8 beauty secrets straight from royalty
We'll never be royals...but we can certainly beautify like them
Royals, whether by birth or by marriage, know a thing or two about beauty. Think about it—their faces are plastered pretty much everywhere, whether painted in portraits or snapped for sites, and scrutinised/admired to no end. Thus, they kind of have to look good. Here, a smattering of some of the best (and craziest) beauty secrets from those who get to don tiaras without a hint of irony.
Marie Antoinette
The Queen of France had a signature face mask that was so popular, some French women still use it. Ingredients? Two teaspoons of cognac, 1/3 cup dry milk powder, one egg white, and the juice of one lemon. The cognac stimulates circulation and tightens pores, while the eggs repair skin tissue. The milk's lactic acid dissolves sebum, which holds dead skin cells on the surface, while the citric acid from the lemons sweeps away dead skin cells from the surface.
Queen Elizabeth I
In the Elizabethan Era, many cosmetics were eschewed because they were believed to block good energy. Ironically pale skin was in, so they *did* allow for things like lead and arsenic for that much-adored pallor. (They didn't quite know that those were poisonous—quite literally blocking good things and bringing in bad ones.) Queen Elizabeth often wore white makeup to maintain her image as a "Virgin Queen." The most popular beauty product was ceruse, a mix of white lead and vinegar. High foreheads were also coveted at this time as well, and nobility (including the Queen) had their hairlines plucked to create an even more exaggerated forehead.
Queen Victoria
Our former monarch warded off bad smells by keeping her gloves perfumed with rose oil.
Queen Elizabeth II
The reigning queen is a huge fan of lipstick, with Clarins being a top choice. In fact, she even commissioned her own lipstick shade to match her coronation robes at the 1952 ceremony. The soft red-blue hue was named "The Balmoral Lipstick," a name from her Scottish country home. And the love affair with color hasn't stopped since then—the Queen has been seen applying lipstick in public on numerous occasions.
Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco
The actress-turned-royal reportedly applied hand cream to her hands religiously, saying that hands are where people show their age first. *applies more hand cream*
Princess Diana
Makeup artist Mary Greenwell, who started working with Princess Diana in 1991, says that after she talked Diana out of using blue eyeliner ("blue eyes should never wear blue pencil or shadow"), the royal changed up her daily habits to keep her face in check. "Diana did everything in moderation. She cut back on drinking so her skin was 100%." As for the one thing Diana never left home without wearing (mascara), Greenwell says: "I always taught her to make sure when applying mascara by herself that she covered the roots of the lashes, too!"
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge
The new royal has plenty of beauty secrets, but one thing Middleton swears by is a drugstore find! Her moisturiser of choice is Nivea's Soft Moisturising Crème. She's reportedly been seen stocking up on the hydrating lotion, which costs a mere fiver. The other must in her beauty regimen? Rosehip oil. The natural oil is said to help fight wrinkles.
Princess Marie-Olympia of Greece
The 18-year-old It Girl and daughter of Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece (whose own father is Robert Warren Miller—the American billionaire and sailing champion), shared her secret to smelling good: "I don't wear perfume, just Amazing Grace by Philosophy cream."
Samantha Leal is a writer, editor, and content strategist whose work centers around all things lifestyle—beauty, fashion, drinks, food, travel, and wellness (to name a few). Basically, all the good things in life. She holds a journalism degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and has held roles at Well+Good, Marie Claire, Latina magazine, and The Knot. Her byline has appeared in Refinery29, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Apartment Therapy, and more.
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