Ok, so it is most likely that my handbag is full of copious crushed biscuits, random receipts and screwed up old baby wipes but nobody wants to know about those do they?! What I really wanted to let you know about were those little beauty essentials that have got me through the last few years on mum life.
My bag is a bottomless pit. Kind of Mary Poppins esq except it doesn’t hold all the wondrous magic and items for every occasions. Instead it’s a kind of rummage around and hope for the best. What I do have though is a few items that I couldn’t be without. They are the little things that make me instantly feel more human and less ‘my child kept me up all night, again, and I haven’t even bothered to brush my hair’.
The Everything Balm
I’m starting with this as The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream skin protectant has been my saviour for as long as I can remember. I don’t even know how I was converted but it is honestly the stuff of miracles. Yes, it isn’t exactly cheap but a tube can last me at least six months so I figure it is well worth it. I use this bad boy on my lips for superior moisturising but it’s also miraculous on any patches of dry skin. A little goes a very long way. I also can’t rave enough about it’s magical healing properties and I use it endlessly on the girls cuts and grazes or even burns. It is AMAZING on any little burns or patches of sun burn you may have. Also, random spot outbreaks. Dab some on and they disappear so quickly. Enough said. You might need this in your bag.
Lip Salve
As well as my beloved Eight Hour Cream I always have a lip balm as I find even if I’m not sporting lipstick, which lets face it I rarely do, I instantly feel a bit better with a little slick. My favourite are the Eight Hour one or the Bobbi Brown tinted one. I also love a little pot of cheap and cheerful vaseline.
Blusher
When you are tired, pale and pasty a spot of blusher is the best cure. I carry my Chanel blusher in Rose Petillant with me and a quick sweep has me feeling perkier in minutes.
Hand Cream
I’m not sure if it’s because I’m doing so much/washing my hands a million times/washing up again but my hands are always so dry at the moment. I always keep a little tube in my bag for some instant relief. I’m not brand loyal and tend to use whatever I have. I rarely seem to buy a tube as I have a little collection gifted for Christmas and Birthday’s stashed away in the bathroom but I have to say my favourites have been the L’Occitane ones, especially the mini tubes, as they have a lovely consistency.
Hair Bobbles
Nothing glamorous here but a few hair bobbles and grips are a handbag essential. If I’m caught in the rain on the school run or end up swinging from the monkey bars in the park I need to get my hair out my face. I need to practice some more exciting hair styles but for now a little twizzle, grip and pony seems to work.
Hand Santiser
So not essentially a beauty buy but you need a mini bottle of this stuff if you are to survive motherhood.
So that’s a few of my favourites. What couldn’t you be without in your handbag?
Great recommendations Lottie. I always have all of those in my bag amongst the receipts, stray raisins and kinder egg toys, except maybe blusher – it goes on in the morning and that’s all I have time for! Though I love Eight Hour Cream, I just use Lansinoh now – significantly less glam, but does the same job for about half the price.
Lips wise, I always have a Clinique Chubby Stick. They’re moisturising and easy to apply but with good colour pay off for when you need a little lift. Woppin Watermelon is my favourite. I quite like Maybelline Baby Lips too, and it’s only a couple of pounds for a tube.
The only other thing I always have at this time of year is a mini sunscreen – great for those times when the sun comes out unexpectedly while you’re at the park. It’s usually just a Soltan Kids one and has come in very handy a few times already this year.
Since becoming a mum, I’ve realised the importance of being able to make myself look vaguely presentable in less than 5 minutes (or less than 2, who am I kidding?!). For these occasions I have developed a make up routine that is almost entirely based on sticks – light base of either a stick foundation or a brush on concealer stick, depending on how bad my skin looks; stick blush/highlighter, brow pencil and mascara. I’m not actually one to carry around a make up bag inside my handbag, I put it on in the morning and that has to do, but the kit is actually fairly portable if you’re that way inclined (and can be put in your carry on for the plane, except maybe the mascara)!
Might have to try that Bobbi Brown lip balm… 🙂
I really need to get more in to the sticks. I have a chubby stick hiding somewhere so I’m off to hunt it out. All these other sticks of yours sound immense too! xx
Lottie, I love your comment of “my child kept me up all night and I haven’t even bothered to brush my hair”! It makes me feel so much less alone! My 9 month old baby boy is gorgeous but exhausting….I hate teething…..and if I’ve had time to clean my teeth AND brush my hair in the morning then I’m winning. I often feel like other mums are more “sorted” than me though and I’m the only one with a hideous lack of grooming. So thank you!
PS am writing this sat in the car outside my house with my baby asleep in the back after one of those drives 😂 Daren’t move him in case he wakes up!!
Ha ha Sarah, that’s because this is normally how my hair does look. That or scraped back in some sort of messy pony. The teething will pass believe me. I’m pretty lucky that most nights now the girls sleep but somehow I still haven’t mastered the not looking like I’m sleep deprived. Once I have I’ll let you know my secret 🙂 xx