The Duchess of Sussex joked about the beauty tip at the launch of Highbrow Hippie’s new hair care line

Meghan Markle changed her beauty routine in one relevant way during the COVID pandemic: boxed hair coloring.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, made the revelation during the launch party on November 15 for her close friend and hair colorist Kadi Lee’s new product. Highbrow Hippie Hair Care and Wellness Line at the Gjelina restaurant in Venice, California, to show support for the woman-founded business she supports as an investor.

After Lee explained how her friendship with Meghan influenced the evolution of her business, the Duchess of Sussex said, “I was using box dye when I met her!” eliciting laughter from those present.

At the launch party, Meghan gave Lee a thoughtful gift: roses from the garden of her Montecito home, where she lives with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie5, and Princess Lilibet3.

Meghan’s shiny braids have long been one of her style hallmarks, and she ordered her hair color online for just a few dollars during the pandemic.

Related: Meghan Markle shines at her colorist’s launch party in California: “She was in a happy mood”

Celebrity hairstylist Serge Normant, who did Meghan’s hair when she married Prince Harry in 2018 and remained a friend, told her she only needed to know one person in California: “Kadi Lee “.

PEOPLE understands the couple struck up a friendship after the introduction, and Meghan has turned to the famous colorist for the past four and a half years. Lee is a strong supporter of BIPOC businesses and Meghan is a major investor in his brand.

The famous hair colorist runs Highbrow Hippie with her business partner, Myka Harris, and the two are introducing the new namesake line to combat the root causes of hair loss and promote healthy hair aging. The hair professional highlighted her work with Meghan on Instagram several times this year, from the Invictus Games 2025 countdown in February to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala in October.

Related: Meghan Markle’s winter hair transformation: the secret to her “chocolate brown glow”

“She was in a happy mood,” a source told PEOPLE of Meghan’s infectious energy at the event. “She was dancing and partying with her friends.”

Videos shared with Lee Instagram Stories showed the Duchess dancing and singing during a gospel choir performance. Lee is also the hair colorist for Julia Roberts, Gwyneth PaltrowAnd Diane von Furstenbergand this launch marks the next chapter of Highbrow Hippie.

Some of Meghan’s closest friends were also at the party, including her longtime friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin, as well as Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai, who appeared in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix docuseries , Harry and Meghan.

“We needed this celebration of community and creativity,” Martin told PEOPLE. “I was honored to celebrate these women among such close friends.”

In August, Meghan was revealed as an investor in the women-founded and sustainably sourced handbag brand, Cesta Collectivetelling The New York Times there were between five and ten brands in its portfolio. The Duchess of Sussex described them as complementary to her own burgeoning lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

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“Investing in them helped prepare me for this chapter of investing in myself,” Meghan said over the summer.