Makeup artist Holly Murray spills backstage secrets on new Guinness World Records podcast
Makeup artist and viral social media sensation Holly Murray is the first guest to join us on the sofa for our brand-new podcast What’s The Record?
Holly (UK) stopped by Guinness World Records HQ in London to chat with host Will Munford and Adjudicator Emma Salt about her record-breaking visual effects and online stardom.
She first entered the record books in 2025 when she appeared on our Italian TV show Lo Show dei Record to claim the title for most rhinestones on the body.
She managed an incredible 74,880 by completely covering herself in sparkling gems from head to toe in a process that took a whole team of people working all day and overnight!
@guinnessworldrecords Most rhinestones on the body ✨ 74,880 by Holly Murray 🇬🇧 @Holly Murray Makeup ♬ Air strike - Gati Barreto
Holly said she initially thought someone was winding her up when she got a call about appearing on the show.
But the surprises didn’t end there.
She laughed as she said: “I didn’t know [about the live crowd].
“I walked out and they were all sat there and I was like, ‘oh dear lord, I’m naked’.”
She added: “The bald cap was the most physical fabric I had on my body.”
Watch the episode in full here…
Holly also told us all about the rise of her social media career, her love for all things horror (she regularly transforms herself into famous horror characters with makeup and prosthetics) and we test her on her knowledge of some makeup based Guinness World Records titles.
@hollymurraymakeup I have so many takes of my IT Pennywise the dancing clown inspired makeup! 🎈this took 20 hours!
♬ original sound - Kathryn Denny
Speaking of how her social media career began, Holly said: “I started with makeup, but it wasn’t a case of ‘I’m going to be an influencer’.
“I’d taught myself how to do makeup working with a friend at a party princess company, I’d taught myself basic special effects watching YouTube so we could keep prices down when we offered characters out.
Holly on the sofa with GWR's Will and Emma
“So I’d make all these prosthetics and basically kid myself that I knew what I was doing.”
Find more stories like this in our Arts and Entertainment section.
When lockdown hit, Holly started doing story time videos online for kids and realized how much she missed doing makeup.
Her brother suggested she posted TikTok videos and she started off doing looks inspired by TV series American Horror Story, which famously starred the world's shortest woman Jyoti Amge.
Holly broke a new record by making a mask with liquid latex
And the rest, as they say, is history.
The episode also features a sneak preview of Holly’s latest Guinness World Records title attempt for the most layers of liquid latex applied to the face. After trialling it at home first, Holly attempted it for real before filming the podcast. But how many layers did she manage to apply?
Watch the first episode of What's The Record? in full on YouTube or listen on Spotify.