Queen Elizabeth II was undoubtedly a monarch of great accomplishments in her long reign. She has been served by 15 prime ministers, has seen us through countless historic moments; and lived to celebrate her own Platinum Jubilee this year. Her work ethic was unmatched and she acted as a figure of continuity, loyalty and devotion.
The Queen was also a style icon and inspiration. Her outfit choices and beauty looks were always as elegant as they were timeless and she was renowned to be faithful to products and brands that worked for her, prioritising efficacy over exclusivity. Here, we take a look at some of her trusted beauty secrets that work just as well today as ever before as well as a few of her go-to products.
Queen Elizabeth II was the epitome of graceful when it came to the ageing process and always appeared to have beautifully cared for, healthy skin. One of her secrets was applying Elizabeth Arden's iconic Eight Hour Cream Balm morning and night.
The beauty standards of the British Royal Family require discretion and subtly across makeup, hair and manicures. 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).
The late Queen proved beyond any doubt that red lipstick is a makeup bag essential. Over her long reign, we occasionally caught glimpses of her reapplying her own and she was known to love Elizabeth Arden's Beautiful Colour Lipstick in Fig, which has a semi-matte finish enriched with mango, shea and Murumuru butters.
Queen Elizabeth II never forgot to take care of the skin on her hands, relying once again on the French beauty brand Clarins with its Crème Jeunesse Des Mains Hand And Nail Treatment Balm, which provides deep hydration without ever leaving a sticky residue.
While the Queen was celebrated for the cheerful array of colours when it came to her outfits, her nails were always kept minimal, with neutral or light pink shades. In 1989, Queen Elizabeth's personal hairdresser wrote a letter to nail brand Essie to request a bottle of their nail polish in the shade Ballet Slippers, explaining that it was "the only colour Her Majesty would wear." The shade has become a best-seller for its barely-there pale pink shade and milky finish.
A timeless classic to which the Queen was (almost) faithful to all her life favourite perfume was White Rose by Floris London (the brand has a longstanding royal history, having been used by King George IV), which is a rich, vibrant floral fragrance containing carnation, violet and musk. She also was reportedly fond of Guerlain's L'Heure Bleue, an aromatic, floral scent.
Queen Elizabeth's bath time preferences were never revealed, but British brand Molton Brown was the official supplier to Buckingham Palace during her reign having been awarded the official Royal Warrant by Her Majesty. The brand is known for its luxurious bubble baths and perfumes, as well as a range of hair products and home candles.
The ultimate trick to protecting the skin is to avoid direct exposure to the sun. Her Majesty was known for her love of hats and headscarfs, which as well as being an elegant fashion choice also served to shield her face from harmful UV rays.
This article originally appeared on GLAMOUR SPAIN.
