Meet Houston

Co-Founder + Chief Beauty Officer | huesxhouston

My love affair with makeup began long before I ever imagined making a career out of it. It started with my grandmother. Growing up on our family’s ranch in Texas, I watched my beautiful grandmother do what she called “putting her face on” every single morning. She was Southern through and through. The kind of woman who wouldn’t dream of heading into town without her makeup on, her hair fixed, and a little lipstick. And not just any lipstick. She loved a good red lip. It didn’t matter what the day had in store. She believed in getting up, getting dressed, and looking your best. And I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She would let me dig through her makeup, play with her lipsticks, and eventually, she even let me do her makeup. Little did either of us know those mornings spent together would become the foundation for everything that followed.

By the time I was 13, I was doing makeup for friends at our family’s ranch before homecoming dances, special occasions, and just about any excuse we could find to get dressed up. I started charging for my work, and somewhere along the way, what began as a childhood obsession became something I knew I wanted to do for the rest of my life. At 19, I packed my bags and headed to New York City with big dreams and every intention of making them happen. I began freelancing with MAC Cosmetics and eventually landed a fashion and beauty internship at Domino magazine, where I had the incredible opportunity to work alongside editors in the Condé Nast world. There I was, a young Texas girl riding the elevator to the seventh floor of the Condé Nast building alongside Anna Wintour herself, who, I’m fairly certain, did not approve of my wardrobe choices. But I was in New York, living my dream, and absolutely loving every minute of it.

From editorial photo shoots to New York Fashion Week, I was getting a firsthand education in an industry I had admired for as long as I could remember. And then came one of those moments I’ll never forget. I met Bobbi Brown. She was my idol. I walked right up to her, told her exactly that, and asked if she would hire me. She hired me on the spot. That opportunity changed the trajectory of my career. I went on to work with Bobbi Brown in SoHo, at what was then the highest-grossing Bobbi Brown counter in the country. The experience, education, artistry, and relationships I gained during those years helped shape the artist and businesswoman I am today.

Eventually, Texas called me home. While raising my three children, I continued my career with Bobbi Brown before taking another leap of faith and going out on my own. Over the years, I built an incredible clientele, working with women from all walks of life, beautiful brides, editorial teams, photographers, and brands. My work and career have been featured in ELLE magazine’s Hometown Heroes issue, Traditional Home, Style Me Pretty, and The Knot. In 2012, I was honored as Best Makeover Guru by Austin Monthly, featured in its Best of Beauty issue celebrating 36 of Austin’s beauty pioneers. Those moments have been incredible, but some of the most meaningful parts of my career have happened quietly, sitting across from a woman in my makeup chair. Helping someone see just how beautiful she already is never gets old.

As the years went on, my career naturally grew beyond the makeup chair. Through social media, I’ve had the opportunity to share my love of beauty, the products I genuinely believe in, the techniques I’ve spent decades perfecting, and a little bit of my life along the way. What began as sharing makeup tips has grown into a community of women who trust me, encourage me, and have followed along through so many different seasons of life. And that brings me to HUES.

After more than 25 years in the beauty industry, I’m stepping into one of the most exciting chapters of my career as the Co-Founder and Chief Beauty Officer of HUES X HOUSTON. HUES was born from a desire to take everything I’ve learned over the years and share it in a way that feels approachable, personal, and genuinely useful. Through beauty education, thoughtfully developed tools, and the techniques I’ve built my career around, I want to give women the confidence and knowledge to create beautiful makeup on their own terms. Because I’ve always believed makeup should enhance who you are, never hide it.

I have so much gratitude for the extraordinary people who have believed in me, cheered me on, opened doors, trusted me with their faces, and encouraged me to keep dreaming bigger. None of this happens alone, and I certainly haven’t gotten here without a whole lot of love and support along the way. I’m incredibly proud of where I’ve been, but even more excited about where we’re going. And sometimes I think about that little girl sitting beside her grandmother, completely mesmerized by a red lipstick and a makeup mirror. I don’t think she had any idea what was coming. But I think she’d be pretty proud.

With love,

Houston