In a battle between sense and sensibility, makeup artist Jo Baker is choosing the latter.
“I always lean a little bit more sensibility,” she told WWD in an exclusive interview, celebrating the launch of her new collaboration with Estée Lauder, in which both personalities are brought to life in special-edition product bundles, available now. “Working with Daisy [Edgar-Jones], who’s a little sweet and young, I feel like I’m the mama bear that’s like, ‘Yeah, let’s go for a little extra blush and a bit of feeling and mood and pigment in your look.'”
The artist has been baking this “more” mentality into Edgar-Jones’ beauty throughout the “Sense & Sensibility” press tour, painting her face in the same products that are featured in each of the curated assortments. These items include Estée Lauder’s hero Advanced Night Repair, Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation, Essential Eyeshadow Sticks, Futurist Blushmaker Dewy Cheek Tint Liquid Blush and Futurist HydraPlump Tinted Lip Balm. Both collections come wrapped in a powder blue pouch hand-selected by the leading actress herself.
Described as “innocent” and “naive” by Baker, Sense is the attitude of Elinor Dashwood, played by Edgar-Jones in the upcoming film adaptation, premiering Friday. Her beauty, as imagined by Baker in this collaboration, is comprised of three different eye shadow sticks: Rose, Spritz and Latte; two blush colors: Stolen Glance and Across the Dance Floor; and one lip shade: Blush Renewal.
Portrayed as the mature yet provocative sister, Sensibility is Marianne Dashwood, played by Esmé Creed-Miles in the movie. The beauty of “Sensibility” comes alive through Estée Lauder’s Hazlenut, Sugar Plum and Espresso eye shadow sticks, its Elevator Smile and Skinny Dip blush shades, and the Clove Cushion and Cherry Glow lip balm.
While Edgar-Jones was limited to a softer beauty approach in the film, she and Baker have been playing both sides on the carpet, crafting looks to complement her delicate wardrobe and ginger hair color. “We work very much in unison,” Baker said of her, hair architect Bryce Scarlett and stylist Dani Michelle.
“It always starts with what [Edgar-Jones] is wearing. Is it an archival piece? Is it fresh off the runway? Was this custom made for her? All of those things go into account when you’re thinking about how we’re building this look for the carpet,” she continued, referencing the archival Chloé by Stella McCartney outfit circa 1999 that the on-screen star recently wore.
“It took me back to that kind of era that was my late teens in London. Stella McCartney designed that collection, and so I felt so close to it. I thought, ‘What was I wearing back then? What was I feeling?’ and trying to bring a little bit of that ‘regressional’ teen spirit forward.”
For those wanting to perfect Edgar-Jones’ press beauty at home, Baker encouraged consumers to pick up Estée Lauder’s blush tints, specifically. “I would like people to get into the beautiful cream blushes. I’ve been blending colors together. They give you the perfect, soft, bouncy, youthful, glowy look. It doesn’t matter what age you are, whether you’re 15 or 75, those cream blushes will enhance any look this winter and fall, and just gives this beautiful bounce, which I die for,” she said.