Emily Wood talks makeup on-the-go and anti-traditional application
Growing up in the North West of England, I have vivid memories of weekends as a teenager spent catching the train to nearby cities with friends. En route, I'd watch young women achieve a full face of glam despite bumpy carriages and ogling from rowdy football fans, hair in rollers, overnight bags in tow. Stealing sly glances, I was in awe—both from a skillset point of view and of their bravery to do all of this in the open, on the go, unfazed by outside opinion. Unfortunately, the act of putting ourselves out there isn't always a learned confidence or a skill we inhabit as we enter adulthood. Daring to stray from the cookie-cutter production line of nice and normal is risky, especially in the realm of makeup. It's perhaps why so many of us fall into the safety net of clean-girl comfort.
Emily Wood is one of the rare ones. The British-born creative and makeup artist has captivated the beauty scene with her innovative, playful, and colourful makeup looks, born from off- kilter application methods and a laissez-faire, enviable approach— the same approach that one would suggest has achieved her older sister, Aimee Lou Wood, soaring levels of stardom. From a young age, her creativity was rewarded and self- expression was never shunned—qualities she has managed to harness and nurture all these years later, thanks to a supportive, influential, tight-knit circle of family and friends.
‘I was raised by eccentric parents and a one-of-a-kind Nana who's completely her own person,’ she tells me. ‘I've always had amazing friends who have seen me deeply. Even when we didn't have the words, we knew how to support and hold each other. I have an amazing older sister, Aimee. She has always been my guiding inspiration and the one I've looked up to my whole life. Together, all of these influences have shaped me and helped me find my creative path.’
A quick scroll down Emily's Instagram feed reveals makeup has always been a constant—spider-leg lashes of 2016 and all. While she admits the instinct and skill have always been there, what's perhaps most commendable is Emily's mindset, and how early on she experienced her lightbulb moment, shifting from a peer- conscious mentality to one that puts her in the driver's seat, blinkers on, super self-assured. ‘I think I was forced to care less,’ she reflects. ‘I did care deeply about what people thought. But eventually I realised that no amount of controlling how I present myself changes how someone else chooses to see me. You can't control perception, and once I really accepted that, things got easier.’
While her scribbled and smudged looks alone are worthy of a follow, what's more compelling is that Emily achieves many of them on the go. From New York fire escapes, stories high, to the very British countryside, Emily's makeup application and locations know no bounds. In fact, it feels odd to imagine her sitting cross- legged in front of the mirror at home. To Emily, there's no such thing as an unusual place to do her makeup.
‘There aren't any limits anymore. If I feel safe, I'll do my makeup anywhere,’ she tells me. And by anywhere, we're talking the fields of Inverness, Scotland, where Emily scribbled liner on her face in front of a herd of Highland cows—the very location that sparked her social media series of sorts, born from both necessity and authenticity. ‘I'm a Taurus, so my cells need the outdoors. I'm also chronically late, so I've always done my makeup on the way to things.’
Emily has carved a niche within the beauty industry, spiking it with playful, anti-traditional methods that remind us beauty need not follow regimented rules—it is, at the end of the day, yours for the taking and interpreting at will. For example, most of her looks don't involve traditional coverage. ‘I build pigment in layers by using cream bases first, then powder on top, and it naturally turns into coverage as it softens. I'm always happy to see real skin.’
Her going-against-the-grain mentality extends to how she uses the products in her makeup arsenal, often in entirely different ways from how they were intended and pioneering the multi-use narrative. ‘I'd rather create depth or contour with blush than bronzer,’ she says, ‘and I love using a highlighting stick under my eyes instead of concealer. I'll scribble lip liner on my lips, cheeks, nose, and even forehead for a sun- kissed glow, and it also works as a base if I want to build a stronger look later.’
The conversation surrounding playful, colourful makeup is at an all-time high, fuelled by the impending return of Euphoria and Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun domination. For Emily, however, her approach isn't trend-driven; it's grounded purely in her assured aesthetic. ‘I notice what's happening visually, but I don't have much desire to replicate it. I think it's because I've never been good at following instructions, so I've had to develop my own systems. I put it down to being dyslexic. I know I need to wear SPF and exfoliate once in a while, but beyond that, I guess I trust my methods.’
From chatting with Emily, I've learned that a lightweight moisturiser is non-negotiable for the best base, and a lash comb is the unexpected but essential tool everyone should have (noted). But my biggest takeaway? Sometimes the best makeup happens when we fully relinquish societal control, giving in to the scribbles and smudges—perfectly imperfect and all the better for it.
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