I didn’t start carrying more than my wallet and a few spare tampons on me until I unknowingly purchased a purse that came with a small cosmetic bag. Little did I know, this was actually the best surprise bag to ever happen to me and now I can’t walk out the door without it.
Below I am going to go through all of the items I can’t go without, a few items that have their specific needed moments and a few that just don’t really belong in your bag …. like ever.
Now… if you’re anything like me and have a small touch of OCD you can technically break these down into 2 different categories.
and by that I mean 2 different bags
EMERGENCY BAG
I feel like this is pretty self explanatory but just incase it’s not…
Emergency items in this bag include feminine & fashion emergencies. By that I mean any situation where you have a problem and you need to fix it.. like NOW.
Gum / Mints
When it comes to gum and mints, I personally like to get smaller packs just so they don’t take up too much real estate in my emergency bag. These specific Altoids are my favorite. The red ones are just too spicy for me, these are more of a spearmint vibe. The tin can is half of the size of my palm and about a quarter of an inch thick. It makes for a great container for other objects were going to discuss later on below in this post.
$15
Condoms /Tampons/Pads/Panty Liners .. duh
I feel like this is pretty self explanatory. Even if it’s not your time of the month or you don’t plan on partaking in any … deeds … someone around you might be in an emergency situation that requires one of these handy dandy tools and you could potentially save their lives!
Tums/ Ibuprofen / safety pins/ ELASTIC BANDS / prescription meds that are emergencies
Remember when I said those little Altoid containers would come in handy later on in the post? Well, here’s the later! Will you need these items every single day? Absolutely not, or at least I hope you don’t need these every single day. If you do, you may want to contain your physician. Anyways! Since these aren’t items you will use ever single time you only need sparse amounts of them! I would put the meds in one Altoid container and the safety pins & small rubbers in another!
Some form of stain remover / BANDAIDS
For stain removers, my all time favorite is wet wipes. There is simply no stain too big, dark, or deep for a wet wipe to take care of. Now, I understand that their smallest package is still too large for some purses. If the wet wipes container is too large for your emergency pouch, you can go with a tide to go stick OR shout wipe & go wipes!
COSMETIC BAG
Items that belong in the cosmetic bag are any type of face or body product that are going to enhance your looks.
LETS GET INTO LIPS
There are lip products that belong in this bag at all times and there are items that will only enter the bag when needed. Lips products that should ALWAYS be in your cosmetic bag are SPF chapstick, lipgloss, and a tinted lip balm. The only time you are going to put liners, stains, and sticks in your cosmetic bag are when you are going to be wearing them. Otherwise, they’re not worth the real estate. We have a plethora of recommended lip products on our instagram @whatsfresh.blog if you’re needing reccomendations.
Some form of blotting powder & mirror bonus points if they’re combined
You must ALWAYS have a mirror in your purse. Yes, the phone camera works just like a mirror but it makes you look like a teenager when you use it in public. Using a small cosmetic mirror is gong to instantly chicafy you. Something else that should always be in your purse is some form of blotting powder or sheets. I personally love my Charlotte Tilbury mini powder. It is the perfect size AND it comes with a mirror in it, two for one! The only downside is that it does not come with a puff. I just use a small make up brush & it works just the same. Both linked below if you’re interested!
Hand Sanitizer
You never know when a public restroom is going to run out of soap so it’s always best to carry a hand sanitizer on you to be safe. Plus it’s more convenient to use a little spray instead of running to the restroom after you touch something germy or have a little sneeze.
Touchlands Power mist is the perfect size for any size of bag plus they smell phenomenal, like almost doubles as a body mist phenomenal. They are a little on the spendy side but for their size, smell, and spay function I feel like it’s worth it!
Hair clip, bobby pin, pony tail, scrunchie
This section is the cosmetic version of the tampons in the emergency bag section. You simply never know when you are going to need them and there are times where those around you are in desperate need and you may save their entire day! Plus, pony tails basically take up negative space in your pouch and they are somehow always needed for some reason so why not just throw some in there.
Mini perfume
I didn’t start carrying a little perfume on me until I met Cassidy and she had a handy dandy container of little mini perfumes! I hadn’t ever really thought about the fact that perfume naturally fades throughout the day. Now I catch myself putting my perfume on at least 2-3 times when I’m out! There is a 90% change the perfume you already use comes in a mini version OR a roller version but if not, you can purchase mini refillable bottles like the ones below. Don’t worry – instructions on how to fill them are on the link!
sooooo.. where do I find these bags?
Amazon has the best variety if were being real. They have bags with matching pouches, every color imaginable, and ever fabric imaginable. If you’re wanting to look in person my only two suggestions are Target or Walmart!
If you’re looking for a purse that has a matching cosmetic. bag, Montana West is the brand to go with. They’re incredibly affordable, amazing quality, & theres a bazillion options on Amazoon.
If you’re needing two separate bags, one for emergency and one for cosmetic this pair is a good option. Amazon does it again! Amazing quality and they come in a variety of colors!
If this were a casino, Amazon would have just won the lottery! Mesh is another great option if you’re wanting a see through bag. I like this link in particular because each size comes with two pouches. Perfect for your smallest and biggest bags.
THE ONLY ITEM ALLOWED TO FREE ROAM
Some form of protection from predators.. taser, maze, whistle.
Does not matter which of these three you own, just make sure you do own one of them and it’s easily accessible in your purse. Leaving them outside of the bags helps for easy access in dire situations. I have a small whistle on my keychain. I prefer it just because my keys have a couple of key chains on them so it is incredibly fast and easy to find. It also doesn’t take up that much space in my purse so it can fit in even my smallest bag… plus I ALWAYS need my keys so I never accidentally forget it at home! AND the pièce de résistance.. it’s only $5, score!!
ITEMS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE SPACE IN YOUR BAG.. LIKE EVER
#1: Underwear
If you are in a situation where you think you should bring another pair of underwear, simply don’t wear them. If you’re going on a date and planning on spending the night, don’t bring an extra pair to put on tomorrow morning and do not wear a pair there. There is NO space for dirty underwear or clean underwear in your purse. Reasons why? Imagine you stop at a coffee shop or gas station on your way home, go to reach for you wallet and out plops your panties on the counter. Don’t even entertain the possibility of this becoming a reality. Leave any and all underwear at home!
#2: Food
The only bag that your food should be in is your grocery bag or lunch bag. We invest a good amount of money into our work and personal bags and you don’t want to run the risk of ruining them by a package malfunction. I mean I have had fully wrapped protein bars come apart in a bag before and it was completely ruined. There was no amount of scrubbing, soaping, and vacuuming that could have saved that bad boy. The chocolate was embedded, indefinitely. If you have to bring some type of food with you, either bring your lunch bag or simply carry it in your hand ladies.
#3: Water bottles
Same as above.. clearly water can be dried but they just aren’t the same afterwards. If you spill water in your bag there is going to be a musty smell that is forever endowed in your beloved hand bag with a pesky water stain to go with it. Just carry your water bottle in your hand or leave it at home.
