Duchess Sophie’s subtle smokey eye look is the perfect way to add depth and impact to your makeup no matter the occasion

Duchess Sophie’s subtle smokey eye look is the perfect way to add depth and definition to your makeup no matter the occasion.

The Duchess of Edinburgh has never been afraid to switch up her hairstyles and push her fashion boundaries with her clothes, but when it comes to her makeup she definitely has a signature look she tends to gravitate towards. Glowy bases, soft pink lip colours and black eyeliner worn across the upper lash line are Duchess Sophie’s makeup fail safes. However, there’s another aspect of her staple eye makeup looks that really makes all the difference and it’s been especially clear in recent years. 

Duchess Sophie’s fondness for a sultry yet subtle smokey eye is something that she’s showcased on many occasions and she’s proved that this is a brilliant way to make a bolder eye look work for both the day and evening.

The Duchess of Edinburgh makes the most of eye makeup looks for blue eyes and she is regularly seen wearing shimmering eyeshadow that enhances the shade of hers. Stepping out for everything from the British Cycling National Track Championships to a visit to HMS Daring, the senior royal consistently opts for an eyeshadow look that has a gentle sheen to it.

This picks up the light and looks especially gorgeous in pictures taken at these engagements and it is always understated rather than being full-on with glitter. Duchess Sophie’s eyeshadow typically remains within the same neutral colour palette of pink-toned taupe tones.

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This gives her eyeshadow looks an underlying warmth and depending on the occasion sometimes peachy or brown hues look to have been blended into the crease of her eyes to add even more depth. The contrast of the colour and the shimmer of her eyeshadow immediately draws attention to Duchess Sophie’s gorgeous eyes. 

As we’ve seen clearly at the cycling championships and when she attended a service to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS last year, Duchess Sophie’s eyeshadow extends right up towards her eyebrows. This was also the case when she visited the Right Stuff Amateur Boxing Club in March and it helps to give her eyes a wider look to them, whilst the soft blending creates a low-key style of smokey eye.

Combined with coats of intense black mascara and her best eyeliner - another of Duchess Sophie’s makeup tricks - her eyeshadow has the blending and focused colour of a smokey eye without being overwhelming. This is incredibly important for formal events and engagements during the day when a full smokey eye might be seen as too much.

Instead, Duchess Sophie’s subtle smokey eye is far more wearable day-to-day and still makes her eyes the star of her makeup show. Her eyeshadow looks also highlight how soft, warm shades with some shimmer to them can be so brightening and fabulous.

To recreate the Duchess of Edinburgh’s go-to eyeshadow look you can use your favourite neutral-toned cream or powder eyeshadows. Blending is key to create the smokey-eye feel and using an eyeshadow with shimmer in it will give it a lovely sheen and brightness, no matter the exact shade you use. If you have blue eyes like Duchess Sophie you might be tempted to keep to the warmer shades and try more peachy pink tones as these work beautifully as a contrast.