Handbag Masterclass: What Should Be In Yours?
A Woman’s handbag is more than just a fashion accessory. It’s like our emergency pack for various different occasions. Since the rise over the oversized tote we have had more room meaning we can be ready for any situation and have far more ‘essentials’ than we used to. Let’s take a look at the ultimate items to keep in your bag and by your side.
Open any woman’s bag, and for any men reading you should not be doing that, one of the first things you will come across is, another bag. The make up bag is much smaller and full of the essentials to get you through the day. Your style and where you are going will dictate what is in your makeup kit however there are a few must haves for every girl. Firstly the basics are really important. A small pack of cleansing wipes or even a travel size micellar water. This will give you the opportunity to correct any issues, clean up any eye makeup if you get caught in the rain and make you the saviour of your friends. Find something which will give you a little bit of moisturizing too, that way you will have a nice base to re apply any foundation. A small SPF cream is also pretty vital too, as the weather improves you might find yourself outside in the sun, so if you can’t carry sun protection lotion then at least protect the delicate skin on your face.
Next up is eyebrows. You cannot go out unless your eyebrows are on fleek. So make sure you have a great brow palette to hand. You can get some great ideas from Mrs Gloss and The Goss, a facebook group where women all over the world share their tips and ideas. If you don’t want to take a huge make up bag then throw in a great lip tint or tinted lip balm, a solid mascara and you are good to go.
Although normally it is swimming around in the bottom of your tote, a beautifully scented hand cream should feature somewhere. Using a really moisturizing cream at night and in the morning should keep your hands looking beautiful, however as the day goes on it is really nice to dip into your kit and pull out a hand lotion with a smell which makes you feel good. Neal’s Yard Remedies are natural products and they have beautiful natural oil scents which can help boost your energy levels or calm you down. It is also a great idea to have a face spritz, sometimes a little bit of a wake up call is needed so opt for something with a scent that revives your spirit. Whilst it might sound daft to spray your face if you are wearing makeup, it is such a fine mist that it won’t be capable of budging your mascara. It’s also a great little tool for cooling you down on the train or when travelling by taxi.
We all know how hard a day in the office can be on our hair. If you work in an environment where there is a lot of steam or even grease then you’ll realize by the end of the day your hair is looking flat and lank. You may also have spent lunch in a restaurant and realise that your hair has picked up a scent which doesn’t smell so appealing. Washing your hair everyday isn’t great as you can strip all the natural oils which can lead to a dry scalp and dandruff. So think about having a travel size dry shampoo to give you a quick boost. There are loads on the market and now you can get products which give you extra volume, extra hold or a little more shine. Check out the 10 best dry shampoos and find one which fits your lifestyle. If you don’t like dry shampoo then you could find a lovely hair perfume which will give you a delicious scent as you work near your colleagues.
Tissues or wet wipes, better still a small pack of both, will get you out of all kinds of scrapes. With the cold weather outside you may find your nose running for no particular reason, so keep something handy just in case. You aren’t going to look gorgeous if you are caught short and spend your nip to the coffee shop, sniffing.
A good book cannot be replaced by a kindle. So throw in a brilliant hard or paperback into your handbag. This will give you something to do if you end up waiting for ages before a meeting or find yourself alone at lunch. There is something more appealing about a lady with her nose in a book, than one starting at a handheld device. It makes a statement more than anything else. If you are looking at your mobile phone, who is to say you aren’t just tweeting your mates or playing candy crush?
Flat shoes. A large bag means you can afford to wear your favourite shoes into work even though you know they won’t take you through to the end of the day. Butterfly Twists offer a brilliant ballet shoe which can be folded up and kept in your bag. This way you can throw them on if you are running for a train, or slip them on if your killer heels are pinching. Talking of clothes, it’s a great idea to throw in something warm like a poncho style scarf. So you can wrap up and snuggle in if you are heading home late or, better still if you find yourself sitting outside a bar on a cool but dry evening.
Finally, possibly the most important thing to keep in your bag at all times, a charger. Even if it is just a charger cable. We all know how quickly our mobile phones can run out and nothing is worse than feeling disconnected, especially if you are travelling home in the dark. So have an extra charging cable for your mobile which never leaves your bag.