What Makeup Did Princess Diana Wear?
July 1st marks the birthday of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. So I thought I’d share with you some of Princess Diana's makeup secrets. I’ve also included some of the products she would have worn and the types of products she used. Despite her untimely death 27 years ago, the interest in the late princess still remains. People want to know what makeup did Princess Diana wear? Did she have any favoured beauty secrets? And how can we replica the Princess Diana makeup style today? After learning more about her beauty secrets and how to achieve her legendary eye makeup, this style is now one of my own personal favourites to wear. I hope that you enjoy this post as much as I’ve enjoyed curating it. Don't forget to check out our exclusive Diana Edit, which we created as a special limited edition collection inspired by the exact shades, makeup and skincare worn by Diana.
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Princess Diana Makeup Shows the Importance of Mastering Your Personal Style
You may have read my other posts on Audrey Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s makeup and also her Funny Face makeup. Personally, I find it fascinating to go back in time in makeup history to learn about what products the famous faces once wore. Not all of the products used by certain stars are still available today. But surprisingly, some still are – which is just fantastic. Nowadays, we are obsessed with watching celebrities switch up their looks and sport different makeup on a regular basis. However, this wasn’t usually the case for our favourite faces from the past. More often than not, they were encouraged to establish a makeup and hairstyle that suited them well. That would then be the look they would stick with and become known for. The Pixiwoo Hollywood Icons DVD goes into more detail about this. They talk about how Max Factor used to team up with MGM to transform new starlets into Hollywood icons. He worked with everyone including Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, and many more.
The Princess Diana makeup style was a simple but elegant look. She was the perfect example of how mastering a style that suits you can be very beneficial. Way back in the early days, when she was adapting to her lifestyle change from being Diana Spencer to the Princess of Wales: Global Fashion Icon, Diana’s makeup artist encouraged her to ditch her vivid blue eyeliner. Diana’s then-makeup artist Mary Greenwell suggested that she established a classic makeup style, using softer browns and warmer shades around her eyes instead.
One reason was because she was now a public figure and should obtain a distinguished personal style. The other reason was that blue eyeliner can be quite ageing and it actually dulled Princess Diana’s bright blue eyes. The browns and neutrals she later became known for helped to play them up and emphasise her true blue eyes far more.
I think, at times, it can be easy to forget how young Princess Diana was. Despite being a global icon, Diana was incredibly young – both when she rose to fame and more tragically, when she died. This is one of the reasons why Princess Diana’s makeup was so simple and easily wearable for all ages. It was just enough to play up her best features – namely her famous blue eyes, and to look picture-perfect at all times, without looking too overdone.
What Makeup Did Princess Diana Wear?
It has been said that Princess Diana adored fragrance but never stuck to any particular brand. The same can be said in part of the makeup products she wore. It wasn’t so important that she used any particular brand and product, what was more important was the shade and the effect they gave. Here is the list of the exact type of products and shades that Princess Diana would have worn, as suggested by her former makeup artist, Mary Greenwell. You might also be interested in the Diana Edit by Minnirella, which includes exact replicas of all of the original products worn by the late Princess.
- By Terry Baume de Rose
- Rejuvenate 3 step layering set
- Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation – B10
- Guerlain Parure Gold Fluid Radiance Foundation, Beige Pâle
- Hourglass 1.5mm Mechanic Gel Eye Liner
- Bourjois - Smoky Stories Quad Eyeshadow Palette - Over Rose
- Sensai - Mascara 38°C - M1
- Lancome Hypnôse Mascara
- Tom Ford - Fiber Brow Gel - Blonde
- MAC Lip Pencil, shade: Subculture
- Lancome L'ABSOLU ROUGE – 202 Nuit en Jour
- Chanel - Powder Blush - Rose Initial
- Charlotte Tilbury - Air Brush Flawless Finish - Fair
Princess Diana Makeup and Beauty Tips
Here are some additional Princess Diana makeup and beauty tips, so that you too can feel like a Princess! Compared to today’s beauty routines, Diana’s beauty regime was incredibly basic, but clearly it worked well!
- Diana always took her makeup off before bed. Just to reiterate the point: Don’t sleep in your makeup!
- Her face was always well moisturised. (Check back to the list above to see her favourite moisturising products)
- Gold and brown are the most flattering on blue eyes.
- Drink lots of water.
- Avoid alcohol and don’t smoke.
- Diana never left the house without wearing mascara. Even when she went to the gym, while she might have forgone the rest of her makeup, she would always apply a few coats of mascara.
- And finally, don't forget that no Princess Diana makeup or fashion look would ever be complete without the addition of a stunning sapphire ring!
Let me know if you try out any of these products and let me know what you think!