From Meghan Markle's penchant for Madewell to Kate Middleton's love of Zara, people are always looking to emulate the royals' style — especially if it's affordable. But there's another way to channel your inner duchess: through their beauty secrets. Both Markle and Middleton have signature looks that are easy to recreate and won't break the bank the way a pair of $800 Tamara Mellon boots or a custom Gucci gown might.
Clearly, both women know a thing or two about beauty, from strategically-placed highlighter to eyeliner tricks to innovative uses for toothbrushes (yes, really). Middleton did her own makeup for her wedding to Prince William, and before becoming a royal, Markle often spoke about her makeup and skin care routine in interviews.
So if you've already bought the Duchess of Sussex's J. Crew denim jacket and have multiple pairs of Middleton's Zara jeans in your closet, read on for a few of their royal beauty secrets that you can incorporate into your own beauty arsenal.
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1. Primer For Glowing Skin
Markle's signature beauty look is her glowing skin, and even when she's not wearing a full face of makeup, she's employs a beauty secret to enhance her radiant complexion. According to an interview with Beauty Banter in 2016, the then-actor admitted that she doesn't wear foundation daily, and she applies Laura Mercier's Illuminating Primer to get her glow without relying on a ton of products.
2. Hair Nets To Keep Your Updo In Place
Although Markle is known for her messy bun and loose waves, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton tends to keep her hairstyles more formal and sleek. Her trick for avoiding stray hairs? A hair net. Middleton is often seen with barely detectable nets over her updos so they stay in place throughout her royal engagements.
3. Toothbrushes To Smooth Flyaways
While Markle's messy bun is her signature style, she does occasionally opt for a sleeker, more pulled-back look, like the updo she wore to the Lion King premiere. She's got a trick to keep the flyaways at bay. According to an interview with Birchbox, she uses a boar bristle toothbrush and a bit of hairspray to lay down loose hairs and keep them in place.
4. Smudged Eyeliner For The Perfect Smoky Eye
The Duchess of Cambridge is rarely seen not wearing eyeliner, but you won't spot her with a sharp wing. Instead, Middleton smudges her liner along her upper and lower lash lines for a smoky yet subtle effect that lends definition and is wearable for every day.
5. Highlighter To Brighten Your Inner Corners
A royal's life is busy, and it includes some early mornings. Markle's hack for looking more awake? Yves Saint Laurent's Touché Éclat. In her interview with Birchbox, the Duchess of Sussex explained that she applies the product to the inner corners of her eyes to make them appear brighter.
6. Minimal Foundation For A More Natural Look
Markle likes to let her skin and freckles shine — even on her wedding day, the Duchess opted for relatively minimal foundation coverage. Markle only uses it on the spots where she needs coverage and then blends out the excess with a Beauty Blender for a more natural look.
7. Teased Hair For Added Volume
Middleton's blowouts are legendary, and she has a trick for getting the perfect amount of volume. Teasing isn't exactly a new hack, but according to Glamour, Middleton does it to achieve that perfectly coiffed blowout. She teases the hair at the crown of her head before brushing the top layer of hair over it.
8. Low Buns To Transition Easily From Day To Night
Yes, Markle's low, messy buns always look incredible, but there's also a practical beauty hack behind them. According to Byrdie, Markle's low-placed bun allows her to seamlessly transition to waves for evening events. Thanks to its position, she can let her hair down with no fear of creasing or denting along the top portion.
