Up-Close Look At Kate Middleton's Makeup Proves The MAGA Ladies Should Be Taking Notes

In the MAGAverse, the worst makeup mistakes tend to repeat themselves over and over again. In fact, the ladies in President Donald Trump's inner circle basically treat bad makeup like the ideal. Still, there are plenty of folks in the public eye who are known for sporting flattering, understated makeup that most MAGA ladies would consider far too tasteful and subtle. Catherine, Princess of Wales is a great example of this. Her beauty looks are rarely imposing or intense the way those in charge across the pond typically are. And, unlike the MAGAverse beauty trends, Kate Middleton's makeup typically looks natural and pretty when it's captured up close too. 

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A zoomed-in camera lens is basically MAGA makeup's worst nightmare come true. The less-than-ideal texture of caked-on foundation, unblended, high-contrast eye makeup, and overwhelming false lashes are far more apparent up-close. And this is obviously bad news for those sporting the classic "Republican makeup" look. But, is this an inevitability when heading to a highly photographed event in a full face of makeup? Allow a closeup of Kate at the 2026 BAFTAs to prove otherwise. She is far from au naturel in this photo. Yet, despite seeing her skin close up, the princess still looks natural and effortless. A makeup look like this one likely wouldn't feel like enough for most MAGA ladies. In reality, though, this should be their new beauty routine inspo.

The Princess of Wales has spent decades in the public eye. And, like the rest of us mere mortals, Kate Middleton has suffered some makeup fails during that time too. Even so, like her go-to beauty look as a whole, any errors she's made have been relatively subtle compared to some of the heavy bronzer, unblended contour, overwhelming smokey eyes, and colossal false eyelashes we routinely see in MAGAland. It's clear from both up close and far away that when it comes to her beauty routine, Kate's priorities are very different than the folks keeping the Republican makeup trend alive. Softer eye makeup, more natural-looking lashes, and pairing good skincare with a much lighter coverage foundation are easy swaps that make a major difference when a camera is zoomed in on your face. 

While MAGA ladies can make changes to their makeup based on the princess' style, some of them have made changes to their look that are a bit harder to undo. The so-called "Mar-a-Lago face" trend goes hand-in-hand with that notoriously heavy makeup look. And luckily, this is another bandwagon that the beloved royal hasn't jumped on. Sure, Kate Middleton has been subject to plastic surgery rumors over the years. But again, like her makeup, if the princess has had anything done, she's clearly opted for an understated, natural look. She hasn't overdone it with lip fillers or sought out cartoonishly prominent cheekbones. This is yet another tip that may help those MAGA ladies look better up close.