I've Been Devoted to This Skincare Brand for Over a Decade — Here's What I'm Buying From Its Annual Sale

Renee Rouleau

My introduction to Renée Rouleau was over a decade ago. I was a teenager at the tail end of puberty with a recent polycystic ovarian syndrome diagnosis — and my skin reflected all of that turbulence. I had persistent acne that ranged from mildly inconvenient to deep, painful, and cystic. I was making my way through any and every product I could when someone mentioned Renée Rouleau and her eponymous skincare brand.

And after a single use of the brand's Anti Bump Solution (which was called Anti Cyst Treatment when I began using it), I became part of the brand's fanbase that now includes celebrities like Demi Lovato, Sofia Vergara, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, and Madelaine Petsch.

For the last 26 years, the brand has had its annual 25 percent off sale — it's a rare moment with the steepest discount the brand offers. (The exception to this was a similarly discounted sale earlier this year to celebrate the brand's 25th birthday.)

The sale lasts six days, from August 24 until August 30, but I recommend shopping sooner rather than later since some products are already out of stock. One last tip — splurge on the Toning Cloths while they're on sale. It's an indulgence, but they're soft, gentle, luxurious, and eat up way less of my product than similar run-of-the-mill options.

Anti Bump Solution

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Shop now: $38 (Originally $50); reneerouleau.com

I always have two bottles of Anti Bump Solution — one that I actively use and a backup to ensure I never find myself without it. At $50 a bottle it's not cheap, but I think it's saved me money from the endless cycle of buying and experimenting I was once subject to.

This is a potent mixture of lactic acid (to clean pores and lessen the size of bumps) and citric acid (to exfoliate and prevent dark spots). I apply this one fully formed zits, sore spots developing under the surface, cysts, boils — you name it. Even if it doesn't dissolve the zit altogether, my breakouts are much less deep, painful, and unsightly thanks to this formula.

Rapid Response Detox Masque

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Shop now: $50 (Originally $66); reneerouleau.com

As someone with sensitive skin, masks make me nervous. The idea of a product so potent and targeted that it can only be used once a week is almost enough to irritate my skin on its own. So when I tell you that Rapid Response Detox Masque is incredible, I mean it.

I will admit that I was first swayed to use it because of its gold, sparkle-like gel consistency, but thankfully this isn't just a superficial win. The formula includes tea tree oil to rid your skin of germs and breakout-causing bacteria, chemical exfoliant salicylic acid to penetrate, clean, and speed up cell turnover, and allantoin, which soothes and repairs damaged skin.

Total Eye Repair Cream

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Shop now: $49 (Originally $65); reneerouleau.com

My recent realization that I have inherited the dark circles of the Mediterranean side of my family has left me on a search for the best concealers, eye creams, and color correctors. As I keep mentioning, however, my skin is quite sensitive and I often find my eyes watery and stinging slightly after using an eye cream.

Renée Rouleau's Total Eye Repair Cream doesn't do that in the slightest. If anything, the cold, milky cream feels soothing and nourishing. Besides that, however, spreading this around my eyes on the foggiest mornings results in plump under eyes (goodbye sleep-deprivation hollows) thanks to the sodium hyaluronate spheres. The antioxidant astaxanthin, in the meantime, makes my skin look fresh, alive, and like I got my beauty sleep (even if the reality involved binge-watching TV until the morning).

Vitamin C and E Treatment

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Shop now: $53 (Originally $70); reneerouleau.com

As common as vitamin C has become over the last few years, it's easy to forget that it can be somewhat harsh on the skin. If you have sensitive skin,, I recommend this Vitamin C and E treatment, which harnesses three different types of vitamin C for brighter, less wrinkled, and plumper skin. Vitamin E and licorice root offset the harshness and provide hydration and soothing properties to keep your skin happy and calm.