My workday morning routine

So on a weekday I literally have 30 minutes to get ready, kiss my kids and leave the house. Don't get me wrong, it's not hard work when you have a wonderful mother in law (usually complete oxymoron but this is thrown out of the window for Lesley!) who turns up at your house at 7.20am with the kids still in bed and refusing to get up until they get a grandma kiss!! 
So that 30 minutes is pretty much all for me to get my shit together for a day in the big smoke.
I work in Primrose Hill for a digital design and communications agency - it's fun, it's fast paced, it's so ASOS not Boden, I can rock Zara, Cos or Hush but never M&S (ok that's a huge lie, have you seen Autograph!!??....Apologies - this bit sounds a bit w**nky doesn't it!! Actually Boden does these so that's now in too!!. 
Snow pony print boots - out of stock (thank god says.....no-one EVER!)

Sorry off topic!! 
So back to that morning routine, here goes nothing - the secrets are out there now! I hasten to add that this is based on a day I don't need to wash, style, big hair blowdry my hair - add another 10-15 minutes for that one! Occasionally I am organised and wash my hair in the evening and go to bed looking like Nora Batty with my rollers in.....not a good look for sure!
Have a shower, brush teeth etc (yawn...)
Moisturise body with any old lotion but if I think about it, add Clarins glow booster (review of this to follow at some point because it is truly fantastic)



Face - right, a bit of a list. Start with Bioderma, sometimes followed by a spray of Serozinc, add a lovely light - and possibly the cheapest and best - serum by Superdrug (yes, you heard correctly!), and then moisturise. My favourite moisturiser by far is cult favourite Embryolisse - using this means my make up sets better and stays on longer - win, win! 
Make up - Oooh the fun part. Whilst batting Heidi off my lap if she is awake! So by now I have 19 minutes (or thereabouts!).
Primer - so i use a few primers, and which one depends on whether its a work day, home day (and then it kinda means miss this part out!) or going out on the town evening (I will do another blog on this as its a whole new mountain of products!)
Day primer of the moment is Kiko Glow face serum  - does what it says on the tin - it instantly brightens, moisturises and smoothes your face, ready for the foundation fun! 
Foundation - I used to be all about the more expensive the foundation the better. After reading a few of my favourite beauty blogs I have switched to L'oreal Paris Infallible Matt foundation. According to other beauty bloggers its a dupe for the infinitely more expensive, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation - and seeing as I do have both.....I can safely say I would stick with the L'oreal and keep my pennies for more make up, skin stuff and wine!
Concealer - I confess to having a lot of concealers. A mix of low end and high end. I, like a lot of people, love the cheap and cheerful Collection 2000 concealer, mid-price, best one is the Maybelline eraser one, high end - hmmmmm, I would say Clarins is my go-to at the moment - instant concealer (and that it does!). 
Bronze, contour, blush, faffing - Now is when I currently reach for the Hourglass palette (see last post, love, love, love) - serious pound signs but such a revolutionary product. Each colour is universally flattering, working with every skin tone, it really is a genius product. Genuinely, if you got a brush and swirled around the whole palette, you would do well to go wrong. Each colour on its own does wonders, its fun, its easy (shit, I have 10 minutes until I leave the house!).
Eyeshadow Kiko eyeshadow sticks - this is the quick bit. literally grab you colour, pop it on your lid and smudge away. Mix and match a golden brown and golden beige, liven it up with By Terry black ombre Mystic Rock dupe, Rosy brown. They are cheap as chips, so easy to apply, highly pigmented and long lasting. You can't go wrong!
Eyeliner - sometimes when eyes are pinholes (too much vino, sick children, blah blah) its a must. Applied well its fab, rush job can sometimes equal a nightmare - answer? Clinique Quickliner for eyes. I would suggest roast coffee for daytime.
Mascara - at the moment I am enjoying the benefits of the LVL lash treatment. Its a treatment that enhances, add length, volume and loveliness to your own lashes. You get the treatment in a beauty salon, it costs around £35-40 and it takes about 45 mins - but it does last around 8 weeks and means less or sometimes no mascara during the day! If I do add mascara it will always be Benefit They're Real! Can't get better than Benefit mascaras - this and Roller Lash are life changing!
Brows - threading and tinting regularly means less requirement for eyebrow maintenance at the moment. Saves a good five minutes of messing around I can tell you! But to fill in the gaps and to give you a good overall brow look, I go for Anastasia brow duo in medium brown. Use with an angled brush, a few soft and gentle sweeps and you are brow-ready!
Powder - not always a must as I like the glowy look, but I usually add a sweep of classic Max Factor creme puff powder under the eyes, around nose, chin and forehead to set my face.
Setting spray Urban decay all nighter setting spray - now here is a game changer! Its been on my list of products to try for a while and now I would never ever be without it. It literally enables you to leave the house, do a full day at work, go out for a few drinks after and get home looking good (disclaimer: if you do have multiple shots this is no longer the case!!). I think its generally used to keep you looking good in a sweaty nightclub all night - but swap that for the northern line on a hot summers day and you are about there!).
Perfume squirt  - day scent of the moment is Nuxe Prodigieux - its slightly summery as its a floral, quite oriental scent but WTF, it makes me very happy! if anyone likes the smell of Nuxe's oils, then you will love this.
Lipstick / balm - I tend not to waste my lippie on the commuters so slick on a bit of Kiko kiss balm in cherry. Lovely colour colour, hugely moisturising and another one that I feel is good value! Kiko is a great brand - I spend a lot of time in Oxford Circus so thats my store of choice, but if you go to Europe, hunt down a store as its even cheaper there!

So.....that's it! Too much? I reckon I still have five minutes to spare at this point so this is where I shoot down and see the kids who are usually still sleeping  - or if not, Heidi is lying in our bed looking at random egg surprise videos on Youtube. Lots of kisses and cuddles before I head off for the day - war paint well and truly on!



#Coatoftheday: Just Female Kimono Coat - I bought this from ASOS in sale last year and can't find it anymore but this is very similar...

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