not guaranteed to get the full results of that one serum if it's kind of being mixed and layered on with another one. So I.

My experience tells me every night you choose one serum and let that be the star of the show, the sole focus. So one night, you know, I recommend rotating between three serums. So one is a retinol or a prescription retinoid, but something with that vitamin A.

The next is a leave on exfoliating acid serum, and the next is something more nourishing. So for me, that's my firm and repair overnight serum, which is a peptide serum more for hydration.

And you rotate between the three, and that way you're getting a little bit of everything, but they're working at full concentration.

Roxy: 00:28:51

Oh, good to know. Okay, so kind of like skin cycling. Right? So you're doing like kind of one thing per night.

Renee Rouleau: 00:28:56

Okay, that's exactly, exactly.

Roxy: 00:28:59

And for those who don't know what skin cycling is, maybe tell them that as well.

Renee Rouleau: 00:29:03

Yes. Actually, I was just on stage with Dr. Whitney Bo. She's a dermatologist. And. Yeah. So she's the one that really gave it a name. Yeah.

At Science the Skin Summit, her and I were on a panel for how to start a skincare line. And because she has her own line as well. But. Yeah, so she created the name for it, Skin Cycling. You know, the concept of rotating serums, like.

Like what I told you. I've been. I mean, that's. I've always recommended that because we know that the skin likes a variety of nutrients.

You don't just want one thing all the time. No different than working out. Right. You don't want to do the same workout every day. You want to do different things every day. Just like eating. Right.

You don't want to eat the same diet every day. Your body benefits from various nutrients. So the concept is skin cycling is just kind of change it up. And so she put a name to it and just.

It's that same idea. So it's just rotate different things, different nights to be typically between three okay.

Roxy: 00:30:37

Here'S kind of a funny slash controversial one that's been popping up, which I'm sure you probably had to talk about, and that is beef tallow. Beef tallow is all over social media. So what is your take on beef tallow? Putting it on your face, putting it on your skin?

What do you think about that?

Renee Rouleau: 00:30:55

Yes. So again, a trend. We won't be hearing about this for much longer, but it's having a moment.

But beef tallow is a fatty acid, and fatty acids are probably already used in your skincare products.

Now, if you're using any plant oils, if you're using a skin oil that's based on plants, which so many, you know, so many skin oils are moisturizers, use plant oils. So more than likely you're already getting fatty acids in your routine.

So beef tallow, more specifically, it's known for its ability to, you know, really hydrate. And some research is showing that it's helping with, like, eczema or psoriasis.

So that's always really good because those are really tough to deal with. But, you know, the research with human subjects is still limited and, and it could be poor clogging for people used at full concentration.

But essentially it's. It's a, It's a good ingredient. But also you also have to think about, like, your skin.

Like, if you're thinking about a moisturizer, which is essentially what this is being used as, you. If you're just using just beef towel, you're just getting just that direct fatty acid on the skin.

But in a regular moisturizer that's formulated in a lab, you're getting the fatty acids, but then you're getting other benefits too. So, you know, it's, It's. I always like to get multiple benefits from a moisturizer, not just putting plant oils on my skin. Yeah.

Roxy: 00:32:30

You know, that my inclination, like, when I first heard of it, I was thinking, oh, my God, that must, like, clog people's skin, because you think like, almost like beef fat or something. But is it like that. Is it that consistency, like where it's like the fat, or is it like a thinner consistency?

Renee Rouleau: 00:32:47

No, it's. It's a, It's a thinner consistency. I mean, it's an oil is really what it is. It's. I mean, it's. It's more of a feel of an oil. So.

So, yeah, that's not for every skin type, you know, so you have to be care. I mean, you have to be careful. Anytime you use a fatty acid on the Skin.

Roxy: 00:33:02

Okay, so let's build out the ideal kind of midlife skincare routine. Like morning and night, what are your non negotiables and like, what order would you put things in?

Renee Rouleau: 00:33:13

Yeah, so first of all, my belief as an esthetician. I believe there's nine types of skin. Skin. So. And that's.

And I really feel like people have lost their way with skin because everyone's following the trends, right? Oh, I hear about that ingredient and, oh, there's a product that has that in it. And that's all fine and good.

But what we need, we need to go back to basics with skin care. And going back to basics is great. I saw something on TikTok that this person loves and everybody seems to be buzzing about, but is it right for me?

And that's really why we've lost our way. And so I believe we need to go back to basics. Back to the basics, which is skin type. What's my skin type? What do I need?

Because even if we talk about midlife products, but again, but there's. Sure, we all want to help the signs of aging, so that's kind of universal. But what about, hey, I still get some breakouts.

What about I have redness and sensitivity and get easily, easily irritated. What about if I have hyperpigmentation? You know, so there's nuances to skin and what can your skin handle and all of that.

So if people go to my website, they can read more about the skin types. But we have a really great skin type quiz. Fast and easy, and you get put into one of the nine skin types.

And this is the core message behind Rene Rouleau is if you don't know your skin type, are you even getting results? So, so. And that's why, you know, we have 55 products in the line. It's super extensive, but it's curated for one of those nine skin types.

And again, just like what you said, Roxy, like, hey, I'm still getting breakouts. Well, most lines are going to go, oh, okay, you're getting breakouts. We're going to treat your skin like a teenager. Teenager.

And you're like, well, wait, no, like, how can I help with breakouts? But I'm not a teenager. I'm not oily. I can't do that. And brands are like, sorry, take your pick.

You're either gonna get dry your skin out with acne if you get breakouts, or if you want to do the aging thing, guess what? It's heavy and rich and greasy and oh, well, my clogged Your pores. Right. So that's like the perfect example.

So that's why people need to know their skin type. And many of the, many of the skin types address breakouts, occasional versus frequent versus whatever, Whatever. So.

So yeah, so I mean, I think all the research, you know, really shows an at home skincare routine for your skin type is best in the morning. You always want to wash your face. There's some, some people on TikTok say, oh no, don't wash your face in the morning. You don't want to strip it.

You already washed it the night before. Before. Well, you know, more than likely at night. You used a, a richer cream for night. And that has oils in it. Well, oil and water don't mix.

And so if you still have that cream on for the night before, which you do, that has oils in it, even though they may be transferred on your pillow, but you still have that coating on the skin. And then now you're asking a toner which is water soluble. Oftentimes the vitamin C serums are water soluble. Well, water and oil don't mix.

And now your toner and your vitamin C serum may not even be able to penetrate if you have that coating on the skin. So yes, we never want to dry out the skin. And that's kind of the concept is like, oh, washing it in the morning. Hey, like cleansers are bad.

Like they dry out your skin. So if you don't have to wash in the morning, don't do it. Well, how about we use a cleanser that's not drying to the skin? Right.

And the cleansers aren't drying to the skin as long as you get the right formula. I mean, gone are the days of using a bar soap on the skin. Those were super dry.

Roxy: 00:36:57

Or sea breeze.

Renee Rouleau: 00:36:58

You have a. Exactly. Oh my God. Sea breeze. Oh, I can still smell it now.

Roxy: 00:37:03

It's immediate. It's like Pavlov's reaction.

Renee Rouleau: 00:37:05

Right? You just immediately smell it. We could not shake our tea. And, and so yeah, wash in the morning with a really gentle cleanser that's right.

For your skin type. And then always follow the golden minute rule, which is one minute after cleansing, you immediately get on your next product, ideally a toner.

And the reason why you want to get it on within 60 seconds is because when the skin is damp through a process called osmosis, you'll start to get moisture evaporation and pulls water out of the skin. So even if you wash with a gentlest cleanser, if you, if you wait longer than 60 seconds.

And especially if you're in a drier environment, the skin will feel tight. It's not feeling tight from the cleanser. It's feeling tight because moisture evaporation has started to occur. So get your next product on.

I always recommend a toner because toners, if you think about in your shower, your glass shower doors, all that white film that gets left, that's salts, chlorines and minerals that dehydrate the skin. Plus toners have special active ingredients in it that can also help with performance.

So, like I mentioned, we have our Hyper Fix fading toner, which is really good for hyperpigmentation. Another tool in the hyperpigmentation toolkit is tranexamic acid. And then put on a vitamin C serum.

There's lots of conversation, especially at the Science of Skin Summit. Vitamin C, it was a huge topic, but now the gold standard of vitamin C is tetrahexyl decyl ascorbate. For many, many years, it was ascorbic acid.

Dr. Pinel, who was based out of Dallas, did you know back when SkinCeuticals. Yes. Was founded in Dallas.

Roxy: 00:38:44

I didn't know it was founded in Dallas, though.

Renee Rouleau: 00:38:45

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember I was friends with Dr. Pinell's son, but he was the one who basically invented vitamin C. And.

But it started out at Dallas, and then SkinCeuticals was bought by L'. Oreal. But yeah. So our little city of Dallas, vitamin C topically was invented out of Dallas, that is.

But he's the one that, that, that patented kind of ascorbic acid. But now we know that ascorbic acid is just too irritating for the skin because it is, in fact, an acid.

And using every morning on the skin, people get. When it stings, people get a vitamin C acid burn. And the way that people are using retinol and retinoids now are. Barriers are more sensitive.

So now we, you know, now what's thd? Ascorbate, which is something I've been using for years. But it, it's no sting, no irritation, and it's stable. It doesn't turn dark in the bottle.

So you don't ever have to work, worry about a stability issue. So choose your vitamin C serum wisely. And then, and then, of course, sunscreen. I like using a sunscreen with a moisturizer in it.

I have one in my line that I love using, but I don't like to moisturize and then sunscreen.

And I think that's a big mistake that people do because if you moisturize and then now you're putting on a sunscreen, depending on the formula of the sunscreen, but it may not be able to get really coat the skin cells very well because you already have kind of like that layer there. So a moisturizer with the sunscreen, have it a two in one and call it a day, and then put your makeup. Makeup on.

Roxy: 00:40:18

Oh, that's a good point. Okay, so then, so that's like we'll take you into day and then at night, because I know we hear this.

I mean, like, you know, obviously retinols and like, the heavier creams. And are we still doing a toner and like, are people overusing retinols and retinoids?

Renee Rouleau: 00:40:35

And like, yes, at night, if you've worn makeup, but even if maybe you have a heavier sunscreen you're wearing or something, ideally you want to use a cleansing lotion or something that has a little bit of oil in it to remove makeup. I hate cleansing balms, and I hate cleansing oil. So plug for me.

I created a product called Better Than Balm because I wanted to create something better. And it won five awards, including Allure Best of Beauty for best Balm.

But the point is, is that you have to be careful if you're using cleansing balms or cleansing oils, because even though those do an excellent job at breaking down oils in your makeup and sunscreen, if you don't do a proper double cleanse, then, you know, some of that residue is left behind, and then your serums and things can't penetrate. So anyway, but makeup removal, and then use a toner, always alcohol free.

And then, as I mentioned before, rotate between three serums, a retinol, leave on exfoliating acid, and maybe a peptide or something nourishing.

And so if you rotate one one night, one another night, the third one another night, and then repeat, you're getting all of them on the skin about, you know, two, two nights a week. Now, if.

Depending on the skin type, but somebody could, if they're more aging and they want to hit aging harder because maybe they're late to the retinol game, they can use a retinol more. So, so maybe four nights a week so they can dial that one up a little bit more.

So dial up, dial down depending on your skin type, and then put a moisturizer on and go to bed and get your beauty sleep.

Roxy: 00:42:11

Beauty sleep, very important. Water very important too, right? I mean, like, internally, we have to do all these things as well and let our body recover.

Renee Rouleau: 00:42:20

Where water comes into play is not for hydrating the skin. That's, you know, a myth. Drinking water is the least efficient way to hydrate water.

But where it comes into play, and this is especially important, midlife, is with skin puffiness. Right. The skin gets puffy as we get older. We're very sensitive to sodium. As we get older, we have more puffiness under the eyes with water retention.

So if you drink a ton of water and then also keep your salt intake low, but. But water for sure helps with making you wake up less puffy in the.

Roxy: 00:43:00

Morning because it just kind of flushes everything out. Is that like, kind of the sign? Okay.

Renee Rouleau: 00:43:05

Yeah, yeah. So if I have a photo shoot or I'll be on camera, I will drink so much water during the day and then not. And then really barely have any salt.

And like, the next morning, I have, like, no puffiness under my eyes or anything.

Roxy: 00:43:19

Oh, that's a good tip. Because you. Do you think you're hydrating yourself by drinking the water, but it's actually helping with something else?

Renee Rouleau: 00:43:26

Yeah, it's for puffiness. Yeah.

Roxy: 00:43:27

And what is. Is there any ingredient that you think, especially women in midlife, that should not use, like, something that is just like, don't need it, ladies?

Renee Rouleau: 00:43:38

No, no, I can't think of, like an ingredient per se, but I mean, I think it's just, you know, listen to your skin. You know, I think a lot of people. What happens with a lot of people also, they become creature of habits with their products.

And I think it's good to change up products. Not because your skin gets used to things, because that's actually a myth. Your skin doesn't have any receptors that make it.

Get your skin, get used to it. But I think it's important to change your routine and, you know, reassess.

Talk with an esthetician or a skincare professional and make sure you're getting what you're. What you need. And if your skin is changing at any point, like, wow, like, I'm starting to get these breakouts now, you know, in my 40s or whatever.

Then again, you know, that's a sign. If your skin is changing, that's a sign that you need to change your routine. Your skin type might be changing a little bit, and you need to reassess.

Roxy: 00:44:31

Okay, and what about, like, at home treatments? Because, you know, there's just this huge crop of, like, at home lasers. There's red light masks, there's microneedling at home.

Like, what are the things that we should have in our toolkit?

Renee Rouleau: 00:44:45

Yeah, the two that really, I Like, the most that I think is the data points to that. There's legitimacy behind it. One is red light therapy. And so I think that can be worthwhile. And then also microcurrent. So kind of like New Face.

I'm a big fan of New Face, and I. I've been doing microcurrent for a mill, I mean, since early in my career. And I. It's like doing sit ups for your face. And I think when strategically used, it can help.

So think about, like, you know, we know that with gravity and age, the skin's just going south, right. And we don't have that underlying cushion in the skin to keep everything kind of supported, but we can control our muscles. Right.

So especially if you. If you stimulate the muscles of the cheek and they become a little more pronounced, kind of like filler, but if you stimulate those muscles, then it.

The skin kind of hangs on it more. It's like it's more supported, whereas if the muscles are atrophy and there's nothing going on, then everything just goes south.

So it's kind of like it brings kind of that inner volume that people typically search, I mean, reach for fillers to do.

Roxy: 00:46:09

So that's interesting. And do you have to use it for, like, a certain amount of time before you feel like you see the results?

Renee Rouleau: 00:46:15

Exactly. I mean, it's like sit ups, right? The minute you stop doing it, it goes away.

And the only reason why I know microcurrent works so well is because the founder of New Face, her name is Tara, but her mother created a device for estheticians to use back in the day. And I used to actually treat people with Bell's palsy. Are you familiar, Roxy, with Bell's palsy? Right.

When people lose all that muscle on one side of the face. And I used to use her mother's machine to rehab Bell's palsy people to try to get their muscles to rehab faster.

And I had a doctor that was referring all these people to me because he couldn't believe how quickly the skin bounced back to life on the other side, on that side. And then years later, you know, Tara got into the picture and they created a home care device.

But, yeah, so I've basically, you know, I've been around New Face, that brand for a long, long time and seen the results.

Roxy: 00:47:17

Oh, that's good to know. Okay. Buying a new face. And what about in office treatments?

Renee Rouleau: 00:47:25

And in fact, since I'm in my home office right now, I am such a fan of. It's called electrical muscle stimulation That I will show you. Yes. Can you see this right here? So I have a device.

It's an Austin based company, but it has these pads and cords and all of that. And when I do my workouts up here in my home office, I put these pads on my muscles.

And it makes my workout so much better when I lift weights because it's stimulating the muscles much deeper than you can just get on your own. So I am a super fan of electrical muscle stimulation. So again, microcurrent new face is a device, but this happens to be one for the body.

Roxy: 00:48:08

Oh, that's genius. So you can use it like, you know, for your workout, actually.

Renee Rouleau: 00:48:13

So. Well. So here's the right. Not working out. So here's the funny thing.

Normally if I'm at home, because today I'm not in the office because I wanted kind of quiet because we were doing this, but I thought to myself, oh, I need to get it on my abs. And so normally what I do is I'll put. I'll stand up right now I'm sitting down, but I'll stand at my stand up desk.

And while I'm working, I'll have the pads on my abs just while I'm working. And I never have to work out. And I have great abs.

And so I thought to myself, I was like, oh, when I'm on this podcast with Roxy, I was like, oh, she won't notice. But I was like, no, Renee, don't be distracted having them on your abs.

Roxy: 00:48:48

Oh, my God. You had me.

Renee Rouleau: 00:48:49

Yeah, it's a total cheat code.

Roxy: 00:48:52

Oh, my God. Wait, you had me at, like, not working out and having the best abs.

Because that is, like, I feel like my target area that I always want to get to, you know?

Renee Rouleau: 00:49:01

And I, like, I do no sit ups because they hurt so, so much. It's literally like throwing like a burning fire on your abs. Doing. And I like, I refuse to do ab workouts. And so I'll just put those on my.

On my abs twice a week.

Roxy: 00:49:14

Oh, my God. Okay, That's a new cheat code. I'm down for that. I'll be calling that company next.

Renee Rouleau: 00:49:21

I know.

Roxy: 00:49:22

Seriously?

Renee Rouleau: 00:49:23

Oh, my God.

Roxy: 00:49:24

Oh, my God.

Renee Rouleau: 00:49:24

That's amazing.

Roxy: 00:49:25

Good to know. What about when we're going in office?

Like, what treatments do you think are good for when we're with our esthetician, you know, getting, like, what do you think are the best of those?

Renee Rouleau: 00:49:37

I mean, you know, it's hard to say the best because it really depends on, like, what someone's skin needs. But I think the moxie and the halo lasers are really good. If you want to do more of a med spa type treatment.

I think, you know, there's kind of minimal downtime. Well, with amoxy for sure. But I think they're really good for texture and kind of brightening and a little pick me up.

And also, like, I think of lasers as like anytime that you do something on your skin where you have puffiness and redness and all of that, you're essentially injuring the skin. And I.

An injury is good because it kind of, if it could, you know, injury is basically saying to your skin like, hey, don't fall asleep on me, like, you still got a job to do. You still got all these processes and things like that. So I think.

And that's why, like, you know, retinol and retinoids are good because yes, there's side effects, especially with the prescriptions, which is drying and irritation. But again, that's that kind of little, like, wake up. You need to like, make sure the skin doesn't slow down.

I think for pigmentation, I mean, photo facial, something called V beam for redness. I mean, those are really effective.

I think, I think, you know, speaking of, of midlife, you know, I think at some point though, you know, you can only do so much Botox and so much fillers to kind of, you know, hold it all together.

And I do think cosmetic surgery at some point, like, there's just, you know, that if you're really wanting to get that top neck and that tightness, like skincare products and fillers and lasers and all the things, like, you know, they've kind of run their course, especially once you're getting, you know, mid, mid to late 40s is, you know, I mean, you know, that's why when you see people in their 50s, like really looking strange, a lot of times it's because they're overfilled and they haven't done cosmetic surgery and their, the vault, their face is just so full and so anyway. But yeah, at some point, you know, you have to go under the knife if that's, you know, I mean, if that's your prerogative.

Roxy: 00:52:05

Yeah, and I'm glad, like, more people are talking about that now because it's not. Shouldn't be shameful, like if, if you want to. Yeah, do that, do that. If you don't, don't, you know.

Renee Rouleau: 00:52:15

Right.

Roxy: 00:52:15

And yeah, I do think. And we're seeing a really great crop of like, facelifts and like facial surgery happening right now. Right?

Renee Rouleau: 00:52:24

Yeah. Hey. Hey. Kris Jenner. Yeah, but I have a tip. But I have. But I have a trick I learned this one time. I wrote a blog post on it once.

So, I mean, no one wants to ever, like, I mean, yes, when people publicly say, hey, I went under the knife, and they post all over social, whatever. Like, we love that. Right? Because there needs to be a. We need to normalize it that way. But I have.

Years ago, when I lived in Boston, my former business partner, he wanted to color his hair. And, you know, up in Boston, he was.

At the time, he was in his 40s, and it's like, you know, like, he knew people give him crap about, like, coloring his hair or something. His buddies. So what he did was he grew a beard. And he grew a beard over the course of, like, two months.

And he leaves the office on Friday, he shaves off the beard and colors his hair, and he goes to work on Monday. And people are like, oh, wait, oh, you shaved your beard off? And everyone was so.

So he created a change, but everyone was so distracted with him shaving his beard off that they didn't even notice he covered. Colored his hair. Right. They didn't even notice the gray were gone. So I share that. To say that it's about distracting people's eyes.

So if somebody wants to have a cosmetic procedure and they're worried that, you know, people are going to notice your cosmetic procedure and then change your hairstyle, get bangs, go from blonde to red, or do something. So when people go, wait, something looks different, and you're like, I'm a redhead now, or I cut bangs, or.

So it's just a way of, like, adding another change. And people are like, oh, my God. Or something looks different, you look good, and you're like, oh, it's just my hair color. I went red.

Meanwhile, you're like, meanwhile, I went under.

Roxy: 00:54:10

The knife like $100,000 later, you know, But I'm glad you're noticing the hair.

Renee Rouleau: 00:54:16

Exactly right. I'll recommend my hairstylist. Yeah. So that's. So that's just kind of a fun little. Fun little thing.

If you ever just want to throw people off and not have people be like, did you get work done?

Roxy: 00:54:28

Yes. Oh, my God. That's such a good tip. That's a really good tip. Okay.

Renee Rouleau: 00:54:34

But I will say. But I will say the one, you know, people get scared about going under the night life and. And.

But the one surgery that I've seen that is so minimally invasive but makes a world of difference is removal of under eye bags.

Roxy: 00:54:53

Yeah.

Renee Rouleau: 00:54:53

Blast, right? Yes. A lower, but a lower one. I always tell my clients that, that have like bags under it because it, because you look tired.

Like genetically some people are just prone to. Luckily I'm not that way. But a lot of people just have that, the bags and you can put all the tightening eye products in the world.

Sorry, that's not going to make it go away. But the procedure. So I've had so many clients do it and it's such a no brainer. Like there's like barely any recovery. It's like, it's just super easy.

But it makes like the world of difference. And especially if you're somebody where people are always like, are you tired? And it's like, no, Yeah, I have.

Roxy: 00:55:33

Bags, you know, you're like, no, I slept 12 hours last night. But thanks.

Renee Rouleau: 00:55:41

It's yes.

Roxy: 00:55:42

Okay, that's a good tip too. Now what? Okay, for the midlife women, what are like the three most effective things that you think somebody could do to just reset their skin?

Renee Rouleau: 00:55:53

So I will take a different angle on this. I think I'll take it as reset their look.

And people focus so much on, oh my God, I have these lines around my eyes and I'm getting this and this and this and this and this. And they have the, you know, the magnifying mirror, all the things.

But when you people don't hyper focus on your brown spot or your fine line, they don't. Right. And, but people look at the whole package. How do you present yourself?

So one of the things that I always recommend women to do in midlife is say to yourself, okay, when was the last time I changed my hairstyle? Like when was the last time I did that? Right. More than likely. I mean, and that's the thing.

We're creatures of habit and more than likely we're doing the same thing. Cutting. Oh, just a trim. Just whatever, whatever.

One of my, one of my, one of my girlfriends actually just got extensions yesterday because I urged her to. Not for length but for thickness. For thickness.

Roxy: 00:56:55

That's a good point.

Renee Rouleau: 00:56:56

Her hair looks exactly the same, but she just threw in a couple because I've been urging her to because she's like, I'm losing all this hair. I'm like, great, throw some tape it. Throw some tape ins in like you're not going to damage your hair.

But all of a sudden now she has like, you know, a little volume that she had 15 years ago or whatever. So anyway, but it's like have you been using, have you been having the same hairstyle forever? Same hair color. Maybe it's time to judge it up, right?

Never. So I always tell people, yeah, go change up your hair a little bit. Do something a little. But. But they're so scared.

Like, God forbid you go for something more than a trim. It's like, oh, my gosh, no, just take off this much. Like, people just, you know, we just become creatures of habits. Then your makeup.

When was the last time you sat down, had a makeup artist redo your whole look? And this is what I always say, toss your makeup, throw it out.

More than likely, you have had those lipsticks for years, those eye pencils for years, all the things. Toss it out. And what you do is you go and go to wherever you buy your makeup and just say, I would like a new look.

Ideally, you hire a true makeup artist rather than just going to, you know, to Ulta Sephora or whatever.

But not to say they don't have makeup artists, but somebody that, you know, I mean, a lot of those people, they just start working there a week ago or something. Or, you know, like, you want, like, somebody who really is trained in makeup. That's their expertise. But basically, you say to them, I'm not.

I'm just gonna zip it. I want you to do my makeup. I'm not giving any input. I'm not gonna go, oh, my God, it's too much. Because anything that's different than how you.

You normally wear it, it's. It's. You're not gonna feel comfortable with it anyway. But it's time to get out of our comfort zone. So sit down in the chair.

Don't give any commentary. And you say to the artist, you're the artist. This is what you do for a living.

I would like you to do my makeup, and you tell me what looks best, and more than likely, you're going to look in the mirror afterwards and you're going to go, wow. Yeah, it's different. But just because it's different doesn't mean it's not good, right? And so it's time to, like, just change it up.

We've all been wearing the same lip color for years. We have that same blush. I switched to a bunch of cream blushes. I always did the old powder blush for years because that's what we had.

And now I'm like, I'm obsessed with cream. With cream blush now. Now you have to be careful. Wash it off at night really well because it can clog your pores, some of the formulas. But anyway.

And then when it comes to cloves, Right. When, I mean, if I look in your closet, Roxy, and you know, more than likely you have a certain style.

You have the certain type of shirts, tops, blouses, pants, shoes. They're all like, more or less the same thing with a different pattern, a little bit different. But, you know, we like what we like, right?

So what I do is I'll go into Nordstrom or something, and I always like to go to the juniors department, right? Because, you know, I want to look a little, you know, young and youthful. I want to be appropriate and. But I will.

Basically, I'll go find the person who.

Who I like their style, who looks like they have style, and I'll go up to them and I'll say, listen, I'm in my 50s, and I don't want to look like a teeny bopper or be inappropriate, but I would like you to style me. You work here. I'm going to let you style me. I'm not going to give. Don't ask me, oh, well, do you like this? Are there certain colors you like?

Do you want. Are we talking skirt? I go, I'm not saying anything. You tell me what looks good on me. Now, you can hire a stylist as well, right? That will do this.

But a lot of times if I just want something quick at Nordstrom, I'll let them do it. And guess what happened? Just like with the makeup, I'll try it on. I'll go, ah, it's definitely different. But again, different doesn't mean it's.

It's bad. It's bad. Different is just because I'm out of my comfort zone. But guess what? I trust them. Now, if it's something like, that's totally.

I'm like, listen, no, I'm not wearing this. But don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone.

And I'm telling you, you change your hairstyle, you change your makeup, you change your clothes, and change is good. And you walk into a room and people are like, wow, girl, what have you been doing? Like, wow. Because it's different.

People are so used to seeing same old, same old, same old on you, and surprise them. Show them that, you know, you can get out of your comfort zone. So I really think that it's the full package. How do you carry yourself, right?

How do you smile? Like, are you just kind of. Oh, no, like, scared? And. And, oh, I could never wear that color lipstick or, you know, just like, you know.

So I just think that. And then what happens is you'll start to get all this Positive feedback, Right? People are gonna be like, oh, my God, Roxy, your hair looks amazing.

And wow, I've never seen you wear that color before on your lips. Or look at that outfit, girl. You're styling and. And then all of a sudden you get all this positive reinforcement and that's like.

And then you smile, you walk taller, you feel more confident, and then, you know, add an amazing Renee Relo skincare routine and, like, good to go in this life.

Roxy: 01:02:23

Yeah. Oh, my God. I love that idea of putting yourself out of your comfort zone because I think that that's really how growth and change happens, you know?

Renee Rouleau: 01:02:31

Yes. And everything in our lives, it's time to move to a new state, new makeup, new do all the things like change it up.

Roxy: 01:02:39

Yes, change it up for sure. Okay, so what advice would you give to your 25 year old self from, like, skin? Anything.

Renee Rouleau: 01:02:50

Oh, well, from skin. That's an easy one.

I wouldn't have picked up my skin as much because when I found out there was a profession where people would actually pay me to pick up their skin, I was like, oh, this is my career. I love skin picking and I'll actually make a, you know, a career out of this. Sign me up. But I was, I. I wasn't.

I was appropriate on other people's skin for sure. But, like, on my own, I was like, my hands are licensed.

I know what I'm doing, as I have, like blood dripping down my face because I totally picked at something so I wouldn't be such a skin picker. And I eventually did give it up as a New Year's resolution.

And on our website, on my blog, I have a no picking up skin contract and tons of blog posts. So anyone listening to this or watching this, if you're a skin picker, come see me. I'll get you all sorted. Because it's. It's a thing. It's a thing.

I would. I would have lived bigger. I live really big now. And when I say big, not. Not money related. Yeah, but just like.

So for my 50th, 51st birthday, I rented out a room at Soho House, the movie theater at Soho House in Austin. And I had everyone come in their PJs, and it was guys and girls.

And I had it all outfitted with candy and popcorn, just like you're at the movie theater. And I had to decide what movie I was going to play, right? And I chose the movie yes man with Jim Carrey.

Do you remember that movie from a long time ago? The concept of the movie yes man is basically this guy that lives small in his comfort zone and says no to everything.

And then he goes under a spell and he's forced to say yes. And so he's down for anything and he says yes to everything. And his life is so much richer because he has all these amazing experiences.

So I always tell everyone once a year, mandatory movie watching is yes man. Because how often are you saying no to things? No, I'm too tired. No, I'm too old for that. No, I can't. I haven't danced in years. I'm too old for that.

Right. But yeah, it's time to say yes. So watch the movie yes man by Jim Carrey.

Roxy: 01:05:17

Oh, that's so good. Okay, definitely more yeses. And how are you living iconically?

Renee Rouleau: 01:05:25

Oh, my gosh. How am I living iconically? Yeah, I mean, I. I mean, just what's coming to mind is saying yes more. But, you know, traveling more.

I think the big thing this, this is how say iconically. So I have learned that an airplane is like a car. I treat an airplane like a car. We always feel like traveling on a plane is somehow some huge deal.

But, like, and you have to book things well in advance. Like, I book, I book last minute trips. Like, sometimes I'll just have a wild hair and go visit somebody kind of last minute.

Me and my boyfriend, we went because I'm a widow now, but me and my boyfriend, we went to Paris for 24 hours and just for fun. And we're just like 24. And people are like, why would you stay longer? I'm like, because it's super fun just to go for 24 hours. And.

And like, I have a whole. I know how to. I don't do jet lag. I have a whole strategy for that.

But yeah, and like, I'll just, like, literally, if sometimes, like, with some girlfriends, I'll literally fly to them, have dinner, and turn around and go home. Like, just like.

So I think that's kind of how it is, is like really being spur of the moment and not letting distance or aggravation of travel deter me from doing something.

Roxy: 01:06:55

Well, Renee, you have given us so many great facts about skincare, so much great knowledge. I'm excited to, like, employ a lot of the techniques you've said. So I just want you to tell everybody where they can find you.

Renee Rouleau: 01:07:11

Renerelo.com Take My Skin Type quiz because it's important, regardless whether or not you use my products, you need to learn about your skin type. And so I highly recommend you really, you know, understand your skin type and don't always just follow what everyone else says.

You need to learn what your skin needs and consult an esthetician. But yeah. Renerello.com and Renee Rouleau or Renee Rouleau Skincare on all the socials.

Roxy: 01:07:40

Great. Well, thank you so much for coming on the iconic midlife. And we actually have a surprise for the audience because we're not done with you yet.

You're coming back next week?

Renee Rouleau: 01:07:51

Sure am. Part two.

Roxy: 01:07:53

Yes. A lot more to talk about. A lot of, a lot of things on your personal side, the personal side of your life that have gone on.

Renee Rouleau: 01:08:01

Yes. So let me give a little context just for everyone.

So, yes, I am a 35 plus year celebrity esthetician, so I have a lot of expertise, but I also have expertise on the dating world. And essentially what happened was I was with my husband for 22 years and he passed away seven years ago from a short battle with cancer.

Rest in peace. And so I started a whole new life. Right. I had a life. You know, he was my COO of my company. He was my partner in life.

And it was, you know, now I was by myself and it was, you know, I'd run the company by myself and obviously not having him by my side was, was heartbreaking. And so I had to start a new life for myself.

And you know, he said when he was sick he wanted me to date and, you know, why wouldn't he, you know, and wanted me to find love again. And so I did.

And let's just say that I built a multimillion dollar company and have been successful in business, but right out of the gate, I was not successful in dating and I had to learn a lot of lessons. And I basically said, okay, well, I'm successful in business, not in dating, so what should I do?

I decided to treat my dating life like a business because I knew I was good in business. So I traded, you know, treated my dating life like a business, spreadsheets and all.

And, and it's been, it's worked very beautifully for me, but I've learned a lot and a lot of tips and tricks and so, yeah, happy to share some of what I've learned.

Roxy: 01:10:02

Yes. And there's been a lot of like, ups and downs and unexpected turns and twists. Let's just say.

Renee Rouleau: 01:10:08

Yes. Let's just say.

Roxy: 01:10:10

So you guys will have to come back next week so you can hear all about it and you will not be upset that you came back. Let me just put it that way.

Renee Rouleau: 01:10:18

So, yes, no, I, I actually like my side hustle is like, you know, talking to girlfriends and like everyone, will you talk to my friend and talk to her? And so at some point I have to like.

So this will be my first time talking about it on the podcast and but kind of in my next career, if I was going to have one, I would be probably a professional matchmaker and a dating consultant because it's so much fun and I've just learned so much. And I mean, not that it's my way or the highway.

There's a lot of people out there, but I think my perspective is a little, a little unique and it's worked for me. So there you go.

Roxy: 01:10:59

Oh my gosh. Well, we can't wait to hear it. So, guys, tune in next week. It's juicy. Midlife skin isn't something to hide or fight.

It's something we get to understand, support, and glow through.

If this episode gave you any aha moments, please subscribe, rate and leave a review on your favorite podcast app and share it with a friend who's googling serums at midnight.

And come back next week because Renee is right returning to share her wild, wild story of how she went from grieving widow to finding love again after navigating the ups and downs of the dating world. Trust me, you do not want to miss it.

Follow us on social media at the iconic Midlife and Me Red Carpet Roxy for behind the scenes clips and skin tips from today's show.