30 Genius Beauty Hacks the Royals Use to Look Flawless
Meghan Markle has so many secrets from her acting days.
They're royal, but they're not superhuman. Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, and other members of the British royal family have relied on their own beauty wits (and their makeup artists!) to look like total perfection every time they make an appearance. Luckily the first step of picture-perfect skincare can start at Sephora, no tiara required.
Exercise your face.
Pump out 15 reps of ... smiling? "I do facial exercises from one of my favorite aestheticians, Nicola Joss, who basically has you sculpt your face from the inside out," Meghan Markle told Birchbox in 2014. "I swear it works, as silly as you may feel. On the days I do it, my cheekbones and jawline are waaaay more sculpted."
Apply your eyeshadow in three steps.
The Duchess of Cambridge applied her own wedding day makeup — albeit with some "artistry assistance" from Bobbi Brown pro Hannah Martin. The supplies included three shades of eyeshadow: Ivory all over, Rockstar on the lower lid, and Slate in the crease.
Stock up on cult favorites.
Markle has clearly learned a thing or two from the makeup artists on set. She named the iconic NARS Blush in Orgasm as one of her top five, can't-live-without products in an interview with Beauty Banter, calling it "a perfect rosy flush tone that brightens the face."
Brighten your skin with rosehip oil.
While unconfirmed by the Duchess herself, Trilogy's Rosehip Oil reportedly remains a staple step in her beauty routine. "Kate continues to use rosehip oil in her daily skincare regimen," an anonymous source told US Weekly in 2015. "She loves the effect it has on her skin."
Don't be afraid of a big haircut.
Diana, Princess of Wales had long worn a poofy '80s 'do, but a meeting with celebrity hair stylist Sam McKnight and a leap of faith inspired that chic pixie cut. "Like many women, she used to hide behind her hair," he told the Daily Telegraph. "She said, 'what would you do if I gave you free reign?’ I said, 'cut it short,' and she said, could you do it now?’”
Keep those lips hydrated.
So this is what what the Duchess keeps in her handbags: Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment with SPF 15. "I have searched high and low and tried every kind of lip balm but this is the very best," she told Beauty Banter. "Soft, kissable, buttery lips. I swear by it."
Be prepared to apply makeup the go.
Rushing out the door is no excuse to look less-than-polished. "I do my makeup in the car," Princess Eugenie told Harper's Bazaar in 2016. "I'm really good at doing it on the move! I use Charlotte Tilbury and Bobbi Brown — Charlotte's mascara and Bobbi Brown bronzer. They are geniuses."
Control flyaways with a toothbrush.
The Duchess of Sussex likes to rep loose buns, but her tighter chignons look super sleek thanks to this quick tip. "For my flyaways, I spray hairspray on a small boar bristle toothbrush (a regular toothbrush also works great!) to lightly brush them down or smooth the hairline," she told Birchbox. "This is especially good for a sleek bun when I am off-camera."
Stick to nude nail polish.
Queen Elizabeth has worn Essie's sheer pick hue Ballet Slippers since the '80s, and the other royal women have followed her lead. Kate Middleton opted for a combination of two (since discontinued) neutral hues on her wedding day, her manicurist told the Daily Mail: Laque Ultra Shine in Rose Lounge Bourjois and Essie's Allure.
Refresh your eyes with highlighter.
Those early morning engagements have nothing on the Duchess of Sussex thanks this trick from her Suits days. "To open up your eyes, apply a highlighter like Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat in the inner corner," she told Birchbox. "This trick is especially good when we are filming at 3 a.m. and I need to look bright eyed and bushy tailed."
Remember the magic number.
Princess Diana's makeup artist Mary Greenwell revealed the secret to her styling in 2012, and it's all about restraint. "You can combine full lips with a heavy eye; the trick is to wear a light blush," she told Stylist. "You just do two elements and not three. You never, ever do a full lip, eye, and blush!""
Load up on body lotion.
That Markle sparkle costs less than you think. The Duchess of Sussex swears by drugstore beauty buy Nivea Skin Firming Hydration Body Lotion. "I use this religiously," she told Beauty Banter. "It’s honestly my favorite lotion on the market — it’s so affordable and makes my skin look and feel amazing. I would buy a case of this at a time if I could find it." Nivea, take notes!
Don't forget to wash your face.
Princess Eugenie previously revealed to Harper's Bazaar she uses Jo Malone Eucalyptus and Mint Cleanser every single day before bed. While that particular product is now discontinued, try Biore Daily Cleansing Cloths. "They’re great to keep in the car and on your nightstand when you have those horribly lazy nights that the thought of getting up to actually wash your face seems unbearable," Markle told Beauty Banter. We feel you, Meghan!
Use a hairnet for a perfect bun.
The Duchess of Cambridge stole a tip out of the ballerina playbook for her flawless updos. Look closely and you'll see her elaborately coiffed styles stay in place with the help of a near-invisible hairnet.
Curl your lashes to look more awake.
This picture was taken at dawn; we repeat, at dawn. Meghan has twice credited her Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler with helping her cheat sleep. "Even if you don't have a stitch of makeup on," she told Birchbox, "you suddenly look a bit more alive."
Work mascara into the roots of your lashes.
Spritz on a texturizing spray.
Meghan Markle has the easiest in-between blowouts fix. "There is nothing like a hair flip!" she shared with Birchbox. "When my hair is feeling a little weighted, Suanne, my hair artist on set, has me bend forward and she sprays a little Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray or nothing at all, and then has me 'flip back hard' to give my hair a little extra bounce."
Use a gel liner for a perfectly smudged smokey eye.
Kate Middleton's been known to use Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink to create just the right amount of smolder (e.g., no moving to the tops of your eyelids).
Don't skip primer.
Count Laura Mercier Primer as a mainstay in Meghan Markle's makeup bag. "I don’t wear foundation unless I’m filming, so this is what I put on every day after moisturizer to give my skin a dewy glow," Markle revealed to Beauty Banter. "It’s not sparkly, it’s true to its name … illuminating."
Brush bronzer only on the outside of your face.
To get Princess Diana's natural-looking glow, you'll need a big brush. Greenwell advises first sweeping a highlighter on the cheekbones with a contour color underneath. Then apply blush on the apples of the cheeks and the bronzer along the outside of your near your ears and hairline.
The 7 Best Heated Round Brushes for At-Home Use
The 14 Best Scalp Oils for Healthier, Fuller Hair
11 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Hair Bonnets
13 Curly Hair Brushes for All Skill Levels
