Royal baby: how did Kate Middleton look so good?

The Duchess of Cambridge emerged from the Lindo wing of St Mary’s hospital like a ray of sunshine, as she introduced her newborn daughter, Princess Charlotte, to the world.

Perfectly poised and beaming with joy, she reached for Prince William’s hand for help down the steps, as they were met by a cheering crowd of onlookers, including photographers and reporters.

Following Kate’s reappearance, social networking sites were swamped with compliments on her demeanour; many were stunned at how well she looked so soon after giving birth. We can now reveal the stylists and products that helped create the Duchess’s impeccable image.

The blow-dry

Hairdresser to William and Harry, Amanda Cook Tucker, was spotted entering the hospital at around 1pm on Saturday, carrying a bag bulging with products. Amanda has travelled with Kate to Australia, the South Pacific and America; she is paid £300 per assignment plus travel expenses. Her former husband, Neville Tucker, trained the celebrity stylist Richard Ward, who colours Kate’s brown locks every eight weeks.

Amanda also styled the Duchess’s hair after Prince George was born, so Kate knew she was in good hands. Her trademark, voluminous blow-dry was created complete with bouncy, curled ends. This look is designed to hold its shape in all weathers, so was particularly appropriate for Saturday’s blustery afternoon.

Glowing skin

Kate is known to manage her own make-up and generally sticks to the same look: dark eyebrows, black-lined eyes, often with eyeshadow, and a dot of pink on the apples of her cheeks and lips.

After Prince George’s birth, the Duchess turned to Bobbi Brown for their £40 Brightening Finishing Powder: the iridescent formulation is applied at the end of a make-up routine to add a pearly shimmer to the face. Her skin this time around certainly looked as fresh and dewy as ever.

She is also said to use the brand’s eye cream (£28) and concealer (£15.50), along with their lip liner (£15) and blush-pink lipstick (£18).

Manicure

Short, square and neatly finished with a French manicure, Kate’s nails were immaculate as she gently adjusted her daughter’s knitted blanket outside the hospital. Manicurist Marina Sandoval has been attending to Kate’s nails for five years, and frequently visits her at Kensington Palace. The relaxing procedure includes a hand soak, massage and manicure treatment, using natural oils from south America.

The hour-long signature manicure costs £50 and is finished with an understated varnish – Kate favours the Essie Allure polish and Bourjois So Laque ultra-shine nail enamel. “Catherine wanted something natural and I felt these matched her skin colour beautifully”, said Marina.

Leg-lengthening heels

Kate’s beloved Jimmy Choo Gilbert leather pumps (£360) were subtly flattering when paired with a knee-length dress for her first post-pregnancy appearance. To keep skin tone even, the Duchess wore seven denier nude, non-slip tights from the John Lewis Barely There range.

The specially designed tights, which she is thought to have purchased at Peter Jones in Sloane Square, have a gel cushion at the base of the foot, designed to hold position in the shoe – on occasions, these have been seen peeking out from inside her heel!

Bespoke dress to hide the bump

What better way to disguise a baby bump than with a bespoke silk shift dress? This cheerful, buttercup-printed number, by Jenny Packham, was ideal for the occasion. The designer was previously chosen when Kate showed off Prince George to the world, and has featured prominently in her recent pregnancy wardrobe.

On Saturday, the Duchess’s PA, Natasha Archer, was charged with ensuring that her outfit was in pristine condition. She is also rumoured to have encouraged the mother-of-two to start showing a little more leg and opting for heels, rather than her formerly favoured wedges. Finally, Kate accessorised the dress with pearl drop earrings by Annoushka worth £1,060.

Rebekah Absalom