What's In My Holiday Make Up Bag?

A couple of weeks ago I shared a peek at the contents of my wash bag from my recent holiday to Cornwall, and it turned out to be one of the most popular posts I've blogged in a while, so I thought you might also like to see what I packed in my holiday make up bag. 

I love reading posts like this myself- probably because I'm just plain nosey- and I know a lot of people do, too, so I hope you enjoy rummaging through my make up bag with me.

I have a very large make up collection that fills two whole drawers (three if you count my nail polish drawer) so it was difficult choosing which products to pack for a week away, but in the end I packed light, and apart from a couple of eyeshadow palettes, I kept to the bare minimum. I filled my trusty Cath Kidston heart print make up case with the essentials, crammed in a few essential tools, and grabbed a couple of my favourite eyeshadow palettes to pack separately, and in to the suitcase they went. Simple as that.

Make up was probably the only thing I didn't over pack for my trip. I could've gone over board, but I was only going for a week, and I don't like to cake on the make up during the Summer because it just melts off my face in the heat. It's not a pretty sight. I prefer to skip the foundation or BB cream when it's hot, do my eyes, and just stick to a little concealer, blusher, and powder, and I'm good to go. If I want to push the boat out, I'll add in some primer and highlighter, but I try to let my skin breathe as much as possible, and let my freckles do the talking- especially in Cornwall where the lifestyle is so laid-back.

So, what did I pack in my holiday make up bag? 

Here's a list of the products I took:

1. B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful powder brush.

2. B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful blusher brush.

3. B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful eyeshadow brush.

4. Cath Kidston heart print make up case.

5. Urban Decay Vice 4 eyeshadow palette.

6. Tarte Opening Act Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara.

7. Maybelline The Colossal Go Extreme! Volum' waterproof mascara.

8. Rimmel BB Cream Matte 9-in-1 Skin Perfecting Super Make Up in Very Light.

9. Benefit Sun Beam golden bronze highlighter.

10. Urban Decay green eyeshadow in Kush.

11. Urban Decay Full Spectrum eyeshadow palette.

12. Models Own eyelash curlers.

13. The Body Shop Shimmer Waves blusher in Blush.

14. Stila All You Need Is Love cheek palette.

15. Rimmel Hide The Blemish Concealer in Ivory.

16. Lehcaresor Powdered Papers

17. Benefit The Porefessional PRO Balm.

18. Lush bronze liquid eyeliner in Happiness.

19. Bourjois Paris Healthy Balance Unifying Powder in Vanilla.

20. Paul & Joe blotting papers.

21. Soap and Glory Smoulder Kohl waterproof eyeliners in Blue My Mind, Aquabat, Superblack, and a purple that I'm not sure of the name of because I've used that section of the pencil up.

22. Bourjois Paris Contour Clubbing Waterproof eyeliner in Blue Remix.

23. Rimmel London Soft Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Pure White.

24. Mont Bleu Slant Tip Tweezers with Swarovski Crystals.

25. B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful eyelash and brow comb,

As I'd predicted, I didn't end up using everything I'd brought with me, and I didn't wear a full face of make up every day. It never felt necessary, and I didn't always have the time or energy to put on my face, either. I played around with some colourful eye make up looks using my amazing Urban Decay Vice 4 and Full Spectrum palettes a couple of times (a review of the latter will be coming soon!), but for the majority of the week, I kept things simple and minimal. 

I even got by without a full set of make up brushes! I used some of my old faithful glittery sequined brushes from B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful; Lush's old sister make up company that unfortunately folded about seven or eight years ago- something I'm still so gutted about because they were amazing! I had to let go of the last of their make up years ago after it all expired, but I still can't give up these make up brushes, even though I have others in my collection now, and many of the sequins have fallen off. I love them! They still work like a dream, though, and helped me to create the perfect make up looks for my holiday.

It may not look like I packed a lot of make up for a week's holiday, but I had everything I needed for a week on the Cornish coast, and it all helped to give me that little extra confidence while I was out and about grabbing life with both hands.

So, that is what I packed in my holiday make up bag. What would you pack in yours?

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What's In My Washbag?

What's In My Wash Bag?

When I was packing for my recent holiday to Cornwall and filling my wash bag with as many miniature beauty products as I could cram in, I thought it would be fun to show you guys what I packed in the wash bag for my week away. I hurriedly took a few photos of all the little lotions and potions, and then completely forgot all about them, until yesterday, when I was going through the photos I took on holiday. Apparently I have a memory like a sieve.

The photos aren't the best, as I was in such a rush and didn't have time to create a pretty flatlay, but hey, I'm just a normal girl with a normal life that's freckled with imperfections, so I'm just going to roll with the imperfections today, and blog the photos anyway.

I was excited to pack my wash bag because I finally had a chance to use some of the miniatures in my stash which I had saved for just such an occasion. The only problem was deciding which products to take because I've amassed quite a hoard of mini beauty products over the last few years, mostly built up from beauty Advent calendars and gift sets that I haven't got around to using yet.

In the end, the vast majority of the miniatures I packed were products from L'Occitane and The Body Shop, and of course, I also packed a few full size products I just couldn't live without for the week, including my Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Conditioning Spray, and Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream. Most of the products I packed aren't the products I actually use every day and consider my essentials, especially when it comes to skincare, but I wasn't going to pack a suitcase full of full-sized bottles when I had dozens of travel sized alternatives waiting to be used. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to mix things up, and use some different products for a change. So that is what I did.

Here's a list of everything that made it in to the wash bag:

1. Lush Happy Soap.

2. Macleans White & Shine Toothpaste.

3. The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream.

4. The Body Shop Shea Butter Body Butter

5. Sure Motionsense Invisible Aqua Compressed Anti Perspirant.

6. Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Lightweight Conditioning Spray.

7. Magicool Hot Weather Cooler.

8. The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Body Lotion.

9. The Body Shop Moringa Shower Gel.

10. The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Shower Gel.

11. Superdrug Nail Polish Remover Acetone Formula.

12. L'Occitane En Provence Essential Oils Shampoo.

13. L'Occitane En Provence Essential Oils Conditioner.

14. Sainsbury's Basics Cotton Wool Pads.

15. L'Occitane En Provence Cherry Blossom Bath & Shower Gel.

16. L'Occitane En Provence Cherry Blossom Shimmering Lotion.

17. L'Occitane En Provence Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette.

18. L'Occitane En Provence Shea Dry Skin Foot Cream.

19. L'Occitane En Provence Refreshing Cloth With Organic Verbena Extract.

20. L'Occitane En Provence Essential Water.

21. L'Occitane En Provence Gentle Toner Enriched With Shea.

22. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Hand Cream.

I also packed my toothbrush, a Venus Gillette razor, and some Boots Cucumber Cleansing Wipes, but I couldn't fit them in the washbag, and forgot to grab them for the photos.

I never actually ended up using everything I brought with me on holiday, but I had everything I needed, and enjoyed trying the products I'd never tried before, like the L'Occitane Essential Water, Gentle Toner. and Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette. I've been obsessed with the cherry blossom range for years, but I'd never sampled the eau de toilette before, and oh my God, it's to die for! If you love cherry blossom scents, you need it in your life! I'm going to need a full-sized bottle of it once I've used the miniature up.

As for the wash bag, my gorgeous heart print case was from Cath Kidston, but I'm afraid it's an old design from a couple of years ago that they no longer stock in that print. If you have your heart set on it, perhaps try your local Cath Kidston outlet shop or eBay; you never know, you could get lucky and find one. They also sell plenty of other lovely designs on their website, which you can find here.

I managed to cram almost everything I needed in to the case, so it served me well, but next time I'll either need to pack a little lighter- which, let's face it, is never going to happen- or buy myself a larger wash bag to cater to my hoarding needs.

What would you pack in your wash bag for a week's holiday? 

My Summer Travel Essentials

Now we're swiftly coming up to our peak Summer holiday season, I thought it would be fun if I shared my summer travel essentials with you; the things that I pack in my hand luggage to help me get through the journey without breaking a sweat or dying of boredom. 

Though, I'm not sure if I'm just teasing myself with this post because I've not had a holiday in four years, and won't be getting away this Summer! 

So, these are the things I carry on me when I travel...

1. A pair of comfortable shoes that can be easily slipped on or off. Helpful at security, and for keeping your feet cool.

2. A hair scarf or hair turban to disguise unwashed, greasy, sweaty hair.

3. A light scarf, because it can be used in lots of different ways. It can keep you warm, be used as a pillow, be turned in to a sarong, used as a hair scarf, used as a cover up from prying eyes, hung over a window as a make shift blind, and even be fashioned in to a sling or bandage if you injure yourself during your journey.

4. Hand sanitiser because public transport, passing through bus / train stations, and using service stations can all be disgusting.

5. A little can of deodorant for freshening up when things get a bit sweaty.

6. A can of dry shampoo for perking up unwashed hair. I swear by Batiste.

7. At least one bottle of water for staying hydrated in the heat. It's important to drink plenty of water during a long-haul flight, too, although remember you can't carry a big bottle of water on you until you've gone through security.

8. Sunglasses to protect our eyes from that big orange ball of fire, obvs.

9. A fully charged Kindle loaded with books is one of my most loved travel companions. I love to read when I travel because it helps the journey pass so much faster. A Kindle (or other e reader tablet) obviously takes up much less space than a bunch of paperbacks, and helps to keep the weight of your bag down, too. 

10. I never travel without a bottle of Magicool during the Summer months. It's a cooling spray that can be used on people, pets, and even sprayed on to surfaces, and it's a God send when the heat gets too much to bare. I don't cope well with the heat, but this spray helps to make it more bearable. I couldn't live without it during the Summer.

11. A battery-powered pocket fan for keeping cool in stuffy, hot vehicles. I bought mine in Superdrug.

12. My iPod (and earphones) loaded with my favourite tunes and a Summer playlist or two.

13. My passport, if I'm leaving the country.

14. A few hair ties or bobbles for keeping my hair off my neck.

15. A pack of Paul & Joe blotting papers for keeping a shiny face at bay.

16. A travel wallet to keep my tickets, currency, cards, and other travel info all in one place.

17. It goes without saying that a bottle of sun tan lotion is absolutely essential. I usually carry a big bottle of factor 50+ Nivea sun lotion with me (I'm super pale and freckled), but my pocket-sized factor 30 looked better in the photo. Plus it's a handy size for keeping in my bag.

18. I don't travel without a notebook and pen. I like to document my travels, and I also find travelling inspires me to write fiction.

19. I like to pack a little emergency kit containing paracetamol, ibuprofen, imodium, plasters, antiseptic wipes, a bandage or two, savlon, etc, just in case. Chances are you won't need it, but it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

20. When I'm travelling by plane, I always carry a little pot of moisturiser on me. Recycled air really dries out the skin.

21. I can't go anywhere without a compact camera and a couple of spare batteries and memory cards. I love to take photos everywhere I go. 

22. A tube of hand cream for giving those hands a little TLC after carrying heavy bags.

23. And finally, a tub of lip balm because the heat and dehydration can really dry those lips out.

I also usually carry snacks, a magazine or two, some cash, my purse, a phrase book if I don't speak the language of the country I'm travelling to, my phone, and maybe a little make up.

As for the bag... on most of my travels, I carry my Cath Kidston messenger bag as hand luggage because it's like a Mary Poppins bag; I can fit everything but the kitchen sink in it. It has the added bonus of being really comfortable, even when it's heavy, because of that thick, wide strap.

If I'm travelling by plane, I use my Accessorize weekend bag and just pop my handbag inside during the flight. It's the exact max size for most airlines and it gives you a surprising amount of room to work with. If I'm just going away for a few days, I can fit all I need in it and don't need to pay to bring a suitcase! It also comes in handy on the way home from a holiday because it gives me more room for souvenirs, and saves me if my suitcase won't shut or is over the weight limit.

And those are my summer travel essentials. What are yours?

What's In My Little Bag?

I used to be the girl who carried everything but the kitchen sink around with her in her handbag, but these days I physically can't carry anything heavy, so I need to travel light.  I usually carry a small, light weight bag with the bare essentials inside, and leave a second bag in the car with everything else I might need. (Y'know, in case I meet Prince Charming, or an alien invasion happens while I'm out of the house. I like to be prepared) .

I've become a pro at packing light and of utilising the limited room of small bags, and I'm here to show you what I've been carrying around in my little ice cream cone bag lately.

This pretty pastel bag is by Skinny Dip, and it's one of the cutest bags I've ever owned or even seen. It's the perfect Summer day bag. It also holds a surprising amount of stuff. 

Don't just take my word for it, let's take a look...

What's in my little bag?

1. Skinny Dip ice cream cone bag.

2. The Body Shop coconut lip butter.

3. Tramadol blister pack- painkillers for my back.

4. Paracetamol blister pack- more painkillers for my back.

5. Paul & Joe blotting papers. 

6. My iPod touch. (An oldie, but still going strong!)

7. Cath Kidston heart print travel wallet. (It's very slim, so perfect for little bags).

8. Debit card, Nectar card, Boots Advantage card, and my Donorcard.

9. Accessorize blue tit earphones.

10. A little Benefit lip gloss.

11. My house keys on a Cath Kidston heart print key fob.

!2. My Nokia Lumia mobile.

13. A trolley token and £2.97 in change.

14. A couple of plasters, in case of blisters. 

Yep, I really did fit all of those things in that little bag, and there was even a little room left over!

What's in your bag? Are you an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kinda person, or do you like to carry the bare minimum?

What's In My Bag? July 2014

Ah, the old What's In My Bag? post makes another return. 

It must be a year since I last did one of these posts, so I think it's time to give you another peek at what I've been keeping in my bag lately. Who wants a nosey?

Handbags have always been a weakness of mine. I have quite a few in my collection, and switch between them all the time, depending on what I'm wearing or where I'm going. I've never been one to stick to just one handbag for months or years on end; I like variety!

That being said, over the last couple of weeks,  I've mostly been using my new cobalt blue scalloped satchel from ASOS. It was a birthday present from my little sister just two weeks ago, and I'm absolutely smitten with it. It's such a lovely little bag; and it's the perfect size for carrying all that I need for short trips out. It may not look like it, but it actually holds a surprising amount of stuff. 

I'm generally an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kinda girl when it comes to handbags, but I have to pack lighter these days because I can't carry anything heavy anymore; not even for short distances. I usually just cram everything I need in to my bag and then leave half of it in the car when I reach wherever it is I'm going to lighten the load a bit! It's usually easy enough to pop back to the car if I need to touch up my make up or whatever.

So, let's take a look at what I have in my bag today...

Clockwise from top left: 

Kodak PIXPRO FZ151 Digital Camera; Cath Kidston gadget case; earphones for my Nokia phone; Apple iPod earphones; my old iPod Touch; my new Nokia Lumia phone; and my old Blackberry Curve.

Like most people in this day and age, I love my gadgets, and this lot rarely leaves my side. I always carry my camera when I leave the house, because I love snapping photos of everything, and like to have it to hand in case I see something awesome that I want to document. I need my iPod for my music fix, and like everyone, I'm permanently attached to my phone. I just got a Nokia Lumia for my birthday, but for now I'm still carrying my Blackberry with me, too.

Clockwise from top left: 

Cards: Tesco Clubcard; Nectar Card; Boots Advantage Card; Knowhow Card (laptop insurance with PC World); Lloyds Debit Card; NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate Card; National Insurance Card; Dorothy Perkins Store Card; and a Donor Card. Cath Kidston clasp purse; receipts from Morrisons and The Post Office; a scratch card (I wasn't a winner- boo!); a voucher off my next food shop; and a trolley token. I don't have a single penny in my purse, how depressing!

When I use smaller bags like this satchel, I use my small Cath Kidston clasp purse to save space, and just throw everything in together. I've had it for about five years and it's looking a bit worse for wear now, so it might be time to start looking to replace it. I'll be sad to see it go because I love it. I wish Cath Kidston renewed some of their old prints from time to time!

Clockwise from top left: 

B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful powder and blusher brushes; Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara; Clinique Chubby Stick in Oversized Orange; Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry (free with Glamour this month!!); Benefit Sun Beam highlighter; Dainty Doll click pen concealer; Paul and Joe blotting papers; and Bourjois Healthy Balance face powder in Vanilla.

I rarely keep a make up bag in my handbag, but sometimes I will chuck in what ever make up I'm wearing for touch ups. This little lot is still in my bag from my last visit to the hospital, as I did my make up in the car. I remembered to put my eyeshadow and blusher palettes away, but apparently forgot about this lot.

Clockwise from back left:

Mini Sure deodorant; pocket size Nivea Sun Lotion factor 30; Magicool body and face cooler spray; The Body Shop satsuma hand cleanse gel; EOS organic lipbalm in tangerine; and The Body Shop coconut lip butter.

In the summer, there are a few beauty essentials I like to carry with me. I couldn't get through summer without a bottle of Magicool; I keep one within reach at all times. I struggle with the heat, and the self-chilled spray instantly helps to cool me down when I get a bit over-heated. It's a God-send! I also make sure I have sun lotion with me whenever I venture out because I'm so pale. I usually use factor 50+ because I don't want to burn, but I bought a pocket sized factor 30 Nivea sun lotion on impulse, because it's the perfect size for keeping in my bag. I think it's also necessary to carry a good lip balm to keep my lips hydrated, and a little bottle of deodorant because, let's face it, getting a bit hot and sweaty during hot summer days is inevitable.

Clockwise from top left:

Trebor Softmints; Cath Kidston hair clip; two metal-free hair bobbles; various plasters, just in case; Tramadol and paracetamol blister packs (my painkillers); and one random drinking straw.

There are always a few random bits and bobs lurking in the depths of my bag. Sometimes I'm surprised what I find buried in there. A random drinking straw? Really? The painkillers and the plasters make sense, but a straw does not!

And that, dear readers, is what's in my bag right now.

What's in your bag today?

What's in Your Handbag? Money Supermarket Competition Entry

Money Supermarket recently discovered that the average woman's handbag, including it's contents, is worth over £850! If designer handbags and more expensive gadgets were considered, this price would soar!

So, Money Supermarket are trying to find out what's in our handbags to get a better understanding of exactly what the average woman carries around with her every day.

They're asking bloggers to write about the contents of their bags here, and each participant is in with a chance of winning a Mulberry bag, purse, and phone case! There are also six £25 ASOS vouchers from   http://www.FashionPerks.co.uk up for grabs. I'm sure you'll agree those prizes are irresistible, so of course I had to participate.

So, what's in my bag, and how much is it worth?

Today I'm using my ASOS mint scalloped satchel. It's a decent-sized day-bag for carrying around all those essentials, without being too big or too small. I bought it in December as a treat for myself as I loved the scalloped detailing. This bag was just £28, which was a bargain for something so pretty.

The bag holds a surprising amount of things!

This is everything in my bag, excluding most of the make up which is still in the make up case. The contents of my bag can vary from day to day.

So, these are the things I would call my 'essentials'. The pieces I couldn't leave home without. I always carry around my purse, phone, keys, iPod, and earphones. The purse, and key fob are by Cath Kidston, as are the cases on the back of my Blackberry and iPod Touch. (I have a slight Cath Kidston obsession!). There's no money in my purse at the moment, but the two gadgets are both worth a couple of hundred pounds.

This is a carry-all case from Fossil which has room for a gadget and a few cards. I use this case when I can't be bothered to leave the car with a heavy bag; for instance, if I'm quickly popping in to the supermarket and just need my money and phone.

I always have some random lotions, potions, and other handy beauty products in my bag, to be prepared for what ever life may throw at me.  I like to at least have some blotting papers, hand lotion, and plasters on me if nothing else.

Body Shop Coconut Lip Butter // Body Shop Satsuma Hand Cleanse Gel // 
L'Occitane Verbena Body Lotion // Carmex Lip Balm //
 Lehearesor Powdered Paper // Paul & Joe Blotting papers  // 2 plasters

I forgot to add this to the photo before, but I recently bought this Impulse body spray for nostalgic reasons. I used to love a particular scent called 'O2' when I was about twelve / thirteen, and I was curious as to whether it was still available. I think the answer is no, but I discovered True Love in the supermarket, and decided to give it a chance. I like to have a body spray in my bag for freshening up.

I always carry around a hair brush and a hair bobble. Just in case. I think this hair brush is by Revlon, and it's one of the best hair brushes I've ever owned.

I usually carry my Fossil key-per make up case in my handbag, as well. I got this case in New York two years ago, as I fell in love with the key print and couldn't leave without it. It's a brilliant make up case, with plenty of room for all those essentials and it has a mirror inside which is helpful for applying make up on the go.

As you can see, it holds a generous amount, and has a cute print on the inside, too.

The contents of my make up case vary depending on the ocassion and the look I've gone for that day. I couldn't leave home without my pressed powder, a mascara, and an under-eye concealer. At the moment, my make up case has the following inside:

The Body Shop face powder // Benefit The Porefessional // Benefit Benetint // Benefit Sun Beam //
Lush Intuitive eye shadow // Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara // Dainty Doll concealer pen // 
Bourjois Khol and Contour eyeliner in black // Stila lipglazes in Holly and Splendor  // 
L'Oreal Colour Appeal eyeshadow in Pure Gold  // Benefit lipgloss // 
Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner in 100% black

And there's also one solitary Bic biro in the mix.

So, how much is this little lot worth?

ASOS Bag: £28

Apple Earphones: £25

Cath Kidston Purse (with not a penny inside): £12

Keys and Cath Kidston Key Fob: £4.50 (how much are keys worth??)

Blackberry and Cath Kidston case: £190 + £25

iPod touch 32gb and Cath Kidston Case: £220 +£25

Fossil Gadget Case: £25.

The Body Shop Coconut Lip Butter: £4

The Body Shop Satsuma Hand Cleanse Gel: £2.50

L'Occitane Verbena Body Lotion: £5.70

Carmex Lip Balm Pot: £2.05

Lehearesor Powdered Paper: £2.30

Paul & Joe Blotting Papers: £3.50

Two plasters: £0.20

Impluse True Love £2.00

Hairbrush and bobble: £5.00

Fossil Key-per make up case: £35.00

The Body Shop face powder: £12.50

Benefit The Porefessional 7.5ml: £8.35

Benefit Benetint 4ml: £7.84

Benefit Sun Beam 4ml: £6.00

Lush Intuitive eye shadow: £14.50

Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara 4g: £8.24

Dainty Doll concealer: £12.50

Bourjois Khol & Contour eyeliner: £4.99

Stila lipglazes x 2 £30.00

L'Oreal Colour Appeal eyeshadow: £5.99

Benefit lipgloss: £14.00

Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner: £4.29

Bic biro: £0.24

= £746.19!

That's astonishing! I can't believe my bag is worth so much! And that's a scaled down version of what I normally keep in my bag, too!

Ordinarily, I also usually carry around my Kindle (£89) in it's Cath Kidston case (£24), and sometimes a book (£7.99), as well. I always carry around my Canon camera (£230) and Cath Kidston case (£9), but I was using them to take these photos. And I often have a spare pair of glasses (£125) in a Cath Kidston case (£14), sunglasses (£25), notebook (£9.00), medicine (£28), sun cream (£7), and various other hair accessories, which would all increase the cost of my handbag. If I added all of these to the total, it would increase dramatically to:

£1314.18!

And that's not including any money that might be in my purse.

Considering the satchel is so inexpensive, I'm shocked that the contents of my handbag are worth so much money! Although, I do love my gadgets, luxury make up, and pretty Cath Kidston accessories, which I know are all quite pricey, so I can understand the total.

This challenge has certainly made me step back and think about just how much I'm carrying around, and how much I could lose if my bag became lost or stolen. I would be devastated to lose many of these daily essentials; they 're all important necessities to me in different ways.

If you would like to participate or learn more about the challenge, you can find all the necessary information at here. I'd particularly love to see what's in the following five ladies handbags: Rachel from A Dress is For Life, Nita of Pashteit, Hannah of Doodleheartx, Becky of Does My Blog Make Me Look Fat?, and Jenny of The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth, but if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged, too. I'd love to see what you guys keep in your handbags.

How much is your handbag worth?

What's in My Wash Bag?

I've just returned home from two weeks away at my sister's and had planned this little post for you whilst I was away, but we lost our Internet connection over the weekend so all the posts I'd planned had to be postponed. Thankfully I arrived home to a fully functioning Internet connection on Wednesday night, which is why I'm able to bring you this little post today.

I thought I'd show you what I packed in my wash bag for a couple of weeks at my sister's. This isn't a typical example of what's usually in my wash bag, as there were certain products I just borrowed from my sister, such as shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.

My wash bag was full to bursting when I packed it to bring home. There were a few additions that I picked up whilst I was away.

The wash bag is made of the most beautiful multi-coloured paisley and floral pattern I've ever seen. It's so pretty and colourful. It's by Catseye, and was available from the soft toy company Jellycat a few years ago, randomly enough. When I unpacked these from an order of Jellycat teddies at work, I just had to buy one before the customers snapped them all up.

This print should be reproduced for everything.

The contents of the wash bag emptied on to the bed.

This is everything that I squeezed in to  it.

1. Benefit Bene Tint lip and cheek stain (magazine freebie)

2. Benefit High Beam highlighter (magazine freebie)

3. Boots cucumber cleansing wipes (2 packs)

4. Various bandages, dressings, plasters, and mircroporous tape.

5. The Body Shop lightening touch concealer

6. Avon SuperCurlacious Mascara (magazine freebie)

7. Benefit Pore-fessional (another great freebie)

8. Lush Fantasy Eyeliner

9. The Body Shop vitamin E moisturiser

10. L'occitane cherry blossom hand cream

11. Sure deodorant

12. Painkillers

13. Glass nail file

14. B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful blusher brush

15. B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful eyeshadow brush

16. Britney Spears perfume 

17. Inglot nail enamel 024

18. Barry M Raspberry nail paint

19. Barry M Racing Green nail paint

20. Maxfactor max effects nail polish in Dazzling Blue

21. MUA Heaven and Earth eyeshadow palette

22. The Body Shop eye colour in Golden Meadow

I made sure to bring a couple of my favourite nail polishes, and also picked up the lovely little Maxfactor one whilst I was away. I'm still in love with both the Inglot 024 polish, and the Racing Green Barry M. 

I got the glass nail file in Camden, and it's the best nail file I've ever used. The glass nail files should in theory last a life time, and they're much kinder to the nails than ordinary emery boards.

I usually use a cleanser and a toner, but when I travel I usually just stick to cleansing wipes. These cucumber ones from Boots are the only ones which don't make my eyes run, and they remove make up and grime really well. I always pack my Body Shop vitamin E moisture cream to apply afterwards, as it's one of my daily essentials. I also packed a little pot of cherry blossom hand cream to look after my hands, as well. It's one of my favourite fragrances. I also have a Sure deodorant, and a bottle of Britney perfume which my sister gave to me as she had two.

I couldn't travel without some make up to hand, but I kept things simple and packed very light. I wasn't expecting to venture out in public much. 

For me, a good mascara and an under eye concealer are essentials in my make up back; I feel much more human when my lashes are defined and my dark circles are disguised. I'm currently loving Benefit's Bene Tint, High Beam, and The Pore-fessinal which were all freebies with magazines. I'm so impressed with all three I will buy the full sized when I've used them up. I packed a few eyeshadows to play with, including my new gold Lush eyeliner 'Fantasy', and just a couple of my beautiful brushes to do the basics. I normally pack much more colourful shadows.

My wash bag also contained a very boring selection of bandages and dressing materials, so I can take care of my battered big toe; and some painkillers to kill some pain.

And that's everything that was in my wash bag.

I hope you've enjoyed this post.

What do you pack in your wash bags when you're away from home?