5 Times Meghan Markle Went Nearly Makeup-Free And Looked Flawless

Meghan Markle has been in the public eye since she gained fame as Rachel Zane in "Suits," and she became even more famous after being linked to Prince Harry. Now, as the Duchess of Sussex, she's become one of the biggest public figures imaginable: a British royal. However, Markle is also known for her fresh-faced beauty. She's typically seen wearing a barely there makeup look, but on some occasions, she's known to rock smokey eyes. 

"For events ... I love a strong eye and a really light lip. I love contoured and highlighted cheekbones too," the duchess told Makeup.com in 2018. However, you'll rarely see her with dark lipstick. "I always do a nude lip. If you ever see me on the carpet with a dark lip, I was strong-armed into doing it! I love the way it looks on other people — but it makes me nervous so I don't take that risk as often," she added.

Many have tried to recreate Markle's laidback makeup, especially after she shared her simple daily routine with Allure, which includes a touch of highlighter, blush, mascara, and lip balm. "That's my favorite kind of look," she told the outlet. Markle's go-to blush is the ever-popular Orgasm from NARS, and her favorite foundation is a TikTok fave (Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation). Finally, for a slightly more dramatic nighttime look, Markle prefers to play up her eyes with a gold-brown liner. With her glowing skin, Markle isn't afraid to be seen sans makeup, and, unsurprisingly, she's still a natural beauty without any products on her face.

Meghan Markle bared it all for her Netflix documentary series "Harry & Meghan," including her face. In the docu-series, which premiered on December 8, 2022, Markle is seen sitting on a bed with a towel over her hair and her face scrubbed clean of any makeup, and it's clear to see that she doesn't look that different from her everyday look. To keep her skin looking fresh and dewy, Markle goes for regular beauty treatments, and according to her esthetician, Sarah Chapman, she's a big fan of facial massages and oils (via Access Hollywood).

A September 18, 2009, photo of Meghan Markle shows that she's always loved the natural look and embraced her freckles. She once told Allure that she despises having them airbrushed out of pictures, saying, "For all my freckle-faced friends out there, I will share with you something my dad told me when I was younger: 'A face without freckles is a night without stars.'" As such, you'll rarely see a picture of Markle with her freckles covered. This was especially true during her 2009 visit to the DPA Pre-Emmy Gift Lounge at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, but even her wedding-day glam was a no-makeup makeup look that didn't over-cover her skin.

Even when she's on camera, Meghan Markle prefers to keep her face almost bare. For instance, while she did have a touch of mascara on in an ITV News interview from October 2019, she still sported a mostly undone look. This allowed her full brows and high cheekbones to shine, with her naturally pink lips also being on full display. Of her lip-care routine, she told Beauty Banter (via Hello! Magazine) that she uses Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment by Fresh to get a super soft pout. "I have searched high and low and tried every kind of lip balm, but this is the very best," she stated.

Back when she starred in "Suits," Meghan Markle stated to Beauty Banter (via Today) that she skips foundation when she's off-camera and prefers an illuminating primer to make her skin look lit from within. The one beauty step Markle always makes time for is curling her lashes. According to her "Suits" makeup artist, Markle uses Maybelline's Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara for long, thick lashes (via Hello! Magazine). Her simple, nearly makeup-free look was on full display on January 14, 2012, when she stopped by the HBO Luxury Lounge featuring L'Oréal Paris and New Era Cap to commemorate the year's Golden Globes ceremony.

When Meghan Markle's out and about, all eyes are on her, but she still opts for a minimal look when it comes to her makeup and hair. She's often spotted with barely there eye makeup and a breezy low bun, and this includes her October 28, 2018, trip to New Zealand's Wellington War Memorial. On her glam, makeup artist Daniel Martin shared with Allure, "I don't use foundation all over her face ... I just spot-treat." Ultimately, Markle mainly sticks to her tried-and-true natural look, and it undoubtedly works for the duchess.