Catherine, Princess of Wales, has completely transformed her makeup over decades in the spotlight.
The royal had to be camera-ready at nearly all times and take on a more polished style.
Catherine’s makeup evolution has shifted with great events in her life.
No matter how much her makeup has evolved, a few things remain constant for Princess Catherine.
Catherine’s makeup at the time showed a natural, unfussy style.
It was the early 2000s, so skinny eyebrows were trending, and Catherine kept hers thin and groomed.
Like most women in that era, she obviously wasn’t shy about using tweezers.
Any kind of foundation was virtually undetectable, and her skin looked lustrous and healthy.
The royal-to-be wore a faint blush, but nothing heavy or noticeable.
The same went for bronzers and contouring; it was all done with a light hand.
She used a black liner liberally, and followed this with mascara.
She was only dating William during this era, and obviously saw herself as largely removed from media consumption.
“The sharp line around her eyes make her look hard.
Either she should be smudgy or wear none.”
That’s some tough feedback.
Designers Viktor & Rolf also commented on Catherine’s eyeliner the same year.
“It would bring out her natural beauty.”
It really freshened Catherine’s appearance, and made her look younger and more approachable.
In 2012, she was notably more tanned and golden than she was in previous photos.
During this time, tabloids were buzzing about how to get the “Kate Middleton tan.”
She looked glowing and healthy, and it obviously looked good because others wanted to replicate it.
If the color is overdone, then it instantly looks fake and tacky.
Catherine has often had to walk a fine line with tanning and her use of bronzers and blushes.
Because she’s naturally quite fair, color shows up dramatically on her skin.
The lightest touch of contour and the whole world knows she hollowed out her cheeks.
She’s really in her sweet spot when it looks natural and effortless.
So whenPrincess Catherine and Prince William had children, she inevitably altered her beauty routine.
Prior to her pregnancies, Catherine’s base tones were more bronze and gold.
In large part, this was enhanced by her occasional, very natural spray tan.
However, she completely stopped getting spray tans once she was pregnant.
In 2013, a source told theDaily Mailthat this was one clue she was pregnant.
She embraced her natural, pale skin and wore pink blushes, and leaned into soft, salmon-colored lips.
When she first became widely known following her engagement, she had defined eyebrows that matched her brunette hair.
“She has such fine delicate features and her brows should complement those not be distracting.”
Perhaps hearing what people were saying online, Catherine eased off of the exaggeratedly dark brows.
She wore a glittering, gold gown by Jenny Packham, and she absolutely stunned.
Makeup artist Laura Kay told theDaily Mailwhat made Catherine’s makeup so unique at this event.
“She finishes of her look with a tint of rose cream on her cheekbones for extra oomph.”
She ditched her matte foundation in favor of dewy skin, and had a light shimmer on her lips.
This change in title and duty impacted the princess, including the way she does her makeup.
Catherine has found a sophisticated balance between glamor and enhancing her natural features.
She still loves liner on the top of her eyes, and uses mascara, too.
It’s rumored her personal favorite is the Lancome Hypnose Mascara, using it liberally.
Furthermore, she no longer gets spray tans, at least for public events.
While this was all very exciting, what caught everyone’s attention was Catherine’s makeup that night.
She bypassed her typical, subdued makeup in favor of a dramatic, lifted eye.
This is exactly right.
Catherine stepped out of her makeup comfort zone and went for something bold.
Instead of wearing her hair down in long curls, Catherine pinned it back.
She wore flats, plain black trousers, and a red blazer.
But the biggest tell that this was work and not pleasure was her makeup.
Catherine wore a barely-there foundation, pale pink blush, eyebrow pencil, and very light eye makeup.
Rarely one to wear any kind of lip product, Catherine kept her lips natural.
As the 2020s have rolled on, Catherine has continued to experiment with minimal makeup.
Instead, Catherine has started wearing a very light kind of makeup to events.
She bucked makeup trends and instead, focused on a consistent makeup routine that was flattering and elegant.
The princess' love of dramatic eye makeup has remained as part of her style.
She leans on neutral, rich eyeshadows, in combination with liner and thick lashes.
She’s even started incorporating lip color, like soft, peachy tones.
Her makeup evolution in 2025 all points to her future role within the British monarchy.
It’s elegant, self-assured, and flattering.
