How Princess Kate's Signature Makeup Look Helps Her "Break the Royal Mold"

She keeps it simple.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Basildon Sporting Village on October 30, 2018 in London, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Kate's fashion choices always attract attention, because they're so carefully chosen for each event she shows up to.

With that said, the Princess of Wales' makeup looks tend to fly much more so under the radar—which is totally intentional.

"There is no strict rulebook when it comes to royal makeup, but there is certainly an unspoken etiquette which has existed over the years, encouraging a 'less is more' approach," explains celebrity stylist and royal fashion expert Miranda Holder, speaking to Express.

The expert went on to explain that the Queen sometimes wore a fun bright shade of lipstick, but that otherwise most royal women typically wear minimal makeup—or no makeup at all.

"All that said, there have always been Windsor women who break the traditional mold, both sartorially speaking and in terms of the rest of their image," Holder continued.

"These women are not afraid to stand out a little from the rest of the royal crowd, rendering them tastemakers and indeed style icons.

"The first was obviously Princess Diana, her heavily-mascaraed eyelashes adding a dramatic effect to her famous coquettish downward glances, and the second is the current Princess of Wales."

Speaking to Kate's signature makeup look, Holder said, "Thanks in part to her radiant beauty, her charm and of course because of her future position as the Queen of England, Kate is always in the media spotlight, and as one of the most photographed women in the world, quite sensibly turns to a dash of makeup or two to help her present her best self to the millions of onlookers around the globe."

Still, the princess typically keeps her look to tastefully defined eyebrows, mascara, pink blush and lipstick that's just a touch darker than her natural lip shade.

She also usually keeps her hairstyle fairly simple, often wearing it down in light waves, though she recently wore a half-up, half-down style at Wimbledon that drew attention because it's out of the norm for her.

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Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.

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