I Tried Renee Rouleau Skincare Products | Editor Experiment
I Used Madelaine Petsch’s Favourite Skincare Line For a Week and Achieved Peak River Vixen Glow
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I was already a Riverdale/Madelaine Petsch/Cheryl Blossom fan, but after watching her video for Vogue in which she details her 38-step beauty routine, you can just say I'm officially on board. I too have a borderline excessive skincare regimen that includes multiple gadgets — Petsch uses a series of massagers and rollers, not to mention a frozen ice roller to keep her naturally inflammation-prone skin calm and bright. Because she's struggled with cystic acne, especially while filming the first season of Riverdale, Petsch turned to Renée Rouleau, celebrity aesthetician and founder of her eponymous skincare line, for help balancing her complexion.
Rouleau has gained a following because of her signature line tailored to specific skin types — nine in all. "The skin has so many different needs, and in order to get the best results with your home routine, you have to first understand those specific needs," she said. "I determined that there are nine different types of skin, and I developed a skincare line to give each type the right combination of products that would complement each other." She also created a Skin Type Quiz, so you can easily figure out your personal type and the products that will work best.
Understandably, I was dying to know all the ins and outs of Petsch's skin type, so I went directly to Rouleau to spill the beauty tea. She told me Petsch is a skin type 4: oily and sensitive with occasional breakouts. "The products she uses gently address her clogged pores and blemishes to keep her skin clear without overdrying the skin, finding a nice balance," Rouleau said.
"The products she uses gently address her clogged pores and blemishes to keep her skin clear without overdrying the skin, finding a nice balance."
Of Petsch's specific routine, Rouleau said it consists of four steps in the morning and five to six steps at night. "In the morning, Madelaine starts with a cleanser, then a toner, followed by a serum and sunscreen," she said. "Her evening routine is a cleanser, toner, and serum, followed by a moisturiser. Additional steps might be the application of an eye cream and/or a blemish spot treatment if she's breaking out. Once a week, she also does an at-home exfoliating peel followed by a mask."
Because I'm always up for a skincare challenge, I decided to take the quiz and follow Rouleau's prescribed routine to see if I could capture that Cheryl Blossom glow for myself. Turns out I'm type 8: dry, sun damaged, and starting to show signs of ageing. Rouleau says that the easiest way for people with this skin type (actually, pretty much anyone) to get a glowing complexion is exfoliation. "Dead, dry skin cells are opaque and make it so light can't bounce off the skin," she said. "Keeping the skin hydrated and exfoliated brings fresh plump cells to the surface, which are light reflective."
The products included in type 8 do just that, with a core 5 centreing around extreme hydration and AHAs for exfoliation: the Vitamin-Infused Cleansing Emulsion, Moisture Infusion Toner, Pro Results Power Serum, Firm + Repair Overnight Serum, and Glow Enhancing Creme.
Fast forward to a week later, and I'm already seeing the benefits of a concentrated, curated approach. My skin tone looks more even, my forehead and cheeks feel brighter, and the many spots of sun damage that reflect my beachy Florida childhood have noticeably faded. Renée, consider me hooked.
Keep reading to shop Madelaine's favourite products and learn tips and tricks on how to use them straight from Rouleau herself.
Madelaine's Favourite Renée Rouleau Products
Elderberry Soothing Toner
"Madelaine has fair and sensitive skin, so this routine focuses on keeping the skin's barrier intact, ensures skin remains calm, and uses water-based products to prevent clogged pores and to keep hydration levels up in the skin," said Rouleau. The Elderberry Soothing Toner ($36.50) is right on the money when it comes to calming any inflammation and smoothing away any impurities.
Rapid Response Detox Cleanser
Rouleau says Petsch uses the Rapid Response Detox Cleanser ($41.50) if she's experiencing clogged pores or blemishes. The key to this multitasking cleanser: it breaks up acne-causing bacteria without drying out the skin. Rouleau recommends leaving it on for up to five minutes to let the ingredients have time to work their magic.
Triple Berry Smoothing Peel
"Salicylic acid can perform miracles," said Rouleau. "It's magic because it addresses so many different concerns, from clearing clogged pores to lessening active breakouts as well as lifting discoloration and making the skin look brighter and smoother." Her Triple Berry Smoothing Peel ($88.50) uses salicylic acid alongside mandelic, lactic, tartaric, and malic acids to deliver professional results.
Anti Bump Solution
The Anti Bump Solution ($49.50) is superpotent — put it on the surface of a burgeoning zit or cystic acne before bed and you'll see way less inflammation the next morning.
Weightless Protection SPF 30
Madelaine talks about how much she loves the Weightless Protection SPF 30 ($57.50) in her Vogue tutorial — in fact, she calls it the most important part of her skincare routine. It doesn't feel greasy and won't clog pores, making it perfect for anyone with sensitive or acne-prone skin.
