You probably know Courtney Hutchison as Courtney Stodden, the 16-year-old aspiring starlet who married her acting teacher, the 51-year-old Doug Hutchison, in 2011. The couple--who almost broke up in 2013 but reconciled and recently celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary--have been scrutinized and criticized, largely because of the 35-year age difference between the two. Both insist they are very happy in their California home with each other and their puppies, a micro-mini Maltese named Cupcake and an Italian Greyhound named Dourtney.
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Stodden says she moved to California to pursue her "destiny in the entertainment industry." This has meant keeping up an active social media presence and appearing on multiple reality television shows. Her Instagram is a mixture of sexy selfies and coy shots of Marilyn Monroe--it's difficult to distinguish between the two. Her public presence is a sea of leopard print, long eyelashes, and bleach-blonde waves. To date, she's appeared on Couples' Therapy, Celebrity Big Brother UK, and Hollywood Hillbillies, among other reality shows. She has also released three pop singles and worked as an animal rights activist and model. Stodden says she gets the most compliments on her complexion and how soft her skin is.Broadly: How do you feel about your skin?
Courtney Stodden: I love my skin and caring for it. I feel that it's a huge part of a person's confidence. At 12 and 13, I struggled with acne and it really affected my poise--it was inhibiting. Nobody wants to walk around with loads of acne on their face. That in itself was difficult to cope with. You feel as if people are noticing your pimples before they notice you, and that's not a good feeling! Thankfully, over the years, my face cleared up and I found healthy ways to maintain my glowing complexion.What's your skincare routine?
I wake up in the morning and wash my face with a Neutrogena face wash before applying my favorite creams. I use several hydrating creams but one of my favorites is the Luminous Moisture Cream by NARS Skin. I repeat three times daily. I'm a huge fan of washing and moisturizing my skin. Once every other evening, I treat my skin to an all-natural homemade honey and avocado face mask that leaves my skin super soft.How often do people compliment you on your skin? Where are these compliments coming from?
Often. Many of my followers on social media, photographers, [and] strangers at the mall say that my skin appears warm and radiant and ask what products I use and how I care for my complexion. I received a fair share of compliments before my celebrity, but I do tend to get more being that I'm in the spotlight. I absolutely adore my followers via social media. They're so kind and supportive. It means so much to wake up in the morning to their positivity, and it also feels gratifying to return it.How does hearing these compliments make you feel, about yourself and your skin in particular?
Hearing compliments always lifts the spirit. It makes me feel pretty, and everyone deserves to feel beautiful! It's so important to feel confident with yourself first rather than relying on others to make you feel confident.I read on your Wikipedia page that you were bullied at school because of your looks. What was that experience like?
Awful! Nobody deserves to be bullied. Everyone is different, and their originality should be celebrated, not attacked. It makes me feel good knowing that I've managed to turn around the one thing that was holding me back from feeling my best!How do you feel about praise in general?
I'm all for compliments! I think that there is beauty all around us, and if we stop to take the time to acknowledge it, we're recognizing that beauty in a profound way. I can tell when a compliment is genuine and coming from a truthful place. That's the kind I respond to. Genuine compliments sound like this, "You're very beautiful" [or] "I love your smile" versus compliments that sound like, "Wow, babe! You're so sexy. The things I would do to you." Not so much. Actually, I get more compliments from women, and that means everything to me. I think women should support each other, because when we do amazing things happen!
Courtney Stodden: I love my skin and caring for it. I feel that it's a huge part of a person's confidence. At 12 and 13, I struggled with acne and it really affected my poise--it was inhibiting. Nobody wants to walk around with loads of acne on their face. That in itself was difficult to cope with. You feel as if people are noticing your pimples before they notice you, and that's not a good feeling! Thankfully, over the years, my face cleared up and I found healthy ways to maintain my glowing complexion.What's your skincare routine?
I wake up in the morning and wash my face with a Neutrogena face wash before applying my favorite creams. I use several hydrating creams but one of my favorites is the Luminous Moisture Cream by NARS Skin. I repeat three times daily. I'm a huge fan of washing and moisturizing my skin. Once every other evening, I treat my skin to an all-natural homemade honey and avocado face mask that leaves my skin super soft.How often do people compliment you on your skin? Where are these compliments coming from?
Often. Many of my followers on social media, photographers, [and] strangers at the mall say that my skin appears warm and radiant and ask what products I use and how I care for my complexion. I received a fair share of compliments before my celebrity, but I do tend to get more being that I'm in the spotlight. I absolutely adore my followers via social media. They're so kind and supportive. It means so much to wake up in the morning to their positivity, and it also feels gratifying to return it.How does hearing these compliments make you feel, about yourself and your skin in particular?
Hearing compliments always lifts the spirit. It makes me feel pretty, and everyone deserves to feel beautiful! It's so important to feel confident with yourself first rather than relying on others to make you feel confident.I read on your Wikipedia page that you were bullied at school because of your looks. What was that experience like?
Awful! Nobody deserves to be bullied. Everyone is different, and their originality should be celebrated, not attacked. It makes me feel good knowing that I've managed to turn around the one thing that was holding me back from feeling my best!How do you feel about praise in general?
I'm all for compliments! I think that there is beauty all around us, and if we stop to take the time to acknowledge it, we're recognizing that beauty in a profound way. I can tell when a compliment is genuine and coming from a truthful place. That's the kind I respond to. Genuine compliments sound like this, "You're very beautiful" [or] "I love your smile" versus compliments that sound like, "Wow, babe! You're so sexy. The things I would do to you." Not so much. Actually, I get more compliments from women, and that means everything to me. I think women should support each other, because when we do amazing things happen!