Handbag Essentials

I like to think I'm that 'mumsy' type of person that is prepared for every situation. When I'm out and about I like to be the person who's able to supply people with everything and anything from hair bands to blister plasters.

The contents of my bag changes depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing. I tend to reduce my stash of handbag essentials down to the very basics when I'm carrying a smaller bag.

Let's get the boring bit out of the way, I have the basics - purse, keys, phone, headphones, gum and sunglasses, I'm pretty sure most people carry that, minus the sunglasses depending on the weather but at the moment us Brits are experiencing somewhat of a heat wave.

As I've said I like to be prepared for every possible situation and for me that generally means I carry a bag that's rather large and very heavy, I can't pack light for anything! Being asthmatic I can't go anywhere without my inhaler, I also keep painkillers, eye drops, a spare pair of contacts, tissues and a mini pack of wet wipes to freshen up my hands after being out and about.

Smart phones are amazing, and I'm rarely seen without mine because quite honestly I feel lost when I don't have it in close proximity. But the problem comes when I'm out all day or night and my phone's battery simply can't keep up. So to save my phone from running out of battery and becoming useless I bought a portable charger online. I keep it charged up and in my bag at all times to ensure that I never have to be without my phone!

Now, down to the more exciting bits (for us beauty lovers anyway)! I tend to keep these items in a separate makeup bag in an attempt to keep by bag organised. I carry deodorant (boring but important), a mini hairbrush, hair bands and hair grips in case I need to re-vamp my hairstyle, or (more likely) simply throw it up into a bun at the end of the day. I also keep a mini facial mist which is especially useful in the summer months. I find they're great not only to refresh the skin but also to lock makeup into place and to keep it looking its best. I love the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, which I decant into a smaller spray bottle or the La Roche Posay, or Liz Earl ones. I like to be able to top up my perfume throughout the day but don't want to carry a big heavy glass bottle around with me, so opt for a smaller, more travel friendly rollerball one. At the moment I'm loving the Taylor by Taylor Swift one for keeping in my bag.

I don't carry much makeup around with me on a daily basis, only the bits that need to be topped up, this usually consists of a pressed translucent powder, the Urban Decay one is my favourite for on-the-go, my Lanolips lip balm which can fix even the driest of lips in no time at all, and the lip product I'm wearing that day, I will also bring concealer with me from time to time depending on how good or bad my skin is.

I know I love knowing what people carry around with them to look for new ideas and also to see if I carry too much or too little in comparison to most people.