Cult Creators: In Conversation with Make up Artist Emily Wood

Unbound and a little undone, makeup artist Emily Wood crafts a bold, highly expressive vision of beauty that serves as an antidote to today’s reigning clean girl — provocative, playfully imperfect and prompted entirely by instinct. For Emily, rules are optional: lipliner is scribbled as eyeshadow, eyeshadow is smeared as blush and blush finds its way onto the lips. It's a spontaneity that has catapulted her looks to a cult following online, each candidly applied in the most unexpected of settings: an English rose garden, a boat speeding across the Mediterranean or amid a tide of commuters scuttling across London.

Two images of make up artist Emily Wood shot outside with bold, light-catching make up

Raised in Stockport, Emily credits her mum with first igniting her love for self-expression and inspiring the experimental approach to beauty that shines in her work today — layering a mosaic of hues across the eyes, clashing tones and textures with intention, joyfully spontaneous strokes. “The magic happens when it all clashes and collides,” she tells us, “it’s bold, maybe even intentionally a bit ugly – but that’s what makes it amazing.” Minimal tools, maximum imagination; Emily proves beauty thrives on constant curiosity and play, not by the size of your collection.

With an attitude and aesthetic that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of our More is More campaign, we caught up with the trailblazing make up artist.

On Embracing Bold, Unapologetic Beauty

“It always comes back to radically accepting that being seen is part of the power. When people stare, it’s not always judgment – more often, it’s admiration dressed as confusion. When you carry yourself with presence, people feel it. Not everyone knows how to process confidence or authenticity, especially when it refuses to apologise. But that’s not your burden, your job isn’t to be digestible.”

On the Look She’s Owning This Season

“Every season, I’m all about high-impact eyes. I start with a heavy-duty eyeshadow base to ensure the pigment really pops – bold colour needs something to grip onto. Then I layer bright, statement shades. Everything I need, from shadow primers to ultra-pigmented palettes, I pick up from Cult Beauty.”

On Her Ultimate Maximalist Muse

“Mine is my mum. Without her, I wouldn’t have my sense of humour or my love for frosted textures. She’s worn shimmer on her cheeks, nose and lips every single day of my life. Watching her get ready was my first lesson in beauty as ritual and self-expression.”

On London's Cosiest Bars & Restaurants

“You’ll most likely find me in cosy corners. I’m often at The Duke of Cambridge in Islington (the best organic pub around) or sipping cocktails at 69 Colebrooke Row in Angel. It’s tiny, moody and perfectly tucked away – which is just what I need.”

On Her ‘More-Is-More’ Beauty Mantra

“Mix everything and layer textures – matte, frosted, glossy – across every feature: eyes, lips, cheeks. I don’t believe in highlighting just one thing. The magic happens when it all clashes and collides. It’s bold, maybe even a little deliberately messy – and that’s exactly what makes it amazing.”