Editor’s favourite: handbag essentials

16 Aug 2010 04:59 AM | Posted by bh'sOlivia

My mother always said, “there’s just no point setting foot outside the house unless you’ve got your safety net of essentials nestled safely in your bag – you need to be ready for anything.” And boy, was she right!
 
These beauty bits and bobs are essentials because they’re the things we always wish we had when a skin disaster suddenly strikes, we find ourselves rushing from desk to hot date, or that night out somehow becomes the morning after.
Whether it's your favourite gloss, a compact mirror, a trusty brand of tampons, or a good pair of foldable flat shoes, they’re there because we need them to be. So if you don’t already have all your handbag essentials sorted, here are a few that I’d like you to meet…

 

 

 

 

1. Evo Mister Fantastic Hair Bungees
Forget traditional hair elastics, hair bungees are the future. Similar in concept to car bungees (the things you use to secure bikes to roof racks - duh!), the hair versions work in a similar way, winding around your strands and securing your hair as tightly or as loosely as you please, without budging. Meticulously modern, this twist on the classic hair ties will have you feeling super smooth with looks to match.

2. Urban Rituelle Peach Blossom Lip Balm
These cutely designed retro tins never fail to impress, and you’ll be even more enamoured when you try the delicious peach-scented balm inside. The signature round tins are easily found in your handbag (enabling you to enjoy a sweet kiss in a second) and are marvellously moisturising for dry or chapped lips in need of an instant hydration injection.

3. Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener
Never suffer from dull and dreary make-up or dark eye circles again. This clever twist-and-click pen from Bobbi Brown dispenses a perfect amount of the illuminating fluid onto the attached brush to make application a breeze. Keep in your handbag as a method of perking up any tired-looking make-up, covering blemishes, or giving your eye area a big boost. Available in a variety of shades, so your complexion will be covered and complemented in one fell swoop.

4. Flipsters
Have you ever been out at night, carrying your high heels and wishing you had some flat shoes in your handbag? Well, wish no more! Flipsters are collapsible flip-flops that fold into a cute pouch to fit in any handbag – so you never have to worry about sore feet again. Going for a pedicure? These are also perfect as your stylish post-polish footwear, as they won’t ruin your paint job.

5. MAC Creations Fragrance Blend Hue: Turquatic
This handy 20mL fragrance scores major points on the sleek-and-slim design front. Fittingly sporting a turquoise lid, the Turquatic variant of the MAC Creations Fragrance Blend range is a crisp and energising fusion of fresh lotus leaves with warm notes of anemone, orris and blue cedar. It’s the perfect pick-me-up whether you choose to spritz after the gym, midway through the day, or just before ‘that guy’ comes to collect you.

6. MOR Little Luxuries Body Butter
Doubling as a hand cream and dry-skin fixer in one, this ultra-hydrating body butter from MOR smells like a fresh packet of marshmallows – sugary sweet and utterly scrumptious. Keep this beautifully packaged 50g travel tub in your handbag for moisturised limbs on the go.

7. Carefree Flexia® tampons
Every girl’s ‘must carry’, tampons are a prerequisite, as you never know when you might be caught out – and no one wants to be in that situation. Carefree Flexia® tampons are designed with unique SoftFolds® flexible wings to catch excess fluid that other tampons may miss, giving you the confidence to rock that little dress without a worry in the world.
[Like the sound of the Carefree Flexia® tampons? We’re looking for 40 members trial and review Carefree Flexia® tampons between now and Friday September 20th 2010, as part of our extra special tampon Trial Team! If you’re interested please email carli@beautyheaven.com.au with ‘Flexia’ in the subject line.]

8. Lark Storyland Fabric Mirrors
Besides being cute as a button, these palm-sized mirrors are the perfect addition to any handbag. The vintage children’s storybook prints make the mirrors personal to you and I promise they’ll make you smile every time you pull one out of your purse!