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Actress Courtney Halverson Shares Makeup Chair Secrets
InterviewsBorn and raised in Orange County, California, Halverson has been acting since childhood — you may have seen her in True Detective, Criminal Minds, or Unfriended — and blogging for a decade. “My first job-job was working at a secondhand shop,” she says. “I was a buyer of vintage and new clothing for a while, and then opened my own Etsy shop of vintage reselling, and that’s why I started taking photos of myself.” This led to blogging which led to her love of all things beauty and now she balances it all from Los Angeles.
- RI:As an actress, what kind of makeup tips and tricks have you learned on set?
- CH:
I had a makeup artist on a TV show once tell me that she almost never puts makeup on noses, or else a very thinned version, as that tends to make our faces look overly made up and like a plastic doll. I’ve stuck with this and try not to make my whole face one tone — and typically skip foundation or concealer on my nose. I also always admire how many products I see makeup artists mix together, and try to do that a bit myself as the colors and tones always seem more lively when they’re not one note. For instance I mix my Saie Slip Tint with equal parts sunscreen for a more even, toned look that still reads as skin. I do the same with lip colors and always blend two together. It makes me feel like an artist and it’s fun to see the combinations that work best.
- RI:What beauty rituals did you create for yourself in the pandemic?
- CH:I think the biggest change for me was skipping out on makeup most days. I used to attend a decent amount of events and in-person auditions, so I reached for makeup frequently. Once I was at home and not really seeing others as much, I began to focus more on skincare and taking my time with that rather than covering my skin with makeup. Oils have always been key for me, I really don’t use many creams, so I started focusing on taking time to apply face oils and use that as an opportunity for a facial massage, both in the evening and in the morning. I’m finding even now that I don’t use makeup in the same way; it’s something that is fun and I like for enhancement, but it doesn’t feel as needed now that my skin is happier. Bi-weekly masking also became an easy thing for me to do while answering emails and editing photos, as well as taking a long bath and really moisturizing my body afterwards. I used to just towel off after a shower and move on with my day, but now I really spend time bringing the moisture back to my skin after stepping out of the bath.
- RI:What do you believe about beauty now that you didn’t before?
- CH:I used to think of beauty and skincare routines as being something I had to do, like a chore. I didn’t believe that my beauty routine could be more than that, but now it’s become this slow moment and a chance for me to check in with myself. Not with my physical appearance, but with how I am feeling, in real time. I put my phone away and just take the time to really get lost in the moment.
- RI:What is your first beauty memory?
- CH:I remember my great-grandmother had this really beautiful face powder, with a little puff inside, and I would watch her put it on after a meal when we were out. I was fascinated by the glamour of it. It had a scent to it, and came in a beautiful floral-printed circular box. She had been using the same powder her whole life, and my mom and I would have to send it to her in the Midwest from California because they stopped carrying it at her local shop. I actually just spotted it recently online and the formula hasn’t changed since 1935.
"It wasn’t until I was older that I began to embrace all of the things I used to hate…"
- RI:Where do you find your creative inspiration?
- CH:I’m a huge fan of magazine editorials and love turning to print for inspiration. There’s nothing quite like picking up a few magazines to thumb through; it’s just a nice, quiet ritual for me. I also really love period pieces, and watch a lot of costume dramas in general. There is a touch of that in my content, as I always want my work to feel a bit ‘out of time’, where it’s a bit hard to place exactly when, and where, a photo was shot. A bit of romance, maybe a bit of drama, and always a touch of cinema is what I aim for in my work.
- RI:What attracted you to makeup originally? Has that changed over time?
- CH:I was first attracted to makeup when I was a very young teen because I saw it as a way to change how I look. Everything that I sought out was in an effort to hide the things that I felt made me ugly. I gravitated towards thick concealer to hide my freckles, and chose the wrong shade of foundation because I hated being pale and so desperately wanted to be this idea of a California girl; a beautiful blonde with a bronze glow. I used self-tanner exactly once in my life because I remember hearing someone in grade school say that I had ‘librarian legs’, whatever that means, and I stained my skin orange. It wasn’t until I was older that I began to embrace all of the things I used to hate [like] my freckles, my pale skin, my red hair, and to not use makeup as a way to change any of that.
- RI:What are your top five beauty essentials?
- CH:
Mara Universal Oil, Furtuna Skin Eye Cream, Saie Beauty Slip Tint, Costa Brazil Body Oil, Summer Fridays R+R Mask
- RI:What are some of your go-to tricks for makeup application?
- CH:
I like a damp beauty sponge. I use Caudalie Beauty Elixir on my sponge for a really spa-like experience. I also like to thin my makeup out a bit, and mix a bit of Saie Sunscreen into whatever foundation I’m using to allow my skin to show through and to add to my SPF. For blush, I like to put a small amount on the tip of my nose to give a natural flush.
- RI:What is your skincare regimen like?
- CH:
I have pretty sensitive skin, so I keep my products minimal. In the morning I start by pressing face oil into my skin; I like Mara Universal Oil or their Vitamin C Oil. I use a gua sha tool to help reduce any puffiness and to sort of sculpt my face a bit. I pat Furtuna Skin Eye Cream in and finish with Saie Sunscreen. I’ll maybe do a mask if I have a shoot coming up, but I usually just let my skin be on most days.
I wash my face in the evening with Mara Cleansing Oil if I wasn’t wearing makeup. If I was wearing makeup, I use Augustinus Bader Cleansing Balm followed by the Cleansing Oil. I use muslin cloths to dry my skin and pat in Mara Retinol Oil. I apply Caudalie Resveratrol Eye Cream, and then use Biologique Recherche p50 on my chest where I have some fine lines forming from the way I sleep. I follow that with Furtuna Skin Oil, which I pat in from my neck all the way down my décolletage.
"I like to put a small amount [of blush] on the tip of my nose to give a natural flush."
- RI:How do you take care of your hair?
- CH:
I’m pretty no-frills when it comes to my hair care, and try to wash my hair as infrequently as possible. My natural red hair has turned brown over the years, so I do dye it, and washing it makes the red fade very fast. I rely on a weekly color mask from Christophe Robin to help redeposit the color and I use dry shampoo a lot. My favorite is this brush-on version from Crown Affair. I try to limit aerosols and it just feels so chic to apply it right around my hairline and where I need it.
- RI:Any day-to-day hairstyling tips?
- CH:
I like to keep my hair short and curled under at the ends. I use a paddle brush and my hair dryer when it’s wet to achieve this, and then really just let it do it’s own thing for a few days after. I don’t brush my hair daily, but do use a wide tooth comb from Crown Affair to keep it presentable. I am so happy that claw clips are back in style because they are perfect for warm summer nights.
- RI:When do you feel most confident in your beauty?
- CH:I feel most confident when I stick with the basics. Simple, glowy skin and maybe a splash of color and combed brows is what feels most me. I love to play with a bold lip, but truthfully, I feel most myself with a more minimal look. I like the idea that someone can see exactly who I am and that my skin can shine through. And of course a really lovely perfume goes miles and makes me feel especially confident. Scent is so important.
- RI:What would someone never guess about you?
- CH:I have always joked that my third wave career will be me starting an artisanal homemade butter company. It started out as a joke, but the older I get the more I like the idea.
