New River Oaks Beauty Salon Lets This Houston Entrepreneur Leave Oil and Gas Behind — Houston Gets Its Own Blushington

After leaving the high-powered, highly competitive world of oil and gas trading behind, native Houstonian Courtney Freels has stepped into a much more beautiful world. She has taken the route of entrepreneur and signed on to open Houston’s first Blushington, a one-stop shop for beauty services.

Freels’ Blushington River Oaks opened with a VIP fête that saw the new Houston boutique overflowed with eager friends.

The throng spilled over into the parking lot at 3601 Westheimer, where Blushington is now the neighbor to the memorable River Oaks Donuts.

Freels’ move from Bloomberg screens to beauty was an interesting if unusual journey.

“After graduating from Texas A&M University in 2011, I launched my career in global energy trading working between Houston and London,” she tells PaperCity.

“I managed global crude exposure and gained international experience during a two-year stint abroad. Following my time in the industry, I chose to step away from the fast-paced and highly competitive trading environment to focus on raising my two children.”

Once her kids reached school age, Courtney Freels’ entrepreneurial spirit rose to the surface.

Freels had first experienced Blushington services — hair styling, makeup and skin care — in Dallas, a shop wich is now closed, and again throughout the years in New York. She loved the experience. So much so that she wrote to Blushington’s corporate office in 2015 when she inquired about the possibility of one day opening a Houston Blushington.

More than 10 years later, that vision has become reality. Freel still proudly has a copy of that letter.

Going beyond an ordinary launch party, there were caviar bumps from  Caviar Cart, ranch waters and aperol spritzes served by The Traveling Spirit Bar, a lavish hors d’oeuvres display from Swift + Co., donuts from her new neighbor and rose gold compact mirrors from She Made It Like That, engraved to take home. While everyone perused the salon, Deanna’s First in from New York City captured their beauty looks in live fashion illustrations following Blushington hair and makeup applications.

Adding to the energized vibe was roaming saxophonist Randy Allison.

In celebration of the opening Blushington co-founders Stephi Cohen and Nicki Maron as well as chairman Mark Maron jetted in from Los Angeles to celebrate alongside Freels and join in introducing Houston to the brand’s signature beauty experience that brings together blowouts, makeup and skincare under one roof.

Freels plans opening a second Houston area Blushington shop in the Memorial area in 2027.

PC Seen: Clayton Freels, Lexi Sakowitz Marek, Natalie Steen, Claudia and Brad Freels, Lilly Cullen, Katie Tsuru, Kathryn Swain, Julie Longoria Chen, Beth Muecke, Maggie Jenkins, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Kristen Cannon, Maddy Moffitt, Heather Almond, Liz Scofield, and Nora Jarrard.

Blushington River Oaks is located at 601 Westheimer Road. It is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 7 am to 7 pm, Thursdays through Saturdays from 7 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm.