Wanting to upskill and become a makeup artist? The GH Academy could be the place for you.

Model getting makeup done at the GH academy

Gabrielle Houghton is a well-known makeup artist located in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, and the owner of a thriving business, ‘Gabrielle Houghton Makeup’. In March 2023 she branched out and set up the ‘GH academy’ to train others.

A year on, the academy offers a boutique range of courses and is continuing to grow in popularity.

Houghton started out small, originally based in her parents’ outdoor room doing makeup for clients, but has worked hard to build the business and her networks.

She also saw opportunities for her business through the changes of technology, like actively using social media as a visual and marketing tool.

The makeup studio is now based on the bottom floor of her own white brick house. The studio is an inviting white minimalist space filled with natural light and industrial lighting, which is both practical and stylish. Designer touches like Philiipe Starck ghost chairs add to the ambience.

Gabrielle Houghton Makeup business sign down the entrance

Gabrielle said “she felt the demand for the academy” after having a couple people reach out and ask if she would ever do anything like it. She also already had experience with teaching as she had been doing lessons and one on one teaching with artists.

The entire process of getting everything written down for the GH academy took roughly 2-3 months. Houghton was dedicated to this, getting up at 6am and staying up till 10pm because she was doing this outside of her other job.

“Getting all of the thoughts down on paper and trying to write it down and explaining to people, was like teaching someone to cut food with a knife and fork. It comes naturally to you but then having to teach it and write about it is a whole other thing”

– GABRIELLE HOUGHTON

The academy takes on three people at a time. She found this is the perfect size group for her studio space and so she can give a lot of one an one help to get people started. Houghton said “with three people you will also get close to your classmates, which is a real asset when you leave because you will have these connections”.

Houghton also mentions how her academy is different from other places because she is still practising her craft. “A lot of teachers that I have seen in other schools are amazing but they are just teaching full time and not doing clients”.

She feels that having lots of current fresh knowledge is important to her teaching, “makeup that is one year old is so dated.”

Participants in the academy will get a kit filled with high end products which contains everything they need to start up doing makeup for clients. Graduates also receive a folder filled with valuable information about business and makeup, discounts on product’s and a diploma certificate.

Houghton also always tries to have her clients leave with some advice about makeup and ensures they are leaving feeling confident.

She is proud that her business is very luxury branded and high end products are used.

The next goal for the fast growing GH academy is getting it online, so people overseas can have access to it. Past students will also have access to this so it can become a digital lookbook.

Houghton’s advice is “Say yes to everything that aligns to you, keep yourself busy all the time, even if you have no clients today. Pick girls that you know are going to be out and taking photos. People will see them out at the clubs and are going to want to ask this girl who did her makeup which creates opportunities for yourself ”.