First taught by a Nana who saw beauty as generosity, Emily Wood, the maximalist London-based makeup artist believes mistakes are shortcuts, frequently loses lash curlers, and swears by three coats of mascara.
If you had three minutes to do your own face, what would you apply?
I’d start with a rich moisturiser followed by To Save Face MECCA SPF50+. While that’s soaking in, I’d load my lashes with three layers of MILK Makeup Kush mascara. As it dries, I’d scribble and smudge a warm brown lip liner, Lisa Eldridge’s 2N lip pencil is my go-to, across my forehead, cheeks, and nose and then of course I’d frame around my lips and smudge that in too. Next, a quick tap of highlighter, 1999 Beauty’s Perla which is like nothing else, across my nose and cheekbones. I always go back to the lashes, curling them again, pulsing until they feel lifted and alive, then combing through with a lash separator. UK Lash is my favourite. To finish, I’d add Dewy Flush by Glow Recipe for that perfect glow.
What’s the last beauty product you purchased?
A Tweezerman eyelash curler. I lose them constantly so it’s less a tool and more a recurring cost of being me.
How were you introduced to makeup? Who or what has shaped your feelings towards beauty?
I was introduced to makeup mainly through my Nana. She’s always adored beauty. She used to volunteer in a mental health facility, giving facials and doing makeup for people there. From a young age, she showed me how beauty and connection are deeply linked. She taught me that sharing your practice is an act of generosity, and that makeup is often more about the process than the final look.
Was there an artist early on that inspired you to pursue this career?
Cindy Sherman was one of the earliest artists who made me think differently about identity and transformation and the power of self-image. Her work showed me that makeup can be storytelling. That idea of using the face as a canvas to explore and shift identity has stuck with me.
The single best piece of makeup advice you can share with aspiring artists?
Not every look needs to be a masterpiece. Often, it’s about messing up so you can problem-solve your way out of it and not repeat the mistake. It helps you find your own shortcuts in the long run. Consistency teaches more than perfection ever will.
The best makeup look of all time is…
When every feature is activated and makeup goes all the way up to the brow, with every area of the face stacked with different textures. I love the contrast of finishes. Like a frosted mouth framed with matte lip line, a powdery matte flush on the apples of the cheeks blending up to a highlight on the cheekbone, a matte lid paired with a metallic or bright brow bone. It’s about clashing textures as much as colours.
Who or what has shaped your feelings towards beauty?
Moving to London changed everything for me. Being around my best friends, most of whom are queer and neurodivergent, showed me that beauty isn’t about performing for others and it’s about defining it for yourself. Seeing how radically themselves they are taught me that authenticity is the strongest kind of beauty. That completely changed how I approach makeup.
How would you describe your makeup ethos?
My makeup ethos is about turning emotion into action. I do my makeup on the go, in real time and often when I’m feeling overwhelmed. Most of the time, it’s about escape or just feeling like myself again. I don’t separate makeup from my mental state because it’s all connected.
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What’s inspiring you right now?
Right now, I’m sitting on the sofa watching my boyfriend sew a matching denim shirt for a pair of trousers he made himself. Watching him escape into his creative world touches me deeply. It makes me feel safe enough to do the same. Sewing is just a hobby for him, but he’s incredible at it. He’s so devoted, always considering fabrics and stitches with care. It reminds me how important it is to have things that hold you, especially when life gets hard. That inspires me to keep adding to my own creative toolbox, so I always have somewhere to return to.
What’s been your most memorable day on set? Tell me about a moment that has defined your career thus far.
A defining moment in my career was when 3ina booked me for their mascara campaign. At the time, I didn’t have a big following, but I was consistently posting my bold, maximalist looks and filming on-the-go and they noticed. It was my first campaign in front of the camera. That experience shifted something in me, both personally and professionally.
If you could only have five products in your kit, what would they be?
A rich brown lip liner, an eyelash curler, mascara, blusher and a lash separator. I wouldn’t even try to make a maximalist product list because, to me, the foundation of an amazing look always comes back to those key basics. They might seem simple, but they’re essential. Once you have those fundamentals down, you can build anything from there.
What makeup rule annoys you the most?
That you can’t curl your lashes with mascara on.
