BACK TO SCHOOL | BAGS ON A BUDGET + BAG ESSENTIALS

Hello everyone! So now that summer is coming to an end, that means one thing for a lot of people... it's time to go back to school/college/university. With that in mind i thought i would share some tips and advice for when it comes to going back to school. Kicking things off with sharing a selection of bags perfect to stay stylish, yet practical and also on a budget before talking all things bag essentials and what you are going to need to pack/carry with you for any of those beauty emergencies...

Picking the right back for the new school/college year isn't always so simple, as you have to take so many different things in to consideration when it comes down to it. You need it to be practical, easy to carry, spacious enough to fit what items you need to take with you daily yet you want to stay looking stylish also. I always find that there are a select few styles of bags that tick all of these boxes and those are backpacks, tote bags and shopper bags. This year there is a ton of new-in bags, both online and in-store, under £40 and some under £20.

1. topshop sydney zip shopper bag | £26 | 2. accessorize holly lilac backpack | £32 |

3. justfab blush chadwick bag | £10.74 | 4. romwe polka dot print canvas tote bag | £7.50 |

5. h&m reversible shopper bag | £14.99 | 6. primark mustard shopper tote bag | £8 |

7. romwe double zipper flap pu backpack | £10.50 |
8. asos design black backpack with rose gold zip | £25 |

9. next zodiac shopper bag | £4 | 10. h&m black backpack | £19.99 |

11. primark black oversized shopper bag | £10 | 12. topshop hobo bag | £29 |

13. mango pebbled tote bag | £19.99 | 14. zara everyday backpack | £19.99 |

15. zara reversible studded tote bag | £2.99 | 16. hype pink embroidered backpack | £25 |

17. boohoo studded rucksack | £20 |

Once you have selected the perfect back to school bag, you are going to need to fill it with all the essentials that you might need.  (including some items you might need in an emergency)...

1. makeup/wash bag

Kicking things off with the main event and that is all about selecting the perfect makeup bag or wash bag, that is going to not only fit everything you might need to carry but also fit inside of your bag perfectly without taking up too much room. Personally i will always recommend a transparent bag, as you can find the items inside quickly and they are easy to clean if you get a spillage. 

2. deodorant, tampons + mints

When it comes to bag essentials, everyone should always carry products that are going to help on the hygiene front. Personally i prefer to use roll-on deodorant as they are not only long-wearing but also a lot more compact and better value for money rather than picking up the mini-sized spray deodorants. Tampons are another must as you just never know when that situation is going to occur for either yourself or a friend, it is always better to be prepared and a lot of tampons are super compact so they don't take up very much room. Finally on the hygiene side of things, i always like to carry mints or chewing gum and at the moment the tic tac mint rush mints are a personal favourite of mine.

3. hand cleansing gel + mini dry shampoo

Mixing a little hygiene and beauty together but two other essentials that are always in my everyday essentials bag, are hand sanitizer and dry shampoo. Merci Handy is a favourite brand of mine, especially when it comes to hand gel to help you kill any germs on your hands. The brand now stock dry shampoo in a 100ml sized can, which is a perfect size for carrying with you. Dry shampoo is definitely a must carry item, especially if you are going to be playing sports/getting sweaty.

| shop the mercy handy cleansing gel: here | shop the dry shampoo: here | 

4. concealer + mini sponges

The first step for makeup touch-ups is definitely concealer, which you can simply pack your go-to concealer or buy a duplicate. That being said the revolution conceal and define concealer is the perfect travel/essential makeup bag sized concealer, as it is smaller in size to your regular concealer want. Not only is this concealer compact it is also one of my personal favourites from the drugstore at the moment, it only retails for £4 and has high-end quality. Of course if you are going to be touching up using concealer, you are going to want something to blend it out with and the perfect compact tool for that is a mini beauty sponge. Revolution also have your back when it comes to blending, with this amazing value for money mini pro sponge set for just £3.

5. choose a pressed powder with a compact mirror included

By selecting a face powder which has a mirror included in the packaging, is such a space saver as sometimes powders and mirrors can take up some room. Powder is definitely in the top three must-pack essentials, to not only set any touch-ups you have made but to also prevent/fix any shine that might occur through-out a long day.

6. keep lip products to a minimum

It is so easy to go overboard with packing one too many lip products (trust me, i would know i am that girl with ten different products in her bag). Obviously you are going to be at school and more than likely opting for a "no makeup, makeup" look for the day. A personal favourite of mine would to just pack a lip liner, as you can keep the lip looking natural yet you are adding some shape and definition. I also mentioned this in a recent motivation monday post, where i shared my go-to gym/workout makeup.

Happy Weekend!

xo.

BACK TO SCHOOL/UNI BEAUTY EMERGENCY KIT ESSENTIALS

Hello everyone! In a week or so the majority will be heading back to school, uni or work in the UK from summer (if you haven't started back already). Last year i shared with you all a super quick and easy back to school drugstore makeup look, so this year i wanted to switch things up and do something a little different. Being female can be a struggle at times, as we tend to need a few beauty products in an emergency situation. The best way to be prepared for any situation is to carry around a small "bag of tricks" filled with the emergency essentials that you might need during the school/uni/work day, so i thought why not share with you/those who might be wondering how to put a "bag of tricks" together and what to products to include.

skinnydip coco makeup bag
I have mentioned these particular makeup bags from Skinnydip so many times and they are the ones i always opt for, whether that be for travel makeup or a beauty essentials kit as you can fit so many things into that one place and it is a super compact bag. Also i love how these bags are a mixture of cool prints but also slightly transparent, so you can still see what is where in the bag.

mini/travel sized deodorant
Carrying mini sized deodorants/sprays can come in handy for those moments when you need them, whether that be to refresh after sports/gym etc or even some hairspray/dry-shampoo to refresh your hair. You can pick mini/travel sized items up for very little money and more often than not, you can get them either 3 for 2 or 3 for £3 at most drugstores/supermarkets.

pocketbac/anti-bacterial hand gel
If you are anything like me and a complete germaphobe, then this item will be on you at all times as you never know when you might need some. If you hate the boring clinical smelling ones, you can pick up so many different scented ones from bath & body works, merci handy and also the body shop for very little money and they will last you quite a while as you only need a tiny amount.

tampons/slim panty-liners
Quite a straight forward no-brainer thing to have in an emergency and something i always carry around with me in my bag, as you just never know when that situation could occur for either yourself or a friend and just throwing a couple of spares inside an emergency kit could make all the difference.

multi-pack hair ties/hair grips
Carrying around hair ties and hair grips always comes in handy because you just never know, you could get caught in the rain/wind or be having a bad hair day and that can be fixed by tying it up or pinning it into place.

compact mirror/retractable makeup brush/compact tangle teezer
Of course if you are going to want to fix your hair, you will probably need a hair brush and these compact tangle teezers are super handy as they are not only small but also have a lid to protect the bristles from becoming damaged or getting hair etc on anything else in your bag. Also i find carrying a pocket mirror and a travel friendly makeup brush come in handy for those touch-up moments, unless you prefer to stick to the trusty front camera on your phone (we all do it right?)

concealer/pressed powder/lip balm
Sticking with the makeup touch up theme and another set of products that come in handy through-out the day, whether you sweat your makeup off, have to control shine or simply need a refresh these three items are a must. If you are at school you might not be allowed to wear makeup or not a lot, but keeping it a minimum with concealer, powder and lip balm might be for you.

pain relief tablets/anti-blister stick/mints
These three items are also those "you never know when you might be in need of" things, whether you or a friend gets a headache or a rubbing shoe issue or you both decided to opt for a garlic-y option for lunch ha ha! Also these anti-blister sticks are so handy as you simply rub it on the area before putting your shoes on, or when you feel like it is going to rub and you are set, no ugly looking plasters or blister bandages.

mini makeup removing wipes/pocket tissues
Carrying makeup wipes come in handy for if you are needing to do makeup touch ups, have something sticky on your hands etc and picking these mini packs of wipes up are so handy, rather than lugging around your typical 25 pack of wipes and the same with the tissues these pocket sized come in handy. Very often they come in multi packs so you can just pop one back in its place inside your emergency kit when you have ran out.

♥