For someone who deals with anxiety, I care a lot about what I carry around with me. From the basics like my phone, wallet, and keys, forgetting something as simple as my lip balm can cause me to feel out of place and even anxious when I’m out. I know. Crazy, right?
Blame my Virgo tendencies, but I like to be careful and always be prepared, because you never know what might happen. Whether I’m going to a concert or hitting up the beach, you’ll probably almost always catch me with these items in my bag. Take a look at my not-so-secret essentials!
Lip Balm
Lip balm is a must-have in every purse or bag I use. For someone who’s always wearing different lipsticks, I never want dry lips to show underneath. My go-to lip balms are the Sugar Lip Treatment in Clear from Fresh and the Lip Glow in Pink Glow from Dior.
iPod
A lot of people ask me why I don’t listen to music on my phone. Using my I-pod, I can save my phone battery and I don’t have to be disrupted with the constant notifications from work and friends. I’d rather listen to my music without the disruptions, since music is everything to me.
Portable charger
I never leave the house unless my phone is 100%, but I still bring my portable charger around just in case I wind up killing my battery within 5 hours. Recently, I bought the Poweradd 2nd Gen in rose gold from Amazon! It works wonders!
Mirror
If you ever get self-conscious throughout the day like me, you already probably carry around a handheld mirror in case you don’t have the chance to run to the nearest washroom. I always carry my favourite Anna Sui mirror that I picked up while shopping in Korea.
Concealer
I like to carry concealer around with me for touch-ups, especially on the rare days where my skin is breaking out and foundation tends to wipe off my face easily. The sample product of Kat Von D’s Lock-It Concealer Crème has been my best friend this past year and has saved me on numerous occasions.
Rollerball
I love perfume, so I like to keep something on me at all times. Putting a bit on my wrists or behind my ears can make me feel better throughout the day. Typically, I carry the Love Eau de Parfum Rollerball from Victoria’s Secret as a cheap option. However, for special occasions, I’ll opt for the Eau de Parfum rollerball from Chloé or the Daisy Rollerball from Marc Jacobs!
Hand Sanitizer
I like to consider myself a germaphobe (think Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory). I always have hand sanitizer on me, especially after living in the city and seeing very disgusting habits some people have. You’ll never believe how many times I’ve seen people not wash their hands after using the washroom or picking their nose on the subway. I can get antsy just from shaking hands with people.
If you’re like me and don’t like the typical alcoholic smell of Purell that reminds you of the doctor’s office, there are options for scented hand sanitizers. I currently use the Strawberry Hand Sanitizer from The Body Shop.
Elastics
This is essential. I always, always carry elastics with me, especially because I have long and messy hair. While I usually wear my hair down, I can get hot easily and find myself tying my hair up when I’m out. I wear one on my wrist, but I also carry extras in my bag just in case the one I’m wearing snaps (I’ve learned my lesson, it’s happened more than once!).
Band-Aids
In every bag I have, you’ll always find a couple of Band-Aids!I’m quite clumsy and careless in general so these are great to have in the event of an emergency. Not to mention, when I push myself to wear heels I always get blisters - so band-aids are key. Beauty is pain, after all.
Red Lipstick
I always keep it a rule of thumb to keep red lipstick in my bag, even on days when I’m going for a more “natural” look. You never know when you might need to amplify your look, and red lipstick is my favourite secret weapon. My signature red lipstick is the Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo from MAC Cosmetics.
Hand Cream
Due to the frequent handwashing I do, my hands get dry often. More often than not, you’ll find hand cream in my bag whether it’s winter or summer. I tend to switch around with hand creams since I love to try new ones, but so far my favourite is the Lavender & Espresso Calming Hand Therapy from Crabtree & Evelyn.
Sunglasses
Many don’t know this about me, but I have extremely poor eyesight and always wear contacts. Aside from being nearsighted, I have myopia and astigmatism, as well as cataracts. I was advised by my optometrist to wear sunglasses whenever I could to protect my eyes and prevent them from getting worse. With summer here and the sun out almost every day, I carry my sunnies with me often. A favourite brand of mine is Chanel, I currently own two pairs, my Pilot sunglasses and CC Bow glasses (sold out), which I rotate back and forth between depending on my outfit.
Dental Floss
Another thing I’m quite self-conscious about are my teeth, and I never want to have that cliché moment like you see in the movies of having food stuck in my teeth while I’m out with people. Not afraid to admit that I carry dental floss with me to spare embarrassment from that dinner date!
Candy
Due to my anxiety, I get quite fidgety and anxious at times, particularly when I’m alone and surrounded by people. I tend to carry around some sort of candy with me at all times, such as bubble-gum, lollipops, or even cough drops. If I don’t have an iced coffee in my hand, you’ll probably find candy on me.
Pen
An everyday tool that many people forget to pack in their bags. Maybe it’s because I used to work at a restaurant and I hated it when people would take my pens, but I always carry one with me. The gel-ink ballpoint pens from MUJI are a staple which I use for my planner on the daily.
Facial Mist
On days when I’m out for a little longer than a couple of hours, I like to refresh by spraying facial mist. While I wasn’t a fan of tvhe primer, I loved the Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray from Too Faced. It is a multi-use facial spray that you can use for setting your makeup, priming, and refreshing. Infused with coconut water it can definitely help with dry skin!
Starbucks Card
Call me basic, but 9/10 times when I’m out I get something from Starbucks. While I usually use the app on my phone, there are moments where the app can go down and get glitchy. I like to keep my card on me at all times. (Plus, I love the design my mom got for me and love to show it off whenever I can).
Daily Planner
I try to keep organized as much as I can even though I’m a fairly messy person. I always write down important dates and my daily schedule for each month. If I’m carrying a large bag, I’ll probably be carrying my planner with me for comfort and reference.
Water
Stay hydrated and keep a bottle of water with you at all times! I know, it’s hard to drink 8 ounces of water every day. But having a water bottle on you can give you more of an incentive to drink it. Trust me, your body will thank you.
Eye Drops
Since I wear contacts on the daily, my eyes can get irritated, or they can turn red due to the lack of sleep. If you have sensitive eyes like me, I highly recommend keeping eye drops on you.
Cash
I can’t emphasize this enough. PLEASE always keep cash on you. On more than one occasion, I’ve had to pay for my friends or even my mom because they didn’t have cash on them. Not every place takes credit and debit so always stay prepared with cash!
Sunscreen
As someone who isn’t a fan of tanning or sunburns, I take great care in trying to stay out of the sun as much as I can. But there will be times where it just isn’t possible, and I like to protect myself with sunscreen and keep it handy on me so that I can reapply throughout the day. Currently, I use the Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+ from Kiehls and the UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ from Japanese brand Biore!
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