Royal Wedding makeup

Having only just come down off Planet Wedding after getting married myself on April 29th, it's got me thinking about not only my own look, but also Kate Middleton's, who of course was married on the same day (although I still pipped her to the post by a couple of hours).

(I'm on the left, chief bridesmaid on the right!)

Base: No7 Shine-Free Makeup Base, Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Set, Lancôme Teint Idole Foundation, Arbonne Sheer Pressed Powder, Lancôme Blush Subtil

Lips: Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick , Lancôme Color Fever Gloss in 385 Lavande Ballerine

Eyes: Benefit Lemon Aid Corrector Eyelid Primer, MAC Pigment in Naked, Jerome Alexander Magic Minerals Lash Extending Mascara, Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner

Nails: American gel nails put on by Blush salon, St Germain en Laye

Perfume: Hugo Boss Femme

All great for coverage, long-lastingness, and radiance.

I think that Kate Middleton and I had the same aims in mind for our wedding makeup - a natural look that would stay in place no matter what. We also both did our own makeup (although she had training from makeup artist Arabella Preston, while nobody's ever shown me what to do). It's not known exactly what she had put on her face, but it's rumoured that high-performance mascara by Revitalash is an official Royal favourite. It costs about £16, so is not out of reach for everyday princesses the world over.

Essie Allure

There have also been whispers on the wind of Lancôme's Hypnôse and Bobbi Brown makeup being royal faves - so it looks like I'm in good company having also used these brands myself on my own special day.


For her nails, manicurist Marina Sandoval blended Essie's "Allure" and Bourjois' "Rose Lounge" for a feminine feel, while I went for gel nails, which you'd need a chisel to break through.

So would I recommend doing your own wedding makeup? In short, yes. While it would have been one less thing for me to do on the morning of my wedding, I know I felt more confident in my own hands than in someone else's - someone else who doesn't know me or how me or my now-husband like me to look. I suspect the now-Duchess of Cambridge felt the same way. The main criticism I've heard of the new Royal's look states that the eye makeup was too heavy and "evening-y", which certainly appears to be the case close up, but from far away looks just fine. When you consider the number of people and cameras watching her, this is stage makeup on the grandest possible scale, so the demands will be different. I equally feel that I met the standard required for my event.