Kate Middleton's make up secrets revealed and how to get the look

(Image credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage/Future)

published 1 October 2022

Kate Middleton's forever flawless makeup is cause for praise and envy alike. Envy no more as a make up artist has revealed the methods used to create Kate's timeless appearance and has shared how you can achieve the look at home.

Makeup artist, Saffron Hughes, has analysed Kate Middleton's makeup to reveal the methods she uses to create and upkeep her timeless appearance
Reports of Kate's favourite make up products over the years show that she has one tried-and-tested brand that she puts her trust in to create her effortless everyday look
In other royal news, Kate Middleton has revealed Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' cheeky responses to her engagement photos

Wherever Kate Middleton goes, praise is sure to follow. Whether she is meeting fans at royal engagements or getting involved on sailing ships, her skin is always flawless and her makeup never smudged.

Many of the princess' admirers wonder how she achieves the subtle, glowing-from-within look that she wears so well. To put the speculation to bed, FalseEyelashes.co.uk decided to recruit the help of their resident makeup artist Saffron Hughes, and tasked her with the challenge to analyse Kate's makeup and reveal the methods contributing to her timeless appearance.

Saffron said, "Kate's makeup is classic and timeless. Rather than following extravagant trends, Kate follows clear rules that compliment her oval face shape and skin texture.

"Makeup trends can come and go throughout time and adding unnecessary makeup can alter the appearance of age. Kate knows the best placement for her face shape and by doing so, it doesn’t matter her age, she will always be looking at least 10 years younger!”

The makeup artist explains that Kate’s 'glowing-from-within skin makeup' is achieved through using cream products. She said, "One of the biggest contributors to Kate's youthful appearance is her dewy, glowing skin. Heavy powder can settle into fine lines on the face and exaggerate the appearance of wrinkles, so Kate opts for sheer, glowing foundation or tinted moisturiser as an alternative.”

In the past, including on her and Prince William's wedding day, as has been confirmed by multiple sources, the princess has been a massive of Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation, which you can pick up from John Lewis for less than £40!

Since Kate skips the step of powdering to lock in her flawless base, it is no surprise that, as Glamour has previously reported, she carries blotting papers with her religiously to maintain a shine-free complexion and never look sweaty in photos. While Kate's go to brand is yet to be revealed, beauty website Allure.com recommend the Clean & Clear instant oil-adsorbing sheets, which you can get easily from Amazon.

Kate's eyebrow style is also used to give her a more youthful appearance. Saffron explains, "As we age, brows tend to get more sparse and naturally thin, so filling brows with a fine pencil can contribute to a more youthful appearance. Kate’s eyebrows embrace their natural arch and are very uniform so it’s likely they’re either laminated or set with a gel.”

To get her full brow look, Hello! reports that Kate has long been a fan of Bobbi Brown's Dark Brow Kit, which is available for £32.30, and uses it for adding definition to the arch of her brow.

While Kate's make up looks have always been timeless and stunning, the style of make up she opts for has changed over the years. Her thick black eyeliner, that used to sit pride of place on her top and bottom eyelids, has become a thing of the past.

Saffron explains that this is likely because Kate is adapting her eye make up to suit her now more grown-up face.

She said, "Unfortunately as we age, this can give us the illusion of smaller eyes. To open the eyes, Kate uses soft brown eyeshadow on the outer-third of her lower lash line to softly define the eyes. Opting for eyeliner on the outer-third of the lash line gives a wide-awake appearance and makes us look more alert. Her top lids are often adorned with a natural brown and accompanied with a thicker, more pronounced black gel eyeliner.”

Vogue Australia reported in 2021 that Kate uses the shades Ivory, Rockstar and Slate from Bobbi Brown's collection of eyeshadows for her everyday look. All three shades are available from John Lewis and are currently on sale!

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Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.