What This Makeup Fiend Loves to Wear

By Brittani Dick

I’m willing to bet there aren’t many people who can claim they grew up on Squirrel Tail Hollow Road.

Courtney Newby, 25, was born and raised in a small town outside of Owensboro, Kentucky, but there was always a part of her that craved the big city lights. She graduated high school in 2010, packed her bags, and moved to Louisville to attend college. She hasn’t looked back since.



With that small town upbringing came some big dreams. Courtney has a passion for understanding and serving those with mental illness, so after completing her prerequisites at the University of Louisville, Courtney obtained her doctorate of pharmacy (PharmD) at the Sullivan University College of Pharmacy. With the PharmD secured, she is now taking it a step further to focus on her passion – psychiatry.

Courtney is currently enrolled in her first year of pharmacy practice residency at Central State Hospital, an adult psychiatric hospital near Anchorage. Before leaving for work, she mixes an orange Spark energy packet into her water and drinks it on her morning commute. “It's really easy and it tastes just like Tang, which was my favorite as a kid. It's basically just a bunch of B vitamins and amino acids, but no caffeine,” she says.

Photos by Sunni Wigginton 

Courtney enjoys arriving to work early in the mornings before all of the hustle and bustle of everyday hospital life begins. Taking advantage of the early morning stillness, she steeps a hot cup of Aveda Comforting Tea, plugs in her headphones, and begins her day’s work. “The tea is black licorice flavored, which sounds horrible, but they have seriously created something from the gods with this one,” she says.

The second year of her residency could lead her to a new city, but regardless of where her professional life ends up taking her, she’ll always remember and love Louisville for its delicious food and its willingness to accommodate a young professional like her.

Beauty products she’s loving:
“I am a makeup fiend for sure,” she says. Her current obsession is the line of Lime Crime Velvetines, which are all matte lipsticks. Her favorite shades: Moonstone (grey/purple), Cashmere (rosy nude), Marshmallow (basic nude), and Suedeberry (orange/red). “I really just love them all,” she says. “They last so long on your lips, and they smell like sugar cookies.”

Fashion she’s wearing:
All black everything. Courtney’s favorite pants are high-waisted black jeans with ripped knees. “I would wear them with a black or white top every single day if I could,” she says. She loves to pair her favorite jeans with leopard booties or her ASOS booties with a mirror heel.

“ASOS, Zara, Nasty Gal, and American Apparel are all very horrible habits for me,” she admits.

Latest purchase she’s praising:
A self-proclaimed “Momma’s girl,” Courtney recently got her mom’s name — Lisa — tattooed on the back of her left arm, right above her elbow. “I did a bullhorn with some flowers and leaves wrapped around the center,” she says. “I love this tattoo. It’s like wearing my favorite bracelet or watch every day. It was well worth the pain and money.”