From Bebo to Bridal: Gabrielle Houghton on Makeup and Mum Life and Letting Go of the Hustle
BY SOPHIE CHUNG
Proof that doing less might be the most productive thing you’ll ever do.
10 NOV 2026
The 2000s gave us questionable Bebo albums. Gabrielle turned hers into a career.
If you were a teen in the 2000s, this will be one of those moments where you think fondly about the ‘good ol’ days,’ you know, when Facebook first came out and social media was in its infancy and in my opinion, its peak. Every time we’d go to a house party, hit the clubs (remember Met & Code?!), go on a girls trip or have a birthday celebration, there would be a dedicated photo album with anywhere between 10 and 200 photos taken on a digital camera.
I don’t think I’ve looked at my Facebook page since 2013. Scrolling through those albums now, there’s an unsettling mix of nostalgia and cringe that’s making me feel queasy. It seems my entire social life between the ages of 16 to 22 is logged on there. This was ‘content creation’ before any of us had a name for it.
For makeup artist Gabrielle Houghton, this is the era where it all started. Growing up with thick, glossy mags like Teen Vogue, Nylon and Josie Steenhart’s Pulp and following the ritual of uploading a “barely culled and quite questionable” photo albums to Bebo, planted the seed for her thriving MUA business and social media platforms.
Now balancing mum life alongside her beauty artistry and content creation, Gabrielle sits down with us to spill her go-to secrets. And for us hustling millennials, give us the eureka moment real-talk that working less than ever has been the biggest blessing in disguise for her creativity. A sentiment that I’m a huge advocate for - ‘doing less’ opens up so much space - spiritually, creatively, physically and emotionally.
When did you know that makeup artistry would be your path?
When I was younger, I was obsessed with magazines. Big, thick, printed magazines. Teen Vogue, NO magazine, NZ’s Pulp magazine by Josie Steenhart (anything she did, actually), Vogue Australia and Nylon. I dreamt of being in these spaces, of coming together to create something, on set. As someone naturally arty and a painter, makeup made the most sense to be the route I took to get there.
When and why did you start creating content, and how did the two paths come together?
In a way, I created content from when I was 18 years old, 14 years ago. My friends and I loved going to parties. We would trawl op shops for clothing and buy stacks of accessories at the sale in Lovisa and dress up for each party, taking our digi cam with us. I would play around editing the photos, which was then followed, always, by uploading a full, (barely culled and quite questionable) album to bebo.
Creating content like this remained as a straightforward way to capture memories, or document my makeup work. It wasn’t until several years later, once I had built my own business as a makeup artist, that I started creating more. I had built up enough of a demand that I struggled to fit everyone in so I started using social media as a platform to share makeup tips and products, and convey information to my clients, such as tips on how to make your makeup last, how to prepare for your wedding makeup. I enjoyed creating and still do, and seeing makeup lovers find value in it kept me going.
I am spending way less time working now which has been so beautiful, the extra brain space gives creative ideas more room to germinate.
What did your early days look like, and what did you learn the hard way?
My early days were busy. There was so much hustling and sacrificing time with loved ones! I do think that's necessary to build a business and demand, to an extent, but I believe I kept it going for a bit too long - I could have pulled back earlier. I think this is very much a trait of my millennial generation and I don't see Gen Z doing this, they seem to value balance more!
How would you describe your style, and what are you best known for?
Polished, modern beauty and bridal makeup. Skin that looks perfected, features enhanced, and done with photographs and long wear in mind!
Now that you’re a mum, what does a typical day look like and how do you juggle everything?
I am spending way less time working now which has been so beautiful, the extra brain space gives creative ideas more room to germinate. This isn’t just my anecdote, there’s actually research behind it! (Think, how the best ideas come to you in the shower!) It’s such a privilege to have this space. Most of my day is based around my son - my husband has him while I have my shower and make my matcha in peace. If I get those things uninterrupted, my day is off to a good start.
During his big nap, if I’m having a good day, I will play around with makeup, and sometimes film some content of this. I have great family support too and an aunt that comes over for a few hours once a week so I can guarantee this time to lock in to some work whether that's editing, filming or something else.
We’ve recently moved house so we try to get out for some short walks to explore, as well as visit friends, and of course, lots of scrolling in there haha. We’re about to head to Japan, Seoul and Shanghai for a month so I’ve been researching those places.
How do you decide what to film and post?
I try to post things that are going to either provide value, visual beauty or entertainment. If it doesn’t hit one of these, I probably won’t post it.
What are your 5 favourite makeup products and why?
This is such a hard question to answer! I'm going to go with my 5 most used products for this mum life phase of mine currently.
1. Drader brows, brow lift. It gives me an instant eye lift through its laminated effect.
2. Raeso spf. If I only put this on, I get the slightest bit of blur onto my skin, and a glow. 3. Rhode pocket blush in sleepy girl. These are truly just amazing.
4. The Rhode pocket bronzer in Pebble.
And number 5 would be my Victoria Beckham or Tower 28 concealer. I alternate between these and use the former if I am more dehydrated that day, and the latter if I need more coverage!
Which trends are you loving right now, and which are you over?
I’m loving VS angel glam. It is truly the most beautiful look to wear, and has elements of Y2K in it which is so fun and nostalgic.
I’m over how most lip stains aren’t fair-skin friendly or low contrast. Where are the soft tones?
What's one technique that changed the way you work?
Checking how my clients’ makeup looks in the camera before being ‘done.’
With summer and event season around the corner, what are your go-to tricks for making makeup last through a long day?
Think about if you actually want something to not budge, which is often heavy, or consider if you would prefer something that is natural and skin like, and easier to touch up. The majority of people would prefer the more natural option that can be reworked and re-set than a heavy mask that never gets shiny.
What's the most common makeup mistake you see?
Not using skin prep or not using enough. I can tell when someone hasn’t prepped with enough hydration before their foundation!
What do people misunderstand about being a MUA?
People assume it is all luxurious. Spoiler: you have to be really fine with waking up at 3, 4, 5am as a makeup artist.
What advice would you give someone starting out as a MUA and content creator?
Don’t worry about the fear of being perceived. Just start. Try hard, and don’t be afraid to let people see you trying. Trying is cool!
What do you wish the beauty industry did differently?
I wish brands made things simpler for their customers. A foundation sold as “dewy, radiant, luminous,” for example, is rarely going to suit oily or textured skin. Nine times out of ten, it’ll leave you looking and feeling sweaty and sticky, and it can highlight the very things you’re insecure about.
Yes, with the right know-how you can make almost any product work for you, whether that’s through application, primers or mixing it with something else. But most people don’t have time or skill for that. They just want to put something on and walk out the door.
I get why brands avoid saying “best for dry skin” on the label: it instantly cuts out a big chunk of potential buyers. But being transparent and upfront about who a product is really for would build so much more trust in the long run.
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