Monday mornings are rarely a time for celebration. We're too rushed to put on a decent face of make-up, too tired to go to the gym, and very possibly nursing the effects of an excessive weekend.

周一早晨很少被当成是节庆时光。我们匆匆出门、没时间打扮的漂漂亮亮的，工作疲乏得不想去健身房运动，而且很可能遭受周末娱乐过度带来的不适应感。

And now there's another reason to hate Mondays as a study reveals that not only do we feel ugliest on the first day of the working week - but that information is used by cynical¹ beauty companies who cash in on our insecurities.

现在我们又多了一个讨厌周一的理由——研究显示，不仅我们在一周的头一天觉得自己最难看，而且尖刻的美容公司正在利用我们的这种不安全感来赚钱。

The study, by London-based global media agency PDA, was designed to discover when women felt at their most unattractive - and therefore at their most vulnerable to be marketed to by beauty firms.

一所坐落在伦敦的全球传媒机构PDA进行了一项研究，旨在发现女性感觉自己最不具吸引力的时间点——也就是她们对美容公司的销售策略最无力抵制的时候。

The company questioned women aged 18 and over to identify when they feel most vulnerable about their appearance in order to determine the best timing² for beauty product messages and promotions³.

该公司向18岁及以上的女性发放问卷，以此辨明女性对自己的容貌感觉最脆弱的时间，从而确定投放美容产品信息和促销手段的最佳时间。

The results showed that 46 per cent reported feeling at their worst on Mondays.

研究结果表明，46%的女性称其感觉自己在周一最为糟糕。

Reasons cited took in stress, lack of motivation to make an effort and visible and emotional effects of the weekend showing on the face.

研究认为上述现象的原因有压力、缺乏努力工作的动力、以及显而易见的，从面部表情可以看出的周末活动留下的情绪影响。

The report showed that women feel their best on Thursdays, when the working week is coming to an end and the weekend is in sight.

研究显示，女性在周四感觉自己状态最佳，这时一周的工作日接近尾声，周末近在眼前。

The information gleaned⁴ works both ways. While sometimes it suits a company to catch a customer when they're feeling low, in other situations it might be best to engage with a customer feeling happy and confident.

这项收集来的信息有两种运用方式。一些公司也许适合于在顾客自我感觉低落的时候抓住顾客的心，而另一些公司也许更适合于在顾客情绪良好，充满自信的时候跟顾客打交道。

'Identifying the right time to engage with consumers with the right message is Marketing⁵ 101,' said a spokesman for PHD.'But when you are trying to connect with women on so personal an issue as appearance, it can be even more important to understand the wrong time as well.'

“选择正确的时间，用正确的信息和顾客交流是销售的基本原则”，一位美国PHD公司的发言人说，“可是当你试图跟女性就外貌这样的私人话题进行交流的时候，除了要了解正确的时间，还要了解错误的时间，这也许是更加重要的。”

Monday becomes the day to encourage the beauty product consumer to get going and feel beautiful again, so marketing messages should focus on feeling smart, instant beauty and fashion fixes, and getting things planned and done.

周一成为了商家鼓励化妆品消费者们振作起来，重拾自信的日子，所以销售信息应围绕着树立潇洒气场，快速美容和时尚定型，为一周做好计划、诉诸实施等等展开。

PDA say: 'When it comes to engaging with women at any level, knowing where she is on her personal attractiveness index, and the appropriate messages relative to that information, can only make for a more productive exchange.'

PDA的销售专家们说：“当你和任何层次的女性交流时，知道她的自我感受指数，以及与之相匹配的信息，这将使你获得更好的销售业绩。”

For the consumer though, it undoubtedly⁶ means one thing: Less money in the bank.

不过对于消费者，无疑这只意味着一件事：银行存款的减少。