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Royal makeup artist Mary Greenwell talks beauty supplements, Princess Diana's favourite makeup product and Meghan Markle's freckles

The famous makeup artist gives us the beauty lowdown...


princess diana blazer earrings© Photo: Getty Images
Laura Sutcliffe
Fashion and Beauty News Editor
Updated: October 28, 2019
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Ask anyone, Mary Greenwell is a beauty icon. She has worked with the world's most famous supermodels, our favourite royals, and is known for creating a flawless - yet natural - look on her clients. We caught up with the talented professional, who told us all about her latest collaboration with IMEDEEN skin supplements (more on that later), and her shoot with the Duchess of Sussex for her famous Vanity Fair cover in 2017. Speaking about the late Princess Diana's beauty look, Mary explained there was one makeup look she never used on Princes William and Harry's mother - and that was false eyelashes. "You would never have tried something so bold such as false lashes, for example. Why would you risk making her feel bad by doing something she wouldn’t like?"

princess daina hair© Photo: Getty Images

Mary revealed Diana loved mascara

Mary Greenwell on... Princess Diana's makeup

Diana didn't have a signature makeup look. "She always wanted to look gorgeous of course, but there wasn't a signature makeup look. She never wore anything too flashy and was always very stylish. When I did her makeup, she only wanted touches that brought out and enhanced her beauty. You would never do something so bold on someone of her beauty and calibre. You just want to enhance them to make them look as best as possible whilst looking herself. It would perhaps vary slightly depending on whether a day or evening look and the type of event she was going to, but always just bringing out her existing features."

meghan markle freckles© Photo: Getty Images

Mary accentuated Meghan's freckles on her Vanity Fair shoot

One of Meghan's most famous covers was 2017's Vanity Fair. Mary applied Meghan's makeup for the shoot and revealed she was a dream to work with. "She is lovely and I'm totally in awe of her. She's clearly made Harry so happy and she is divine in personality. It was a lovely time to meet her just before her engagement. She's very simple and classic with makeup style and wanted to look elegant. We kept her very natural because photographer Peter Lindbergh likes having natural gorgeous skin, which she has anyway."

mary greenwell

Mary is the new brand ambassador for IMEDEEN

Meghan has always been a fan of accentuating her freckles, and Mary kept this in mind on the shoot. "I just kept her skin as clear and clean as possible as she doesn’t need much adding to it. I didn’t add freckles as hers shone through perfectly."

imedeen tablets

You can purchase IMEDEEN products at Boots

Mary is the new brand ambassador for IMEDEEN and swears by the skin supplements. "It's the first supplement brand to come out - it's proven to be the best on the market and I just love it for that reason - the science behind is so brilliant."

MORE: The Duchess of Sussex's go-to tinted moisturiser now has shimmer & you WILL want it

READ: This was Princess Diana's favourite perfume - and you can still buy it today

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