Calvin Klein Tote

Part 3: Dior Makeup Bag

Having a well and appropriately stocked makeup bag in your purse can make all the difference.

This is the last of the smaller bags in the first What’s In My Bag series.

In case you missed them, you can find Part 1, the Tech Bag, here, and Part 2, the HOBO Lauren Wallet, here.

The final post in this series will be the smaller bags (parts 1-3) put together in the tote. Click here to see the details of the Calvin Klein tote.

This post is going to focus on the makeup bag I’m currently carrying.

I tend to change makeup bags far more often than I change purses. It all depends on what I want to have with me, for that particular day. For instance, if I have a cold, I’ll likely have cough drops with me. Currently, I don’t carry a lot in the way of cosmetics, so actually I don’t need a very roomy makeup bag and this one is the ideal size. It’s a happy coincidence it matches my HOBO Lauren wallet!

Let’s get into my makeup bag and see what I’ve got in there.

1. 1. makeup bag: I got this makeup bag with Sephora’s Beauty Insider rewards points. It had 4 or 5 Dior products in it. I don’t think it was ever sold it in a store, but there are quite a few similar ones on Poshmark and several listed on eBay, if you have to have this particular style.
   2. nail file/emery board: nail file with travel/storage case, $2. I usually find them at Target, Walmart, the drug store, and Dollar Tree. When I find them, I pick up several, and they’re usually not more than a couple of dollars. I like this one I found at Dollar Tree because it’s shorter and more compact than a standard sized emery board.
   3. stopper for disposable cup: This came from a smaller coffee shop, but you could easily clean off one from a large chain cup and tuck it in there. Very handy for the times when they don’t give you one, or they’re out.
   4. nail clippers: Revlon nail clippers, $3. Mine are an inexpensive pair from the dollar store, I think I paid .98¢. I’ve linked a pair at Walmart, but you can find them cheaper up by the registers in a number of stores.
   5. breath freshening strips: I loved the Listerine Cool Heat (cinnamon flavored) breath strips, but apparently that flavor is discontinued. They still make them in 3 other flavors, but I’m a little bitter, so I’m not linking them. They’re fantastic for a quick breath refresher, though.
   6. hand cream: L’Occitane shea butter hand cream, 1 oz., $13. This is one of the best hand creams out there. Even though I change my hand lotion frequentlly, I always go back to this in the winter. Thick and moisturizing but not the least bit sticky.
   7. lip gloss: Buxom Full-On Lip Cream in White Russian, $25. The perfect pinky nude lip gloss. It has a gentle plumping effect, isn’t sticky, and goes with everything.
   8. lip balm: EOS Lip Balm in coconut milk, $4. Even though I was a bit late on the EOS bandwagon, I’ve more than made up for it. Coconut milk is my favorite, but they have MANY other flavors, and also put out seasonal, limited edition flavors. The packaging is a love/hate thing. It’s not always an easy fit, but the balm is so moisturizing and has such a great texture, it’s worth it.
   9. hand sanitizer: Bath & Body Works Pocketbac hand sanitizers, 5/$8. Good sanitizer, nice scents, perfect consistency. The scents change seasonally, but you can generally find something you like. They dry fairly quickly, but don’t dry out your skin. Love the packaging – compact and cute!
   10. floss picks: floss picks, 30ct/$1. A taut strip of dental floss at one end, a toothpick on the other. You can find them in about any size package you’d like by the toothpaste at most stores. I pick up a decent sized package at Dollar Tree, although the ones I linked are at Walgreens, so check your local drug stores.
   11. dental floss: floss singles, 180ct/$18. If the floss picks just won’t do, you can order these at Amazon, or check in the oral care section at most stores.
   12. bandages: You can find bandages at any drug store, Walmart, Target, dollar store, etc. I use the non-latex kind because I have an allergy to it, but they aren’t difficult to find these days.
   13. breath mints: Altoids Smalls peppermint breath mints, 3 pack/$4. These are also up by the cash registers where you find other gum and mints. Perfect small size to carry in your purse or bag.
   14. flashlight: mini flashlight, 6ct/$8. This was a promotional item someone gave me. It’s about the size of a AA battery, but because it’s an LED, it’s VERY bright. You can find similar ones by looking at stores’ POS (Point of Sale, or cash register area), Dollar Tree has them from time to time, or you can buy them online. I’ve linked one option above.
   15. hair ties: Scunci no-slip grip hair elastics, 10 pack/$7. The link provided is for a listing at Walmart. They’re flat, as opposed to being round, and they have a rubbery strip on the inside. That strip ensures your hair will not come out of it, until you take it out. These are the only hair ties I can use that my hair absolutely does not move. They’re a little more expensive than most other hair elastics, but SO worth it.
   16. bobby pins: decorated bobby pins, 2 sets/$7. I always keep a couple of cute bobby pins in my purse to get my bangs out of my eyes. You can find them at drug stores, Walmart, Target, dollar stores, and Ulta.
   17. pill case: pill case, $14. I linked to a really cute pill case on Amazon, but you can find them in gift stores, Hallmark stores, sometimes even drug stores, although theirs are usually plain. I carry over-the-counter pain medication and migraine meds in case I’m out when one hits.

And that’s it! Everything I need in case something should happen when I’m away from home.

Like everything else I post of this sort, play around with contents until they work for you. For instance, if your hair isn’t long enough to throw up in a ponytail, you won’t need the hair elastics.

Look for the contents of your makeup bag in unexpected places: endcaps, dollar sections, POS (by the registers), and in the section with travel sizes.

Have I left anything out that you must have in your handbag makeup case? Let me know in the comments.

See you for the last installment of What’s In My Bag: Calvin Klein Tote, soon.