I recently read a sentimental piece about the 30 things every woman should have and know by 30. Shockingly, I could check many of those items off my to-do list. What's more shocking is that I'm not 30 anymore, not even close.

A whole decade has passed. Where did it go? An amazing husband, multiple careers, a recession, two incredible children, and the blink of an eye later, I'm 40. There are many subtle yet life-changing differences a decade makes, which is why in my attempt to embrace existence (numberically speaking), I wrote this list. (This may not be as sentimental as its predecessor, but hey, I'm a humor columnist.)

By 40, you should have …

Kate Middleton is the epitomy of style and class and simple allure. Her husband, Prince William, is absolutely charming and with every passing year, seems to remind us of his mother, Princess Diana, with how openhearted and genteel he is. And while we will always remember how they looked on their wedding day, April 29, 2010, it's not too wild to wonder what they might look like years ... and I mean YEARS from now. After all, the royal couple is destined to be in the public eye for a looong time!

Researcher and artist Nickolay Lamm and Nickolett Mérész of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk must've been wondering exactly that when they were inspired to create an artistic interpretation of how Kate and Wills might age. The result was definitely a bit mindblowing.

Every morning, I go through the following makeup routine: I wash and moisturize my face. I apply foundation. I dab a special primer under my eyes before applying a layer of undereye concealer. I use an angled brush to fill in my eyebrows. I use another, thinner brush to line the tops of my eyelids. I sweep a neutral-toned powder below my brow line. I use a kabuki brush to add a little bronzer to my cheekbones. I curl my eyelashes and put on a layer of mascara. I dust my entire face with setting powder, then add blush. Finally, I color my mouth with a creamy lip stain.

This is what I do to make myself presentable for the thrilling activity of taking my first-grader to his bus stop.

The crazy thing is, after all those products are on my face ... I don't really look like I have makeup on. I just look slightly more awake and less flu-stricken than I did when I first woke up. At nearly 40 years old, this is the minimum routine I need to feel even halfway decent about myself.

A few months ago, I visited the dermatologist for the first time in my life for a skin check. And after that was over and a couple of questionable moles were zapped, I decided that since I was there, I'd ask about the brown spot on my face that's been bothering me for a very long time.

Oh, the joys of getting old!

Quite frankly, I didn't know if there was anything they could do about it, but as it turns out, there is. Now I'm wondering if my vanity is worth the risk.

I was never a "full-face make-up every day" kind of girl before I had kids, but I certainly took better care of myself. Now that I have four children, I admit that I've ditched a lot of my beauty routine, mostly due to time.

Sleep or shaving? Yes, it's come to that, as it does for so many moms.

But when I take care of myself and my appearance, I feel better and have a more positive attitude. So here are a few simple beauty rituals I'll be reclaiming, even if I have to force myself to.

The rumors that she was once dating Bachelor Jake Pavelka aside, it's really, really hard to hate Kristin Chenoweth. She is just so painfully adorable, like a child's doll come to life. The 44-year-old actress was in Mexico recently vacationing and working on a photo shoot and just happened to pose for some unbelievable shots in a bikini. At 88 pounds, the 4'11" star looks absolutely flawless. Bitch.

If you're in your 40s like Sandra Bullock, congratulations. Hopefully by this point, you're comfortable in your skin and have never felt more confident in your life.

That said, there's no doubt that physically, things have changed a bit since you were in your 20s -- particularly if you've had kids.

There's no need to throw in the towel just yet, though. You can look better in your 40s than ever before, with the help of a few top tips from professional makeup artists.

Check out their secrets after the jump!

Sadly, Gwyneth Paltrow can be pretty annoying at times. I am sure working mothers really appreciate it when she tries to relate her struggles as a Hollywood mom to their own. But her past condescending quips aside, GP's latest interview reveals something we have long suspected but never quite had confirmed -- she's had work done. That's right, perfect Gwyneth admits that she is just as desperate to fight age as the rest of us. You gotta love her for that. Though, she may have earned one new enemy with this recent admission. While helping the rest of us relate to her more, she totally -- and hilariously -- disses Joan Rivers!