The Best Skincare Tips To Follow in Your 40s, According To a Celebrity Esthetician
When I hit 40, my skincare routine started feeling… off. The cleansers I once loved were leaving me dry, my go-to moisturizers seemed less effective, and my face had a dullness I couldn’t quite fix no matter how many resurfacing masks I slathered on. I soon realized the problem wasn’t with the products, it was me. I was confirmed to be in perimenopause, and was starting to see everything that I’d written about the past few years (loss of collagen, rapid hydration loss) happening to me in real time. Unfortunately, I can’t stop time (or gravity), but I could try a skincare reset.
Enter Renée Rouleau. If you’re even vaguely into skincare, then you’re already familiar with this beauty legend. As the celebrity esthetician behind the glowing faces of clients like Sabrina Carpenter and Demi Lovato, she’s known for her personalized, no-fluff approach to skin. I’ve admired her work for years, and I finally found myself (and my skin) in her hands during her recent LA visit to celebrate her new PRO partnership with Candace Marino of The LA Facialist. In the words of my spiritual advisors, this was divine timing.
Keep reading for five over-40 skincare tips I learned from the one and only Renée Rouleau.
1. SPF Is Everything—and You're Probably Doing It Wrong (I Was)
Rouleau is on a mission to get people to use sunscreen correctly, but her advice isn’t the typical “use-a-shot-glass-worth-of-SPF-daily” tip we often hear. “Sunscreen is the most biologically active anti-aging product in the world,” she says. But the problem is most of us aren’t applying enough—or we’re compromising it with other products that dilute its power. For example, she has some beef with tinted moisturizer, but it’s completely justified. She says that if you are using the 3-in-1 product, which ultimately is viewed as a light foundation, you may not put enough of it on, or blend it all away!
“Your sunscreen can be your moisturizer,” Renée stresses. “It has humectants. It’s creamy. It just also happens to have SPF.” Her tip: Layer. Use a dedicated SPF moisturizer in the morning, then layer with foundation for added protection. “Foundation acts like a second physical barrier,” she says. “Think of it as an insurance policy for preventing pigment, which is sure to come.”
Renee Rouleau
Weightless Protection Spf 30
2. Get Started on “Pigment Management”
Speaking of unwanted pigmentation, not taking the proper steps to prevent it is a majorly common, over-40 skincare mistake, according to Rouleau. “Pigment management needs to start now,” she warns. They may start to see some pigmentation in their 40s, but those spots are really going to start to show in your 50s. So, if you can start paying attention to it now, that's going to help from a preventative standpoint.”
Her game plan: Get serious about vitamin C (specifically THD ascorbate, the stable, gentle version that's described by Rouleau as the “gold standard”), acids, and retinoids, and consider starting light in-office treatments like peels or lasers. Just don’t wait until it’s too late—you want to manage, not play catch-up.
Renee Rouleau
Vitamin C&e Treatment
3. Ditch the Facial Sprays
Another big thing that can screw up your SPF game? Facial sprays. I know. I love them, too. Despite my slightly aggressive headline up there, I don't think you need to completely give them up. However, I'll still take Rouleau's warning about misting your face during the daytime to heart. “You’re just dissolving your sunscreen.”
4. Bacteria Can’t Break You Out If It Can’t Survive
As estrogen declines, our skin loses elasticity, gets drier, and yes, hormonal acne can make a comeback. One of the most effective ways to prevent breakouts is to create a skin environment where bad bacteria are less likely to thrive. “You want to reduce what's called the bad bacteria, so look for products that have antimicrobial properties,” says Rouleau. Adding prevention-focused treatments into your routine, like her Rapid Response Detox Masque, is key.
Renee Rouleau
Rapid Response Detox Masque
5. Glass Skin Is More Than What You Think It Is
“Glass skin” are two words that have been living in the minds rent-free of skincare nerds the past few years, but it’s not just about having a super moisturized, plump and dewy complexion. Rouleau believes in four components to achieving glass skin: hydration, yes, but also good circulation, tackling discoloration, and getting smooth-as-glass texture. “You can't just hydrate your way to glass skin, is what I'm trying to preach to the world,” she says.
After talking to Rouleau, I'm more than convinced that over-40 skin doesn’t need more steps—it just needs smarter ones. And let’s just say, me and my mature, menopausal skin are now officially SAT for her advice.
More Must-Haves from Renée Rouleau's Skincare Line
Renée Rouleau Skin Care
Better Than Balm
Renée isn’t a fan of traditional cleansing balms because they’re usually thick and leave behind an oily residue. Which is why she created Better Than Balm. The silky, lightweight formula gives you the power of a double-cleanse in just one step, melting away makeup without a trace and thoroughly cleansing without clogging pores.
Renee Rouleau
Anti Bump Solution
Rouleau recommends this for treating sore, cystic, “have-a-heartbeat-type-of breakouts”—especially those in the chin and jawline. It’s her #1 best-seller for a reason.
Renee Rouleau
Triple Berry Smoothing Peel
Renée recommends this at-home chemical peel (a fave of both Carpenter and Lovato) as part of a smart exfoliation routine to improve texture without overdoing it. The perfectly round beads make it gentle enough to once a week.
Renee Rouleau
Elderberry Soothing Toner
If you’ve got stressed skin, this alcohol-free toner helps calm it, especially if it’s sensitive or prone to redness. Pro tip from Rouleau: after applying toner, leave it damp on the skin before putting on your moisturizer.
Renee Rouleau
Skin Recovery Balm
Renée created this specifically to “defy the myth that a heavier, greasier moisturizer equals better.” With five methods of barrier repair, it hydrates from within—no greasy, plastic wrap feel here.
