There's no denying the Duchess of Cambridge always looks fabulous. From red carpets to royal engagements, Prince William's wife has baffled many a royal fan with her seemingly ageless radiance and enviable skin glow - but what's her secret?
SEE: Get Kate Middleton's glow! Royal nutritionist reveals what to eat for radiant skin
According to the MailOnline, the mother-of-three likes to drink a nutrient-rich smoothie to start her day. Kate is said to blend a combination of kale, spirulina (a type of algae), matcha (green tea leaves), spinach, romaine, cilantro (coriander leaves) and blueberries together for her healthy morning drink. But can you seriously drink your way to good skin? Former royal nutritionist Jennifer Hanway seems to think so.
WATCH: Kate Middleton's daily diet
"We literally are what we eat," Jennifer confirmed. "Think of your diet as the building blocks of your body. It's definitely possible to achieve better skin from the inside out on a cellular level with diet."
READ: Kate Middleton's daily diet: the Duchess' breakfast, lunch and dinner revealed
MORE: Kate Middleton's skincare secrets: Her trusted beauty products and tricks
Keen to get the royal's 'glow' for myself, I gathered the ingredients and pledged to drink Kate's skin-boosting green smoothie every day for a month - consulting Jennifer along the way for guidance.
Kate reportedly drinks an antioxidant-packed smoothie every day
"It might taste like you're licking the inside of a fish tank," she warned me before I embarked on my month-long transformation. I'm a pretty non-fussy eater, a fan of vegetables and a firm believer that if you're choosing anything other than an overpriced smoothie for your supermarket meal deal, you're doing it wrong - so was initially unphased by Jennifer's warnings. Yet, packed with spirulina and crunchy raw kale, the first taste of Kate's so-called smoothie was anything but appetising.
Explaining the benefits, Jennifer said: "This smoothie is absolutely packed full of antioxidants that fight free-radical damage, which are the environmental toxins that steal our natural glow." Though the nutritionist did encourage me to add a protein or healthy fat into the blend for a far more filling breakfast option.
We're all about balance here at HELLO!, so with the guidance of Jennifer, I ensured my diet was packed full of quality ingredients, pairing my breakfast smoothie with a healthy three meals a day. But did the algae-like concoction make a difference to my skin health? Did I crack the royal code for healthy skin or did I simply turn a shade of green? Here's everything I discovered after drinking like the Duchess of Cambridge for a month…
1. I had a surprising amount of energy
The Duchess' green juice is packed full of superfoods high in iron and potassium, vitamins A and C, fibre, and phytonutrients that are proven to keep energy levels high. After just a week of whizzing up the green blend I found waking up surprisingly easy, and even found the motivation to squeeze in some pre-work gym sessions. In turn, I was sleeping better - and we all know that sleep + skin = win, win.
"Creating a sleep routine is so important. If you're not sleeping, you're not going to eat well the next day, you're not going to be performing at your best, and you're going to be dehydrated," explained Jennifer, who recommends HALO hydration powder sticks for a rapid way to rehydrate the body.
WHAT I USED: Super Greens, £22, Glow Bar
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2. I was complimented on my skin
Adult acne hit me hard when I reached my mid-twenties, with little to no explanation as to why my flawless teen skin had been replaced with painful breakouts. Despite finally finding products that eased my symptoms after almost a year of hiding behind Zoom, I was left with stubborn pigmentation on my cheeks that I could only disguise with foundation.
Fast forward to 30 days post-smoothie consumption and my skin is literally GLOWING. The pigmentation has minimised, I haven't had a breakout in a month and makeup-free me received so many compliments on how "healthy" my skin looked.
I went makeup-free for the first time in months
After a week battling with the unappetising taste of whipped coriander and spirulina, Jennifer recommended I added a collagen powder into my smoothie - for both taste and 'glow' benefits.
"Collagen is a group of specific amino acids that helps to rebuild and protect collagen in the skin," Jennifer explained. "There is clinical evidence that shows collagen does help to protect the dermal matrix and preserve the collagen that you do have, as well as helping your body synthesise new collagen."
SEE: Discover the best collagen supplements – plus, what are the benefits?
WHAT I USED: LQ Collagen Powder, £34.99, Amazon
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3. I learnt to be realistic
Despite the benefits of drinking like Kate every morning for a month, the green blend never tasted any better, no matter how many spoonfuls of honey I added to the mix (don't tell my nutritionist). The result? By day 15 I was struggling to find any joy in the concoction I was blending for my breakfast each day. I found I was craving carby, sugary snacks to compensate for my ultra-healthy morning meal, and in turn, I was quickly looking forward to an end date.
I asked Jennifer if this was seriously the answer to glowing, royal skin - and her answer was surprisingly refreshing.
"No, you absolutely do not have to put yourself through this to achieve better skin," Jennifer confirmed. "I have a smoothie every morning with the same benefits as what's in Kate's, but it's absolutely delicious. There are always other ways of getting nutritional benefits into in our diet than drinking green juice."
I drank a super green smoothie every day, for a month
The former royal nutritionist recommended I take out the spirulina and coriander, swapping the greens for vanilla protein powder and almond butter for a creamy kick - as well as adding more variety of berries for a sweeter taste. "If you don't like it, you're never going to stick with it" she explained, which I very much agree with.
The results? Drinking Kate Middleton's smoothie for a month most definitely made a difference to my complexion. My under eyes were less puffy, my pigmentation reduced and I went makeup-free with confidence for the first time in months - but it wasn't all positive. Though drinking a kale infused smoothie might work wonders for someone like the Duchess of Cambridge, drinking what can only be described as freshly brewed pond water just isn't my jam. If I can source the same skin-boosting benefits from a sweeter smoothie, then why wouldn't I?
Jennifer's key tips for those looking to follow a royal-approved diet are simply to focus on the quality of the food, make sure you're having protein at every meal, and make sure that you're "eating the rainbow." Noted!
Jennifer Hanway is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Wellness Expert. HALO Hydration powder sticks contain electrolytes, vitamins and minerals to provide complete, low calorie hydration and are available at halohydration.com.
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