What’s in Kate Middleton’s post-baby beauty kit? And why we all need to stock up on these, kiddo or not

Custom illustrated by Kristina Hultktantz

Enough has been written about Kate Middleton’s extensive beauty routine. From her favorite Bobbi Brown makeup to her cult classic blowouts (even straight out of the delivery room!), the $35,000+ annual maintenance costs add up to a lot of primping – and now she has to change just about all of it post-baby. Again. Because duchess or not, having a baby is a total game changer. Skin throws out new problems everyday, hair is deprived of volume and shine building chemicals and the body goes totally out of whack.

So, from combating dark circles to keeping that luscious hair in place, even the Duchess of Cambridge will require a few tricks to look (and feel!) beautiful while re-adjusting to having a brand new baby in the house. Keeping this in mind, we have a whole care-package-of-sorts ready should she have been too busy with the little princess to think about her beauty routine.

Baby + bump

While we adore that cute little belly Kate sported in her very first post-baby appearance, judging by her quick bounce-back after Prince George’s birth, we know this perma-polished new mum will want to get back in shape soon enough. Cue: Mama Mio’s Skin Tight Toning Serum ($39) to tackle post-pregnancy crepey skin. This is perfectly complimented by Angelique’s Massage Balm (£9.79), which is so gentle it can be used on both mother and baby. Little wonder both are cult amongst A-Listers.


The breast situation

You already know this Kate: Post-delivery your boobs become like rocks. And they leak. And if you choose to breastfeed, it is not the easy, painless, earth mother thing seen in movies. The fix: Lansinoh Lanolin for Breastfeeding Mothers ($7.99).

Breakouts

Time to kiss that glowy pregnancy complexion goodbye. Fluctuating hormones, sleep deprivation and stress mean skin is thrown totally out of whack. Result? A bad case of the zits. Try Indie Lee’s Blemish Lotion ($26), which is an amazing all-natural spot treatment.

The skincare cheat sheet

Kate will have to swap her famous Karin Herzog skincare goodies (which contain retinol – a baby no-go) for a gentler, natural product like Tata Harper Reparative Moisturizer ($100). It’s pricey, but I think the royal family can afford a few bottles.

Then there are the eyes. And lips. Being woken up throughout the night with a new baby means both these look droopy, tired and non-sparkly. One solution would be to buy Dr. Hauschka’s Daily Revitalizing Eye Cream ($54) and Suvana Beauty’s Paw Paw & Honey Organic Lip Balm ($14) by the truckload.

New moms are on their feet all day, so Kate should give hers a little TLC at night with a cooling cream like Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Relaxing Leg & Foot Cream ($9). Oh! And since she will be washing her hands approximately 100 times a day, a good hand cream is priority. Caswell-Massey Dr. Hunter’s Hand Comfort Cream ($14) is a classic and works on the most irritated and dehydrated skin.

Makeup woes

Kate’s favorite Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick ($42) and YSL Touche Eclat ($40) will surely be on hand to cover any post-baby tiredness. However, she will have to amp it up with a stronger cover-up, like Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage Concealer. Josie Maran’s all-natural argan oil infused Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Poppy Paradise ($22) will add a lit-from-within glow.

Kate’s signature is a strong eye. She is rarely seen in public without dark liner and mascara. But the worst thing you can possibly do immediately post-baby is to draw attention to your eyes. Two words: sleep deprivation. So, there will need to be some changes here.

The first to go should be her current eyeliner. Kate should switch to a softer color and keep it just to the top lash line, since lower lash liner can make tired eyes look even more droopy. Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil in Smoke ($19) would do the job perfectly. The mascara needs to be waterproof because of the post-partum crying (thanks, hormones!). Clinique’s High Impact Waterproof Mascara ($16) won’t budge.

Finally, a swipe of her favorite nude lip colour – Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lip Colour in Warm Beige ($24) – and a few sprays of Illuminum ($100), her go-to perfume, will complete the look!

The hair quandary

For about 3 months after having a baby, you have the thickest hair of your life. But then it starts falling out at a rapid pace… before finally growing back to normal. Not a happy interim situation to the woman who’s made a signature out of her thick, luscious locks. Time to stock up on the 100% natural, alcohol-free Rahua’s Voluminous Hair Spray ($28).

Bag-of-plenty

A regular diaper bag doesn’t feel posh enough for Kate. Instead, since she is a huge Mulberry fan, we can see the duchess carrying this Bayswater tote ($2,3999) stuffed with the little one’s necessities.

Baby chic

Organic and dermatologically tested products are musts for baby’s delicate skin. And nobody does that better than Bonpoint, the chic Parisian label. We love the milk bath with organic active ingredients, including cherry and orange blossom flowers and organic cotton. And every new mom needs at least one change of clothes stashed away for the baby and this super-cute onesie from Etsy ($18) fits the bill perfectly.

The treasure trove

Jennifer Lopez received a canary diamond ring and earrings set worth $2.8 million and Victoria Beckham scored a 24-karat-gold iPhone, which cost a cool $34,000. Now, our Kate would never be so vulgarly splashy, so if Prince William is looking for a push-present may I suggest these gorgeous ruby-and-diamond earrings from royal warrant holder Asprey? Hey, having a kid is a lot of work!

Are you all ga-ga about the new royal kiddo? And what’s the one beauty routine or product you simply can’t give up – before or after baby? C’mon, we won’t judge!