The $12 Skincare Secret Behind Meghan Markle's Glow

Backstage before the Duchess of Sussex’s most photographed appearances, the kit laid out for her face rarely includes a traditional highlighter. Instead, her longtime makeup artist Daniel Martin reaches for a small blue-and-white tube that costs about the same as a sandwich and a coffee: Aquaphor Healing Ointment, the humble drugstore balm better known for soothing chapped hands than for red-carpet glamour.

It sounds almost too simple for a look that has launched a thousand “get the glow” headlines. But Martin, the artist behind some of the Duchess’s most talked-about beauty moments, wedding day included, has spoken openly for years about building her radiance from skincare first, make-up second. Aquaphor, dabbed onto precisely the right places, is the quiet engine behind it.

This is the story of that $12 secret: where it comes from, how Martin actually uses it, and how to borrow a little of that glow for yourself, whatever budget you’re working with.

Who is Daniel Martin, the artist behind the glow

Daniel Martin has been part of the Duchess of Sussex’s beauty story for well over a decade, long before she became a royal. A celebrity makeup artist and former Global Director of Artistry for a major beauty house, he has worked with a roster of well-known faces, but it is his relationship with Meghan that has drawn the most attention, not least because he was responsible for her make-up on her wedding day in May 2018, a look that was deliberately, famously understated.

Martin’s signature philosophy, repeated in interview after interview, is that great skin does more work than product ever can. “A lot of my highlighting is done with skincare,” he has explained, a line that has become something of a mantra for anyone chasing that lit-from-within finish rather than an obviously powdered one. It is this belief that led him, years ago, to a product nobody expected to see in a professional make-up kit.

What is Aquaphor Healing Ointment, exactly

Aquaphor is not a beauty product in the conventional sense. Made by the skincare house Eucerin, it is a multi-purpose healing ointment originally formulated for dry, cracked or irritated skin, the sort of thing found in a bathroom cabinet next to the plasters, not the make-up bag. Its base is petroleum jelly, blended with glycerin and bisabolol, a soothing compound derived from chamomile.

That simple, occlusive formula is exactly why it works so well for a skincare-led glow: it sits on top of the skin and reflects light rather than sinking in, giving a smooth, glassy sheen without added shimmer or colour. A standard 7oz tube typically retails for around $12 to $13 at major US drugstores and supermarkets, with smaller travel sizes for a few dollars less, genuinely one of the more affordable tools in any professional kit, royal-adjacent or otherwise.

The high-points technique, explained

The trick isn’t simply slathering Aquaphor across the face. It’s precision. Martin applies a small amount to the “high points” of the face: the tops of the cheekbones, the centre of the brow bone, down the bridge of the nose, and the cupid’s bow above the lip. These are the same points a traditional cream or powder highlighter would target, but instead of shimmer, Aquaphor gives a soft, wet-look sheen that catches light the way naturally healthy skin does.

Sometimes it’s used instead of highlighter entirely, for a fresher, more skin-like finish. Other times, Martin layers it directly over a highlight palette, intensifying the glow while softening any obvious sparkle, in his words, giving the kind of luminosity that looks “like you just applied moisturiser” rather than make-up. It’s a small amount, worked in with a fingertip rather than a brush, which is part of why the effect reads as effortless rather than engineered.

Why skincare-as-highlighter works

The appeal of this approach goes beyond the price tag. Traditional highlighters rely on light-reflecting mica or shimmer particles, which can look striking in photographs but occasionally read as obviously “done” in person, particularly on textured or mature skin. A balm-based product, by contrast, mimics the sheen of well-moisturised, well-rested skin, the kind of glow people assume comes from good genetics or a facialist, rather than a fingertip of ointment.

It also explains why Martin’s approach has aged so well across nearly a decade of Meghan’s public appearances. Trends in highlighter formulas and shades come and go, but the principle behind the Aquaphor trick (treat the skin, then let it do the reflecting) hasn’t changed. It is the same instinct behind the broader “skinimalism” movement that has taken hold of the beauty industry more widely: fewer steps, better skin, less obvious product.

From the royal wedding to the red carpet

The technique has quietly followed Meghan through some of her most scrutinised beauty moments. Martin has spoken about using skincare-first methods for her wedding day look in May 2018, favouring a natural, luminous base over heavy contouring, a decision that was widely praised at the time for looking like an elevated version of the bride herself rather than a transformation.

In the years since, the Aquaphor detail has resurfaced repeatedly in beauty coverage whenever Martin discusses his kit, cited by outlets from Bustle to Who What Wear as one of his most-repeated tricks. It has become something of a beauty-editor open secret: the kind of detail that gets shared at dinner parties because it feels almost implausibly simple for someone whose face is photographed as often as hers.

How to try the Aquaphor glow at home

Recreating the effect doesn’t require Martin’s exact kit. Start with clean, moisturised skin, then take a very small amount of Aquaphor (less than a pea-sized dot goes a long way) and warm it between the fingertips before pressing it onto the highest points of the cheekbones, the brow bone and the cupid’s bow. Blend gently with a fingertip rather than a brush, which tends to absorb too much product.

For those who prefer not to use a healing ointment on bare skin, the same technique works with any occlusive balm, or by mixing a touch into a liquid highlighter or illuminating primer to soften its shimmer. Apply after foundation, not before, so the balm sits on top and catches light rather than being absorbed into the base. A little patience is worth it: too much product can tip the look from “glowing” to “greasy” within moments.

A note on skin type and sensitivity

Aquaphor’s simple formula is generally well tolerated, which is part of why dermatologists have long recommended it for sensitive or compromised skin. That said, its heavy, occlusive texture isn’t for everyone. Those with very oily or acne-prone skin may find it sits too richly for all-over use, though a tiny amount on the high points alone is usually fine even for combination skin types.

As with any new product near the eyes or lips, it’s worth patch-testing first, and those with known sensitivities to lanolin or specific ointment ingredients should check the full formula before trying the technique. Used sparingly and in the right places, though, it’s one of the gentler routes to a glow available on any drugstore shelf.

The enduring appeal of a $12 secret

What makes this story so satisfying isn’t just the price. It’s the reminder that a genuinely famous, endlessly photographed glow can come down to technique rather than budget. Martin’s approach proves that the difference between a flat complexion and a luminous one is often less about which product you buy and more about where, and how little, you apply it.

It’s a lovely piece of beauty democracy: the same trick used on a duchess is sitting in pharmacies everywhere, largely unnoticed, for the price of a round of coffees. Browse more of our Royal Style & Fashion stories for the beauty, wardrobe and grooming details behind the royals’ most memorable looks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Aquaphor trick Meghan Markle’s makeup artist uses?

Daniel Martin applies a small amount of Aquaphor Healing Ointment to the high points of the face (the cheekbones, brow bone and cupid’s bow) instead of, or layered over, a traditional highlighter, to create a soft, skin-like sheen.

How much does Aquaphor Healing Ointment cost?

A standard 7oz tube typically costs around $12 to $13 at major US drugstores and supermarkets, with smaller travel sizes available for a few dollars less, making it one of the more affordable products in any professional make-up kit.

Who is Daniel Martin?

Daniel Martin is a celebrity makeup artist and the Duchess of Sussex’s longtime make-up artist, best known for creating her wedding-day beauty look in May 2018 and for his skincare-first approach to highlighting.

Can you use Aquaphor as a highlighter?

Yes. Its petroleum-jelly-and-glycerin base sits on top of the skin and reflects light for a smooth, dewy sheen rather than a shimmery one, which is why make-up artists use it in place of, or underneath, traditional highlighter.

Where do you apply Aquaphor for a glowing look?

Apply a small amount to the high points of the face (the tops of the cheekbones, the centre of the brow bone, down the bridge of the nose, and the cupid’s bow), blended in with a fingertip after foundation.

Is Aquaphor good for sensitive skin?

Generally, yes. Its simple, gentle formula is often recommended by dermatologists for dry or irritated skin, though those with very oily skin or specific ingredient sensitivities should patch-test or use it sparingly.

What does Aquaphor contain?

Aquaphor Healing Ointment is based on petroleum jelly, combined with glycerin and bisabolol, a soothing compound derived from chamomile, which together create its smoothing, moisture-locking effect.

Does Meghan Markle use Aquaphor on her wedding day look?

Daniel Martin has spoken about favouring a natural, skincare-led base for her May 2018 wedding look, in keeping with the same high-points technique he has described using throughout her public appearances since.

This article draws on reporting and interviews with Daniel Martin published by outlets including Bustle, Woman & Home, Hello!, Elite Daily and SheKnows. Product pricing is accurate to major US retailers as of September 2026 and may vary by retailer and region.