Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York has been a very well-known face for some time, having been close friends with Princess Diana. The 59-year-old went on to date Prince Andrew, with the couple marrying 1986. While they are no longer married, and the Duchess is therefore no longer a working royal, Fergie remains in the public eye through her promotion of charity causes and her work as a writer. Now, a make-up artist to the stars, who has worked with Sarah, has spoken exclusively to Express.co.uk.
Ariane Poole, the founder of Ariane Poole Cosmetics, has done Sarah’s make-up a number of times in the past.
But, it was a make-up session for Fergie’s star-studded 40th birthday party back in 1999, an event also attended by her ex-husband Prince Andrew, which really stood out in the make-up artist’s mind.
“When I do someone’s makeup, I like to make them look like themselves just better, so I don’t tend to use crazy colours or focus entirely on one feature,” she told Express.co.uk.
“I like to create balance in the face, so they look and feel really great.”
Ariane went on to detail how Sarah’s “beautiful big eyes” are features which many people desire.
This natural aspect meant that Ariane decided to opt for a straight eyebrow shape, rather than creating a curved arch.
“Fergie’s eyes are her largest feature so I used make-up to highlight yet balance the eyes for her birthday party,” she continued.
“As Fergie has large, round eyes I created a straight brow.
“A high arch in the eyebrows will make the eyes appear even rounder but a straight brow with a soft arch balances and defines her beautiful big eyes.”
When it came to the particular shade of eye-shadow, the Duchess could be seen with metallic tones. Why did Ariane find this such a particular fitting choice?
“For her eye make-up, I wanted to add definition whilst keeping them in proportion with her face,” she explained.
“Overemphasising the eyes gives a shocked, surprised look to her face.
“I used a golden taupe colour on the lids and liner on her waterlines.
“I used a kohl pencil underneath the eye but stopped before reaching the very outer corner, smudging it instead. This gives the illusion of the eyes looking lifted.”
Finishing off the look, Ariane ensured that the makeover was not without some colour.
Spilling all on her thought process, she said: “I added subtle yet strong pops of colour on her cheeks and lips so her makeup was event appropriate and to give her a fresh youthful look!
“I used a soft peachy colour for her blusher and a darker neutral colour with a sheen for her lips.”
In an unearthed interview, Sarah revealed her surprising nickname – and it’s all thanks to Prince Andrew.
READ MORE: Why Sophie, Countess of Wessex’s wedding tiara was so different to Sarah Ferguson’s
Sarah Ferguson: Five facts about the Duchess of York
Childhood
Sarah is the second daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson and Susan Mary Wright.
Her parents divorced in 1974, with her mother going on to marry polo player Héctor Barrantes in 1975 and moving to Argentina. Sarah stayed in the UK with her father, who remarried in 1976 and went on to have three more children.
Wedding
Sarah married Prince Andrew on 23 July 1986 at Westminster Abbey in London.
She wore an ivory-silk wedding gown designed by Lindka Cierarch which had a 17 foot train and 20 foot veil. As is tradition, Sarah wore a diamond tiara, and her wedding band was crafted from Welsh gold.
The couple spent their honeymoon abroad the real yacht Britannia off the coast of the Azores Islands.
Divorce
Sarah and Andrew divorced in 1996 after separating in 1992.
However the couple remain on good terms, even living together in the Royal Lodge from 2008 until Sarah moved to a ski chalet in Switzerland they bought together in 2015.
Career
Sarah has written children’s books for many years, her first being a series about Budgie The Helicopter in the early 90s.
She has also been the US spokeswoman for WeightWatchers after famously battling her weight over the years.
On top of commercial endeavours, the Duchess devotes plenty of time to charity, including Children in Crisis, which she founded in 1993.
Social media
Fergie, as she is known to friends, uses both Twitter and Instagram.
She has over 200,000 followers across the platforms, and shares many insights in to her life.
Most of the Royal Family are not on social media, but are represented by Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, or Clarence House.
Sarah’s daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, are the exception, with both joining their mother on social media.