Being royal is all about upholding tradition and following protocol but when it comes to the females of the family and their beauty habits, things can get a little ugly.
WATCH BELOW: Princess Charlotte flicks her hair just like mum Kate Middleton.
For every carefully preened princess and coifed queen, there is a daring duchess and a made-over monarch pushing those old royal rules.
While Hollywood stars lavish in the latest beauty fads, simplicity is key for the royal family’s females with each expected to stay fresh-faced and formal for all those public engagements and private functions.
But there are royal rebels flouting the rules when it comes to beauty with the Queen herself breaking the rules she has been entrusted to pass on.
ROYAL RULE: Nails to be kept short and clean. Only pale pink polish allowed.
RULE MAKER: The Queen has made it clear to all the females in her family that wearing coloured nail polish, particularly brightly coloured, is discouraged.
However, the 94-year-old monarch has one slight exception to her own rule. HRH has reportedly worn Essie’s Ballet Slippers – a neutral, pale pink polish – since 1989.
The royal seal of approval has made the polish a bestseller.
RULE BREAKER: In 2012 Kate Middleton made her red carpet arrival to dine at The Thirty Club in London wearing platform sandals and… a dark red pedicure!
The 39-year-old Duchess of Cambridge still risks a darker toe polish but keeps her manicures neutral.
ROYAL RULE: Hair should be natural, tamed and carefully maintained.
RULE MAKER: No member of the royal family is more famous for their ‘do’ than Princess Anne.
The coiffed Princess Royal has maintained her signature mane since the 1960s, when beehive hairstyles were first in vogue.
Recently, the 70-year-old royal revealed how long it takes to perfect her hair each day through commenting on the hit TV show, The Crown.
Describing her ‘do’ as “a beast” to style, Princess Anne says: “I read an article the other day about The Crown. The actress [Erin Doherty] was talking about how long it took them to do their hair like I did and I’m thinking, ‘How could you possibly take that long?’ I mean it takes me 10 or 15 minutes.”
RULE BREAKER: When Meghan Markle breezed into the royal family, she brought with her some much needed Hollywood glamour.
One of 39-year-old Meg’s signature looks is her trademark messy bun, which she has adopted for royal duties including a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2018.
Meghan’s hairstyle was seen as breath by fashionistas, even though it didn’t quite fit with royal traditional.
ROYAL RULE: Eye makeup must be simple and elegant. No false lashes or winged eyeliner.
RULE MAKER: The late Princess Diana used her eyes to maximum effect, thanks to her makeup artist showing her how.
Mary Greenwell, who worked with the late Princess of Wales, explains, “I always taught her to make sure, when applying mascara by herself, to cover the roots of the lashes too.”
RULE BREAKER: Princess Eugenie flirted with danger on her wedding day in 2018 when she appeared with bold brows and fuller lashes.
Granted it was a special occasion – and she did have help from Bobbi Brown artistry manager, Hannah Martin – but her eyes were the star of the show as the 30-year-old exchanged vows with her fiancé, Jack Brooksbank.
ROYAL RULE: Muted lipstick shades encouraged. No bright colours. No sticky lip glosses.
RULE MAKER: When it comes to getting lippy, the Duchess of Sussex is happy to oblige. Meghan’s wedding makeup artist, Daniel Martin, has revealed why the Duchess loves a nude lip.
“The one time she did a red lip, she just didn’t feel comfortable in it,” he explains. “She likes to talk and she’s not a fussy person, so she doesn’t want to have to worry about anything.”
RULE BREAKER: The Queen herself is fond of bright lip colours that lift her complexion, despite other members of the royal family adhering to guidelines.
In fact, Her Majesty is said to have a pretty impressive bold lip collection, including her own personalised red shade from beauty brand Clarins.
ROYAL RULE: Face makeup must be light and neutral. No contouring.
RULE MAKER: Zara Tindall has mastered the art of a fresh-faced look.
The 39-year-old daughter of Princess Anne has discovered the secret to a glowing complexion, without relying on heavy makeup. The equestrian’s neutral palette is enhanced only with a slight nude lip and hint of eyeliner.
RULE BREAKER: The Countess of Wessex is a fan of using both blusher and bronzer on her cheeks, depending on her mood.
Sophie, who is married to Prince Edward, loves pink and peachy shades to enhance her features, as reflected in the shade the 55-year-old royal chose to wear when she met the cast of Downton Abbey in 2014.
ROYAL RULE: Long-lasting formulas should be used to avoid public touch-ups.
RULE MAKER: Kate Middleton is a big fan of Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink for its waterproof formula.
The Duchess is able to apply the liner in the morning for a guaranteed look that will last all day.
RULE BREAKER: Most surprisingly, The Queen is a royal rule breaker here, too! HRH is often seen reapplying her lipstick during long public engagements.
She has been snapped several times touching up with Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Colour Lipsticks in her favourite bright pink shade.
ROYAL RULE: Hairspray or hairnets are a beauty bag staple.
RULE MAKER: Kate Middleton has often used hairnets to keep her hairstyle in check.
The Duchess often relies on the barely-there hair accessory to keep her chignon neatly in place, teamed with a spritz of L’Oreal Elnett Satin hairspray, as revealed by royal stylist Amanda Cook Tyler.
RULE BREAKER: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, has battled with frizzy, windswept hair at times.
However, her unkempt and outdoorsy hairstyle is believed to be one of the things that Prince Charles has always loved about the 73-year-old duchess.
Camilla’s hair is both thick and fine, making it difficult to keep in place on a windy day.
ROYAL RULE: Good skincare is essential to maintain a healthy and natural complexion.
RULE MAKER: Princess Diana followed the three golden rules when it comes to great skin.
According to her former makeup artist, Mary Greenwell, the late Princess of Wales was dedicated to her daily skincare routine.
“Diana was very aware of her beauty regime; cleansing, toning and moisturising twice a day,” says Mary. “Diana was very sensible when it came to her skin. She would always make sure she took her makeup off at the end of the day, and made sure she always had a clean face before applying makeup.”
RULE BREAKER: Meghan Markle’s red carpet background has enabled her to pick up some great skincare cheats.
It might be more Hollywood than HRH, but the Duchess of Sussex likes to use Biore Daily Deep Pore Cleansing Cloths at the end of a long day.
“They’re great to keep in the car and on your nightstand when you have those horribly lazy nights that the thought of getting up to actually wash your face seems unbearable,” says Meghan.
ROYAL RULE: Fake tan is permitted, but only in moderation.
RULE MAKER: Kate Middleton has redefined spray tans from a royal perspective with her classy hue.
Forget traditional stereotypes when it comes to faking the bake, and think more of a sun-kissed halo. The Duchess of Cambridge was even nicknamed Kate Middle-tan for her love of a bronzed look.
She is said to use Xen-Tan Instant Bronzing Mist to achieve her natural glow.
RULE BREAKER: Harry’s ex-girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, was also fond of the fake tan look.
Shortly after the pair split in 2009, Chelsy hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The then 24-year-old student was photographed looking like she had been painted orange.
Just the kind of attention the poor girl didn’t need after splitting from her royal boyfriend of seven years!
ROYAL RULE: Absolutely no glitter!
RULE MAKER: Apart from her glittering jewels, the Queen would never be seen with even a hint of sparkle in her beauty palette.
Cosmetics firm Elizabeth Arden holds a royal warrant for Her Majesty so it’s most likely that the Queen gets her sheen from its iconic Eight Hour Cream products.
RULE BREAKER: Princess Beatrice was snapped sporting a ‘glitter parting’ at the Wilderness Festival last year.
The 32-year-old royal wore her hair in a sparkly braid for the event – thanks to the Josh Wood Colour pop-up salon backstage – inspiring festival hair envy everywhere.
More recently, the rebel royal posed for a Chaos SixtyNine Magazine photo shoot with a Rolling Stones-style scarlet pout dusted in red glitter.
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