Princess Diana's Makeup Artist Reveals the One Beauty Item She Refused to Wear: “She Only Wanted…”

Once dubbed the world’s most photographed woman, Princess Diana exuded warmth and elegance. Diana often resorted to simple minimalistic make-up to have the focus be on her philanthropic endeavors, not her looks. The late Princess's makeup artist once shared that she religiously stood by certain beauty rituals. True to her mellow nature, Diana never wore false eyelashes, avoiding anything too flashy and gaudy.

Diana transitioned from a naïve 19-year-old to a modern-day fashion icon. Her flawless complexion and subtle makeup choices oozed sophistication and made her the picture of royal radiance. Renowned British makeup artist, Mary Greenwell once told Vogue magazine that the Princess of Wales always desired to look her best. She said, “She [Diana] 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 to someone of her beauty and caliber.”

As per Hello! magazine, Greenwell added, “She always looked great with a soft mouth, rather than a hard red. She looked amazing in red once in a while, but she looked lovely with a muted, berry mouth.” She also revealed that Diana had a preference for both light and dark looks. She preferred donning makeup that reflected the skin’s natural colors, such as taupes, browns, dark browns, and creams.

Diana’s make-up in the face of adversity reflected a marked shift. For example, the black revenge dress she wore on June 29, 1994, at the Serpentine Gallery highlighted a soft dusting of blush with a satin berry-hue light lipstick. Though the makeup was less low-key, it radiated vengeance and empowerment. Another iconic makeup look was her Met Ball look in New York. The 1996 event saw her don an electric blue dress with a look that reflected her penchant for darker eyeliners.

Diana was deeply devoted to her beauty rituals and swore by some of her favorite products. One of her obsessions was electric blue eyeliner, which she chose to apply to her lower lash line. However, it was Greenwell who convinced Diana to ditch her favorite eyeliner because she thought beiges and brown suited better. Another favorite product was her aerosol hairspray, which she swore by for holding her iconic hairstyles in place. Unfortunately, her husband, Prince Charles, banned her from using it, citing concerns about it damaging the ozone layer. As reported by UPI Archives, he said, “I personally, as I become older and more autocratic, have banned the use of aerosols in my household.” The ban left the late Princess furious, who thought her husband had gone bonkers.