Meghan Markle is the Duchess of ‘no makeup’ makeup
Think the ‘no makeup’ look is boring? Think again
In the battle between no makeup vs makeup looks, it’s fair to say the more natural of the two is coming out on top. While contouring and graphic winged liner will always have its place in the makeup world, these days a more pared-back and radiant finish is prized. And perhaps the main reason why we’re all stepping away from our full coverage foundation is because more and more celebrities seem to be doing the same; the most notable of whom is Meghan Markle.
In fact, Meghan Markle’s ‘no makeup’ makeup look has become so popular that hundreds of YouTube tutorials have been filmed and thousands of articles have been written in an attempt to teach people the best ways to recreate her signature look. But what does her minimal makeup look involve? In an interview with Allure before she became a royal, Meghan walked through her day-to-day look: “My routine is very simple – I call it the five-minute face. It’s just Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat, curled lashes, mascara, ChapStick and a little bit of blush”.
In addition to keeping her look low maintenance and quick, one of Meghan’s top priorities is to ensure her freckles shine through her makeup. In an interview with Refinery29, the former actress said, “to this day, my pet peeve is when my skin tone is changed and my freckles are airbrushed out of a photoshoot”. Her long-time makeup artist, Lydia F. Sellers also explained to Refinery29, “every time I’d do her makeup, she’d say, ‘can we just make sure my freckles are peeking through? I don’t want a ton of foundation’”.
Although Meghan’s no makeup look has become iconic, she’s no stranger to making subtle changes on a regular basis. Here, we run you through the different ways the Duchess mixes up her signature look. Hint: She only ever has one hero at a time.
Kate started working for BEAUTYcrew in early 2016, first as a contributor, and was then named Beauty Writer in 2017. She loves picking the brains of the industry's top experts to get to the bottom of beauty's toughest questions. Bronze eyeshadow palettes are her weakness and she's forever on the hunt for the perfect nude nail polish to suit her fair skin. Her words can also be found in Men's Health magazine, and she now works in PR.
