Meghan Markle Has Had Some Embarrassing Makeup Fails

Meghan Markle's makeup game has been on point for the most part. She's worked with and learned from some of the best in the beauty industry, including Daniel Martin, who famously did her makeup look for her royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. However, she normally prefers doing her own makeup, and according to Martin, the Duchess of Sussex has become quite skilled at painting her face. "She's not fussy — she's just trying to get it on and get out the door," Martin once told People. "She loves makeup and she's good at it!" he added.

Regarding her beauty secrets, Markle revealed in a 2017 Allure interview that she prefers a more subtle look over a full face. Unlike her "Suits" character, Rachel Zane, Markle admitted, "I am so much more low-key in real life." (FYI, she looks just as gorgeous without makeup!) She also dished on what she calls her "five-minute face," which involves curling her eyelashes and putting on her favorite concealer, mascara, lip balm, and blush. "That is my favorite kind of look," Markle said. For nights out, she will simply add a brown eyeliner on the corner of her eyes for that sexy, smoky effect. She credits another makeup artist, Kayleen McAdams, for this particular trick. "It's what she uses on Sofía Vergara, and who wouldn't want those gorgeous brown almond eyes?" Markle remarked. 

But while she's mastered the art of doing her own makeup, Markle isn't totally immune to embarrassing makeup blunders. Like other celebrities, she's also had her share of bad makeup days. 

There was a time when Meghan Markle suffered from a bad case of blush blindness. In 2008, she attended a fundraising event for the National Kidney Foundation wearing too much color on her cheeks as though she'd just run a full marathon — and not in a good way, either. Unfortunately, her eye makeup wasn't much better, with dark eyeshadows and an excess of undereye concealer that didn't go well with the rest of her look. In his Us Weekly interview, Daniel Martin revealed that Markle is just obsessed with blush. "She loves the cheek," he said. "She [also] loves a big brow." To make matters even worse, Markle's outfit for the gala was also a disaster; she had on a too-small tweed jacket underneath a black tank top and flared jeans, which Markle accessorized with a handbag and a layered pearl necklace. Interesting choice!

Thankfully, the Duchess of Sussex has gotten much better at choosing her clothes and keeping her makeup much more subtle. For example, her look at the 2023 Variety Power of Women gala exuded a natural glow with just the right amount of blush and bronzer. And speaking of blush, Markle shared in her chat with Allure that she is a massive fan of NARS powder blush in the shade Orgasm, which she first discovered during her time working on "Suits." She explained, "It gives you a nice glow from within." She also raved about the product in another interview, calling it "the perfect rosy flush tone that brightens the face," according to Glamour.

Before Meghan Markle stuck to nude lips as part of her signature look, she experimented with other lip colors. For instance, at Elle's 6th Annual Women in Television Dinner in 2016, she walked the red carpet wearing a wine-colored lipstick that perfectly matched her dress that evening. She also rocked a red lip while visiting the AOL Studios to promote "Suits" later that same year. However, Markle has since sworn off bold, dramatic lip shades, with Daniel Martin explaining to People, "The one time she did a red lip, she just didn't feel comfortable in it." He also noted, "She likes to talk and she's not a fussy person, so she doesn't want to have to worry about anything."

Once, in 2013, the "Dater's Handbook" star even stepped out of her comfort zone by sporting hot pink lipstick at the Tory Burch show during New York Fashion Week (as shown above). According to Glamour, Markle spoke candidly about her first NYFW experience: "I ... toil over looks, and my hair always has a wayward strand begging for attention and deep conditioner." However, her style has since improved significantly, and according to reports, one of her all-time favorite lip shades is Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution lipstick in Very Victoria (inspired by none other than her estranged bestie, Victoria Beckham). Another is Charlotte Tilbury's lipstick in the shade Pillow Talk, which Markle wore on her 2021 Time magazine cover with her husband, Prince Harry.

In 2018, Meghan Markle joined Prince Harry for their first official visit to Wales since announcing their engagement to the public in November 2017. Photos taken of the future princess showed her greeting enthusiastic royal fans and interacting with schoolchildren at Cardiff Castle alongside Harry. She wore a sleek, all-black outfit, with her hair styled loosely in a bun and her makeup minimalistic. But while her base was flawless, she didn't seem to bother with the rest of her look and ended up with creasy under eyes, thin, sparse brows, and smudged eyeliner.

Ultimately, the look gave the Duchess of Sussex a slightly tired and unkempt appearance. Over the years, she's switched up her eyebrows from thin to fuller and more defined, which improved the overall symmetry of her face. "They frame and suit her face well," beauty expert Sian Dellar agreed in a 2022 interview with Hello! She explained that the look was inspired by Markle's longtime idol, Audrey Hepburn, whose bold, thick eyebrows were a defining feature of her face.

Despite the change, Daniel Martin stressed that the eyebrows enhanced Markle's features without drastically transforming her appearance. "It's still her," he told People. When it comes to trying new makeup looks, he noted that Markle prefers to stay consistent with her personal style and claimed, "She doesn't stray too far from her technique and she's very formulaic with her routine."

In 2019, Meghan Markle was attending a royal event with Prince Harry when she met a 99-year-old veteran and accidentally left a smudge of her makeup on his jacket. The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, shared photos on X, formerly Twitter, showing William Allen at the Poppy Factory's Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in London. "Here is D-Day veteran William Allen — a remarkable man who celebrates his 100th birthday next month. Meghan hugged and kissed him, leaving a little makeup smudge on his jacket," the tweet read. Fortunately, Allen didn't seem to mind the smudge and even quipped, "I'm never washing that!" according to English. Sweet, right? Still, it must have been totally embarrassing for Markle, who likely left similar marks on other fans she interacted with and kissed that day. 

And here is D-Day veteran William Allen – a remarkable man who celebrates his 100th birthday next month. Meghan hugged and kissed him, leaving a little make-up smudge on his jacket. 'I'm never washing that!' he said. pic.twitter.com/zQ8iAnX8FO

— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) November 7, 2019

According to beauty mogul Charlotte Tilbury, there are many reasons behind this unfortunate but common makeup mistake, such as not properly setting your makeup or starting off with an unclean base. "Always use a setting spray!" she exclaimed. She also recommends using a primer to prevent your makeup from sliding off and applying products in thin, even layers. Lastly, always follow the correct makeup order for a seamless and long-lasting finish. "When your products are applied and layered correctly, they're much more likely to stay in place for FLAWLESS beauty all day long!" the Charlotte Tilbury founder added. Hear that, Meghan?

Perhaps one of Meghan Markle's most embarrassing makeup blunders was her look at the Endeavour Fund Awards in London in 2020. Dressed in a bright blue pencil dress, Markle, who was accompanied by Prince Harry, sported a makeup look that felt a little too intense and distracting. For one, she wore a copper eyeshadow that clashed with her bronzer and was highlighted by her thick eyebrows and black eyeliner. Her lipstick choice — a shimmering red orange hue — only intensified the look and made it seem harsh and clownish. One of the unspoken rules of makeup is that there should be just one or two focal points, whether it's the eyes, or lips, or eyes and lips. Everything else should be kept minimal so as not to overwhelm the entire look. 

All in all, it was a disaster. However, judging from her recent makeup looks, it's clear that Markle has learned from her past mistakes and finally found a style that works for her. In 2023, her makeup artist, Daniel Martin, once again praised Markle's makeup skills, telling Us Weekly, "She's so good at doing her own face." He also mentioned that Markle often skips a glam team and relishes the chance to experiment with makeup on her own. "I feel like when I'm not with her, she has more room to play," Martin acknowledged. "It's just her ... She's doing everything herself and she's so good at it."