'My name is Courtney Lavine [@cocolavine], and I am a professional ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre. Because of my job, I've been able to travel a lot—from Tokyo to Abu Dhabi—and no matter where I go, I always make it a point to experiment with beauty products in the country I'm visiting. Also because of social media, I always want to look my best...the entire world is like a stage in that sense. Being a dancer has made me realize that taking care of my skin and body is really important. In ballet, you have classical works that could be compared to a classically beautiful person—you know, there is something undeniably beautiful about them. We also have performances that come out of left field and are different but moving, and I sometimes feel that these ballets can be even more beautiful than the former.
I remember sneaking into my mom's bathroom to secretly test out all the lotions she had on her counter when I was a kid. There was this one Dior lipstick she had that smelled amazing. I don't remember the color or name, but I do remember the way it smelled. When I was about five or six, oatmeal baths were my thing—and I am not ashamed to admit that I still do them when I can.
Then, when I was 19 I became roommates with a fellow ballet dancer who was from Seoul—she taught me so much about skincare, unsurprisingly. Our bathroom was filled with Bioderma, Clarins, and Shiseido products—I was mesmerized. I will never forget the day when she taught me about the different steps of skincare—cleansing, toning, essence, serum, eye cream, moisturizing, all of that. Even knowing all that, I still go back-and-forth between buying a new, expensive product every week to only using natural things like coconut oil on every inch of my body. Right now, I'm in a happy place that pulls from both sides of that spectrum. As long as I find something I like that works with my skin type, I try to stick with it.
When I perform, I wear heavy stage makeup that doesn’t come off with most cleansers, but Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover takes off all my makeup without irritating my skin. If there's still eyelash glue or eyeliner left over after I wash my face, I'll rub a Q-tip dipped in olive oil over my eyes, and that takes anything else right off. After I wash my face, I spritz Andalou Naturals 1,000 Roses Floral Toner to balance my skin’s pH but also because the spritz just feels nice. I've had pretty bad breakouts in the past that leave those dreaded dark marks on my skin, so I use SK-II’s Cellumination Aurabright Illuminating Essence because it really helps fade them quickly. I also feel like it makes my skin glow. The only moisturizer that really works for me is the Olay Total Effects Fragrance-Free Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 15. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of great moisturizers on the market, but Olay Total Effects has done everything it says it will do for my skin.
My staple makeup product for years now has been my Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in 65 Golden Beige. I love the clean, matte finish because my skin tends to be on the shinier side. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll usually brush on some Nars Blush in Orgasm or Dolce Vita and put on Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara. My staple look is usually winged eyeliner—I have big eyes, so I try to show them off.
After a hard rehearsal or performance week, my absolute favorite thing to do is jump in a bath. I am constantly twisting, stretching, and bending my body, so my muscles are almost always sore. I love a good old-fashioned Epsom salt bath, but when I’m feeling sassy, I’ll add in Lush’s Rose Bomshell Bath Bomb. When I’m done soaking my muscles, I usually turn on the shower and rinse off in cool water, and then I put on Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream. I really like it because my legs won’t look ashy for at least 12 hours after I put it on, which is a long time for me! It is also fragrance free, so it doesn’t mix scents with whatever perfume I am wearing—right now it’s Chloe's Love Story.
One of the biggest beauty tricks I have recently committed to is staying hydrated and eating well. It is amazing how dull my skin gets when I’m dehydrated or not eating enough nutrient-rich food. Water is my favorite beauty secret…and orange juice.”
—as told to ITG
The #ITGTopShelfie series puts the focus on the lives and beauty routines of Into The Gloss's lovely, accomplished, and loyal community of readers. Show us your own Top Shelfie on Instagram—tag us @intothegloss, and include the hashtag #ITGTopShelfie.
