The temperatures might be heating up, but Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh’s latest beauty look is cooling things down. While many of us are embracing sun-kissed shades, the Duchess has embraced cooler hues instead, showing off a surprising ‘anti-summer’ makeover that’s every bit as flattering.
At her latest Royal Ascot appearance, Sophie looked radiant in a powder-blue ensemble. Naturally, here on the GH beauty desk, our attention quickly turned to her makeup – and it took us completely by surprise.
While her complexion remained fresh and lightly bronzed, the rest of her makeup took on an icier approach. Swept across her lids was a soft taupe shade, creating a subtle smokey eye. She continued the icy colour palette with her lip colour, too – a soft mauve hue that looked noticeably cooler than her usual pink lipstick.
‘Sophie looked stunning, and the pairing of cool tones looks incredibly chic,’ says top makeup artist and brand founder Ruby Hammer.
As for exactly why it works so well, according to Ruby, it’s all to do with undertones. ‘Sophie has naturally cool undertones,’ she explains. ‘This means the cool shades harmonise rather than compete with her features – it prevents the makeup from wearing her, instead of her wearing the makeup.’ If you’re unsure which undertones you have, our guide to finding them, here, can help.
In midlife, we tend to reach for warmer shades to restore colour and radiance to the complexion. However, at 61, Sophie proves that cool-toned makeup can be just as flattering. ‘As we mature, our skin texture changes and we lose a bit of natural contrast and warmth. Sometimes it is easy to think to add in more warmth, but this can end up looking muddy or unnatural,’ says Ruby.
She adds, ‘Cool tones, like soft taupes and muted mauves, mimic natural shadows and give structure without harshness – this is very clean, fresh and modern.’
It’s all about choosing the right shades. ‘Avoid using anything too chalky or stark,’ advises Ruby. ‘If you’re using cool tones for the first time, opt for taupe eyeshadows – they are foolproof!’
‘As for lips, look for mauves and soft berries that have a touch of your natural lip colour in,’ she says. Ruby’s personal go-to is her Lip Serum Balm in Berry.
While bronzed beauty isn't going anywhere, Sophie proves that cooler tones also deserve a place in your makeup bag.
