Looking to elevate your beauty look from commoner to queen?
The royal family is known for their always-polished appearances, but since they typically keep their private lives close to the vest, it can be a mystery as to exactly how they achieve their flawless hair, skin and makeup.
If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite members of the monarchy get their glowing complexions or the perfect smokey eye, look no further.
From Kate Middleton’s secret to fading fine lines to the late Queen Elizabeth II’s go-to nail polish shade, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite royal-approved beauty products for every budget below.
This is reportedly the mascara Middleton trusts to keep her lashes long and lush. The brand says it “volumizes lashes without clumping or flaking,” which is definitely a must when you’re on princess duty. Princess Diana’s makeup artist, Mary Greenwell, also used the product in a YouTube tutorial showing how to get her beauty look, saying she never used false lashes on the late royal.
While you won’t hear Middleton giving interviews about her favorite beauty products, this one was actually spotted in her hands while she was sitting courtside at Wimbledon. The then-Duchess of Cambridge pulled her Clarins gloss (in the shade Rose Shimmer) out for a quick touch-up during the 2019 tennis championships — and “reluctantly” lent it to Markle on another occasion in 2018, according to Prince Harry’s “Spare” memoir.
With its sheer pink hue, it’s perfect either on its own or to give another lipstick some pretty shine.
YSL’s cult-favorite concealer is beloved by many a celebrity, and Markle touted its benefits in an interview with Allure during her “Suits” days. Sharing that it was one of the few products used for her “five-minute face,” she said, “It’s just Touche Éclat, curled lashes, mascara, ChapStick and a little bit of blush. That is my favorite kind of look.”
Middleton goes for this shimmery pink Bobbi Brown fave to add a rosy flush to her complexion, and even used it on her wedding day (she did her makeup herself!). According to Us Weekly, she switched to the bronze shade for an added glow while she was pregnant, opting to avoid spray-tanning treatments.
Describing this eyeliner as “a really beautiful brown that has some gold in it,” Markle shared with Allure that she reaches for it before a night out. “A makeup artist I work with often, Kayleen McAdams, turned me on to it,” Markle said. “It’s what she uses on Sofia Vergara, and who wouldn’t want those gorgeous brown almond eyes?”
Markle thanks this super-smoothing lip treatment for her “soft, kissable, buttery lips,” telling Beauty Banter that the balm — which comes in 14 colors, along with a clear version — “is the very best.” Packed with grapeseed oil and meadowfoam and black currant seed oils, Fresh’s bestselling balm also uses sugar to serve as a natural moisturizer.
Middleton turned to this semi-matte shade on her wedding day, wearing the brownish-pink hue to walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey. It’s noted on the detailed chart Bobbi Brown created to help guide Middleton during her makeup application.
“Meghan likes a shimmery look, so when I did her makeup for the royal wedding, I used the Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette,” makeup artist Daniel Martin told Harper’s Bazaar in 2019. The palette features four luminous highlighter shades sure to get you glowing.
“I tapped Honest Beauty Magic Balm onto her cheeks to give them a little bounce; since it’s glossy it really pumps up the highlight in photos,” Martin added in his Harper’s Bazaar interview about Markle’s wedding-day glam.
Markle is a big fan of this iconic blush, which is now available in multiple versions of the original Orgasm shade. “I use it on and off camera because it gives you a nice glow from within,” she told Allure when she was starring in “Suits.” Sister-in-law Kate is also said to be into the shade, according to Us Weekly.
Markle told Allure this her “favorite mascara,” and the volumizing formula features a curved brush designed to mimic a curling iron — perfect to get fluttery, dramatic lashes for those royal photo ops.
Markle told Allure this light-diffusing finishing powder “lets your skin look shiny and fresh, but not greasy-shiny.” Apply it over makeup using a fluffy brush to get your own camera-ready look.
Urban Decay’s original Naked Palette is said to be the secret to Middleton’s royally good smoky eye. A source told Us Weekly the princess “learned what looks good on camera,” and she’s even rumored to have recommended the neutral palette to Michelle Obama. While the OG is no longer sold, the brand’s Naked3 shadow collection is a solid bet for your own regal makeup looks.
Markle’s former makeup artist Lydia Sellers gave Byrdie the lowdown on some of the go-to products she used on the royal in 2018, including this highlighter. The beauty pro applied the creamy highlighter “for a glowing, slightly wet look on the high points of the cheekbones,” and praised how it made the “Suits” star’s skin “glow in a natural, dewy way.”
Sellers shared with Refinery29 that Markle would ask, “Can we just make sure my freckles are peeking through?” when it came to foundation, so the makeup artist would “use the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation with a Beautyblender because it’s really easy to sheer out.”
“I use Chanel Cassis eyeliner on my upper lash line and waterline, and then a touch of shimmer powder adds a brightness and sparkle,” Markle told Beauty Banter of this pretty plum-hued liner.
The “Suits” actress told Beauty Banter that she liked to keep it simple off-camera, turning to products like Laura Mercier’s lit-from-within primer. “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,” she said. “It’s not sparkly, it’s true to its name… ‘Illuminating’”.
The Duchess of Sussex sported Tillbury’s iconic nude-pink Pillow Talk shade (also beloved by Britney Spears) on the cover of Time magazine in 2021, and the Very Victoria color (which was named after her pal Victoria Beckham) for her engagement photos with Prince Harry.
Accented with flakes of 23-karat gold, this luxe, shimmery lip balm from Markle’s favorite skincare brand, Tatcha, was spotted in a scene from the “Harry & Meghan” Netflix documentary.
This palette of neutral-hued shadows was another beauty find spotted in the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary, and with 12 versatile shades, it’s the perfect kit to create your own regal glam moment.
The Princess of Wales became a fan of this age-defying oil when she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte, per Us Weekly. According to the brand, applying three drops two times a day helps to fade “the visible appearance of scars, stretch marks and fine lines and wrinkles.”
“I love Jan Marini skincare products,” Markle told Allure during her “Suits” days. “I’ve been using their serum lately. It’s a nice glycolic one that makes your skin really glow-y.” Along with the royal’s favorite serum, the skincare guru’s line includes everything from clarifying cleansers ($50) to eye cream ($75).
According to Us Weekly, Middleton’s a devotee of Karin Herzog’s 2% active oxygen cream. The product, which claims to detoxify acne-prone skin, both corrects and treats to create a flawless complexion fit for a princess.
The Princess of Wales also reportedly uses this anti-aging face cream from Herzog’s line, which includes 1% active oxygen and vitamins E & A to tackle the first signs of fine lines and wrinkles.
Another Karin Herzog product the princess is said to include in her royal skincare routine is this cleanser, a gel formula that doubles as a makeup remover and — according to the brand — “creates a vacuum effect to unclog pores and dissolve impurities.”
Another of Markle’s go-tos for skincare is this Tatcha polish, which she told Allure is great for “a really subtle exfoliation.” The water-activated product, which includes Japanese rice bran, transforms into a foam to give skin that royal glow.
Before her 2011 royal wedding, Middleton headed to Deborah Mitchell for one of her renowned bee venom facials, per Harper’s Bazaar. The skincare guru’s high-end mask does the trick for the mom of three at home.
“I’ve been going to Kate’s clinic in LA for facials for years … and I still use the products to maintain that glow,” Markle once told Beauty Banter of the celebrity skincare guru. She also praised Somerville’s scrub on her now-defunct blog, The Tig, writing that in lieu of a salon trip, “a bottle of ExfoliKate will do the trick for that homegrown glow.”
The brand’s founder, Leila Aalam, told People that a friend who worked at Kensington Palace gave Beuti Skincare’s moisturizing, anti-inflammatory oil to Middleton, and that she loved the results. “We were ecstatic to know that she liked it and was actually using it,” Aalam said.
“I use this religiously,” Markle told Beauty Banter of her fave drugstore find. Calling Nivea’s firming formula her “favorite lotion on the market,” she praised its price point (“so affordable”) and admitted she “would buy a case of this at a time.”
The humble face wipe is another one of Markle’s skincare go-tos, as she told Beauty Banter. “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,” the duchess said.
When it comes to a multitasking soap, Markle looks to Dr. Bronner’s classic castile formula. She told Beauty Banter she “love[s] the smell” of the lavender product — which can be used on everything from body to hair to pets —but thinks “the almond scent is quite nice too if you prefer something warm and sweet.”
This oil-free, pore-minimizing moisturizer was used by the Duchess of Sussex’s go-to makeup artist, Daniel Martin, as he got her ready in a scene during the “Harry & Meghan” Netflix documentary.
A bottle of this soothing, redness-reducing facial oil can be seen sitting on Markle’s sink in a pregnancy photo shared during her Netflix doc.
This hydrating, skincare-boosting treatment — which includes “a trio of fermented Japanese superfoods” — was spotted in the Netflix documentary as Martin applied Markle’s makeup.
Martin used this celeb-loved micellar water, designed to remove makeup and cleanse sensitive skin, during a scene in “Harry & Meghan.”
This super-moisturizing lip mask also made a cameo during the Sussexes’ Netflix doc. The jelly-like formula’s a favorite of Jennifer Aniston’s, too.
It probably comes as no surprise that the Sussexes’ suds feature a royal warrant: This high-end soap-and-lotion set was spotted on their sink in a photo shown during “Harry & Meghan.”
This do-it-all moisturizer was thrust back into the spotlight in 2023, thanks to a mention in Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” The duke recalled his mother, Princess Diana, using it on her lips; he tried it to treat his “frostbitten todger” following a trip to the North Pole in 2011. It doesn’t get more versatile than this!
This mud-like product was partly to thank for Princess Diana’s famous tousled hair. Stylist Sam McKnight would use it — and a healthy dose of hairspray — to keep her shaggy style looking fresh all day.
Another tip Markle shared with Allure was her secret to long, lush lashes. “I also use Revitalash on my eyelashes, and I swear they are as long as they could ever be,” she revealed. According to the brand, simply applying once a day enhances the look of natural eyelashes, giving a “lash lift in a bottle.”
The Duchess of Sussex is seen wearing these hair clips — created to set waves without creasing your strands — as she gets ready during a scene in her Netflix documentary.
While Markle told Beauty Banter this oil “smells like vacation and makes your hair slippery and touchable,” she added that “it also doubles as a pretty amazing body oil post-bath.”
Markle told Beauty Banter she “religiously” uses the high-end haircare line’s popular smoothing line for frizzy strands, and it’s also said to be the secret behind Middleton’s bouncy blowouts, per Marie Claire.
Kérastase’s ultra-hydrating mask for medium to thick hair is another product Markle keeps handy, as she revealed to Beauty Banter.
Middleton’s hairdresser, Amanda Cook Tucker, once shared (and later deleted) a photo of the products she packed for a royal trip on Instagram, including this super-hold hairspray.
Another product included in Cook Tucker’s Instagram post was this styling cream by Kiehl’s, designed to give hair a “lustrous shine and smooth texture.” Work a small amount through damp hair to achieve that princess-style blowout for less than 30 bucks.
Achieving the perfect beachy texture is easy for Middleton with this spray including UV protection; it’s one of the products included in her royal hairdresser’s swiftly deleted tour photo.
This celeb-loved brush is apparently another tool in the Princess of Wales’ haircare arsenal, as seen in Cook-Tucker’s snapshot.
While we’ll probably never know for sure what the late Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite scent was, experts believe she favored Floris London’s White Rose, per the Telegraph. The elegant bottle boasts royal warrants, so even if it turns out the Queen didn’t wear this particular scent, you’ll still have a touch of royalty in your perfume collection.
Princess Diana wore this fragrance, described as “the first-ever true multi-floral blend ever created,” on her 1981 wedding day. Filled with notes of lemon, jasmine, lily of the valley, bergamot and orange blossom, it’s an elegant choice if you want to feel like a royal … even if you’re wearing leggings instead of a wedding gown.
“Fragrance is my favorite thing – so much so that if I leave the house and I don’t put any on, I’ll turn around and go back home,” Markle said in a 2016 interview with the Daily Express. She told the paper she switches “between a few scents,” including this lush floral offering from Oribe.
This fresh floral scent — described by the British brand as “vibrant sapphire blooms in a shaded woodland” — is another of Markle’s go-tos, as she told the Daily Express.
This earthy scent is the second Jo Malone fragrance the Duchess of Sussex likes to use, according to her Daily Express interview.
The Princess of Wales is another Jo Malone fan, having used the brand’s Orange Blossom scented candles during her 2011 wedding, per Vogue — and she’s said to enjoy the cologne version, according to What Kate Wore founder Susan Kelley.
“I’ve seen people on social media who have bumped into Kate when she’s out shopping and have said she smells amazing, like raspberry and fruit — very clean, crisp smells,” Kelley said.
Meghan Markle uses this beauty tool many of us already have in our makeup bags, sharing with Birchbox that you should “only apply foundation to the spots you need it and spread it with a Beautyblender Original.” Her former makeup artist, Lydia Sellers, told Today Style that the brand’s classic pink sponge was “the perfect tool to sheer out foundation and ensure Meghan’s freckles were popping!”
Calling this “the one product I would never be able to live without,” the former Suits actress told Birchbox that “even if you don’t have a stitch of makeup on … you suddenly look a bit more alive.”
Chances are you’ve tried (or at least heard of) Essie’s cult-favorite pale pink polish, and even Queen Elizabeth couldn’t resist the shade. While she often went with a lacquer-free look, the barely-there look of Ballet Slippers was perfect for those times when she wanted a pinkish-white manicure. In fact, the brand’s website shared that Essie received a letter from her hairdresser asking for a bottle in 1989, as it’s “the only color Her Majesty would wear.”
According to Dryby London, the salon behind Meghan Markle’s wedding-day manicure, this was one of the colors used for her natural-hued nail look.
This bridal white shade was the second color used on Markle’s wedding day, with the salon adding two coats of Negligee over a base of CND’s Unmasked polish.
The Cut’s profile of Markle notes that this candle — “inspired by the Walled Garden at Babington House,” according to the brand — was burning in her California home during the interview.
This celeb-loved candle brand is a fave of Markle’s, as its Tubéreuse votive was spotted in the background of a video she filmed for “American’s Got Talent” in 2020.
The royals’ love of a Jo Malone fragrance extends to candles as well as cologne, with Kate Middleton having used this high-end candle to provide a fresh citrusy-floral scent at her 2011 wedding, as reported by Vogue.
Another royal wedding candle comes in the form of this Diptyque scent crafted from roses and blackcurrant — it was burned at St. George’s Chapel during Markle’s 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, according to the book “Finding Freedom.”
Another Diptyque favorite from the Duchess of Sussex is this fruity, fig-scented candle that was featured in one of her old Instagram posts, per Meghan’s Mirror.
This smoky scent is a longtime favorite of Jennifer Lopez’s, but was also spotted on Meghan Markle’s table in a snapshot on her now-defunct Instagram account.
This luxurious votive was another one spotted in an Instagram snapshot shared by Markle in her pre-royal days, with the scent featuring notes of orange flower, white tea, pink pepper and white musk.
Perhaps Markle was sending a subtle message about her boyfriend, Prince Harry, when she shared this sleek silver candle on Instagram. According to the brand, its Royalty scent evokes memories “of tea time with a pot of Earl Grey, scones, strawberry jam, and the drive home in a ’52 Bentley with tatty leather seats.”