Meghan Markle has managed to cultivate an aesthetic for herself that is all about refined glamour. The multi hyphenate isn’t a princess when it comes to hair and makeup either — preferring to toe the line between classic beauty and modern sentiments.
But it begs the question? Has she always been so well, put together, or is her demure look a result of having to learn the hard way?
As it turns out, the latter might just be closer to the truth — ahead, discover the top five beauty tips Meghan Markle has learned to live by.
1/ Less is more
“My routine is very simple — I call it the five-minute face. It’s just Touche Éclat, curled lashes, mascara, Chap Stick, and a little bit of blush. That is my favorite kind of look,” Meghan told Allure in 2014.
“I never want to cover my freckles — so we just do a ‘wash’ of foundation in certain sections instead of over the entire face,” she dished to Birchbox.
These days the mum of two is just as adamant about sticking to a simple routine. The With Love, Meghan star shared a ShopMyShelf link via Instagram that detailed her current curated beauty routine. Saie Glowy Super Gel ($43.56 from Cult Beauty), Weleda Skin Food ($14.99 from Chemist Warehouse), Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream ($126 from MECCA), M.A.C Eye Pencil ($41 from M.A.C), Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ($31 from Sephora), and La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo Cleanser ($29.99 from Chemist Warehouse) all made the list.
2/ Use products that refresh your appearance
When it comes to makeup, Meghan’s a big fan of products that help to refresh her appearance and enliven her complexion (read: ‘bright-eyed and bushy-tailed’).
“To open up your eyes, apply a highlighter like Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat ($34.99 from Chemist Warehouse) in the inner corner — this trick is especially good when we are filming [Suits] at 3 a.m. and I need to look bright eyed and bushy tailed,” she shared with Birchbox. “For my flyaways, I spray hairspray on a small boar bristle toothbrush to lightly brush them down or smooth the hairline — this is especially good for a sleek bun when I am off-camera.”
“I love Nars blush in ‘Orgasm’ ($59 from MECCA). I use it on and off camera because it gives you a nice glow from within,” she told Allure. “Then I love the Make Up For Ever HD Powder ($70 from Sephora). It lets your skin look shiny and fresh, but not greasy-shiny.”
3/ Not every product is for everybody
Even people who appear put together like Meghan can still make beauty faux pas, like using products that just don’t work for her.
“The one time she did a red lip, she just didn’t feel comfortable in it,” Daniel Martin, her wedding day makeup artist explained to People. “She likes to talk and she’s not a fussy person, so she doesn’t want to have to worry about anything.”
But not all beauty mistakes are quite so easy to rectify as red lipstick though, according to a recent Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan podcast episode.
“My family had just moved to California. We were staying in our friend’s home. And because it was the pandemic, I kept ordering boxed hair dye. And I thought, ‘I’m gonna look just like she does on the box,’” Meghan said during the episode. “Instead, it was this very inky, almost Elvira-esque black hair.”
Elvira herself even reached out to the podcast host via Instagram after hearing about her hair dye debacle: “Hey princess, if you ever need beauty advice from a queen just let me know.”
4/ Work out your face as well as your body
“I do facial exercises from one of my favourite aestheticians, Nicola Joss, who basically has you sculpt your face from the inside out,” Meghan told Birchbox. “I swear it works, as silly as you may feel.”
“On the days I do it, my cheekbones and jawline are way more sculpted,” she explained. “There’s a reason [Nicola] is in high demand around awards season when every actress wants to look A-plus.”
Considering Meghan still has a snatched jawline in 2025, we’d be inclined to believe her on this one.
5/ Always carry tea-tree oil
“The one thing that I cannot live without when I’m travelling is a small container of tea tree oil,” Meghan told Allure.
“It’s not the most glamorous thing, but if you get a cut, a mosquito bite, a small breakout, no matter what it is, it’s my little cure-all,” she explains. “It’s inexpensive, it’s small enough to carry on, and I bring it with me all the time.”
Try: Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Oil ($4.79 from Chemist Warehouse) / Bosisto’s Tea Tree Oil ($6.49 from Chemist Warehouse) / ETTO Australia Tea Tree Oil ($58 from Priceline)
Main image credit: Getty Images
What are your top beauty tips?
