Beauty Rules The Royals Are Forced To Follow

The world of the royals seems equal parts alluring and fabulous for many people. Obviously, with all the gorgeous jewels, outfits, palaces, events, and titles, it certainly seems as though the royal family has it all. However, the lives of the royal family aren't all glitz and glam. In fact, they have to adhere to quite a few rules and regulations in order to be a part of such a prestigious line. From dress codes to etiquette rules and so much more, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and everyone else in the royal family has to be mindful of a lot of the high standards that have been set before them.

Obviously, the royals have to dress appropriately and behave with manners and grace at all times, and, in fact, there are a great many rules that they all have to follow. Specifically, there are quite a few beauty rules they have to follow that are seriously specific and are likely pretty hard to adhere to. Regarding makeup, hair, and nails, the beauty rules the royals have to follow are super strict. As nice as it might be to be married to a prince, these rules are still intense.

For women and men across the world, nail polish is a fun and exciting way to express themselves and to feel pretty. And with so many amazing colors, it's easy to constantly switch up your look. But for royals, most nail polish colors are kind of frowned upon. However, while it's a rule to have nails looking trimmed and proper, one kind of nail polish is permitted and even admired by the queen herself.

According to People, Queen Elizabeth II has only been seen wearing one nail polish shade her entire life: Essie's "Ballet Slippers." The polish is a light pink color that's almost sheer, and it is a favorite of the queen. In fact, the queen's hairdresser once said that it was "the only color Her Majesty would wear," per People. Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have followed the rule of no bright nail polish since entering the royal family, and their fingernails always look perfectly ladylike. 

Unlike celebrities, royals are never spotted out and about looking anything less than perfect. Think about it. Since Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle joined the royal family, have they ever been seen wearing sweatpants with no makeup and their hair in a greasy, messy bun? Never. The royal family must always look put together, and, as such, it appears as though it's required for them to always have perfect hair.

In fact, according to Vogue, while Markle might be known for her low bun with a few strands framing her face, it's still clean, simple, and put together, so she isn't breaking the rules. "Meghan Markle's signature messy bun might have a few fly-aways, but it certainly abides along these lines," Vogue noted. Additionally, according to Us Weekly, Middleton has been known to get her hair blown out three times a week to keep it always looking perfect. Clearly, the royal family knows a thing or two about looking flawless while still following the rules.

The royals have a few rules when it comes to makeup. Obviously, women in the royal family wear makeup and are not often seen without it, in fact. However, that doesn't mean the queen is okay with them running around with dramatic smoky eyes or bright pink eyeshadow. On the contrary! Another royal family beauty rule is that eye makeup must be kept simple.

For example, even on her wedding day, Kate Middleton, who famously did her own makeup on her big day, didn't go overboard with the eyeshadow or eyeliner. According to People, Middleton stuck with neutral eye makeup on her big day. Additionally, Middleton keeps it simple on a daily basis. "Even though you might see her add a smoky eye or an extra lick of mascara for a night-time event, Catherine rarely does 'heavy' makeup," noted Marie Claire Australia. "Between her medium-coverage foundation and light eye makeup, the Duchess usually keeps things simple..." Elegant and understated seems to be the royal family's motto when it comes to beauty.

Queen Elizabeth II simply doesn't approve of all makeup. In fact, it appears to be a rule of the royal family that face makeup should never be overdone. According to Harper's Bazaar Arabia, royals typically avoid contouring. The magazine explained, "For the purpose of not looking 'overdone,' royals don't usually wear contour — or, if they do, it's very light." 

Meghan Markle almost broke this rule when she contoured her face at the 2017 royal Christmas celebration, according to Harper's Bazaar. However, as it wasn't too overdone, it was apparently acceptable. However, Markle is also known to use a highlighter to give her face that sun-kissed glow, according to Hello!, and she still does so in a natural, muted manner. Kate Middleton, on the other hand, has never been seen with her face contoured, even in a minor way, and neither has the queen. Basically, their face makeup routines are the exact opposite of the Kardashians.

Considering how the royals feel about things that aren't always picture-perfect, it's understandable that hair spray would be an important product in their arsenals. In fact, according to Marie Claire Australia, hair spray is a must-have. Regarding Kate Middleton's hair, the magazine shared, "This one is a relative no-brainer. When she is out on an engagement, Catherine is representing the Queen, so she always has to look put-together. This means no un-styled hair, no makeup-less face and no messy ballet-buns."

In fact, Marie Claire reported that the Duchess herself used a budget-friendly hair spray to achieve her perfect, glossy waves. Additionally, London jewelry expert Geoffrey Munn told Town & Country that hair spray helps tiaras and other jeweled hairpieces stay put in the hair of the royal family. Royals attend so many events, outings, galas, and parades that using hair spray would truly be an important beauty rule for them to follow. After all, it wouldn't look all that great if Middleton's perfect waves started to fall an hour into an appearance, now would it?

Just because the royal family has to follow a lot of beauty rules doesn't mean that they can't have some fun when it comes to expressing themselves with their hairstyles. Sure, their hair should always look tame, but that doesn't mean they have to wear the exact same style every day. You might never see Meghan Markle with platinum hair, but she can still experiment with hairstyles now and again. In fact, according to Marie Claire Australia, it's kind of a rule that royals shouldn't wear the same exact hairstyle all the time. "When it comes to her hair, Catherine never keeps it the same way for long," Marie Claire noted, regarding Kate Middleton. "Over the past several years in the spotlight, Duchess Catherine has gone from long waves, to shoulder-grazing curls, to a fringe, and a deep side part. The constant switching-up means she always has a fresh look."

Obviously, members of the royal family must always look flawless when out and about, but they must also always look fresh and stylish. Hence, they can't just keep wearing the same hairstyle every single day.