Meghan Markle has always been a fan of beauty, and before she was a royal, she would often treat herself to makeovers and spa treatments, shedding light on her routine through her blog, The Tig. For instance, in 2014, she posted a piece called “A Life-Changing Facial,” in which a woman puts her hands in your mouth to massage and reshape your face internally. That said, her routine is a bit simpler these days with a focus on skincare and minimal cosmetics, but it took her a while to develop her signature look.
The “Deal or No Deal” eyelashes
In 2007, when she worked as a suitcase model on this famous show to pay the bills, she was pressured to wear an eye-heavy look the game show insisted on. She said to Chrissy Teigan, who worked the same job for a while, “I remember all standing in line to get our lashes put on, like, in a row,” and Teigan added that once after a show, all the models put their eyelashes in a Ziploc bag.
The signature “Suits” look
“Suits” was a breakout role for Markle, and her character Rachel Zane piled on a fair amount of makeup (who wouldn’t when they’re filmed in HD?). She told Allure that her real-life routine is more “low-key” and less “polished” without foundation. However, she did have some off-screen moments that popped—it just took her some time to find the perfect look.
Forced to wear heavy lipstick
Despite being a fan of light makeup, when she worked as an actor, she was pressured to wear a bold red lip on the red carpet for promotional events, and later told makeup.com that she was “strong-armed into doing it” and prefers a strong eye. Due to these preferences, you can find more images of Meghan at this time wearing an intense smoky eye with a nude lip—when the “Suits” crew wasn’t asking her to embrace that flashier, Rachel Zane style.
Smokey-eye makeup in natural tones through the royal transition
As she embraced her role as the Duchess of Sussex, she leaned into her own more demure style, which included eye makeup that the public praised. She told Allure that she was inspired by Sofia Vergara and often wore the same M.A.C. Teddy eyeliner, “which is a really beautiful brown that has some gold in it.” Her makeup artist said the secret to Meghan’s gorgeous yet understated look was the smoky eye base of cream, which was then layered with eyeshadows in the shades of “warm chestnut, cocoa, and smudge of rust.”
Rocking her freckles pre-wedding
Before she got married, Markle was happy to show off her natural freckles by wearing minimal foundation, as seen in her visit to Northern Ireland with Harry to the Titanic Museum in Belfast. Markle’s former makeup artist said, “No matter the occasion, Meghan always favors a fresh, glowing complexion. I love her confidence, and we always wanted to let her natural assets—like her perfect skin and freckles!—take center stage.” The makeup artist added that a beauty blender sponge was the secret to shearing out foundation while keeping freckles visible.
A clean, soft look at her wedding
Meghan Markle’s longtime makeup artist, Daniel Martin, gave her a natural look on her wedding day, which she requested. He said he used Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream, Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, a pink lip paired with liner, and light foundation finished off with a dark eye. Though it sounds like a lot, the artist admitted she was mocked online for not caking on foundation or using enough makeup, but we admire her for letting her natural beauty shine.
A no-makeup moment on “Harry & Meghan”
Most celebs (especially royals) wouldn’t be caught dead without their cosmetics on, but she had a makeup-free moment at the start of Episode 1 when she came fresh out of the shower with a towel on her head, a collared shirt, and some jeans for a completely barefaced look. It was seen as a declaration of intent, setting the tone for the show that Meghan was ready to be honest and transparent and willing to break royal protocol.
A relaxed aesthetic on “With Love, Meghan”
While her cooking show got mixed feedback, you can’t deny that she looked fabulous with her polished look and minimal makeup that said “less is more.” She focused on her flawless skin, which was front and center, and applied minimal foundation with intention so that she looked radiant but not too shiny nor too flat.
She doesn’t always get makeup done professionally
Despite her close relationship with Daniel Martin, she often does her own makeup. On an NYC trip in October 2025, she went DIY and showed herself putting on her own makeup in an IG reel with products from No Makeup Makeup for a natural look, paired with Creme Classic lipstick and the brand’s Blush & Lip Color. She featured the No Makeup Makeup co-founder Victoria Jackson on her podcast in 2022.
Royal experts say she’s copying Kate Middleton
The two might be more famous for their feud, but Kate’s love for simple, elegant looks has royal experts saying Markle’s aesthetic isn’t a coincidence. Royal journalist Ingrid Seward stated that Meghan was attempting to adopt a more “homey” appearance, similar to Middleton’s, in order to project an image that resembled a homemaker rather than a “royal wrecker.”
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