When you think of modern-day beauty icons, Catherine Princess of Wales is probably one of the first people who springs to mind. The royal has had many incredible hairstyles and make-up moments over the years and is practically synonymous with the bouncy blow-dry.
But the princess is far from a one-trick pony. Having got her signature understated glam look down to a fine art, there are also times when Catherine sports a smokey eye or bolder red nail polish. She clearly also takes good care of skin and, needless to say, hers is arguably one of the most famous heads of hair on the planet.
And while the former Duchess of Cambridge has never publicly commented on her exact skin, hair and make-up routines, we have been made privy to some of her go-to beauty products over the years. Below, we’ve broken down some of Kate Middleton’s beauty secrets, along with pictures of some of her most memorable looks...
32 of Kate Middleton's beauty secrets
1. The 'monotone' palette
One of Kate’s go-to techniques for putting together a winning look seems to be wearing similar shades on the lips and cheeks – and sometimes also her eyes – for a really "pulled-together" look. As well as taking some of the thought out of a make-up ensemble and giving a polished feel, a pop of blusher also always makes for a glowing finish.
Everybody has their favourite lipstick (or lipsticks, plural) and this is a classic muted pink colour from Charlotte Tilbury's sheeny K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick, a moisturising formula with a slightly sheeny finish.
A bright, fresh and shimmery shade of the classic powder blush from Bobbi Brown – a brand that we know counts the Princess of Wales as a fan.
It's long been reported that Kate Middleton was a fan of the (now-discontinued) original Naked Palette from Urban Decay, which wasn't worlds away from the neutral and pink tones of the Naked 3 Palette.
2. Her favourite mascara
Everybody has their favourite mascara, and the Princess of Wales is no exception. Her go-to has long been rumoured to be the iconic Lancôme’s Hypnôse Mascara, a volumising bestseller.
3. The right shampoo & conditioner
Judging by the results, Princess Catherine has a solid haircare routine and the cornerstone of any good one is having a shampoo and conditioner that suit and care for your hair type and its individual needs. Expert-loved salon brand Kérastase is rumoured to be used by the princess, with both the Nutritive Bain Satin and Oleo Relax shampoos rumoured to be in her repertoire.
4. Her skin-smoothing gel
It’s long been reported that one of the products that Kate uses in her skincare routine is Biotulin Supreme Skin Gel, a serum that is designed to replicate the effect of Botox by plumping the skin and smoothing fine lines.
5. Doing her own make-up
You may have assumed that such a high-profile member of the royal family would have a make-up artist on hand before any major public appearances. But Kate Middleton famously does her own make-up, even before royal engagements and on her wedding day.
6. Her glowy facial oil
Another buy associated with the Princess of Wales is Trilogy’s Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, a product that has long been rumoured to be in her skincare routine. The formula is packed with fatty acids and promises to nourish the skin and improve its natural radiance – hardly surprising that such a product is in Catherine's routine, then.
7. A signature fragrance
Fragrance is hugely personal and we can imagine that the Princess of Wales has a few select favourites. A scent that we do know she loves is Jo Malone London's Orange Blossom, one of the best Jo Malone London perfumes. Due to it being one of her favourite fragrances, the candles were reportedly burned in Westminster Abbey on her wedding day.
8. Affordable nail polish
Affordable brand Essie is known for being behind the late Queen Elizabeth II’s long-reported signature nail colour, but it’s also one that counts both the Princess of Wales and Meghan Duchess of Sussex among its fans. While the late Queen famously wore Ballet Slippers, Catherine’s go-to shade is apparently Allure. If it’s good enough for royalty…
9. Her go-to lip colour
Many of us have a go-to lipstick, the Princess of Wales included. One of her long-reported favourites dates back to her wedding day in 2011 when she wore Bobbi Brown’s Sandwash Pink (now reformulated in the brand’s Luxe Lip lipstick). We can imagine she keeps it in her make-up collection as a reminder of the day.
10. Have good quality hair tools
Having a good quality brush to hand can make all the difference to your hair and we’ve been made privy to a couple of tools that have most likely been used on the Princess of Wales’ hair over the years. Her wedding hairdresser Richard Ward has previously cited the Tangle Angel hairbrush as his go-to, while a Mason Pearson brush was spotted in her hairstylist Amanda Cook Tucker’s kit when the latter shared an image of the styling products she was taking on a royal tour.
11. Her go-to lip balm
There is one product that we’ve actually seen the Princess of Wales use in public, so we know for a fact that it’s one of her go-to's. Back in 2019, Kate was spotted using the Clarins Lip Perfector at Wimbledon.
12. A good hairstyling cream
Princess Catherine has famously thick hair that always looks shiny and well-moisturised, and a part of her hairstyling is therefore a good leave-in cream that helps to prevent frizz and flyaways from developing throughout the day. Kiehl’s Crème with Silk Groom was one such styling product that was pictured in Cook Tucker's tour kit.
13. Having a consistent skincare routine
The Princess of Wales has great skin, and while that will partly be down to her genes, it’s clear she looks after it, too – so it’s safe to assume she has a solid and consistent skincare routine that she sticks to. A brand that has frequently been reported as used by the Princes is Karin Herzog, with products like the Oxygen Face and Vita-A Creams rumoured to be among her favourites.
14. The smokey eye
If there’s one look that’s the Princess of Wales’ go-to for an evening function or red carpet event, it’s the classic smokey eye. Adding a little drama and sophistication to her overall look, this defines her eyes and is one that she has down to a fine art.
15. Heat protection for hair
Any hairdresser will tell you that protecting your hair when using hot tools is essential, so for an A-lister or member of the royal family whose hair is styled regularly for public appearances, heat protection is all the more crucial to keep its health in check. Therefore, we think it’s safe to assume that one of the best heat protection sprays has long been a part of Kate Middleton’s hairstyling regime.
16. A flush of blusher
Whether you opt for the best cream blush or a classic powder compact, applying a flush of blusher is an easy route to youthfully glowing skin, and it’s a product that the Princess of Wales appears to wear regularly.
17. Use a restorative hair treatment
Much like protecting the hair before regularly heat styling, ensuring that you really nourish strands is an important part of your haircare regime, too. Using a hair mask around once a week – or as your hair needs – is a great way to restore lost moisture, strengthen the hair and help to restore damaged areas, depending on the formula.
18. Tinted moisturiser
Tinted moisturiser is a great way to get a little coverage with skincare benefits, with Laura Mercier’s being one of the best-loved buys on the market – and Kate is reportedly a fan, too. According to The Glossary, the Princess of Wales has previously been spotted buying the iconic tinted moisturiser at London’s Peter Jones.
19. Nighttime skincare
As well as a good morning routine that includes SPF, a nighttime skincare regime is also important in helping to restore and nourish the skin while you sleep – something the Princess of Wales practises as the Beuti Skincare Beauty Sleep Elixir is one of her reported favourites. In an interview with Grazia, the brand’s founder, Leila Aalam, said a family friend who works at Kensington Palace passed the oil onto Kate when the product launched. “The next thing he knew, there were three full bottles of it sitting on the vanity unit in her room,” Aalam said.
20. Her wedding day glow
It’s well known that Bobbi Brown products were behind the Princess's signature wedding glow when she married Prince William in 2011, and there’s one product in particular that’ll give you that effortless sheen – the Shimmer Brick. It’s thought that the shade Bronze contributed to her radiant skin on her wedding day in 2011.
21. A good hairspray
When you have year-round public engagements in your calendar, no matter the season or weather condition, a good hairspray that’ll help to keep your style in place and shield it from the elements becomes essential. The ones Cook Tyler took on a royal tour are pretty affordable, too – the classic L’Oréal Paris’s Elnett and Charles Worthington's Perfect Finish Hairspray.
22. Brow lamination
Kate’s brows are always well-groomed, but at the premiere for No Time to Die, the then-Duchess of Cambridge appeared to have tried something different. The lifted and brushed-up look sparked speculation that she had tried the ever-popular brow lamination treatment.
23. Daily SPF
As well as protecting your skin from harm, SPF also shields your skin from the ageing effects of the sun, which is why it’s one of the most important products you can have in your skincare routine. According to reports, one of Kate’s go-to brands for the job is Lancaster, makers of some of the best facial sunscreens on the market.
24. Fake tan
We’re very partial to faux glow products and, as it happens, the Princess of Wales is rumoured to dabble in the best fake tan, too. According to HELLO!, she reportedly used Xen Tan Instant Bronzing Mist for her wedding day and is also thought to be a fan of St Tropez.
25. False lashes
Though we know she’s a fan of one of the best Lancôme mascaras, the Princess of Wales also appears to use fake eyelashes from time to time. The best false lashes come in all shapes and sizes, from fluffy and voluminous to understated and elegant, but really achieve that fluttery effect.
26. Bee venom
A more unusual treatment, but the Princess of Wales is reportedly a fan of Heaven Skincare’s Black Label Bee Venom Mask, a brand by Deborah Mitchell, who has also previously given the royal a facial. Fun fact: Mitchell also confirmed to The Daily Beast that it was actually Queen Camilla who recommended the product to Catherine.
27. The fringe
Many of us have tried a fringe at some point in our lives and the Princess of Wales is no exception. Though she hasn’t changed up her signature haircut a great deal, except for its length, she has dabbled with fringes. She first got a face-framing fringe back in 2015, then stepped out with very on-trend curtain bangs once again towards the end of 2023.
28. Defined arches
Dabbling in brow lamination aside, the Princess of Wales' arches have always been well-defined and groomed to perfection. We can only speculate, but we think it's likely she gets her eyebrows shaped – perhaps through threading – and defines them using one of the best eyebrow pencils.
29. Root lift
Though Catherine’s hair has a lot of natural body, she still makes use of volume sprays to keep things lifted at the roots. Inside the hairstyling kit shared by Cook Tucker there were two volumising products, the Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Body Booster Mousse and Wella EIMI Ocean Spritz Hairspray, which adds texture.
30. The bargain face cream
While some of the princess’s rumoured products are fairly luxurious, she also uses some affordable beauty buys, too. One example is Nivea’s Naturally Good Radiance Face Cream (at the time called the Pure and Natural Face Cream), which she was spotted buying in Boots by a member of the public. While the Radiance edition is a little tricky to get hold of, the Sensitive version is still very much available.
31. Regular exercise
As well as physical skincare and treatments, a healthy lifestyle is also reflected in your skin, from diet to sleep and exercise. The Princess of Wales reportedly keeps fit with an exercise regime that includes everything from cycling and rowing to yoga, according to Marie Claire Australia.
32. Easy eyeliner
Most people who wear eyeliner have their favourite formula, and we’re lucky enough to know a couple of the Princess of Wales’ go-tos. The liner that she wore on her wedding day is both a brilliant, smudge-resistant formula and very easy to apply with a separate brush – the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner. It’s also available in lots of different shades to suit most preferences.
