One of our favorite things about Kate is her fresh and dewy skin and her subtle, yet elegant makeup.

Kate looking fresh and glowy

Being 28 doesn’t hurt, of course, but there are plenty of haggard-looking 20-somethings out there. By taking extremely good care of your skin and not wearing too much makeup – you can be beautiful for decades.

Obviously, your beauty routine begins with cleansing twice a day, exfoliating about three times a week and using the right day and night moisturizers for your skin’s needs. But a step many women leave out is seeing their esthetician regularly for professional facials, extractions, peels and other maintenance procedures. Try to see your esthetician at least four times a year – with the change of each season – to keep your skin it’s healthiest.

Another step women often overlook is the benefits of a weekly beauty mask. Try Chantecaille’s Detox Clay Mask to remove impurities and rejuvenate the complexion!

After your moisturizer, apply a small amount of primer all over the face. We love Hourglass’ Veil Mineral Primer. After your foundation, apply a light dusting of LORAC’s Perfectly Lit Oil Free Luminizing Powder just to the tops of the cheekbones. When you apply your blush below this area, blend the two slightly, so there is a seamless transition from highlighter-to-blush. Benefit’s Thrrrob face powder is the perfect delicate shade of blush.

Go easy on the eyes with MAC’s Paradisco — an orangey gold – for blue eyes. For green or brown eyes, try Laura Mercier’s matte eye colors: Coffee Ground on the lid, blended with Cashmere in the crease. Apply a tiny amount of cream-colored shadow from Shu Uemura in Pearl White in the inner corners and below the eyebrow to highlight. Blend the areas where each color meets with a blending brush like Sephora’s #29 for a seamless look.

Almost everyone looks better with eyeliner, but for a more natural look go for a dark brown liner rather than black. Line the upper and lower lid, slightly winging out the line at the outer corners. Eyeliner is one of the products is pays to splurge on. Expensive eyeliners have more intense pigments and don’t fade as easily. Try Stila’s Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Lionfish.

To accentuate sparse brows, simply fill in the original shape – don’t go outside the natural contour. Try one of Shu Uemura’s Hard Line brow pencils.

The final icing on this pared down look should be a pink-tinted gloss such as Burberry’s Lipglow in Nude Beige, which is universally flattering.

Now, you’re ready to pucker-up for that midnight smooch!

Kate takes out the garbage?

It was widely reported this week that Wills and Kate will forego the use of royal servants while living in their North Wales cottage rental after they are married (with the exception of security detail). This seems like surprising behavior for royals – and quite a stark contrast to Prince Charles’ household, which employs upwards of 150 staff.

Those who follow the royals seemed surprised, but also think it is good for the couple’s public image, and it also provides them time to assess what help they might need moving forward.

Let’s face it folks, this can’t go on forever. We’re dealing with the future King and Queen of England! Sure, maybe they can keep up with the dishes and other monotonous housework at the cottage, but those daily chores won’t scale to keeping up a palace.

There are rumors that the couple will set up residence at Kensington Palace, former residence of Princess Diana, after William completes his training with the Royal Air Force. If this proves to be true, surely they would hire some staff. A palace without servants … unimaginable!

We really admire your dedication to staying normal, Kate, but we’d certainly cut you some slack if you wanted to hire at least a live-in chef and maid for the cottage. Isn’t that every girl’s dream anyway?

What do you think, readers? Would you forgo servants in order to have more privacy and to boost your image with everyday people? Or, do you think having servants would be one of the better parts of being royalty?  Add your comments, posthaste!

Kate sporting an elegant black feathered fascinator at Lady Rose Windsor’s wedding

On UKate, we’ll often refer to an accessory called a “fascinator” because we think they are fabulous. So, what the heck is a fascinator anyway?

Fascinators originated in the UK (where wearing elaborate hats is an art form) around the 18th century. The word originally referred to a fine, lacy head covering made from either wool or lace.

Cut to the early 21st century when the term evolved to describe hair ornaments; somewhere between a clip-in barrette accessory and a small, fancy hat. They are usually made with a combination of feathers, flowers and/or beads and attach to hair by a hidden comb, clip or headband.

Hip young royals have been spotted wearing them out and about, and our royal-to-be, Kate, is no exception!

The look created by fascinators can range from chic and sophisticated to creatively bizarre; think style that combines the 1920s with uptown glamour! The best fascinators are often custom-made to suit the wearer. The intention is to be quirky, compelling … to “fascinate!”

In the UK and Australia, the fascinator is a regular accessory at horse races, other dressy sporting events and weddings. The look is starting to catch on in the U.S., especially as a bridal accessory. Bridal fascinators are a unique choice for a bridal headpiece, but also make a refreshing alternative for bridal attendants or the mother-of-the-bride.

Fascinators are not limited, however, to posh events. With a range of simple to elaborate, they can be worn as a complement to virtually any look … day or night!

UKate is a whimsical commentary on the looks and lifestyle of HRH Catherine Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge – Europe’s classiest Royal. We’re following her fashion exploits while we strive to weave a dash of her style into our own worlds – wanting for Windsorness as they may be. Stop by daily for a romantical round-up of the latest looks in fascinators and other anglophile flourishes and join us as we keep up on Kate.

Kate Middleton in a fabulous fascinator

Meet Kate

Catherine Elizabeth “Kate” Middleton was born on January 9, 1982 in Reading, Berkshire to Carole Elizabeth and Michael Francis Middleton; both former employees of British Airways. Kate is the oldest of three children. Her siblings are Philippa “Pippa” Charlotte and James William Middleton.

Kate was raised in Bucklebury, Berkshire. In 1987, the Middletons founded Party Pieces, a mail order party supply company from which they became self-made millionaires.

After attending Marlborough College, Kate went on to the University of St Andrews, where she met fellow student, Prince William in 2001. The two became friends while sharing housing with a group of other students, but sparks didn’t fly until the night of a 2002 charity fashion show in which Kate took to the catwalk in a sheer black dress. Wills, in VIP seats, finally took notice when he proclaimed to his friends, “Kate is Hot!” Friends claim the two spent the rest of the evening huddled in the corner together at the show’s after-party.

It’s hard to say when the two started dating exclusively as they kept their relationship very quiet at first, but it’s likely that the romance began in 2003. Kate’s nebulous status as the girlfriend of Prince William brought her widespread media coverage and she was often photographed on her daily outings – much to her frustration.

Kate graduated from St Andrews with a degree in Art History in 2005.

In 2007 rumors were afoot that the couple had split, but they continued to be friends, and later that year reunited.

Kate is admired for her fashion sense and has been featured in several best-dressed lists. She was selected by The Daily Telegraph as the “Most Promising Newcomer” in its 2006 list of style winners and losers. She came in at no. 8 on Tatler’s 2007 list of the top ten style icons and was also featured in People Magazine’s 2007 and 2010 best-dressed lists. Richard Blackwell included her in his list of ten “Fabulous Fashion Independents” of 2007. In June 2008 Style.com selected Kate as its monthly beauty icon and in July of that year she made Vanity Fair’s international best-dressed list. Kate’s style was watched closely over the course of 2008, during which time she accompanied William to several high-profile events.

The couple became engaged during a trip Kenya in October 2010. Their new status was officially announced on November 16, 2010

Kate officially became Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge after her wedding to Prince William at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. William is second in line to the British throne (behind his father, Prince Charles), making Kate the likely future queen of Great Britain.