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Besotted with Boynton: How Jo Baker and Jenny Cho created an icon

By Sinead Cranna   |  

Ethereal but with an edge. That’s the best I could come up with when trying to describe actress Lucy Boynton’s ‘look.’ The truth is Boynton doesn’t seem to want to be put in a box, which makes describing her style difficult. What you can expect is the unexpected. The fledgling style icon has made a name for herself mixing pretty pastels and soft brows with hard graphic lines and spidery lashes. Creating these cutting-edge looks are beauty heavyweight Jo Baker and hairstylist extraordinaire Jenny Cho. The two have lit a fire beneath the – frankly – perpetually boring award season and made beauty editors everywhere sit up and take notice.

Here’s how they did it…

LOS ANGELES - JAN 27:  Lucy Boynton at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA
Lucy is pictured at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in January of this year. Image credit: kathclick/Bigstock.com

Golden Globes

Boynton was a relatively unknown actress who starred in under-the-radar films like Sing Street and Apostle before Bohemian Rhapsody and a romance with Rami Malek catapulted her into the spotlight. Amid a sea of expected and ordinary out walked Boynton at the Golden Globes with a killer bob and daring eye-makeup – she had officially arrived. The mastermind behind said bob is Jenny Cho, hairstylist to the stars. You may not recognise the name but you’ll know her looks. She’s responsible for some of the best hair in the biz. From Emilia Clarke’s pixie cut to Amanda Seyfried’s undone waves, Cho is Hollywood’s go-to stylist for effortlessly modern looks. Boynton’s plunging gold Celine gown was the perfect partner for Cho’s creation, a classic bob with light layers that cut off abruptly at the chin. A precise centre parting and loose textured waves framed Boynton’s face.

Look away from the bob – it’s hard, I know – and Jo Baker’s artistry comes to the fore. A make-up artist beloved by risk-taking actresses, Baker has created red carpet looks for the likes of Natalie Portman and Emmy Rossum. Her Golden Globes look for Boynton put the actress on every beauty editor’s radar. Baker paired a precise arch in the crease of Boynton’s eye with a soft wash of caramel and golden tones on her lids. The graphic black line and more mellow blended shades were unexpectedly harmonious. Texture was a big part of this look too. Baker brushed up Boynton’s brows so they were soft and feathery, and again juxtaposed this softness with lashings of mascara to create spidery black lashes.

Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Awards

It’s usually an affectation to suggest somebody has dazzled, but at the LA Online Film Critics Society Awards, Boynton shone bright. Her glam squad took inspiration from icons David Bowie and Edie Sedgwick for the actresses’ glittery look. Once again it was all about the eyes as Baker created firework-like flecks of silver glitter underneath Lucy’s brows and beneath the lower lash line. These streaks of light mimicked Boynton’s dress, which had delicate silver beading and pretty grey straps. Her trademark brushed up brows were back as were those thick lashes. This time around Baker opted for a slick of natural gloss on Boynton’s lips, which had a silvery sheen.

Whereas the makeup called to mind David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, Cho decided to take her cue from actress and model, Edie Sedgwick. Lucy’s bob was swept back with two feminine braids and fixed in place with a star applique headband. A few soft wisps of hair remained loose to create a cool gamine look.

Lucy Boynton and Rami Malek at the 91st Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles, USA on February 24, 2019
Lucy and Rami Malek are pictured at the 91st Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles in February of this year. Image credit: Starfrenzy/Bigstock.com

Rodarte Show, LA

The Rodarte Show in LA was a fashion moment for Boynton, so her makeup and hair needed to support rather than steal the show. Jenny Cho and Jo Baker had the unenviable task of creating a look to pair with Boynton’s dress – which was a riot of tiered skirts, bouffant sleeves, black overlay, pink accents, and polka dots.

Baker chose the background pink notes in the dress and ran with them, creating an easy-going and playful vibe. Warming peach tones were blended over the lids and extended outwards. Flawless skin with just a hint of blush and a healthy lit-from-within highlight was the ideal pairing with creamy nude lips. Cho delivered what has become Boynton’s signature look – a choppy textured bob tucked behind one ear in an effortlessly cool and undone way. Once again Boynton, with the help of Cho and Baker, stole the show and secured her spot as the standout beauty star of 2019’s awards season.

Image credit at the very top of the article: kathclick/Bigstock.com