6 Times Meghan Markle Skipped The Glam Squad And Did Her Own Makeup

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Rumors about Meghan Markle are circulating around the internet — big shocker, we know — but these recent ones are somewhat new for the Duchess of Sussex. People are speculating whether or not she might be about to launch her own makeup line. According to Cosmetics Business, the former "Suits" star met with an executive from Guthy-Renker, the beauty giant that's brought forth celeb beauty brands like Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty and Jennifer Lopez's JLo Beauty, in 2021. Furthermore, her As Ever brand has a trademark on cosmetic products. 

On a 2025 episode of her "Confessions of a Female Founder" podcast, Markle said she would be launching new products in early 2026, though she didn't say what kind of products. And then there was the duchess' October 2025 Instagram post that added fuel to the fire, as she was seen using products that didn't have a brand visible. According to People, they were from the line No Makeup Makeup, but it still didn't stop folks from speculating. 

But what caused even more chatter from the post was Markle doing her own makeup before hitting major events in New York and Washington, D.C. So, we did some investigating, and sure enough, Markle skips the glam squad and does her own makeup a lot of the time. Here are six instances when she brought her own artistry skills to the world stage.

In October 2025, Meghan Markle sparked discussions online about how she did her own makeup before attending the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C. Though we wouldn't call this subtle look overly exciting or anything to write home about (other than the fact it was DIY), it certainly isn't one of Meghan Markle's biggest makeup mistakes. She looked fresh-faced and professional, which was an appropriate call for this event.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry headed to Nigeria in May 2024, and she didn't travel with a glam squad. (See all of Meghan Markle's outfits on her Nigeria trip with Prince Harry here.) For a Women in Leadership event, she wore a red dress and kept her makeup understated, save for her signature cheek flush. In the past, she has mentioned a penchant for Nars Blush in Orgasm for that glowy cheek look. In 2025, makeup artist Daniel Martin revealed in a now-deleted Instagram post that he's used Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo to warm the duchess' complexion as of late (via NewBeauty).

Shortly after arriving in Nigeria in May 2024, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited a school in the capital city of Abuja, where they watched the children dance and sing. For the outing, she appropriately wore a no-makeup makeup look, courtesy of her own hand, which Prince Harry probably liked. He reportedly likes his wife in minimal makeup, and he even thanked Daniel Martin, who created Markle's understated wedding look, for not masking his wife's natural beauty on their big day. Still, the many times Meghan Markle has gone nearly makeup-free are likely based on her preferences, not his — as it should be.

Once again, Meghan Markle hit the world stage without the assistance of a glam squad. At the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany, she prepped herself for the closing ceremony with an eye-heavy makeup look. We suspect there could be some lash extension action happening here, though the duchess has mentioned in the past that she's a fan of RevitaLash Lash Serum, which helps strengthen lashes. She's also mentioned a love of the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler and Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Meghan Markle looked on as her husband, Prince Harry, played polo in Windsor, England, at the end of July 2018. The duchess, who regularly eschews bold lip colors, opted for soft pink lips and beautifully defined eyes and brows instead. Makeup artist Daniel Martin, who counts Gemma Chan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Ali Wong among his clients, remarked publicly that he was not working with the duchess at the time and that it was all her own work.

Earlier in July 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were still working royals at the time before the Megxit scandal rocked the royal family, visited the president and first lady of Ireland. And again, the duchess arrived sans glam squad. Though we don't know the pretty pink lip product she used on that occasion, we do know that she loves lip-nourishing products like the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Iced Coffee and Saint Jane Beauty Luxury Lip Oil, as these items were on her ShopMy account previously.