What's in My Bag?

Hi, everyone! Last week I bragged a bit about this year's tax return, flaunting some beauty products that I snagged with the recent influx of funds. Along with these makeup and skin care items, I also purchased a brand new handbag that totally has me smitten! I'd been looking to invest in a classic, smaller-sized cross-body tote and the Lauren Ralph Lauren Mini Double-Zip Satchel fit the bill perfectly!

It's made of beautiful textured leather with gold hardware. It has a removable strap, which allows you to wear it over your shoulder or use the handles for a daintier look. 

What I also liked is that the logo on the bag is incredibly chic and subtle. I hate over-branded purses, so this was right up my alley!

It has one main compartment with three mini pockets and a magnetic closure. It also has two sleek zipped sections for those items that need some extra security! The sides feature snaps that, when unlatched, let the bag expand for extra room. A handy detail!

Here's a peek inside the bag, totally empty:

And here are its contents, strewn about!

The Essentials

Here's a look at all of the (not so?) boring staples that are in my bag daily. My boyfriend jokes that I carry around way too many keys, and he's probably right. This is a pared-down version! I love my key-chains though. The keys to my boyfriend's place are tethered to his vintage E.T. key-chain and my house keys are accented with an eternal reminder of the Muskoka resort that my family visited annually from 1994-2002. I really miss it! I also have all of my important cards (I've highlighted my favourite rewards cards) and a pen (never know when you'll need one!). Finally, I have my trusty nail clipper and some mints. Who wants to spend the day with a wonky nail or stinky breath!?

The Beauty Bits

These little goodies keep me feeling fresh and polished all day. My Topshop Powder Foundation is great for a quick touch-up and has a nice-sized mirror. These stickers stuck to the compact randomly one day, and I kept them! For the lips, I have the delectable Lush Honey Trap lip balm (which totally saved my dry, Winter lips) and my all-time favourite tinted balm, the frugally fantastic Dr. Pepper Lipsmacker. For a touch of fragrance, I have a mini rollerball of the new Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black perfume (got it free with my Sephora Beauty Insider points!). It's sweet, feminine, and a bit dark- totally up my alley! And is it nerdy that I still have the original Lauren Ralph Lauren insert from the bag? :)

The Lipstick Bag

And then there's the ridiculous amount of lipstick I tote around. I'd say at least half of my bag's weight comes from my lip products, and those who know me well wouldn't be surprised :)

I house my lip products in the colourful Lipstick Queen makeup pouch that I received in the recent Cult Beauty Goody Bag. I love the floral print and the fact that it's plastic- cute and practical!

In my previous bag, which was essentially cavernous, I had a bag of lipstick the size of a football. I edited things down notably for this new, tinier tote, and when I emptied the contents for this post, even I was shocked to see that I had 10 products inside! Yeesh. 

I like to fill my purse with fun, bold lip colours that I can wear in the evenings or over the weekend (I keep tamer shades in my office drawer). The current edit includes some stunning chubby lip pencils (Revlon Matte Balm in Unapologetic, Lacquer Balm in Vivacious, and Lacquer Balm in Enticing and Hard Candy All Glossed Up Lip Crayon in Mauveous), my current favourite luxury pick (Tom Ford Lip Colour in True Coral), a bold multi-tasker (NARS Matte Multiple in Siam), some killer drugstore options (Milani Colour Statement Lipsticks in Flamingo Pose and Naturally Chic), a MAC staple (Lustre Lipstick in Lustering), and my go-to versatile lip stain (YSL Glossy Stain in Beige Anarchist). Quite the bunch!

So there you have it- the odds and ends (and lipsticks!) that I tote around with me daily. This was my first time doing a "What's in my Bag?" post and I really enjoyed it!

What essentials do you carry around daily? Do have nearly as many lipsticks with you? Any new handbag loves lately?

Thanks for stopping by! xo