Stonehouse, the New Zealand–born Australia-based makeup artist, and Cripps-Jackson, the New Zealand–born London-based hair stylist, appear to have filled their lives with absolute splendour. For the past decade, the two have firmly nestled themselves within the beauty industry, cultivating a strong presence in fashion, music and commerce sectors.

Beauty is nature’s fact. Emily Dickinson wrote these words into ‘The earth has many keys.’ In this line, she appears to be receiving wisdom. She seems to be looking upon beauty as a discovery of truth. Like a pirate uncovering treasure, she stands in awe of what she sees. If they could, and if Dickinson were still alive, Lochie Stonehouse and Sky Cripps-Jackson would join her in this gesture. They too would cast their eyes and renounce beauty as a serious cause—a pervasive, essential quality that could truly permeate the world. I come to wonder whether they already have. Besides their mutual birthplace, the two creatives have a lot in common: they both value research, possess a catalogue of illustrious clients, travel for inspiration and turn to history to hone their craft. Here, they convey their insights and share the facts of their own journeys with beauty.

RACHEL WEINBERG What does beauty mean to you? 

SKY CRIPPS-JACKSON A feeling I use to create a story. 

RW What stories do you wish to tell? 

SC-J I wish to tell the tale of the ultimate feminine. A sensual, experimental, romantic, untamed, eternal, fearless beauty. 

RW When did you first become interested in hair styling? 

SC-J I always wanted to work in the arts in some capacity, and hair just happened to come first and early. When I was fourteen, I started working in the salon after school, sweeping the floor. From there I got into photoshoots and shows across New Zealand and Australia. I was pretty hooked early on. I loved the variety that comes with working in the session world, I find it really ‘energising’ being surrounded by diverse creatives, who work together on different visions of beauty. 

I moved to London (for the first time) ten years ago with a commitment to becoming a full-time session hairstylist, assisting on the international runway circuit, fashion campaigns and everything in between. I was lucky enough to work with some of my hair idols: Paul Hanlon, Guido Palau, James Pecis and Eugene Souleiman, to name a few. I think the assisting phase is often lost in the current world of instant gratification and social media fame. Assisting was an incredibly vibrant, inspiring time of my career. 

RW Who inspired you in these early stages? 

SC-J Steven Meisel and Guido Palau’s photoshoot for Italian Vogue in May 2005, with Natalia Vodianova and the wigs. It was the first shoot that made me want to be a session hairstylist. 

RW Could you please describe the process you follow in your research? 

SC-J It’s a combination of what I see around me and consciously seek. Snapshots in my mind are filled with images of things I see on the street, travelling, exhibitions, music, film. Culture and trends are really interesting to me. I like to understand trend origins, so I also spend time digging in the history books. 

Creativity is cultural in a way, so the more you understand the story someone is trying to tell, the easier it is to recreate what is in that person’s mind. By going through visual references and talking with a client about how they came to this point of the project, I get a sense of the brand identity and audience. From there, it’s easier to fill in the details and bring their ideas to life. 

RW Which professional experience has shaped the way you work? 

SC-J I have been lucky to be mentored by some very inspiring people over the years: Guido was the master of technical perfection; James Pecis inspired a calm integrity; the late Lyndell Mansfield taught me the importance of blazing your own trail and honouring the sisterhood; Paul Hanlon encouraged me to create beyond my wildest and coolest dreams! 

RW Do you think there’s room for innovation in the industry? 

SC-J I think the industry is steeped in innovation. As creatives we tend to live in between the lines of inspiration and innovation. The industry is seasonal, always moving. If you keep your eyes open and remain unafraid, there is so much opportunity for expansion. 

RW When does hair feel like work? 

SC-J When it’s humid. 

RW What is currently occupying your focus and efforts? 

SC-J My tan. 

RW What projects are you looking forward to? 

SC-J You will have to follow my Instagram and see what’s coming up next! 

RACHEL WEINBERG What drew you to the world of makeup, and can you share the beginnings of your journey?

LOCHIE STONEHOUSE After school I worked a few odd jobs, which were unrelated to makeup. I worked at a garden nursery, digging trenches for bulbs, and also unpacked crates at the back of a grocery store. I was trying to pay my rent and have enough money to spend on the weekends. I saw work as a ticket to fun—‘fun ticket’, I would call [it]. I’m not sure why, but I ended up enrolling in a five-week makeup course at a local makeup school. Although I didn’t want to go to fashion school, I always had an innate admiration for fashion and art. I thought that makeup would be easy and fun. My makeup was so bad at school; I can’t believe I passed.

RW In this initial phase, what or who served as your inspiration?

LS When I was younger, makeup never crossed my mind. I grew up in Christchurch, which is really conservative. As a kid I was really fascinated by insects. I was always off catching bugs, as Mum would say. I used to preserve them and collect them—like you see in museums. I liked fishing in creeks too. Until the end of high school, I wanted to be an artist or entomologist (even though I grew to believe that I didn’t have the memory retention or attention span to succeed in tertiary institutions). My teachers and family never said, “You could be a makeup artist when you grow up!”

RW When did being a makeup artist become real for you?

LS When I graduated my makeup course I got a job at the local beauty department. I was initially a ‘floater’, which meant walking back and forth between all of the beauty counters, helping the brand advisors when they got an influx of customers. I remember looking over at the M.A.C counter and thinking, I want in on that.

RW When does makeup feel like work?

LS I always feel like makeup is work, but that’s not a bad thing! Work is good! I’m probably happiest working when it’s an unpaid project, because those jobs are never dictated by someone else’s direction and I don’t have to compromise.

RW Is research important to you?

LS Research is really important to me. I need to get in the head of the client, and figure out their vision and expectations. It’s always a literal conversation, preferably in person, well ahead of the day. Much of my work involves sourcing non-conventional materials and doing tests on myself. Right now, I’m preparing for a shoot where I have to source 1950s sheet music. I picked the sheets up from this really old man. He said, “I’m happy they’re going to a good home.” I think he thought I am a young gun learning piano … eek! I’m staining them with tea leaves later this evening, then making them into a papier-mâché mask with red rose petals mixed in. Sometimes my tests are physical, sometimes I’ll digitally render a look over the top of an image of the actual talent.

RW Which professional experience has shaped the way you work?

LS My years spent working in the offices of corporate beauty brands. These institutional environments were a reminder that while we are ‘artists’, we are still paid by (and often work is dictated by) the ‘big-man’. Mass consumerism and profit margins, baby! I think that once you realise this, you become better at balancing priorities, doing the right thing and protecting your mental health.

RW How do you absorb influence and what do you learn from the professionals around you?

LS Although I’m a quiet observer, I’m curious by nature. I always ask, why am I influenced? and: is this a healthy influence?

RW How did you become sure of yourself?

LS Age? I’m not sure. I’m not sure that anyone is ever fully sure of themselves. Without sounding too grim, I think we’ve all been programmed to doubt ourselves. Although I do think that making a living with something that you love doing is healing.

RW Do you think that there’s room for innovation in the industry?

LS Yeah! Everything has been done though, so it takes someone really special to innovate and bring something fresh and memorable.

RW What does a good collaboration between make up and a client look like? How do you come up with a shared vision?

LS It’s always good to be across one another’s concepts ahead of a project. Hair and makeup concepts have to complement and speak to each other. Too often there’s a power struggle, and too much busyness. Sometimes the model is swallowed. I’ll often take a step back and allow the hair or styling to take the focus. Other times, I expect that hair to be centrestage. It’s about creating harmonious art.

RW In what ways can both roles consistently challenge established norms?

LS We have to focus on the smaller details. I think there we can push boundaries in the subtleties of the craft.

RW What does beauty mean to you?

LS Beauty is a psychological pull. It’s biological. We’re animals and are designed to gravitate towards symmetry, form and aesthetic perfection. For us, this means health, survival, happiness, pleasure and procreation.

RW What is your perspective on the idea that makeup has the potential to reveal beauty in moments of darkness or adversity?

LS In times of darkness, beauty can be a moment of reprieve. It can be intellectual or it can be something stupid that helps you dissociate. Even though the world can feel so heavy, beauty doesn’t need to be.

RW Through your work and craft, what stories do you wish to tell?

LS I enjoy sharing other peoples’ stories. I want to feel fulfilled and proud of my own work. I still like to pay homage to the people that inspire me.

RW Are you working on any special projects?

LS I’m working on some pretty conceptual things at the moment! Less beauty, more ugly?

RW What are you looking forward to?

LS I’m looking forward to visiting the States for a couple of months in January. It’ll be really special. I’ve really loved spending the past year between Sydney and Auckland, but I haven’t done many trips to the Northern hemisphere since coming out of COVID lockdown! I might see you there?!