My Manic Monday-Morning Make-up Routine

Being a creature of habit, my weeks follow a very similar structure and Monday has recently become my gym day. Straight from work every Monday I hit the gym, do my 2 classes and get my self home for some well deserved dinner. Working in an office environment means I can't just rock up to work in my sweats with my greasy hair up in a pineapple-like fashion, so I've come up with this routine which means I can get away with long-overdue-a-wash hair and gym-bag combo.

So firstly, that hair needs to go. I slick it up into a high bun, secure with hair pins and load it up with hairspray, and while I hold no loyalty to a particular one I'm currently using the Professional Touch Salon Hairspray High Shine Extra Hold Curl Control (what a mouthful!). It holds buns and curls a like without that crispy feeling and smells pleasant, if a bit strong.

I'll then get to work on make-up, with it being a Monday morning I've more than likely woken up slightly later than planned so a quick work-appropriate look for me consists of this: Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in shade "3", it's a nice coverage that blends best with fingers and matches my skin perfectly. I then go in with the Urban Decay Nake Skin Concealer in "Fair Neutral" where I need it. A light dusting of Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot Powder to set my base and a bit of the Benefit Sugar Bomb Box O' Powder on the cheeks for a slightly rosy flush.

With base done I tight-line with Lord & Berry's Polish Eye Pencil in "5071 Mirror Black" and line my lower water line with Rimmel's Skandaleyes Waterproof Khol Kajal in "Nude". I then wiggle some MaxFactor 2000 Calorie Curved Brush Volume and Curl mascara through my lashes and tame unruly brows with Maybelline's Brow Satin in "Medium Brown".

All quite simple, standard stuff, right? Then to top it all off and make it look like I've put some effort in, I've been gravitating to a bold lip. Now I love my reds and I'll always go back to them but lately I've found a bold pink to be my go-to lip colour. It just seems more statement than a red. The one I've been picking up a lot is the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in "Yu" and it is b-e-autiful. I've just been finding that a bold lip is the best way to distract from a bad hair day and livens up an otherwise lack-luster make-up. And the best bit, just remove the bold lip with a make-up wipe and you're ready for the gym. Genius.