HANDBAG ESSENTIALS

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More often than not, when Kate Spade do their January sale, I'll treat myself to something and this year it was the Black Polly Medium Camera Bag | £249.99 | which was half price. My 'everyday' handbag was pretty knackered, and this is really the sort of thing I go for on non-work days and when I'm out for the evening (as opposed to the sort of bigger bag I'd usually take to work): big enough to fit the essentials without being awkward. There are also some COVID-times things I keep in here that might be interesting to read about now that we're cautiously 'unlocking' here in the UK. Let's take a look inside...

Obviously I have the usual things in here: my phone (though I did just get a new one, which I shot this before I got), a charger, a card-holder (I don't really carry cash and most of my cards are on my ApplePay anyway so I don't tend to take a proper purse everywhere with me) and my keys, and now we're into allergy season I'll probably carry a nasal spray (plus, I'm on the lookout for a mini sunscreen mist), but let's take a look at the more interesting stuff!

I have a couple of masks in here for when I need to go to the shop, salon, communal area or on public transport. I always keep clean ones in my bag and when I get home, I put them straight in the wash and I have plenty more to ensure I never run out with them all in the laundry! Here I have my two most comfortable options, which are what I tend to save for if I'm going on a longer journey. There's the Avantguard St. Tropez Aerosilver Luxe Mask & Travel Pouch* | £37 | along with the Kyoto Cable Chain with Swarovski Crystal Pearls* | £44. This brand creates certified antiviral masks with 50% of their profits go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. They're breathable and look good too. I absolutely love the chain in particular for those times when your mask is on and off constantly; it's far less faffy and it looks like a necklace! I also have the Big Silk Grey Face Mask* | £16.90. This is 100% mulberry silk so is comfortable, I can breathe in it and it doesn't cause me skin irritation. Honestly, my only negative is that silk can be a bit fussy to wash.

I have two hand products: antibac and hand cream. Over the past year I've been through several of the Bybi Clean Hands Antibacterial Hand Spray | £5.50 (20% off with code JASMINE20 (affiliate)). This is a light, quick, easy, non-drying mist that smells nice and doesn't leave behind any excess. It works, it's my go-to and they donate lots of this stuff to Beauty Banks, which I love! I also always keep a small tube of the Nursem Caring Hand Cream* £9.99 (10% off with code JASMINETALKS10 (not affiliate)) | in my bag. It's a great one for on the go, providing lasting moisture after multiple washes, plus it's non-greasy so won't make your hands slippery. With every product you buy, Nursem provide a month's supply of it to a nurse or midwife, so it's a great product that also spreads some goodness! In terms of toiletries, if it's that time of the month, I have my Daye tampons | from £6 / month | in here. They send you this handy travel tin with your first order, which is really useful, and I've saved so much money with this subscription. You can fill out a questionnaire to get your perfect mix of standard / super / light etc. for your period and it rocks up a few days before you're due. 

Moving on to beauty stuff, I don't carry a ton of stuff around with me in my handbag but I tend to keep a few things on-hand. The first thing is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (Shade 2) | £35 | and the Zoeva 106 Powder Brush* | £15 | to use alongside it. This powder is so slim and compact, plus it's really easy to dab on quickly with this brush to freshen up my skin throughout the day. It's never cakey or heavy and never looks too matte. I also keep around a lip product or two in there. In the very least I have a quick and easy lip colour in my bag that I can throw on and have it go with almost all of my makeup looks. For me, this is the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Honey | £19.50 | because it gives me a warm, moisturising wash of warm nude colour. Lastly, the Slip Skinny Silk Scrunchies | £39 for a 4-pack | are always handy. I pretty much exclusively use this brand and silk really helps reduce breakage and means you don't tend to get kinks in your hair if you have it up and then down again. Slip have some really pretty colours and designs too.

What do you keep in your handbag now (in the UK at least) things are starting to open back up?

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