Raise your hand if you’ve ever wanted to exfoliate your face away, in the hopes of achieving a new, clearer, smoother, better complexion. Now raise your hand if you tried it…and it totally backfired.
If 2018 was all about exfoliation, 2019 is making way for a new trend in skin care. According to celebrity aesthetician Renée Rouleau, repairing is the new resurfacing.
When we spoke with Rouleau, she explained why: "People want to see great results for their skin—two of the best ways to achieve this are with products that contain exfoliating acids, and collagen-building retinol. These ingredients offer immediate and long-term results. However, they’re notorious for breaking down the skin’s protective barrier and can make it dry or flakey."
And if you suspect you're overdoing it with harsh exfoliants, Rouleau suggests an easy fix: moisturizer. It's the key to replenishing your skin’s own depleted hydration levels.
So to counteract the irritation of one too many aggressive beauty products, we're reaching for rich moisturizers and serums with hyaluronic acid, which is basically like a drink of water for your skin. We're also swapping our harsh cleansers for hydrating ones (think balms and creamy face washes that don't strip away moisture).
And while we'll never give up our exfoliators for good, we'll definitely be easing up on them...at least for the time being. Hello, hydration (and buh-bye, sad, raw, over-exfoliated face).
