Desk Essentials: 8 Beauty Products You Should Keep at Work

It's a sad thought but we spend an awful lot of our time at work. In those 7 hours I'm at the office, literally anything can happen, and when your makeup is smudged or your hair is frizzy from the rain, 7 hours is a LONG time to wait until you can get home and can sort your appearance out. I cannot stress enough that this post is in no way a 'how to look fabulous at work' type post (that desire goes out of the window at 6.30am) instead it's more a guide of how to look presentable in the office, like a serious, respectable adult you know.

I work in an advertising agency so we can wear what we want, which sounds great but it is actually SUCH a struggle omg - it's like at school when non-uniform day was the best frickin' thing ever but if it was everyday would have been horrible. So whilst one can look smart and presentable in jeans and a nice top, that work chic look gets totally ruined when you've had a bad hair day and now look like a tramp. Anyway after a rather lengthy intro which I did not anticipate, here are my 8 essential beauty products to keep in your desk or your work bag or wherever the hell ya like if you hot desk or something!

1. Invisibobble Hair Band

I admit these look a bit weird, and the whole point of this post is to look presentable but these are SO COOL! I'm no expert but SOMEHOW the spiral shape of the Invisibobble prevents you getting a kink in your hair when you tie it up. This is so necessary during the week when no one has the energy to wash their hair every single god damn day, and you're relying on your hair staying perfect for 2 days. Also you don't get that overwhelming pain in your head when you finally untie your ponytail! (What is that?!)

Hair bobbles in general are an absolute must for your desk for when your hair is flicking out at all directions, and you need to tame that mane.

2. Floss

OMG the amount of times I have been walking around the office with food in my teeth after lunch, smiling and chatting to colleagues is just embarrassing. Why are all the good foods herby like lasagna, or seeded like bread? I am not lying when I say I have literally boycotted poppyseeded bread for about 10 years - it is just not worth the embarrassment and the shear pain of trying to unlodge the seeds from my teeth - so so tragic! Floss is the ultimate essential which I keep in my work bag at all times.

Luckily for you, I have suffered these embarrassing moments so you don't have to! The floss I keep in my bag is from Boots it must have only cost £1 and it is such a life saver.

3. Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

While liquid foundations can be bad for the skin, this Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation does provide amazing coverage all day. I'm out the house for 12 hours on a normal day and even longer if I stay out for drinks, but I never have to worry about reapplying this stuff! I also have the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Powder which is amazing. You can't go wrong with this!

4. Compact Mirror

For sly little check ups at your desk. I mainly use mine for a quick peak of my teeth - damn that leafy, herby seeded goodness!

5. Perfume

This is the most obvious one, but definitely the most important! Now that summer is almost upon us and it's getting pretty hot, you'll want to make sure you're not stinking. I usually keep a small bottle of perfume like this mini Estee Lauder one in my bag, samples are great for this! Alternatively, I often just buy a cheap body spray like Impulse which you won't mind smothering your clothes with throughout the day.

6. Hand Cream

I've already written about how much I love these mini L'Occitane hand creams - so I won't repeat myself! Hand cream is an essential to keep on your desk. You're always being introduced to people at work and handshakes are generally awkward enough without having dry rough hands. There are too many potential handshake faux pas as it is, so it's good to have smooth paws.

7. Lip Balm

I get through this Blistex lip balm really quickly, mainly because it smells a m a z i n g. It's raspberry lemonade flavour and I can confirm that yes, it does also taste like raspberry lemonade.

8. Barry M Clear Nail Polish

A good clear base coat not only makes your nails look presentable, but can be there on guard for any potential ladders in your tights! I've never seen anyone with ripped tights at work before, and I can't help but imagine the judging looks I'll get when that inevitably happens to me one day.