ABOUT FACE: Courtney Grow @greatthingsibought

Our new beauty series ABOUT FACE highlights the skincare and makeup routines of women we adore and admire, from their daily skincare rituals to their beauty favorites to the products, tips, and tricks they swear by. Follow along as we take a peek inside their medicine cabinets and cosmetic bags.

Photo: @greatthingsibought

We couldn’t think of a better person than Courtney Grow of @greatthingsibought to kick off our new beauty series, ABOUT FACE. Courtney knows a thing or two about skincare: We can thank her for encouraging us to mask in the morning (why let the benefits go unnoticed at night when you can flaunt them during the day?), introducing us to our new favorite Pixi under-eye patches, and giving us the moral support we need to purchase those Loeffler Randall sandals we’ve been eyeing for months. Aside from great style and taste, Courtney’s witty, entertaining, and she’ll instantly feel like your new best friend. We chatted with this skincare junkie, shopping maven, and mom of four (including new twins!) about her daily skincare routine, her beauty favorites, and the products, tips, and tricks she swears by. Read our Q&A below and follow Courtney on Instagram for all the great things.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SKIN?

I would describe my skin as somewhat oily with redness and a few sunspots. I don't have sensitive skin, which is nice because I'm able to truly be a product junkie and try new things all the time.

WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT A.M. SKINCARE ROUTINE? 

My current morning situation has to be kept pretty minimal. I have four kids under six so its hard to carve out much time in the mornings for my skin. I think the best thing you can do for your skin in the morning is probably drink some water. Isn't that the most annoying answer? I'm always aiming for 100 ounces per day (I rarely get there), but a few extra glasses of water in the morning gives me my best start. I love to use my Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Gel Mask that I keep in my fridge a few days a week. It's completely invisible and you really only need to leave it on for 20-30 minutes to see results. The days I wear that mask I find that my skin looks extra glassy and my makeup applies really well. Beyond that I just make sure I get on some sunscreen. 

WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT P.M. SKINCARE ROUTINE? 

Nighttime is when I feel like I can truly dive into my skincare routine. I think it’s really important to cleanse well and yet I hate splashing water on my face from the sink. If I’m taking a shower or bath, I’ll use my Manuka Honey Cleansing Balm and if not I typically just use a make-up wipe. Either way, I make sure to double cleanse with some micellar water after. From there I like to use my Biologique Recherche P50. I think it makes a fantastic toner. It's not cheap and smells, well, not great but when I take it out of my routine I notice my pores a lot more. From there I begin a "choose you own adventure" experience based on what I think my skin needs the most. I just started using Soon Skincare's Mermaid Collagen Serum and I'm really liking it. I like to use a facial oil after my serum. Jenna from @jennaskitchen gave me some of her Skin Bae face oil to try and I think it really holds up well in comparison to some crazy expensive and luxurious facial oils out there. 

FAVORITE FACE MASK?  

Choosing my favorite face mask is like choosing a favorite child. As any parent will tell you, it's impossible. I think a good strategy is to find a mask for each of your top two skin issues. A lot of people struggle with water retention and puffiness in their face, and so waking up and applying something to help with that is important. Clarins makes a wonderful de-puffing mask called the V-facial Intensive Wrap. It has become so popular that it's basically sold out nationwide and really tough to get. An old friend from college is now the marketing director for Clarins, and I've begged her personally for this mask! In the sheet mask category, I love the SKII mask and the Soon Skincare Anti-Aging Collagen Mask.

ANY FAVORITE SKINCARE TREATMENTS?

I really need to get on a regular facial schedule. I just gave birth to twins in November and having any sort of regular appointments outside of my house has been really challenging. When I'm feeling like I really need it, I go to a lady that literally cleans out every single pore on my face. It’s not a relaxing experience. I'm left looking like I have the measles for two days, but something really magical happens around day four or five. If I'm struggling with my skin it’s a complete control, alt, delete and reset. I'm definitely a big believer in Botox anywhere north of your eyes.

THE SKINCARE OR MAKEUP BRAND YOU’RE CURRENTLY CRUSHING ON?  

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I love Westman Atelier. I found the brand a year ago and have basically never looked back. 

FAVORITE OR CURRENT MASCARA?

My mom told me about Thrive Mascara and I don't know that I've ever loved a mascara more. It's a magical combination of waterproof and easy to remove. I'm not sure who sold their soul to the devil for the formula, but I'm grateful as hell.

GO-TO LIP GLOSS, LIPSTICK, OR LIP TINT?

I'm not a lip gloss girl. I've gotten to the point where anything remotely sticky or shiny on my lips just makes me feel way too fancy. I'm all about an effortless makeup look these days, and gloss just never feels effortless on me.

WHAT DO YOU WEAR ON YOUR SKIN ON THE DAILY?

Mornings can be crazy in my house and I only end up with time to do my full makeup situation about four days a weeks. Most days I make sure I do my morning skincare (SPF!!) and apply under-eye concealer. I have tragically bad dark circles and if I want to avoid comments about them from my retired 60-year-old neighbor who is always outside, I really can't leave the house without it. 

TO CONTOUR OR NOT TO CONTOUR? 

I think contouring is amazing. I'm not great at it but when I've had it done by someone else I'm always in awe of what it can do. Contouring over fillers ALL DAY LONG.

CURRENT BROW SITUATION? 

I have my brows threaded and tinted each month. Some people are so great at their brows and I feel like I just barely squeak by. I do love Charlotte Tilbury's eyebrow pencil in Supermodel.

FOR A NIGHT OUT: BOLD LIP OR BOLD EYE?

I think a bold eye is so gorgeous on a lot of people but it's never worked for me. Bold lips, on the other hand, brighten and distract so I have a plethora of lipsticks that I rotate through. Right now, it's all about Les Rouges by Westman Atelier.

WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE SCENT?

I love perfume. Is perfume now bad for us?? I've seen some implication of this on the Internet occasionally, and it makes me so sad. Perfume truly was my first beauty addiction. I have collected it all throughout my travels and even dragged my husband to a perfume factory in France where they let me design my own scent. My most frequently used fragrances are Byredo Bal d’Afrique and Byredo Blanche.

ANY BELOVED BEAUTY TOOLS?

I’m really impressed with the results I've seen from using Gua Sha stones but I haven't been as committed to them as I should be! That's my next beauty frontier!

FAVORITE BEAUTY TIPS OR TRICKS? 

I think the best beauty trick I have is genuinely investing in your skin. Sure, there are some genetic anomalies out there, but the people with the best bodies are the people who spend time in the gym. The people I know with the best skin are the ones who really work at it.

BEST BEAUTY ADVICE YOU’VE HEARD OR THE BEAUTY MANTRA YOU LIVE BY?

The beauty advice I live by is that less is more! I think the tone on aging is changing and people are realizing that it's better to look 50 than it is to look age-ambiguous but clearly trying to look 20. 

WHO’S YOUR BEAUTY ICON AND WHY? 

I'd love to give a more interesting answer than Gwyneth Paltrow, but seeing her age has been really powerful. I'm not naive enough to believe that she isn't spending my yearly income fighting it, but the way she has gone about it and championed a face without fillers and Botox is really unusual for her position and I find it empowering. I love that she recently hosted a makeup-free event. Her valuation of natural beauty is helping women everywhere feel better about what they see when they look in the mirror.