Queen Elizabeth may employ a royal dresser, but when it comes to makeup, she prefers to do it herself. According to the 93-year-old monarch's dressmaker, Angela Kelly, there is just one day a year that the Queen relies on someone else to do her makeup - for her annual Christmas speech.
Minimal makeup
Queen Elizabeth II seldom wore little more than lipstick and a hint of blush for her public appearances, and called upon Clarins Compact Powder for her complexion (the brand made an exclusive lipstick to match her suit for Coronation Day in 1953 to celebrate the Queen's loyalty to them).
Queen Elizabeth was famously crowned wearing Clarins cosmetics, after commissioning the company to create a shade of lipstick that went with her coronation robes. It's rumoured that its Ever Matte powder was among the Queen's must-haves.
Stick to minimal makeup and trusted products
According to The Telegraph, it is rumoured that Queen Elizabeth preferred to wear only a touch of lipstick and a hint of blush when stepping out of the Palace, and she remained faithful to Clarins' power foundation for her skin.
So, while Queen Elizabeth became known for her bright, bold outfit choices and lipstick colours, it seems there might have also been an ulterior purpose for whipping out her lipstick and topping it up in public – to make a swift exit.
Royal etiquette expert Myka Meier, founder and director of Beaumont Etiquette, tells PEOPLE that there are no formal rules on royal couples being lovey-dovey in public — it's at their own discretion.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly wore Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It's been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.
These days, the brand no longer maintains a monopoly, but it retains a royal tie. Royal residences reportedly keep Yardley soaps on-hand, and per Marie Claire, private guests to Windsor Castle are given Yardley products, too.
Queen Elizabeth never wears the same outfit twice at important events. Therefore, the sovereign prefers to either change her outfits and if she gets bored of them, she sends them to her dressers, who are then allowed to either wear them themselves or sell them.
Hair. The rumored royal shampoo of choice that keeps Kate's locks so bouncy? Kerastase Discipline Bain Oleo Relax smoothing shampoo. While the princess has never confirmed her use of the product, there are a few more potions that appear to have a more confirmed pedigree.
The Queen is said to be a big fan of Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment Cream and reportedly never lets it run out.
“I believe there's etiquette that ladies do not make their faces up in public,” the former royal footman explained, “but she had her bag over the side and she would take her lipstick out and put it on with no mirror or anything, and that was a signal to the ladies that she was ready to leave.”
It was 457 years ago that Elizabeth came close to death but the aftermath of the disease that nearly killed her led to the iconic makeup style, that makes Queen Elizabeth one of the most recognisable monarchs of British royal history.
You'll rarely see the Queen in pants
While Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle often wear trousers or even jeans at public events, you'd be hard-pressed to see the Queen in anything but a dress or skirt.
These days, the brand no longer maintains a monopoly, but it retains a royal tie. Royal residences reportedly keep Yardley soaps on-hand, and per Marie Claire, private guests to Windsor Castle are given Yardley products, too.
In fact, her hair was arguably the most recognisable feature she presented, given how its perfectly symmetrical shape has appeared across our currency, stamps and royal memorabilia throughout the last seven decades of her reign. This unwavering consistency was steadfast dedication to a look.
Such is the genius of her turn toward frumpy fashion: The queen uses her modesty as a tool to pacify her advisers, so that they remain her cooperative informants. But the dowdiness of her clothes is merely a comforting lie. Underneath her ill-fitting garments lies an experienced, determined, resilient woman.
How do royals choose their clothes? Two words: royal stylists. Obviously, royals lead very busy lives, so they don't really have much time to go shopping, which is where the stylist comes in. That said, Meghan apparently dresses herself, though she'll likely have an assistant who can call clothes in for her.
Sometimes, the Queen of Britain, Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth II, needs to change clothes up to five times a day – in the case of big celebrations, for example. And not simply the dress she's wearing but the shoes, gloves, jewelry, medals and other accessories and, most important, her hats.
Though a certain amount of mystery surrounds what has gone into retaining that royal radiance, there is one product Her Majesty is said to have relied on for decades to keep her skin looking and feeling hydrated: Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream.
The monarch isn't a fan of a deep bath either, she is said to bathe in “no more than seven inches of water”, according to royal author Brian Hoey for the Daily Mail. Seven inches is equivalent to 17.8 centimetres.
Kent Brush, £9.99
They've been a Royal favourite since the 18th century and Kent brushes has also been the proud holder of a Royal Warrant for nine consecutive reigns. Founded in the reign of George III, they're still used by the Royal household and their soft, fine bristles are ideal for brushing children's hair.
White Rose by Floris: Queen Elizabeth II's perfume
The perfume house, founded in 1730, is an institution in the UK. According to Harper Bazaar, Elizabeth II chose this unique floral fragrance, which she wore on her wedding day.
Princess Diana
The late Princess of Wales wore Houbiquant's Quelques Fleurs, a sumptuous blend of tuberose, jasmine, lily of the valley, and rose to marry Prince Charles. In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry also revealed his mother's favorite scent—First by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Queen Elizabeth wore Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, a spicy citrus with a powdery dry down. It's been a classic for the fragrance house ever since the scent was created in 1912.