Pippa Woods is a hair and makeup designer with 18+ years of experience in TV and film. She recently designed for Damsel on Netflix, and on TV shows including Willow, Fleabag, and Poldark. In film, Pippa has supervised on Bond: No Time to Die, Dr. Doolittle, and Last Christmas, and has worked on both the Harry Potter and Hobbit franchises. She began her career working on student films and music videos, and has dedicated time to specialize in wig making and prosthetics. As someone who entered the industry without any contacts, she is passionate about passing on her skills and knowledge to others and widening access points to the industry.

*This interview is in partnership with Damsel, a Netflix film released on March 8th, 2024 starring and executive produced by Millie Bobby Brown. Watch it on Netflix today!

EiE: In just a few words or sentences, tell us who you are. 

Pippa: My name is Pippa Woods and I am a hair and makeup designer for TV and Film.

How did you get into on-screen hair + makeup? What education, training or certifications did you complete as your career evolved?

I fell in love with hair and makeup when I worked at Disneyland Paris as a princess. That job made me want to work in the [hair and makeup] industry, so I came back to London to train at Barnet College in North London. From there, I went into working on short films and music videos. I have continuously upskilled throughout my career, from extensive wig making and wig dressing training, to afro hair and barbering courses, as well as continuously learning from others on the job. 

You’re quite the artist when it comes to special effects makeup! Do you enjoy the challenge of SFX makeup? What’s one of your most memorable SFX moments?

I really enjoy the more subtle side of SFX work. The big gory stuff is obviously fun, but I love it when it is done so subtly that people think it’s real. This is definitely the challenging bit—and my favorite part! My favorite SFX memory is the scar and distorted eye we did for Tholly on Poldark. It just blended in so seamlessly with the rest of his character, and was a joy to apply every day!

Can you walk us through your typical day on the job?

We usually arrive around 6am and set up our stations for the day. We unblock the wigs that need to be use—and then get on the coffee! We then do “the call” which is when we get all of the actors ready for the filming day in whatever look they are in for the first scene, and then we head to set with them. While filming, we keep an eye on the cast to make sure they look as they should. We take lots of photos to make sure we can match their look if we do it again another day, and we generally touch up their makeup or prosthetics if we need to. At the end of the day, we de-rig the cast and after they have gone home, we set everything up for the next day. We redress wigs, refill prosthetics, and make sure our stations are ready to go for the next day—when we do it all again! 

Having worked on a variety of blockbuster movies and popular shows, ex: Damsel, No Time to Die, Fleabag, what’s your favorite project to date? Why?

They all hold so many different wonderful memories, so it’s tricky to choose! Fleabag was a really special one because it was such a small crew, so it felt like one little family. The cast and crew were wonderful. After the first season did so well, the second season just felt like such a special reunion. Although it was quite a simple one in terms of hair and makeup, it was just such a lovely project to work on because of the people. From a working point of view, I really enjoyed Poldark. It was one of the first period dramas I worked on, and getting to create all the hairstyles of the era was a bit of a dream come true. We also had a great amount of prosthetics to do and because we didn’t have much money to spend, we made most of them ourselves which was so satisfying at the end of it all.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career and give your past self a piece of advice, what would you say?

Just keep going. Keep turning up, working hard, and being kind to yourself and other people—and it will all continue to fall into place.

How would you describe your personal hair + makeup style? Do you like to experiment, keep it subtle, have a specific go-to look?

I really enjoy minimal hair and makeup looks; I like to do subtle things that make a big impact. I like big, bold silhouettes that aren’t fussy. I find these are the most striking things to see on camera, too.

What was your approach to the hair + makeup for Damsel? What sort of products were essential to the looks we see on screen, and where did their inspiration come from?

I really wanted Damsel to feel like it was a fantasy world. I usually like things to be pretty simple, but this was a chance to play and create something different. It had to feel otherworldly and exciting, but not unbelievable. The products that really carried the looks through were dirt and water spray! We had to believe this was a tough journey for Elodie [Millie Bobby Brown]. She couldn’t stay clean! The inspiration was from your classic fairy tales: Princess Bride, Willow, all of those classics. They really knew how to do it!

Do you have any favorite moments or memories from your time on-set for Damsel?

The vineyard in Portugal was just breathtaking; that was probably the most memorable part. It was just so peaceful and beautiful, and we all felt really lucky to be there. Those are the kind of moments when you really feel like you have the best job in the world. 

Describe your perfect day.

I’d wake up with cuddles from the dogs, then I’d drink a cup of coffee while sitting in the garden enjoying the view. I’d spend most of the day listening to records and flitting between various crafty projects, and would take breaks to cook delicious food. After a big country woodland dog walk with maybe a pub dinner at the end, I’d have a relaxing evening flipping through books on the couch with my girlfriend and the dogs while we have a movie on in the background. It might seem like a simple day to some, but when work is so intense, these days are what you crave!

Any advice for folks pursuing a similar career?

I’ve found the key is to not think too much about where you want to end up. Try not to force anything. I’ve always found pleasure in what I was doing at the time; no matter how small the job was, I still enjoyed the work and the people around me. I was never worried if I wasn’t where I thought I would be by that specific time. Everything goes exactly as it should, and you always end up in the place that’s right for you. Trust the process.

How can we best follow along with your work?

@pipwoods on IG is where I post my work and lots of hair and makeup tutorials. There are loads of videos on kit organization and ‘how to’ videos for any budding artists out there!

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