TAG | What's In My Bag

The What's In My Bag Tag

I made a youtube video detailing what I have in my handbag. I retrospectively decided to write a blog post about it too. There are a few extra items in my bag compared to in the video so I'll give you TEN points if you can spot them! 

First things first, the bag! I bought this bag over the phone from Michael Kors in America. I'd been trying to find the Bedford Bowling Bag in this colour (tan) for months but eventually House of Fraser and Selfridges sold out of all colours. I initially panicked but underestimated my ability to pick up a phone and talk with my mouth. Duh! I showed my Mum a photo of this bag and she decided she needed one too. So we now carry matching handbags. Which is totally cool... Isn't it?!?!

I absolutely love this bag, I carry it everywhere. It's the perfect size to throw all of my things into, without being over sized and bulky. There is a shoulder strap which I removed and stored in the dust bag. 

This is the Marc Jacobs Classic Q Zip wallet. I wanted this SO badly for Christmas and dropped not so subtle hints about this to my boyfriend (the hint involved me adding it to an online shopping basket and asking him to enter his card details... one year he went shopping for my Christmas present on Christmas eve whilst being quite drunk. The results were weird, we still can't work out what it is...)

The purse opens right out, it has an internal zippy coin section, lots of slots for notes and the card slots too. I still need to put a photo in the window! It's the perfect size for cheques and notes (if I ever had any... shopping habits make me poor!)

I keep a makeup bag fully stocked, for just in case times! I try to only keep things in here that I'll genuinely use when I'm out and about. I'm not usually one for reapplying makeup, I try to do a decent job when I first put it on you know?! 

• Clinique Pressed Powder - I have really oily skin so this is an essential. I use loose powder at my vanity but if you've ever taken loose powder ANYWHERE you'll know that it just can't be trusted! 
• Max Factor Blush - I usually use a NARS blush (Dolce Vita), this is nearly a dupe for that. I just wanted a cheap version to avoid any smashed pan disasters! 
• Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer 2 - Everyone in the blogging world either has this or has heard of it. It's the BEST drug store concealer out there. 
• Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Asia - I use this as a cream blush, for more info see this blog post! http://abi-girl.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-rimmel-lasting-finish-lipstick.html
• Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick, it's a very pale creamy shade (I forget the shade) but it's my HG nude. 
• Eco Tools Blush Brush
• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (Review here: http://abi-girl.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/elizabeth-arden-eight-hour-cream-skin.html)
• Soap and Glory Hand Food - The nicest smelling hand cream ever! 
• Random Perfume Samples (Including Givenchy Ange ou Demon which is my favourite ever perfume!)
• Plasters and Paracetamol. The plasters are mainly in there to cover my tattoos, just in case I'm in school and I need to tie my hair up (I have a tattoo on the back of my neck)
• Vaseline and Moisturiser. I don't ever use these so they will not be going back in, sorry chaps!
• Coffee samples! I collect these from hotels, sometimes when I'm in school I am just desperate for a coffee and it's usual for teachers to bring and label their own teas... 
• KFC wipes - free versions of wet wipes. I ask my family to collect these for me, as I don't eat fast food.

My car keys! I drive a Citroen C3 which is baby blue and covered in flower decals (my boyfriend and father HATE it when they have to drive it). The Owl is a little USB, it's so CUTE! I bought it from amazon I think... The pirate keyring was in a home made cracker, my boyfriend's mother made personalised Christmas Crackers last year, and I LOVE pirates of the Caribbean. Also my library card and Tesco club card. 

My various Ray Bans... I have my prescription ones for driving (although my eyesight is getting so bad it's usually an all day thing now) and my Ray Ban Cats, which are not prescription. Therefore when I am driving and it's blindingly bright, I have to wear my sunglasses over my normal glasses. It looks ridiculous. Maybe it's time to get contact lenses?! 

Well, that's what's in my bag! I hope you liked this post/video. Let me know what you keep in your bag! Do you have any essentials that you can't live without in your purse? 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Review

Elizabeth Arden
Eight Hour Cream 
Skin Protectant Review 

I had to review this stuff, it's absolute HG (holy grail) material for me. 

I first came across this when my mum recommended it to me during my acne hell; my skin was so sore and chapped from the treatments and I needed something to soothe my ruined face 

She bought a set in duty free including the tube of protectant, the lip balm and some face cream. I used up the latter two but haven't repurchased...

My god have I repurchased the Eight Hour Cream tubes... I have one in my handbag, one in my bedside table, one in my dresser and two more still packaged ready for emergencies... 

Background information: I really suffer with dry lips, if I'm caught without a balm, I'll just repurchase some... No matter how many Vaseline tins I have elsewhere. I have been known to hide balms at friends' houses to avoid the dry lip hell that leads to licking.. more dryness and a never ending circle of licking and hellishness.

I'll sum up in a tidy list

• Moisturises lips like nothing else - as a dry lip sufferer, this baby has gotten me through two winters with smooth lips. 
• A little goes a long way - I still haven't used up my first tub that I got two years ago
• Smells medicinal and good - lots of people don't like the smell but I hate overpowering sweet scents. This smells luxurious and herbal to me
• Multifaceted - I use this on my lips, on my elbows, to tame fly away hairs, as an intensive under eye treatment, for dry nose after a cold... dry knees. Anything that's dry, this is the answer
• An all purpose make up trick - on the tops of cheek bones as a highlighter, as a moisturising lip gloss, to tame eyebrows, as a clear mascara
• As an intensive facial moisturiser on long haul flights, or mixed with normal moisturiser for a daily night cream
• To add shine down the fronts of shins if you're wearing an outfit that bears your legs

As the ingredients list 'Ricinus Communis Seed Oil' (Castor Oil) and caster oil is known for its uses in hair growth, I did start using 8 hour cream as a growth serum on my eyelashes and eyebrows. Alas, no results there...

The active ingredient is Petrolium (like Vaseline), but it also has Lanolin (moisturising) and Salicylic Acid. Salicylic Acid is used for combating acne. It's an ingredient in many topical solutions and Clinique's Anti Blemish Foundation. 

When I first heard about this I assumed it would be a cream... But it's more of a serum like gel. It's orange in colour but goes on clear. 

Absolutely highly recommended product! This retails at £25 in Boots. Whilst I think it's worth the price with all its uses and longevity, I have never paid that amount for it. I've always bought it duty free or during a 10% discount at Debenhams event (which they have about every quarter)

Do you have a HG product? Let me know what yours are, I'm always looking to try new things!