Ariana Grande, Melania Trump, and Meghan Markle are three famous women with nothing in common — or so you'd think. Look a little closer, and you'll see there's one quality the unlikely trio shares: They all largely stick to their own individual beauty uniforms, with Markle's involving a low bun, lightly contoured blush, and a neutral, usually glossy lip color.
But on Wednesday night in London, while out with Prince Harry to see Cirque du Soleil, Markle switched things up by pairing her sparkly midnight-blue Roland Mouret gown with a rich, berry-hued lipstick.
The Duchess of Sussex hasn't worn a look so dramatic — at least not publicly — since her days frequenting red carpets as an actress on Suits. While it's not necessarily a daring makeup choice, it is surprising: In an interview with Allure last year, Markle's go-to makeup artist Daniel Martin (who famously did her wedding-day makeup) revealed that bold lipstick just isn't her thing. "The one time she did a red lip, she just didn't feel comfortable in it," Martin said. "She likes to talk and she's not a fussy person, so she doesn't want to have to worry about anything."
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Yet here she is, having clearly ended her red lipstick-averse ways — but why? Maybe she was caught up in the showiness of the evening; this was, after all, a Cirque du Soleil premiere. Maybe wearing such a glamorous dress with her usual understated lip color just didn't feel right.
Or maybe — just maybe — Markle is giving the look another shot with the influence of her husband's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II (perhaps you've heard of her?). That's a woman who is rarely seen without a bold swipe of red lipstick, no matter the color of her matching ensemble. After all, if there's one person in the world who could convince a non-believer that a red lip might work in their favor, it's probably the Queen of England.
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