"Kourtney, What's Your Skincare Routine?"
Navigating Beauty Marketing, Overcoming Body Acne, & Proactive Skincare Tips
I met Kourtney at a Black Beauty Club event while I was helping the brand Bolden demo some products. She had amazing energy and even better skin. I knew I had to feature her on this platform, and I’m so glad she agreed.
Kourtney works in beauty marketing; we had a great conversation about how Black women are marketed to, mindful product consumption, and the importance of being proactive in your skincare journey.
Kourtney’s Skincare Routine
Skin goal: “I'm all about brightening and looking at how I can improve the overall texture of my skin.”
AM Routine:
Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3% – “My skin is still relatively supple and bouncy. When I first started using it, I immediately felt like my skin got brighter.”
Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner – “doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped.”
Joah Heal Me Cica Cooling Gel Face Mist
La Roche Posay Double Repair Moisturizer - SPF 30
Good Molecules Wake Me Up Eye Gel
Farmacy Pear Kiwi Lip Smoothie
PM Routine:
Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3%
Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner OR Joah Daily Glow Exfoliating Cotton Peel Pads (strictly for night)
Joah Heal Me Cica Cooling Gel Face Mist
Philosophy Hope In A Jar Moisturizer
Good Molecules Wake Me Up Eye Gel
Farmacy Pear Kiwi Lip Smoothie
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Oil — “I either apply as a last step or mix it in with moisturizer.”
Toluwani: You mentioned that you work in beauty marketing—what exactly do you do?
Kourtney: What haven’t I done? I started in digital and social marketing, focusing on content creation. That quickly expanded into influencer marketing and partnerships, then into brand marketing, PR, and beyond. Over time, I became a 360-marketer, covering all aspects of brand development. Now, my role is more niche—focused on digital content from a strategic perspective.
Understanding Skin Type
Toluwani: What is your skin type?
Kourtney: Funny story—I spent most of my life thinking I had oily skin because of some shine in my T-zone. I loaded up on oil-free, mattifying products, but they were choking my skin. About five years ago, I walked into Sephora with an armful of oil-free products, and a skin consultant looked at me and said, "You don’t have oily skin." I insisted she was wrong, but after a few questions—Do you break out constantly? (No.) Do you have blackheads? (No.) Do you have large pores?(No.)—she told me I had normal-to-combination skin.
Mind. Blown.
Skincare Journey
Toluwani: You mentioned that you don’t get blackheads. What type of breakouts do you typically experience?
Kourtney: My breakouts are hormonal. If I break out on my chin, I know my cycle is coming. Occasionally, if my pores are congested, I’ll get a minor breakout. But overall, my skin treats me well because I treat her well.
Toluwani: How did your skincare education journey begin?
Kourtney: My mom has been a Mary Kay consultant for over 30 years, so skincare was ingrained in me early on. Both of my grandmothers would lather me in cocoa butter—I was (and still am) a cocoa butter queen! My mom was strict about skincare; no makeup until 16, and even then, it was gradual—bronzer, blush, but no full-face beats. At the time, I hated it, but now, I appreciate it.
My biggest skin challenge wasn’t my face—it was bacne. That took years of trial and error to heal. Everyone told me to try tea tree oil or random "natural" remedies, but nothing worked. I forgot how I stumbled upon Murad, but I was still relatively young, so I wasn't making too much money. But I was like, I'm gonna budget for this.
Product Philosophy
Toluwani: I noticed you prefer full product lines rather than mixing brands. Why?
Kourtney: It's genuinely because I get nervous about mixing things once we start getting into ingredients and chemicals and things like that. Everybody's putting acids and all of these peptides – I don't want to freak my skin out. I’m also of the mindset that if I'm investing in a particular product, I can't be like, “oh, this product sucks”. It didn't work because it's built into a line. It has supporting cast members that I’m not using. So that's kind of how I view it when I'm buying full product lines; it’s to give that collection or that product a fair chance of actually doing what it needs to do.
Toluwani: What’s one product that’s a forever staple in your routine?
Kourtney: Can I name two? First, Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment—my go-to whenever my skin acts up. Second, Kiehl’s Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil. It’s lightweight, non-comedogenic, and calms irritation. If my skin feels off, I use it and give my face a few days to reset.
Product Rotation & Seasonal Adjustments
Toluwani: How do you know when it’s time to switch products? Some people have told me that skin gets "used to" products after a few months.
Kourtney: I don't necessarily even know if I believe that it gets used to products in that sense. I think a little bit of that is fear mongering in the beauty industry so they can continue to push more products out. Instead, I watch how my skin reacts to the seasons. In winter, my nose gets dry, so I add more moisture. In summer, if my skin feels like an oil slick, I know to switch to something lighter.
Treatments & Skin Maintenance
Toluwani: Do you have a go-to spot for facials in NYC?
Kourtney: I'm so glad you asked. Yes, I do. I go to Rescue Spa – tens across the board as far as the overall experience, overall skin analysis, and tailoring your service to your skin. I love it down! If you go there, you need to ask for Rita. She is incredible! She just knows her stuff and is so incredibly sweet and knowledgeable.
If I’m in my hometown of Virginia, I go to Hand and Stone. They are a franchise, so every chain is not necessarily always going to be the same. But, I like the products that they use. And I like that they are thorough with their overall skin evaluation.
Lessons & Industry Insights
Toluwani: What is something you wish you knew about skincare earlier?
Kourtney: Skincare is a lifelong journey—there’s no "final destination." Our skin evolves with age, hormones, pregnancy, menopause—even illness. My mom had to relearn everything about her skin after chemo. Those chemicals – while they saved her life, also changed her skin so much. Understanding that skincare is an ever evolving journey is important takes the pressure off of what we think our skin should look like throughout our lives. As soon as you realize that, I feel like it's easier to give yourself a bit more grace.
Toluwani: As someone in beauty marketing, what do you wish Black women knew about the industry?
Kourtney: Two things:
For the general population, you have to really understand when you're reading the back of the label, the ingredients list is listed from highest to lowest. So if a brand is pushing a particular ingredient and it's all the way at the bottom, that means that the percentage of that ingredient in the product is relatively low. That is strictly a marketing ingredient.
For Black women, we in particular need to take these product claims with a grain of salt. Because what we are reckoning with as we talk about diversity and inclusion in beauty is not even just about "are there Black models in this campaign?”or “are they utilizing Black influencers in their rollout?”
When we get into product claims and effectiveness, there's a huge lack of diversity in those clinical trials – sometimes they're not even including women of color at all. So just be mindful of that when we're looking at claims, looking at ingredients, and investing in these brands. When I'm scrolling their Instagram page, am I seeing people who look like me? Or when I go through the LinkedIn page, am I seeing people who look like me?
Final Thoughts
Toluwani: What’s the best skincare advice you’ve ever received?
Kourtney: My mom taught me to be proactive. I started using eye creams in my early 20s—not waiting until fine lines appeared. Many Black women believe "Black don’t crack," but Black can tarnish. We need maintenance! I’ve been "freezing my face" since I was 25, and I did a great job at it!
Kourtney’s Closing Thoughts: I hate when brands push the idea of "flawless" skin—it’s unrealistic. We’re not dolphins! As a beauty marketer, I’m mindful of how deep these messages run. Women are marketed to from birth, and we internalize so many expectations about beauty. I want to be intentional about shifting that narrative.
*If you would like to share your skincare journey on MySkin.Journal, feel free reach out below! This platform is meant to be a space for you all to share openly and connect with each other ❤️.