WORDS: Annie Vischer<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/09\/Screenshot-2023-09-25-at-12.10.18.png” alt=”Meghan Markle” title_text=”Screenshot 2023-09-25 at 12.10.18″ force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] If Meghan\u2019s hotly anticipated appearances at the Invictus Games in D\u00fcsseldorf this summer proved anything, it\u2019s that \u2018Meghan fever\u2019 is still going strong. The duchess crashed the J. Crew website after the \u2018sweater blazer\u2019 she wore at the Merkur Spiel-Arena for a wheelchair basketball match between Australia and Ukraine went viral. But fans were also full of praise for her low-key hair and make-up looks.<\/p>\n At first glance all the hallmarks of Meghan\u2019s signature beauty style were present and correct \u2013 loose, glossy waves, full lashes, an immaculately applied nude lip, but flash back to 2022\u2019s Invictus Games and you\u2019ll likely clock a marked transformation.<\/p>\n Last year Meghan travelled to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games accompanied by one of her go-to hair stylists, George Northwood. Northwood\u2019s working relationship with the Duchess began when he delivered the iconic twisted chignon she wore to her wedding reception along with that Stella McCartney gown. A series of royal tours and walkabouts later and Northwood remains one of Meghan\u2019s most trusted beauty experts. Speaking to Grazia earlier this year Northwood said, \u2018She\u2019s a Cali girl and she wanted to bring that relaxed vibe to her hairstyling, but that\u2019s a very different look for a royal, so we worked hard to hit on a style that still felt appropriate for a duchess.\u2019<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] As a working royal, Meghan flitted between Northwood\u2019s undone bun \u2013 a low ballet-style updo with teased-in volume at the crown of the head and a few face-framing strands pulled free \u2013 sleek ponytails and long, sculpted waves. Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in January 2020, but two years later at the Invictus Games, traces of that polished approach to beauty remained.<\/p>\n Meghan\u2019s make-up that year was entrusted to her dear friend and long-time make-up artist Daniel Martin. The pair first began working together during Meghan\u2019s time on Suits and quickly struck up a bond. Renowned for his red carpet work \u2013 Martin is regularly enlisted by the A-list likes of Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Gyllenhaal to get them awards show ready \u2013 Martin knows glossy make-up and Meghan made headlines with her full lashes, radiant skin and satin-finish lip at the Invictus Games in 2022.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1240055254.jpg” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ alt=”Meghan at the Invictus Games in 2022″ title_text=”Invictus Games 2020 – Day 2″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] Meghan at the Invictus Games in 2022 in a more polished look<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] But a year on and today, Meghan has subtly switched things up. Her go-to colourist Kadi Lee, who took to Instagram earlier this month to decode the duchess\u2019s \u2018classic, rich espresso brunette,\u2019 revealed in her caption that Meghan styled her own hair at this year\u2019s Invictus Games. Lee wrote, \u2018Meghan\u2019s hair was styled by herself for the duration of @invictusgames2023 (crazy impressive I know!)\u2019. Scroll through press shots of Meghan that week and you\u2019ll notice she often goes from loose waves, to a ponytail secured with slim silk scrunchies or an updo held in place with a claw clip in a matter of minutes \u2013 no mad dash to a hair and make-up team required.<\/p>\n Speaking of make-up, it is reported that Meghan took a DIY approach to that too and sales of one lipstick in particular spiked when a handful of Meghan fans turned their hands at sleuthing. A number of impressively active Instagram handles exist for the sole purpose of breaking down Meghan’s latest fashion and beauty looks and they do so in double quick time. One such handle,\u00a0@meghansclosetchronicles, joined forces with the now iconic\u00a0@meghansmirrorblog\u00a0to lock down the exact shade of lipstick Meghan wore to watch the Invictus Games 2023 wheelchair basketball final between the United States and France.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] Underneath a\u00a0@meghansclosetchronicles post\u00a0that detailed Meghan’s outfit, jewellery and accessories, one follower – @malina.cw – asked for her lipstick shade. Instagram user @nickibeautiful replied with the details and @meghansmirrorblog jumped in to confirm, writing ‘confirmed this colour with our sources! Great colour on her, isn’t it?’<\/p>\n A rosy take on nude, Meghan’s satin finish lipstick is none other than Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution Lipstick in Very Victoria, \u00a327. Kate Moss was spotted wearing the same shade at her Cosmoss party later that week.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1662823849.jpg” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” title_text=”GERMANY-GAMES-INVICTUS-ROYALS” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”||0px|||”] Meghan at the wheelchair basketball competition at the 2023 Invictus Games<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] So, what does Meghan\u2019s new relaxed approach to hair and beauty really mean? It goes without saying that this woman is about far more than her hair tie choice or the contents of her make-up bag, but could this laid-back styling speak to the dawn of a new carefree era for the duchess?<\/p>\n Prince Harry\u2019s best-selling memoir Spare made clear that Meghan is a relaxed Cali girl at heart. He remembers her being \u2018barefoot\u2019 and \u2018wearing ripped jeans\u2019 when she first met Kate, the Princess of Wales. He writes fondly of the moment she arrived for their secret trip to Botswana, \u2018bright-eyed and eager\u2019 after finishing up with a holiday Harry labelled \u2018her Eat, Pray, Love thing,\u2019 and flying from London to Johannesburg. \u2018She wore cut-off jean shorts, well-loved hiking boots, a crumpled Panama hat,\u2019 that the Prince had seen on her Instagram page. \u2018She opened her small suitcase, she needed to get something,\u2019 he wrote. \u2018\u201dHere it comes,\u201d I thought, \u201cThe mirror, the hairdryer, a make-up kit\u201d,\u2019 he was shamefully stereotyping, he admits, \u2018American actress equals diva, but to my shock and delight there was nothing in that suitcase but bare essentials \u2013 shorts, ripped jeans and snacks and a yoga mat.\u2019<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] Then there\u2019s the moment in this year\u2019s blockbuster Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, when the pair discuss their second date. \u2018I had come back from Wimbledon and you get all dolled up,\u2019 Meghan remembers, \u2018I wanted to go home, take a shower and arrive looking more like myself.\u2019<\/p>\n Hark back to the shots that filtered through from the paparazzi when rumours of her relationship with Harry were rife – pursued relentlessly through the streets of Toronto, Meghan became known for her uniform of beanie hats, khaki parka coats, leggings and sweater tops. Informal, easy-going and back then blissfully uninhibited, this appeared to be Meghan at her most unedited and authentic and there are indications that the duchess is en route to reclaiming that side of herself – from the beauty markers on display at this year\u2019s Invictus Games, to videos of the Sussexes dancing and laughing like teens mid-way through a Beyonc\u00e9 concert on TikTok. These are signs that a weight has been lifted, that the burden of media scrutiny no longer weighs so heavily on Meghan\u2019s shoulders, that life is starting to feel a little more light-hearted and joyful. And it looks good on her.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-texts” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|||on|||||” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”] IMAGE: Getty<\/span><\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Her DIY make-up and self-styled updos are a masterclass in quiet luxury<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthbeauty"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"revans","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":584,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions\/584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}‘Meghan\u2019s hair was styled by herself (crazy impressive I know!)’<\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]
could this laid-back styling speak to the dawn of a new carefree era for the duchess?<\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]
Meghan [was] known for her uniform of beanie hats, khaki parka coats, leggings and sweater tops.<\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]