A complete guide to Meghan Markle's make-up, hair and skincare products
Our obsession with Meghan Markle's make-up, hair and skin shows no sign of wavering
When it comes to hair and make-up, the Duchess of Sussex has excellent taste
We've long since admired Meghan Markle's radiant beauty – that glow, those freckles (that inspired this crazy beauty trend), the paired-back make-up looks that are so damn tricky to replicate.
The woman does beauty well, so if there's a product she's recommends, we're buying it in bulk. We want what's she having.
Luckily, we've done some research and found some of Meghan Markle's make-up, hair and skincare products that all have her seal of approval...
Meghan Markle makeup
The most obvious thing about Meghan Markle's make-up is that it isn't obvious at all. She's a champion of natural beauty – she even implements a foundation rule with make-up artists ensuring that it's never too heavy. We've never seen her put a foot wrong in the make-up department. Whilst some might see this as playing it safe, we think it's a reflection of her view that we must celebrate what we've got, not try and hide it.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara - £9.99 | LookFantastic
Meghan Markle's make-up artist on the set of Suits, Lydia Sellers, told HELLO! that Markle had actually recommended the high street mascara to her. 'Meghan actually introduced me to a drugstore mascara, Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara,' she told the publication. 'I keep it stocked in my kit now at all times thanks to her!
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'[It] really helps to amplify your lashes and polish off the entire look. It's great for full volume and lengthening, the formula is super hydrating. I love how it builds and that price point is accessible for all budgets.'
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Dior Diorshow Iconic Mascara - £29 | Boots
When she's not using her cheap and cheerful mascara, Markle turns to Dior. 'My favourite mascara is Diorshow Iconic,' Meghan told Allure back in 2014, noting that she first discovered a lot of her favourite products on the set of Suits. This one is great for super lifted, eye-catching jet black lashes to really make your peepers pop.
Make Up For Ever HD Powder - £29 | Guru Makeup Emporium
There's a huge difference between looking glowy and looking shiny. Mattifying in all the right areas can make or break a make-up look. Markle says she loves Make-Up For Ever HD Powder, 'it lets your skin look dewy and fresh, but not greasy-shiny,' she told Allure.
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer Illuminating - £34 | LookFantastic
'I don't wear foundation unless I'm filming so this is what I put on every day after moisturiser to give my skin a dewy glow. It's not sparkly, it's true to its name... "Illuminating", Markle explained in a recently resurfaced interview with Beauty Banter. The primer comes in two shades, a slightly pink pearlescent formula and bronze for a summery glow.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria - £25 | Charlotte Tilbury
Inspired by Victoria Beckham, no less, Meghan Markle's go-to lipstick shade was created by beauty mogul, Charlotte Tilbury. The perfect balance of pink and brown nude, it's reportedly the shade she wore for the royal engagement photo call.
Nars Blush in Orgasm - £25 | Cult Beauty
Markle tipped NARS Orgasm as one of her five can't-live-without products due to its 'perfect rosy flush tone that brightens the face' in her interview with Beauty Banter. The pinky, peachy blush with golden undertones is one of the most universally flattering blush shades on the market, so it's really no wonder the Duchess is also a fan.
Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - £44 | Feelunique
Although she doesn't wear loads and loads of the stuff, Armani Luminous Silk was always Sellers' go-to to perfect Markle's skin. Well-loved in the celebrity world, this one counts the likes of Kim Kardashian, Cate Blanchett and Rashida Jones as its fans. A medium-to-full coverage liquid formula, it leaves skin with a healthy glow and has buildable coverage. It also just happens to be one of our best foundation recommendations. So we're in good company.
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Illuminating Pen - £27 | John Lewis
Six of these iconic pens are sold every minute (or one every ten seconds), so it's not a huge surprise Meghan Markle is also a complete convert to YSL's Touche Éclat. 'It blends, it's compact and if you've worked a 17-hour day and have nothing else on, you will still look relatively alive. Relatively,' she told Beauty Banter.
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner - £24 | Boots
'I use Chanel Cassis Eyeliner on my upper lash line and water line, and the touch of shimmer powder adds a brightness and sparkle,' Meghan said in her Beauty Banter interview. 'Even if I have no make-up on, I am likely to apply concealer and a bit of shimmer in the corners of my eye.' Cassis is a rich purple liner, as Meghan rightly recommends, is great for tight-lining and defining the eye.
ICONIC London Prep-Set-Glow - was £22 now £17.60 | Lookfantastic
We're all desperate to glow as brightly as Markle and thanks to Sellers, we could be a little bit closer to achieving that. She told Hello! that the key to looking dewy is nighttime prep, 'Meghan gently spritzes Iconic London's beautiful multi-use spray, Prep, Set, Glow ten minutes before bedtime as the final part of her beauty regime and wakes up with skin that imparts luminescence.'
Meghan Markle's skincare
We've seen the Duchess at her most glamorous and at her most paired-back and the thing that's consistent throughout is that her skin always glows. But not in the way that you see on some beauty influencers on Instagram - this is that natural sheen that we all spend ages in front of the mirror trying our hardest to replicate. What do all make-up artists tell you? It all starts with the skin...
Eucerin Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm - £9 | Boots
Daniel Martin, the friend and make-up artist who created Meghan Markle's wedding make-up look, has said that the way to creating a natural, healthy glow (which Meghan Markle does VERY well) is all in the prep. 'A lot of my highlighting is done with skin-care,' he explains. 'Before highlighters, you would do highlighting with Aquaphor, it will give you that same texture, especially in a photo when applied to the high points of the face.'
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment - £21.50 | Space NK
'I have searched high and low and tried every kind of lip balm but this is the very best. Soft, kissable, buttery lips. I swear by it,' Markle told Beauty Banter about her quest for the best lip balm. And we have to agree – the smooth balm comes in a range of gorgeous tints and has the added benefit of SPF. Not too sticky, not too matte.
Kate Somerville Quench Hydrating Face Serum - £68 | LookFantastic
When asked what she uses to moisturise her face, Markle touted Kate Somerville's Quench Serum as her fave. 'I’ve been going to Kate’s clinic in LA for facials for years, and I still use the products to maintain that glow that her products give,' she said in the Beauty Banter interview.
Nivea Light Firming Body Lotion Q10 + Vitamin C - £9.10 | Amazon
'I use this religiously,' the former Suits star told Beauty Banter. 'It's honestly my favourite 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,' she added.
Dr Bronner's Organic Lavender Castile Liquid Soap - £12.75 | Feelunique
Dr Bronner's 18-in-1 'magic soaps' are loved by beauty addicts all over – including the Duchess of Sussex. 'I love the smell and it lasts for such a long time. (The almond scent is quite nice too if your prefer something warm and sweet). I alternate between the two,' she told Beauty Banter.
Costa Brazil Oleo Para O Corpo Kaya Jungle Firming Oil – was £50 now £40 | Content Beauty & Wellbeing
Recently, the royal took to the red carpet with husband Prince Harry for the 2021 Salute To Freedom Gala, and her skin was glowing. Luckily, her makeup artist Daniel Galvin shared a video to his Instagram Story at the time of the event, featuring Meghan Markle’s chosen body oil. Filled with active ingredients including Kaya Oil, Tucuma Seed Oil, Brazil Nut Oil and Murumuru, this lightweight formula hydrates, brightens and firms skin.
Meghan Markle's hair products
We thought we were obsessed with Kate Middleton's hair (and trust us, that interest has not gone away), but Markle's hair always appears so perfectly coiffed, but never over-done. Just like her make-up, her tresses are also always so naturally put together - you won't see a exaggerate curl or an ostentatious up-do from this woman.
Kérastase Nutritive Masque Magistral - £36.40 | Lookfantastic
According to Beauty Banter, Meghan says that she 'religiously' uses both 'Masquintense and the Oleo Relax line'. The Masquintense treatment mask comes in two separate versions for both thick and fine hair (we reckon Meg uses the former), for when your locks need a repairing deep moisture boost.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray - £45 | Cult Beauty
Meghan's hair never looks limp or lifeless; it's always bouncy, and that's probably down to this guy. 'When my hair is feeling a little weighted, Suanne, my hair artist on set (of Suits), has me bend forward and she sprays a little Oribe Dry Texurizing Spray, and then has me "flip back hard" to give my hair a little extra bounce,' she said in an interview with Birchbox.
Wella Professionals Oil Reflections Luminous Smoothing Oil - was £12.99 now £11.95 | Amazon
In the same Beauty Banter interview, Markle also revealed her love for this affordable oil. 'It smells like vacation and make your hair slippery and touchable,' she told them.
Needless to say, Meghan Markle's beauty judgments are pretty solid.
Adding all of these to our beauty wish lists, stat...
Katie Thomas is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over 10 years of experience on women's luxury lifestyle titles, she covers everything from the best beauty looks from the red carpet and stand out trends from the catwalk, to colonic irrigation and to the best mascaras on the market. She started her career on fashion desks across the industry - from The Telegraph to Brides - but found her calling in the Tatler beauty department. From there she moved to Instyle, before joining the Marie Claire digital team in 2018. She’s made it her own personal mission to find the best concealer in the world to cover her tenacious dark circles. She’s obsessed with skincare that makes her skin bouncy and glowy, low-maintenance hair that doesn’t require brushing and a cracking good manicure. Oh and she wears more jewellery than the Queen.
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