Makeup Guru Emily Wood Tells Us How to Survive as a Celebrity Sibling

Emily Wood might look familiar. But the 28-year-old makeup artist, who happens to be the younger sister of The White Lotus standout Aimee Lou Wood, is used to the comparison. “It’s leveled up, but it’ll settle again soon,” she messaged me last week. “Radical acceptance!!!!!!” That’s not just her motto for being a celebrity sibling; it’s also her approach to TikTok, where 118,000 followers watch her apply makeup in subway cars, elevators, and fire escapes—anywhere but a bathroom mirror. The self-proclaimed “face decorator” has mastered the art of looking effortlessly undone, an antidote to the litany of clean girls that populate the app. Just before finding out if her sister dies on the season finale (no spoilers here!), we slid into Wood’s DMs to ask about her least favorite makeup trends, Rhode versus Rare Beauty, and why TikTok is “health anxiety central.”

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EMMA STOUT: Hi, ready to get started?

EMILY WOOD: Yes hiii.

STOUT: A/S/L?

WOOD: 28/Female/London.

STOUT: I read that you and your sis were roommates in London. Is that still happening?

WOOD: We are not roommates. We live close to each other. The space is essential. I now live with a best friend. 

STOUT: What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in your spacious London flat?

WOOD: If I’m not working I’ll lay down for an unwell amount of time. Procrastinate going for a wee, then eventually peel myself out of bed and brush my teeth. I have stopped drinking caffeine on an empty stomach, but sadly that means I have to make myself breakfast. So the first few hours of my day I’m often hungry and groggy! So nice ❤️ If I’m working, I hate being late (even though I often am) and I usually get up a bit earlier. Before the commute I’ll get myself a croissant and coffee. I’m really emotionally regulated on those days.

STOUT: I love a routine but also hate breakfast. Let’s boycott it.

WOOD: It’s important for us. We’re fuckin our hormones up.

STOUT: So you lay in bed and get on which app?

WOOD: Usually Instagram. I’ve banned myself from scrolling on TikTok. I post and leave. It’s health anxiety central.

STOUT: What’s on your TikTok feed?

WOOD: It’s really not looking good at the moment. Ofc watching too many videos on diseases. My friend said I could reset my algorithm. Do you know if we can? Can’t figure it out.

STOUT: I think that’s just called a lobotomy x

WOOD: Something to look forward to. Me and fellow poorly frontal lobed girlies.

STOUT: Re: health anxiety, what’s a website everyone should know about?

WOOD: EMDR therapy has changed my life. Really useful for people with CPTSD. It helps you access bad memories and reprocess and essentially “repair” the mental soreness.

STOUT: Love. FYI I did my makeup with my fingers this morning in honor of you…

WOOD: I love it so much. Did you do it outside?

STOUT: In the subway, actually, which is kinda your specialty.

WOOD: So exciting. Freeing?

STOUT: Absolutely divinely feminine. 

WOOD: I feel calmer applying my makeup in public. Even in the lift. I think I need the external stimulation. The adrenaline that somebody might buzz it…

STOUT: What’s your favorite place to do your makeup?

WOOD: I think my boyfriend’s fire escape. The light is perfect even when it’s cloudy. Also I love knowing he’s just a climb through the window away. The ultimate goal for all my makeup videos is for them to have majestic big bold backdrops so height is important, and he’s five floors up.

STOUT: Amazing. What were your last 3 Google searches?

WOOD: Here’s my search page.

STOUT: Fruity booty is so good. I bought a bra of theirs and it’s fab.

WOOD: Coziest brand in the world. I worked with them recently.

STOUT: Omg you’re staying booked. I just saw the Burberry campaign you did with your sister. What’s your motto with makeup?

WOOD: Ok, my motto in life is “radical acceptance.” And I think I have applied that to my makeup journey too. Like welcoming it all, the imperfect textures and messy application. I will say, though, I am a perfectionist. I think my work is perceived in a specific way, being very “unapologetic,” which is true. But I do hone in on the most nuanced details. Some days I’ll just post it anyway and surrender. I allow myself to dislike it and keep it for myself. I was just about to say, nobody cares about our imperfections as much as we do. But then I was like, people DO get charged by them in the comments sections…

STOUT: Do you read your comments?

WOOD: I do read them. Me fibbing earlier when I said I post and leave. Ofc I watch the thing I’ve posted 20+ times and then check how it’s doing.

STOUT: The funniest comments are like, “She looks like the girl from Sex Education.”

WOOD: I know. It’s been long enough now that I’m like ✌️. As in being the sibling of somebody famous. It’s levelled up, but it’ll settle again soon. Radical acceptance!!!!!!

STOUT: Can you send a pic of your fav makeup look?

WOOD: Loved this one.

STOUT: Are you a Rhode or Rare Beauty girl?

WOOD: Rhode. Have you tried the lip shape liner? Nicest thing in the world maybe. The chunkiness makes the perfect multi-use liner imo.

STOUT: I haven’t but I’m intrigued. Money or clout?

WOOD: Money. But if I stay in this current work rhythm, which is creating my videos, I need to have influence/clout to make money from the videos? Frightened of that thought. I just want coziness. I’m a Taurus. Keen to have a small antique shop that mainly sells vintage lamps by the seaside.

STOUT: I’ve noticed you’re a big fan of pastels. What’s your color for spring?

WOOD: Mint green forever.

STOUT: Read receipts: on or off?

WOOD: OFF. Allergic to being perceived. And if anybody dares message me back as soon as I’ve messaged them, we’re done xx. What about you?

STOUT: Instagram DMs are kinda scary that way, the read receipts are always on.

WOOD: Yeah you know what is so rotten for people? When they find out that marking the IG message as “unread” doesn’t actually mark it as unread. Sorry for anybody receiving this news right now. Really tough, I know.

STOUT: What’s the strangest DM you’ve received?

WOOD: I get messages like, “We have the same skin texture.” I’m like okey doke ❤️ But the DMs are nuts and by that I mean my IG notifications are off so I rarely see previews of messages. I shamefully let the DMs build up because I’m overwhelmed and tired and these symptoms make me avoidant. Most of my messages say that I have “4+ messages” from people which is unfortunately terrifying to me. I’ve never really used this IG account to connect with people in a flirtatious way although I receive at least one message a day with sugar daddy offers? Are they a scam? No idea xx

STOUT: Can you send the last meme you screenshotted?

WOOD:

STOUT: Dead. What makeup influencers should we be watching?

WOOD: Frankie Darling, urgalsal_ [Salwa Rahman], Garance Murru, and maytahmi [May Akhtar].

STOUT: Least favorite trend atm?

WOOD: Any “red lip” trend I struggle with.

STOUT: And last question: what’s your password 😉

WOOD: Livelaughlove.