Maybe your New Year's Resolution was to spring out of bed half an hour earlier than usual to paint your face with the kind of glowy, radiant, sculpted contouring that would make Kim Kardashian weep, craft your brows into Delevingne-esque glory and finish it all with an insouciant, soft smokey eye. Maybe a few days into January, things aren't going so well when your bed is so, y'know, warm and lovely and liquid eyeliner is terrifying.
Have no fear - commuting beauty queens of the UK, we salute you. If your getting-ready time is usually confined to trying to apply mascara without poking yourself (or the sniffy man next you, for that matter) in the eye between stops on the bus, this is for you. Read on for our best tips on getting a flawless face on the go.
If you have fifteen minutes...
Lucky you - wonders can be worked in fifteen minutes. First things first, slap on some foundation. We love Bobbi Brown's Stick Foundations (£29.50), which have zero mess, no spillage and are easily blendable. Then, grab a smudgeable eyeliner - like Eyeko's Me & My Shadow (£15.00) - and run it across your upper lashline. There's no need to be too precise - the beauty is in a slept-in style. Gently smudge with your finger.
Grab a creamy blusher like Stila's Convertible Colour (£16.00) and dab a litle on the apples of your cheeks for a fresh, healthy look. A stick highlighter is key here for getting a radiant finish without also giving one to the people on either side of you - dab on your cheekbones, temples, Cupid's bow and tip of your nose. Then, apply a brush-based concealer like By Terry Touch Expert (£32.00), under your eyes. Grab a makeup sponge, like the cult classic BeautyBlender (£16.00) and flawlessly - and quickly - blend everything in. A slick of mascara (we love L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes (£10.99)) and a hit of lip colour (a gloss is a good on the go fix, try Charlotte Tilbury's, (£16.50)) and hello, beautiful.
If you have ten minutes...
Ten minutes is plenty of time to get a fresh look. Go in with the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, but top it off with a luminous bronzing powder that'll add depth and colour - like Guerlain's Terracotta 4 Seasons, £48.00. Now your skin's glowing, turn to your eyes - a dab of clear lip gloss, like MAC Lip Glass, £14.50, will add a sporty, fresh sheen to your lids and is totally fool-proof.
A volumising mascara like NARS Audacious Mascara, £21.00, will give your lashes some serious va-va voom. Some flesh-toned liner - NYX do several for different skin tones - in your lower waterline will make your eyes seem more open and awake. Dab some of the lip gloss on your pout, and you're good to go.
If you have five minutes...
Focus on making your skin look warm and your eyes look awake. Dabbing some creamy blusher on your cheeks and lips (the Stila one can be used on both) will bring a much-needed pop of colour your face. Then, grab the stick highlighter and quickly hit your temples, Cupid's bow and tip of your nose and blend with your sponge.
Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara (£19.50) is a clever old thing - it curls your lashes as you apply it, using a nifty wand that hooks each eyelash. Simply apply it and watch your lashes not only get all glossy and black, but lifted and open. Winner!
Browse Team Grazia's favourite on-the-go beauty buys in the gallery below...
Best On The Go Makeup
1 of 5Benefit Gimme Brow, £18.50
"I love Gimme Brow by benefit for eyebrows because it’s bump/stop proof. Never had an unruly brow using it on public transport – and even if it goes a bit squiffy it’s easy to correct with little drama." Zoe Beaty, Senior Features Writer Buy here.
2 of 5Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, £19.50
"This is so easy to apply and gives great coverage. Lots of shades, too" Joely Walker, Beauty Writer. Buy here.
3 of 5Lancome Grandiose Mascara, £24.50
"The curve on the wand makes it really easy to apply on the go, and the finish is great." Alice Farmiloe, Digital Editor. Buy here.
4 of 5Maybelline Dream Touch Blush, £6.49
"I always use a cream blusher, like Maybelline Dream Touch. Even if it's too busy on the train to apply anything else, that'll give my complexion a lift." Zoe Cronin, Deputy Chief Sub Editor. Buy here.
5 of 5Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot, £16.00
"I love MAC Paint Pots for my eyes - no need for a brush as I can just apply with my fingers." Helen Gibson, Deputy Picture Editor. Buy here.
WATCH NOW: ON THE GO BEAUTY HACKS