Breaking Beauty Podcast | Episode Summary

Episode Title: Meet Emily Wood, 2025's Breakout Makeup Artist and Instagram’s Scribbling "Face Decorator"
Hosts: Jill Dunn & Carlene Higgins (Dear Media)
Guest: Emily Wood (London-born makeup artist and Instagram content creator)
Date: November 12, 2025

Overview

This episode spotlights Emily Wood, a London-based makeup artist rapidly gaining attention for her bold, expressive, and joyfully chaotic approach to makeup—eschewing foundation for “maximalist color on a minimalist face.” Known on Instagram as a "face decorator," Emily shares the story behind her creative evolution, her emotive use of makeup, viral sisterly revelations, and practical tips for making bold color wearable. The conversation is candid, vibrant, and brimming with both technique and heartfelt discussion about beauty, self-expression, and neurodiversity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Emily’s Unique Style and Rise to Fame

• Redefining 'Clean Beauty':

  • Emily’s method goes beyond “no-makeup” trends: she skips foundation, favoring saturated color on clear skin.
  • "She’s really using color, like maximalist color, but it’s on a minimalist face... her style is to not wear foundation, but to use a lot of color." —Carlene [01:08]

• Editorial Credentials & Influence:

  • Profiled in V Magazine and Luk, worked with brands like Google Pixel and Zalando, and led masterclasses for 1999 Beauty.
  • Her approach is being emulated by other influencers—her rising influence is visible and acknowledged.
  • "When I’m just seeing her style being ripped off by so many creators now... you can’t scroll past one of Emily’s videos." —Jill [01:57]

2. Early Inspirations & Emotional Connections

• Family Roots:

  • Emily credits her “very glamourful” Nana and Mum, both of whom had unique, expressive approaches to beauty.
  • Nana worked in hospitals giving facials to menopausal women, merging care and beauty.
  • "I’m completely mirroring and copying my mother... it’s her style and approach that has inspired me." —Emily [08:10]

• Artistic Healing:

  • Drawing inspiration from Frida Kahlo, Emily uses makeup as a means of processing pain (including her own scoliosis diagnosis and surgery at thirteen).
  • "Her... using her art as a way to really heal and deal with her pain... I connect to her because of her artistry." —Emily [13:18]

3. The Intentionality Behind Seeming Chaos

• Precision Within Messiness:

  • Though her style appears relaxed, Emily describes herself as a “massive perfectionist” who spends significant time on blending and editing.
  • "I think my work is perceived in this very unapologetic way. Which... it definitely is in lots of ways, but I definitely suffer from the perfectionist." —Emily [09:21]

• Neurodiversity as Creative Fuel:

  • Dyslexia and neurodiversity shape not only her problem-solving skills but her intuitive, mirror-free application style.
  • "I think people with dyslexia... are really good at problem solving because the way we think isn’t conventional... I’ve always done [painting and drawing], and the same kind of approach is applied with my makeup." —Emily [10:02]

4. Viral Moments & The Amy Lou Wood Connection

• Sisterly Bond:

  • The public discovered that Emily and “White Lotus”/“Sex Education” actress Amy Lou Wood are sisters via a viral makeup video.
  • They grew up doing each other’s makeup, bonded by their mum’s ritualistic beauty habits.
  • "We both struggle with our mental health... and in a work environment, it’s just way more exacerbated... So we... preserve the sisterhood. Boundary." —Emily [20:39]

• Handling Fame & Recognition:

  • Navigating mistaken identity (fans thinking she is Amy); comedy and anxiety ensue.
  • "Every corner I turn, especially in Manhattan, the celebrity culture... people go berserk... it can just feel a bit too much, very overwhelming." —Emily [16:26–17:23]

5. Practical Tips: Making Bold Color Wearable

Emily’s Go-To Look (Process and Favorite Products):

• Lashes:

  • Layers Kush Mascara by Milk, curls with Tweezerman curler (no mirror needed), and separates with an eyelash comb.
  • "Curled lash is just, like, the most chic thing." —Emily [27:56]

• Skin:

  • No foundation—prefers flushed “faux sunburn” across nose, cheeks, forehead.
  • Loves Katie Jane Hughes’s Smudge Sticks and Victoria Beckham’s liquid blush.
  • "I want to see my pores. I don’t mind a spot out... I just love it and I think... it’s so ethereal." —Emily [28:46]

• Lips & Liner:

  • Uses lip liner (often Merit’s Capricorn) diffusely, mimicking a lived-in, just-snogged blur rather than harsh edges.
  • "I love a diffused line. Everything very seamless. Like, it doesn’t—you can’t really tell where the end is." —Emily [32:27]

• Texture Preference:

  • Eschews balmy finishes for matte, prefers pigmented, powdery, “cloudy” effects.
  • Likes powder blush (not cream), especially for color layering.

• Color Placement:

  • Playful, freeform color placement: scribbling with liners over cheeks, eyes, even forehead.
  • "It’s pigment, isn’t it?... If it’s easy to blend on your lip, then it’s gonna blend on your cheeks and your forehead." —Emily [34:07]

• Favorite Palettes:

  • Nudibay (42-color palettes) and Anastasia Beverly Hills for pigment-rich, multi-use shades.

6. Product, Brand, and Collaboration Dreams

• Fantasy Collaboration:

  • Dreams of creating a multi-use liner collection with Pat McGrath.
  • "It would probably be the neutrals that you can add a flush with a contrasting color... They’d be creamy but long-lasting; you could easily manipulate them." —Emily [41:05]

• Fashion-Beauty Crossover:

  • Would love to be part of a Vivienne Westwood beauty line.
  • "If Vivienne Westwood wanted to do... a beauty line, that would be the... house of—okay—it would be heaven." —Emily [44:17]

7. Inspiration & Pop Culture

• Media Influences:
  • Recently captivated by Netflix’s “Too Much” and Meg Stalter’s “blocky, scribbly” makeup in the series.
  • "The way she wore her makeup completely embodied what was going on in her life... It was scribbly, it was imperfect, but that... the shapes were rigid and textured, and I think they really nailed that." —Emily [45:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I have been curling my eyelashes, guys, since I was about 12; they would live in my blazer pocket... pulsing my eyelash curlers to a point where I am absolutely for curling my lashes with mascara on." —Emily [11:42]

• “My work is perceived in this very unapologetic way... but I definitely suffer from the perfectionist.” —Emily [09:21]

• "I use makeup as a way to process emotions. It’s my escape and it’s how I regulate...what I go back to when I’m struggling.” —Emily [11:10]

• "If you're doing, like, a really bold maximalist look—take that pigment all the way to the brow bone. Use the lid space... Use up all that space. That's how to quite easily elevate a look."
  —Emily [42:25]

• "I love seeing skin. I want to see my pores... I just love it, and I think it’s so ethereal."
  —Emily [28:46]

• "We just needed to grow up and mature. And it was actually the best thing we ever did [setting work boundaries with Amy]."
  —Emily [21:47]

Handy Timestamps

• Emily’s Aesthetic and Approach: [01:08]–[02:43]
• Family Beauty Rituals & Inspiration: [07:24]–[09:12]
• Perfectionism vs. “Effortless” Application: [09:19]–[10:02]
• Frida Kahlo’s Influence & Makeup for Healing: [13:06]–[14:33]
• Sister Amy Lou Wood & Viral Reveal: [15:02]–[19:49]
• Practical Application Tips & Routine: [26:17]–[34:07]
• Pat McGrath Collab Dream: [38:48]–[41:31]
• Favorite Brands/Products: [27:56]–[32:09]
• Vivienne Westwood Inspiration: [44:17]
• Rapid-Fire 'This or That' Game: [46:32]–[47:54]

Conclusion

Emily Wood’s interview is a lively, insightful exploration of what it means to innovate with color, embrace imperfection, and honor the emotional roots of beauty rituals. Her candid discussion of family, neurodiversity, and personal boundaries provides meaningful context for her striking artistry, making this episode essential listening for anyone interested in the culture and heart behind the latest beauty trends.

For full demos and visual techniques, check out the video episode on Breaking Beauty’s YouTube channel.