As we get ready for our New Year's Eve celebrations, we’re thinking about the next perfect beauty look. There are some key Christmas trends going on right now - from hair accessories to subtle glitter, we’ve decided to take a look at the royal ladies to help inspire us.
Dramatic lashes
The Duchess of Sussex has incredible eyelashes, and HELLO! exclusively revealed Meghan's favourite mascara. That's right, Meghan loves a Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara which costs a mere £8.99. In this photo, we love a pre-royal Meghan’s beauty look - the bronzed skin, the glossy nude lips, the lashes, it’s all perfection!
The feline flick
The Duchess of Cambridge isn’t known for her dramatic eye makeup so it’s really exciting when she goes a little heavier with her beauty brushes for big occasions. This photo was taken when she was at the BAFTAs and the feline eyeliner flick is just everything and more. Because it has been created with a kohl eyeliner rather than a liquid liner, the overall look is softer - perfect for our Kate. Try it yourself - we love the Elizabeth Arden High Drama eyeliner in Smokey Black, £17.
Killer curls
There’s something about a party that makes you think ‘I need glossy curls!’ - well, look no further that Spain’s Queen Letizia who rocked an amazing head of bouncy burls. Recreate this look with Cloud Nine’s O Ultimate Set, £129, which gives you volume, movement, and long-lasting curls. Finish with a spritz of hairspray - we love the L’Oréal Professionnel Infinium Pure, £11.65, because it’s an ultra-fine hairspray which provides immediate hold and brilliant shine without stiffness. Plus, there’s no fragrance or masking scent in this one!
Red glossy lips
Swit swoo! We’re loving this glossy red pout on Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. This royal isn’t afraid to make a statement with her beauty look (or her fashion choices), and always gets our seal of approval when she’s out and about. To recreate this look, our favourite lipgloss has to be the Buxom Cosmetics Full On Plumping Lipgloss in Cherry Flip, £15.
Go for gold
For our party look, we’re definitely going to be taking notes from Princess Diana’s niece, Kitty Spencer who glammed up with gold eyeshadow - absolutely beautiful. Desperate to copy her look, we can recommend MAC Cosmetics’ gorgeous Shiny Pretty Shadow in P for Pink, £16.50 The pressed glitter eyeshadow is perfect to razzle dazzle in.
A sparkly Alice band
Ok, so Queen Rania of Jordan can definitely get away with a glitzy tiara much easier than us mere mortals, but right now hair accessories are all the rage so we’re definitely taking tips from this royal. We’ll be going for a more subtle approach with this crystal covered headband by ASOS Design. The £8 accessory will jazz up any look.
A red hot mani
It’s no secret Princess Diana loved her red manicure, and while today we don’t see the royals with whacky nail polish, Diana does remind us that it’s a great choice for a party manicure. If you’re in search for the perfect red, how about Jessica’s Phenom polish in the shade Geisha Girl. It lasts up to 10 days and it’s priced at £13.50.
A rocky ponytail
Princess Beatrice tends to play it safe with her beauty look, but when we came across this shot of her, we were swooning over her ‘cool girl’ hair. The pulled back ponytail has some major root lift (can we recommend the Wella Shockwaves Volume Mousse, £2.89 from Boots, to get that!). Stunning.
Party ready foundation
With a party you don’t want to be touching up your makeup in the bathroom all night, so it’s important to create the perfect base. Our foundation inspiration comes in the form of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark who looks made up, without looking too overdone. It’s important to start with a really great primer. YSL’s All Hours Primer, £30, is just what you need - it keeps makeup intact for endless nights! Next up, you need an excellent foundation! Keeping with YSL, you can’t beat the All Hours Liquid Foundation, £35. Finish with a setting spray to keep your makeup picture perfect all night long. A favourite with HELLO! staffers is Urban Decay’s All Nighter Long Lasting Setting Spray, £35.
A glossy perfect blow-dry
The Countess of Wessex always gets it right in our book. She tends to keep her hair away from her face with an updo, but for this occasion she went for a sleek and chic blowdry. To get the perfect blowdry without using extreme heat, it’s all about the new Dyson Airwrap Styler. It caused a commotion when it launched a while back, but thanks to this little beauty, the brush on the Airwrap Styler aligns hair when styling, which helps to provide a smooth shiny finish when dry.
A velvet headband
Princess Sofia of Sweden knows how cool they are, and now you do, too! Velvet headbands are our new favourite accessory and we’ve found the perfect one from Accessorize - and it's only £4.50.
Highlighter on the cheeks
A good glow is a must for a party look! But looking at Princess Madeleine of Sweden, it reminds us to step away from the crazy glitter pots, and attempt a lit from within glow instead. For this, skincare is very important. Retinol is your new best friend, and the Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum, £72, are just the ticket for glowing skin. Apply before your moisturiser before you go to sleep and you’ll wake up like a brand new woman. To add to the glow - you need to try an illuminator. LaMer’s Illuminating Cream, £65, is a game changer. It infuses skin with a luminous light and a sheer, rosy glow. Skin is left feeling refreshed, hydrated and looking brightened with a dewy, light-reflecting finish. Of course, that’s not all - we all need an extra glow at the top of our cheekbones. We’re fans of Charlotte Tilbury’s Bar of Gold, £48, for bringing instant magic to our makeup look.
A blue smokey eye
Who says a smokey eye needs to be dark? Princess Charlene of Monaco opted for a blue-grey look and it’s perfect for Christmas. We found a rather festive palette that’ll create a similar look - the Bobbi Brown Starlight Crystal Eyeshadow Palette, £35, featuring eight shadows in soft to sultry shades and rich matte, metallic and shimmery finishes. It comes in a sophisticated matte compact with festive flecks and a metallic interior with mirror - in fact, it’s almost too pretty to use.
Dramatic eyes AND lips
If you want to play up your eye makeup and your lips, then who’s stopping you? Princess Ameera Al-Taweel of Saudi Arabia could definitely persuade us to amp up our beauty look. For this, it’s imperative that you let your features do the talking so keep your base flawless. And if you want to go that one step further, make like Ameera and add fluttery eyelash extensions - we love Lash Perfect for royal-worthy lashes.
Silver shimmer on the lids
Trust Lady Amelia Windsor to bring the cool-factor to party inspo. The soft metallic hue on her lids is perfect for subtle shimmer. We’ll be reaching for Glossier’s Lidstar in Moon, £15, which lights up eyes with a wash of soft, glistening colour that lasts all day. To apply, dab the doe foot applicator onto clean lids and use fingertips to shape. The cream dries down to a sheer veil, locking onto lids with no creasing (no need for primer).