GABRIELLA BORDO
Makeup Artist & Beauty Mentor
About
I LOVE what I do and always have. Humans, women especially, are powerful and magical. it is my honor to work with and make your creative dreams a reality. I am delighted that you are here.
Makeup is an accessory.
It should be fun and interesting, always.
As women, our worth and self-perception rely so heavily on our looks and makeup is a massive component of that equation. My mission for my consulting clients is to nurture healthy relationships between humans their self-image and makeup, foster a foundation of beauty based on health first - products second, help guide you through the saturated sea of products, and teach you how to use them!
For my makeup artistry services and commercial clients, I offer a truly professional makeup artist in Chattanooga, TN with the skill, background, professionalism, and work ethic that you’d expect in a larger city.
All that aside I endeavor to be kind, exude positivity, create beautiful art, teach others to heal, and invest in the well-being and happiness of each of my clients, big or small.
After 14+ years of doing makeup, I have developed a novel vision for my artistry. I believe in freckles and lines. I believe in dewy, fresh skin that looks like skin, eyebrows that look like eyebrows, lashes that look like lashes, and humans that look like humans. I believe makeup is an accessory, never a mask. It should be fun, interesting, and boost self-esteem, always. If you’d like help with your beauty routine and makeup wardrobe, let’s work together!
Hello friend, I am Gabriella.
Quick fire get to know me
Plant whisperer.
I LOVE roller skating (my skate name is Sunshine).
Cappuccinos & bubble water forever.
Favorite author: Anne Rice.
“News” is not my jam.
Sci-fi is.
Birkenstocks and expensive blazers.
Neri Oxman and yungpueblo are life.
I have two fancy handwriting styles.
I am obsessed with white flowers.
Cleo Wade is my doppelganger.
Capricorn or Cancer rising if that matters.
Enneagram 3w4.
Santal 33.
I detest capital “G”s.
Call me if you want to bounce your dreams off of another brain.
Rap is my favorite but My Jim James holds my heart.
Bittersweet symphony.
Better in person than on paper, hands down.
I LOVE PEOPLE.
and animals.
and anything living.
NO COCKROACHES.
I love talking about myself, so if I missed anything, just ask.
Background & Experience
I stumbled into makeup at a very young age. Watching my mamaw and mothers paint their faces every day, each unique to them. Some were bold and eyecatching while others were refined and understaed. Naturally, I landed soemwhere in the middle and so did my artistry. Art runs in the family. I am among incredible painters, sketch artists, calligraphers, knife makers, and am a painter myself. Between watching Martha Stewart put a room together, my aunt paint rocks, my mother paint her eyes, and my uncle sketch buildings and carve jewelry, I have always had an innate flair for design and artistry. It has been a gift and skill that I have nurtured and enjoyed not only as a profession but also as a hobby.
I am a native Chattanoogan! I studied Interior Architecture, Biology, Nutrition, natural medicine, and fine art at UTC and various universities across the country.
I am also a United States Army Veteran. I served my country as a Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Specialist. That was my actual job title. For all my fellow battle buddies, that’s a 74 Delta, Hooah!
With over 14 years in the beauty industry, I’ve worn many (very stylish) hats:
Luxury beauty artist, regional brand educator, film and commercial makeup artist, graphic designer, consultant, and creative director. Every role has shaped how I show up for my clients today—with precision, passion, and a deeply human approach to beauty.
I began my career in 2011 with Chanel, where I quickly rose to become a regional artist. I later joined the ranks at MAC, Bobbi Brown, Dior, and Calvin Klein, sharpening my artistry across a diverse range of faces and formats. My skincare knowledge expanded at university and while working with Philosophy, and I stepped into the world of luxury fragrance with Initio Parfums Privés and Parfums de Marly.
I’ve been the go-to artist for:
Destination weddings (including a full wedding in Greece)
Film + television, including Every House Is Haunted (SXSW 2023) and Dolly in the Woods (2024) featuring Seann William Scott and Ethan Suplee
Editorial + commercial campaigns for businesses across Chattanooga
High-touch private clients who want makeup that feels effortless, elegant, and uniquely tailored
Beyond makeup, I’m also a self-taught graphic designer and brand strategist. I’ve built countless brand identities, websites, and digital assets—including my own. I served as Director of Digital Design & Marketing for Melanie Casey Jewelry, where I led design strategy and learned the backbone of creative business from the inside out.
Whether you’re coming to me for bridal makeup, commercial work, or a beauty consult with a side of branding advice—I bring the same clarity, curiosity, and attention to detail to everything I do.
