TIPS & TRICKS: HOW TO PACK A SMALL HANDBAG

Hello everyone! I used to be one of those people who always carried a larger handbag, which nine times out of ten just used to end up being full of unnecessary rubbish and would get on my nerves because it was just so heavy. Then last year i started to carry a much smaller handbag and i have not looked back since, just because the bag is smaller doesn't always mean you can't fit all of the essentials inside. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you, my personal tips and tricks on how to pack a small handbag.

1. choose the right "smaller" handbag, this one from Topshop is perfect for packing items inside of it as it has different zip compartments, card slots and can either be worn as a clutch or chain bag.

2. only pack the lip products or lip combination you need for that day, i always used to end up carrying around about ten different lip products that i didn't need to.

3. invest in a small coin purse/pouch to hold all the little bits and bobs you might need, but don't want to have lying at the bottom of your bag to get lost such as hair pins, hair ties, coins and notes.

4. as i mentioned this bag has card slots which is super handy, but still only ever pack the cards you might need whilst out and about so if you're shopping only take the essential cards.

5. invest in a roller ball perfume or a refillable mini perfume, these save so much room in your bag and save your favourite perfume from getting lost/damaged.

6. save samples/buy sample sized products to keep in your bag such as hand creams/hand gels, as they save so much room (i have a samples tips & tricks post here).

7. keep essential items that won't fit inside a coin purse, such as tampons, headphones, gum/mints and keys in the zip compartment this way they are hidden away/less likely to loose them.

8. if you are going to want to touch up through-out the day/night, invest in a face powder that has the product, applicator and a mirror all in one, this way you don't need to carry them separate. 

9. an essential when buying a smaller bag, make sure you phone fits inside or it has a safe place for it to go, because let's face it we can't go without our phones right?

10. arrange items inside your bag in a certain way rather than just throwing everything in, this way the bag is more likely to close easier and look less bulky.

catch my previous handbag related posts here:

blogmas day ten: what's in my bag

my handbag essentials

xo.

MY HANDBAG ESSENTIALS

Hello everyone! One of my favourite types of videos to watch and posts to read, hands down has to be the "what's in my bag" type i just can't get enough and i have done my fair share of them on my blog through-out the years also. Seeing as it has been a while since my last what's in my... post, i thought why not do an updated version but with a little twist. That twist being just focusing on the essentials, those i can't cope without them being in my bag items (excluding the obvious phone, money and keys ha).

apple earPods aka headphones

One thing i can't cope without is headphones, in fact i am wearing them right now as i type this post out ha ha. So if i am on the go (not whilst i am driving) but on the tram or the train, i have to have my headphones so i can listen to music and of course watch the odd Instagram and Snapchat story.

merci handy flower power hand cleansing gel

I spotted this a while back on Birchbox i believe and thought how much it looked like the old school Bath & Body Works hand gel, but then whilst i was browsing in Topshop one day i discovered they sold it when at the tills paying and i picked one up. This has got to be one of the best ones i have every tried, as it not only kills the germs but it also moisturises your hands unlike some sanitizers that dry out your hands. So far i have tried the lollypop one and the flower powder one, but i have to say flower power is my favourite out of the two.

caudalie hand and nail cream

Sticking with the hand theme, the next item i can't deal without having in my bag is a hand cream because my hands do get dry quite quickly and i know that is down to me being an over hand washer. This mini Caudalie hand cream is perfect to keep in your bag, as it doesn't take up any room at all and a little goes a long way. I picked these mini ones up a couple of times, as part of my Feel Unique Pick 'n' Mix Beauty sample service.

wrigley's extra ice spearmint sugar free gum

Not the most exciting item but still an essential that is probably in most peoples bags, as much as your keys or wallet would be and that is chewing gum. Carrying gum comes in handy for so many reasons, especially if you have eaten something garlic-y at a restaurant ha! I usually carry around the pots of gum around but last time i went to get one, they didn't have any one the Extra Ice ones in pot version so i just picked up a single packet.

primark rose explosion perfume rollerball

This particular scent was in my previous what's in my handbag post and i had mentioned how handy these are to just throw in your bag, they don't take any room up and you don't have to worry about the bottle smashing. So i always just pick up one of these from primark once i am running low, as they are so in-expensive but it also smells insane for a cheaper scent and that is hard to come by.

mac cosmetics pro longwear lip pencil in the shade oh honey!

Finally moving on-to the good stuff and i try so hard to keep my handbag lip products to a minimum these days, unlike before when more than half of my bag would be lipsticks. Seeing as this lip liner is one of my favourites of all time, i had to go and do a repeat performance like i used to do with Créme D' Nude lipstick and have one in my collection and one in my handbag. This lip liner is super creamy, easy to apply, long-wearing and literally the most perfect nude that goes with every nude. 

mac cosmetics lipstick in the shade peachstock 

For my birthday i got a MAC voucher so i picked up a few new nude lipsticks that i had my eye on and wanted to add to the collection, this shade called Peachstock being one of them. I didn't expect to fall in love with this colour as much as i have, i now love it more than Honeylove and Créme D' Nude. Peachstock is just the most perfect peachy, light beige toned lipstick that you can just pop on quick and easy.

anastasia beverly hills liquid lipstick in the shade naked

Finally the last lip product that i always have to take out with me in my handbag and currently along side Peachstock, is one of my favourite go-to nude lip colours. The shade Naked by ABH is honestly my perfect nude in a tube, which i mentioned when i did a finally trying ABH liquid lipsticks post last month and i haven't been able to put it down since.

♥

NON BEAUTY FAVOURITES #2

Hey guys, i hope you have all had a good week whatever you have been doing! Firstly i just wanted to give you all a quick update.. I am going to be blogging 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) throughout the month of August, so stay tuned for that as i have a lot of different styles of posts in mind for you all.
So down to business with today's post...
At the beginning of last month i did a blog post on my "non beauty favourites" as i thought it would be something a little different rather than just sharing with you my beauty favourites each month. So here is a few of the things i have been loving this month...

My first and most of all my favourite thing at the moment is my new handbag. I have been wanting this style of bag for so long now and just haven't found one that i really liked until i saw this one. It's called the Kenzie Monochrome Tote Bag by Fiorelli and i got it for such a steal, it was £69 full price but i got it in the sale for half price. (I checked the website for a link but it's no longer available except for on Amazon).

As you might already i am obsessed with Yankee Candle's, i just think they are the best kind (in my opinion) and seeing as it is summer i just had to get my all time favourite scent "summer scoop" it is just the perfect summer time fragrance. I got this large jar with 25% off as fragrance of the month at Clintons. I also picked up a "merry marshmallow" medium jar which was half price at Denby Pottery which i am going to save for the winter time.

Food wise i have been loving these Kelloggs Nutri-Grain Toaster things in the Chocolate flavour, they are so yummy. They are a very similar type of thing as Pop Tarts just with like half the calories and fat content (so you don't feel as guilty). You get them at lots of different supermarkets and places, i got mine from Tesco.

Fashion/Accessories wise this month i have been loving scrunchie's yes that's right SCRUNCHIES! Who would of ever said they would be back in style but they are. I got a bunch of these super cute ones from New Look which were £2.99 for a pack of 2... super cute!

I have been a huge Sims lover ever since it came out way back in the day and have had 1,2 and 3. Just recently i have been watching "Zalfies" Sims series on YouTube and it really made me want to play it again so i had to download it. I think it one of those games where you are never too old to play it.

Music wise this month i have been listening to these two albums non stop. I definitely recommend listening to them if you are very much into R&B type of music.

August Alsina - Testimony https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/testimony-deluxe-version/id843664436

Trey Songz - Trigga https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/trigga/id879528388

What have your non beauty favourites been this month?