Everyone generally falls all over themselves lauding Kate Middleton’s style. And admittedly, she always looks polished, respectable, and exudes a sense of propriety, which is what’s expected of her as a royal. There’s also been a lot of fuss about how she’s so low maintenance when it comes to her beauty routine (expect with that flowing mane of hers, for which she travels with her beloved and loyal hairdresser).

Kate famously did her own makeup for her wedding, and has sort of stuck with the same formula ever since. I have said from the beginning that I think her makeup is a bit harsh and makes her seem older, which is not the look you want when you’re in your twenties. After say, age 19 when you’re trying to look older to get into bars, the goal should be age-appropriate. But I’m not a professional and it’s a miracle I can even apply mascara to myself, so I decided to elicit the opinion of an expert to really break down Kate’s look.

Brett Freedman has been a makeup artist in the industry since the early 90s, working with actresses and musicians ranging from Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez to Camilla Belle, Sienna Miller, and Catherine Zeta Jones. He is also the founder of Vanitymark cosmetics, a boutique line of brow tools, lip balm and body makeup.

Brett was not afraid to critique Kate, and calls her K.Mil, which further endeared him to me. Of her look, Brett said, “K.Mil has such a polished look that it borders on boring.” *gasp* Here are his thoughts about her look (and it’s full of tips for us regular people, too):