Meghan Markle’s makeup artist explains how to enhance freckles

Daniel Martin wanted to highlight the duchess’ ‘favourite feature’ at her wedding

(Getty Images)

The Duchess of Sussex’s makeup artist Daniel Martin has revealed the technique that he used to enhance her freckles on her wedding day, rather than hide them underneath foundation.

When Meghan married Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel on May 19, a number of people on social media expressed their astonishment and delight over the fact that her freckles were visible.

Freckles have frequently been portrayed in a very questionable way in the media, with a 2016 Match.com advert causing controversy after describing them as “imperfections.”

Earlier this month, Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards revealed on Instagram that she’d grown up feeling insecure about the freckles that she has on her face, but has started to embrace them more in the past few years.

When Martin was planning the makeup that he would apply on Meghan’s face for the royal wedding, he wanted to ensure that he accentuated her freckles, which he noted as being her “favourite feature”.

That’s why he chose not to conceal them with heavy makeup, but to make sure that they were visible in the finished look.

Speaking to E! News at the Tatcha Fall 2018 Preview in Los Angeles, California, Martin explained that he placed small dabs of foundation in specific areas on the face, before blending it out.

“People with freckles tend to have a really balanced palette,” he said.

“If they have any redness, it’s in the T-zone, around the nose maybe some discolouration [around] the eyes.

“It’s about evening out those specific areas to blend in with the rest of the face.”

Martin started by using a brush to blend the foundation before then buffing the rest of the skin.

He explained that it’s important to check whether the skin tone on the face and neck is even after applying foundation.

Following the wedding ceremony, Prince Harry reportedly lavished the makeup artist with praise for perfecting Meghan’s “natural” look.

“After the ceremony Harry kept saying thank you,” Martin said.

“He was thanking me for making her look like herself.”

Brock Elbank, a London-based photographer, has been championing freckles by displaying portraits of a variety of people with freckles at an exhibition in Sweden.

According to Elbank, many of the people he photographed admitting that they weren’t always fond of their freckles growing up.

“Freckles are something I’ve always thought were kind of cool, but most of the people I’ve shot who’ve had them told me they hated them as a kid,” he told Indy100.