Meghan Markle shares her low-key beauty routine

And the bargain product she refuses to travel without

Beauty Crew Beauty Writer / May 25 2017

While Meghan Markle is most famously known for the assertive and ambitious character she plays on the television series Suits, it’s her understated and laidback approach to beauty that we love the most about her.

The actress, entrepreneur (she has her own lifestyle website, The Tig) and humanitarian shared during interviews with Allure, Express UK and Birchbox her go-to low-key beauty look, her signature scent and the one bargain buy she can’t travel without.

#1 / Her 5-minute beauty look

Meghan says her everyday makeup differs significantly from Rachel, her character on Suits, as “I am so much more low-key in real life. [Rachel] is so polished. And it’s in HD, so the steps that go into looking good on a show are very different than in real life.”

Instead she opts for a more natural look. “My routine is very simple – I call it the five-minute face. It’s just Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat, curled lashes, mascara, ChapStick and a little bit of blush,” she shared. For times when she’s looking to amp up her makeup look or add a touch of drama, she says: “I use MAC Teddy Eyeliner, which is a really beautiful brown that has some gold in it. A makeup artist I work with often, Kayleen McAdams, turned me on to it”.

#2 / Her must-have makeup products

During her years on the set of Suits, Meghan has tried a multitude of different products, which has allowed her to find out what works best for her skin type, tone and taste. Her favourite finds include Nars Blush in Orgasm as well as Diorshow Iconic Mascara and Make Up Forever HD Powder as “it lets your skin look shiny and fresh, but not greasy-shiny.”

NARS Blush in Orgasm

Diorshow Iconic Mascara

Make Up Forever HD Powder

#3 / Her go-to fragrances

Although fragrance is perhaps the most subjective beauty product we all use, we still love to know which scent A-list celebs spritz on a daily basis. It turns out Meghan is a fan of a cult favourite that you might have already tried: “I alternate between a few scents. I love Oribe Côte d’Azur Eau de Parfum and both the Wild Bluebell and Wood Sage & Sea Salt Colognes by Jo Malone,” she said.  

Oribe Côte d’Azur Eau de Parfum

Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Cologne

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne

#4 / Her simple hair hack for instant volume

Its not just about using a specific product; Meghan has a clever technique for getting thicker, more voluminous hair in a flash. When chatting to Birchbox, Meghan revealed the simple trick she uses on set to add instant oomph to her strands. “When my hair is feeling a little weighted, Suanne, my hair artist on set, has me bend forward and she sprays a little Oribe Dry Texutirsing Spray or nothing at all, and then has me ‘flip back hard’ to give my hair a little extra bounce,” she explained.

#5 / The bargain buy she can’t travel without

In addition to needing to travel constantly for work, Meghan is an avid traveller in her spare time. As a result she’s streamlined the items she travels with to the absolute essentials. And the one product she can’t travel without? Tea tree oil.

“It’s not the most glamorous thing, but if you get cut, a mosquito bite, a small breakout, no matter what it is, it’s my little cure-all. It’s inexpensive, it’s small enough to carry on, and I bring it with me all the time,” she explained.

Tea tree oil isn’t just a beauty bag must-have for all the reasons Meghan listed, it also works wonders for those with oily skin. To find out how, check out our expert tips for managing oily skin.

Image credit: Getty

Kate started working for BEAUTYcrew in early 2016, first as a contributor, and was then named Beauty Writer in 2017. She loves picking the brains of the industry's top experts to get to the bottom of beauty's toughest questions. Bronze eyeshadow palettes are her weakness and she's forever on the hunt for the perfect nude nail polish to suit her fair skin. Her words can also be found in Men's Health magazine, and she now works in PR.