I Tried Meghan Markle’s Wedding Makeup and These Two Products Have Changed My Beauty Routine Forever
As a royal editor, there’s not much I won’t try when it comes to adding a bit of regal sparkle to my day. Kate Middleton’s morning routine? Nailed it (sort of). My closet? Full of royally approved brands. But one thing I hadn’t tried—at least not fully—was recreating Meghan Markle’s royal wedding makeup. Since Prince Harry and Meghan are celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary on May 19, I decided it was the perfect time to test her wedding day glam.
The Duchess of Sussex’s longtime makeup artist, Daniel Martin, revealed the secrets behind the duchess’s bridal look during an episode of the “Breaking Beauty” podcast in March, and Meghan very helpfully went on to add the exact products to her ShopMy site, making this process much easier.
Meghan Markle wore a soft pink lip and smokey shadow for her May 19, 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Armed with a shopping list full of Dior, MAC and Tatcha products, I headed to my local mall to pick up the goods—and Meghan’s 10-product routine is so simple, you can easily recreate it at home, no celebrity makeup artist required.
Skincare
I prepped my skin with Meghan’s favorite Tatcha products.
(Image credit: Kristin Contino)
“It was basically a lot of Tatcha,” Martin said of Meghan’s wedding day prep. Luckily, Meghan clarified what “a lot of Tatcha” meant by adding the celeb-loved brand’s Dewy Skin Cream and Luminous Dewy Skin Mist to her ShopMy page.
I’ve used Tatcha’s moisturizer for a while now, so it was something I already had on hand, but I’d never tried the mist and was slightly skeptical. Any type of spray-on product just doesn’t seem to work well for me, but this time, I was wrong. The product left my skin looking super glowy but also helped my foundation go on more smoothly. Get the mist, you’ll thank me.
Tatcha
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist 2-In-1 Hydrator & Finishing Spray
Tatcha
The Dewy Skin Cream Plumping & Hydrating Refillable Moisturizer
Foundation and Concealer
Dior’s Backstage foundation let the Duchess of Sussex’s freckles shine through.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
I was curious to try Dior’s Backstage Face & Body Foundation and Backstage Concealer, but like the Dewy Skin Mist, equally apprehensive. As a super pale redhead, it’s hard to find foundation shades that work, but I also don’t like the feeling of heavy makeup on my face. Once again, Meghan (and Martin) steered me in the right direction. The foundation is extremely light and doesn’t feel like makeup at all, which makes sense since the duchess prefers her freckles to show through. The formula is extremely buildable, making it easy to cover up redness in certain areas without looking cakey.
I also loved the concealer’s packaging—it has a tiny brush built into the applicator instead of a sponge. Genius. Both shades I chose blended perfectly into my skin and aren’t too orange or too light, which is a miracle in my world, and with a whopping 43 shades, you’re sure to find a good match, too. I think I’ve just found my new go-tos.
DIOR
Backstage Face & Body Foundation
Blush
Don’t be scared by how pink this blush is—it goes on beautifully.
(Image credit: Kristin Contino)
On her cheeks, Meghan wore Dior’s Backstage Rosy Glow Blush and the brand’s Backstage Glow Face Palette. I’m really not a blush person but have tried to embrace it more in the past year (my friend Kevin will be proud!). That being said, I never would’ve chosen this color of blush myself since it’s so pink. I mean, it’s really pink. However, when you apply it, the shade looks like a natural flush instead of a deranged Barbie, which was a pleasant surprise.
Moving on, I swirled some of the colors in the face palette and applied them over the blush. The result: slightly shimmery and glowing, but not too glittery.
DIOR
Backstage Glow Face Palette
Eyes
Dior’s volumizing mascara has become one of my new favorites.
(Image credit: Kristin Contino)
As someone with white eyelashes I consider myself a mascara connoisseur, and I’m always up for trying a new formula. Meghan wore Diorshow Pump N Volume Mascara and the brand’s Backstage Eyeshadow Palette, both of which were sold out at every store near me. Since I wasn’t able to get either shipped in time for their anniversary, I made do and grabbed the Diorshow 24H Buildable Volume Mascara and used a similar YSL eyeshadow palette I have at home (a Marie Claire Makeup Awards winner I cannot recommend enough).
Although I didn’t get to try Meghan’s exact mascara, this one stays true to its buildable volume name—I’d definitely repurchase. I used the darkest shadow in my YSL palette to recreate the duchess’s eye makeup and added a bit of the white shimmer from the face palette for some extra sparkle. Quick, easy and no eyeliner required.
DIOR
Diorshow Pump ‘n’ Volume Mascara
DIOR
Diorshow 24h Buildable Volume Mascara
DIOR
Backstage Eyeshadow Palette
Yves Saint Laurent
Couture Mini Clutch Eyeshadow Palette
Lips
The duchess wore Dior’s Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm on her wedding day.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“I’m a diehard MAC lip liner devotee,” Martin said in his “Breaking Beauty” interview. He revealed that he used the brand’s Cool Spice shade for Meghan’s wedding and applied Dior’s Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm on top. I’ve used this balm before, along with the exfoliating version, and was excited to bring it back into my routine. It was originally reported that the duchess wore Dior’s coral shade, but Meghan added the pink balm to her ShopMy page, so that’s what I purchased.
The lip liner isn’t a shade I’d repurchase, but Meghan and I also have very different coloring. I could see the Cool Spice color working well with a brown-toned lipstick, but when it came to recreating the duchess’s wedding makeup, it made my lips look more of a mauve than her pale pink shade.
DIOR
Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm
MAC
Lip Liner Pencil – Cool Spice
The Verdict
I appreciate how Meghan’s makeup is an elevated, but not overdone beauty look.
(Image credit: Kristin Contino)
The final result is a makeup look I’ll be recreating on the regular. My favorite thing about Meghan’s wedding makeup is how—like her As ever products—it’s an elevated version of your everyday routine. I’d normally use eyeliner and contour for a night out, but I actually preferred this more pared-down look.
For good measure (and some anniversary day fun) I added the replicas of Meghan’s bridal tiara and earrings that I bought after I covered the duke and duchess’s wedding in 2018, along with the same dress I wore on that sunny Saturday in Windsor (which miraculously still fits). I could’ve used these makeup tips when I got dressed in the dark at 2 a.m. for a BBC interview that day, but when the next royal wedding comes around in 15-plus years or so, I’ll be prepared.
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