The cost of Kate Middleton's beauty routine

Staying true to the age-old image of a groomed and sophisticated royal, the Duchess of Cambridge has never made a wrong move. With her bouncy loose curls, perfectly primped nails and flawless skin, Kate Middleton is the epitome of a modern-day princess. From tennis matches to children’s hospital visits, Kate’s ever-so immaculate look has made her worthy of a royal title. But when the world is watching your every move, you can’t even let one flyaway stick out from your head.

A lot of hard work goes into making a princess fit her shoes - and for Kate, it’s a whopping USD $40,320 (that’s $39,310 in Aussie money), according to research conducted by ABC News America. ABC News visited Kate’s salon in London, The Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa, where she gets a blow-dry three times a week. That’s a whole lot of perfect hair.

Even though Kate might be bathing in a bountiful bathtub of beauty goodness on a daily basis, there aren’t many of us who can afford this level of luxury. And if, by chance, you’re part of that minority group, please contact me and recruit me as your best friend.

These figures may seem like proof that it takes a million bucks to look like a million bucks – but in all honesty, there are ways to look like Kate without breaking the bank.

Here are five ways to get the look for under $20:

1.) Kate likes her nails prim and proper – very British – so trim your fingernails and paint them with a soft shade of pale pink polish. piCture pOlish in Fairy Floss is a steal.

2.) Beat this beauty trivia – rumour has it that the Duchess’ glowing skin is brought to you by her love for Nivea’s Visage Pure and Natural Moisurising Day Cream. Kate loves that stuff, and so should you.

3.) Ditch the eyeshadow palette and create smoky eyes with Sax Crème Precision Eyeliner in black. Kate’s upper and lower lashes are always rimmed with dark kohl liner and a generous amount of mascara.

4.) If your locks lack the depth and lustre of Kate’s, help is at hand. You could try an at-home colour such as Schwarzkopf Brilliance in Chestnut or Chocolate Brown, and have a fun DIY party in the bathroom.

5.) Ditch the bold hues of berry and fuchsia lipsticks, because Kate swears by a natural lipgloss for her pout. Give Maybelline New York Colour Sensation Crème Gloss in Sandstone Shimmer a go.

And you know what, if all else fails, run to a costume shop, get one of these bad boys on your face and start signing autographs. No one will ever know.

How much money do you spend on your beauty routine annually?

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