This is my real purse. This is my real desk at work. And these are real contents. I did not clean it out first. The excessive lip products we all seem to have are still in there. So how does all this crap fit? It's actually a lot less than what I was carrying before. This is a good change for me. Every once and a while I kind of mourn the product that I just can't fit in there but my back and shoulders don't hurt anymore and I can find everything in there pretty easily. But it is still kind of a lot for this small of a purse and the secret is in the purse. This is the Fossil Preston Small Flap bag. The main compartment is big enough to hold the bulk of what's in there. My wallet, a fold up hair brush with mirror, a pill bottle full of allergy pills and Tylenol, a rollerball of Maison Margiela 'Replica' Beach Walk, Opti-Free Lubricant Eye Drops, a tube of MAC Lip Conditioner, and Bath and Body Works Pocket Bac (currently I have the Market Peach scent - LOVE it!). I also keep a small tube of Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream in my purse at all times because my hands are always dry. This is seriously the best hand cream. It's a good thick cream that deeply nourishes to brighten and improve skin condition - and it has SPF 40! The best part is that I don't feel the need to apply it again the next time I wash my hands. I also always keep a charged Mophie battery case for my Samsung Galaxy S6. The idea behind this is that it's supposed to take the place of your regular phone case and you turn the battery on to charge - up to 80% - when you need it. For me it's just so big and bulky. I need my phone to still fit in my jeans pocket. So I carry the case in my purse and switch it out with my Kate Spade case when I need it, which is usually only when I'm traveling or having super long days. I'd say less than once a week. I do like to keep one lip product with color so I always have my Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Berry Brown. This one is great because it's so moisturizing and comfortable but gives the lips such pigmented and even color. Perfect for on the go. That's what is supposed to be in that pocket.


The stowaway lippies are my Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipstick and Lip Pencil in Ex-Girlfriend which for me is a perfect nude combo. The sheer lipstick has enough glossy finish that I never feel the need to top it with anything else. Sadly these are both gone now, but it looks like Ex-Girlfriend is part of the new Urban Decay Vice Lipstick line. I also have Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Musk/Lychee which was my first Bite Beauty product. These are such beautiful nude colors and I love that there's two in this small packaging. Both shades are great on their own, but together they create a great ombre lip. Again sadly, this range is no longer available. It'll be interesting to see if Bite does something similar with the Amuse Bouche line. I also have the Colour Pop Lippie Stix and Lip Pencil in RAYEzor that I'm trying out and the Dior Addict Gloss in #624 Mylord. The Dior Addict Glosses are my favorite lip gloss formula of life but sadly this one was also limited edition. It was part of the Spring 2015 Kingdom of Colors Collection and it's a shiny mauve nude, semi-sheer lip gloss with gold sparkle. It's great over any nudey lip color and great on it's own. Hopefully they'll eventually bring it back.  This is actually really good nude for me. Normally I would be pulling out at least five more lippies.


The secret zippered pocket hidden in the very back of the main pocket has spare contacts, Nunzio Saviano Anti-Frizz Sheets, and a case of floss picks.  I commonly think of this pocket as the hidden tampon pocket. I haven't actually stocked this purse up with tampons or panty liners yet. I should get on that. They did not make it out of the last purse in tact. Fun fact, those contacts are Husband's contacts. I keep pairs for us both with me. I need to get more of mine in there.  

The very front pocket is just big enough to hold my notepad, pen, and a sleeve of business cards. I can grab these quickly if I need them and it keeps them from getting destroyed. Then there's the small zippered pocket in the back that holds a tissue pack (I love the slim packs of Kleenex) and Well-Kept Screen Cleaning Towelettes. I also always try to keep Shout Wipe & Go Stain Remover Wipes in there, but I've used them all up and need to restock.

The true genius of this bag is in the flap. The flap has a zipper on it that opens up into a whole separate compartment. I keep the stuff that I really don't want to get lost, like my car key, and stuff that I'm not reaching for all the time, like e.l.f. Mattifying Blotting Papers. I also have a Leatherman Style CS with me. It's got scissors (which have been handy a number of times), tweezers, a file, a bottle opener, and a small knife. It's super tiny too so it doesn't take up too much room. I also keep a Cliff Bar because you never know when you're going to get stranded somewhere and you or someone else end up starving. I also have one of those keychain flashlight from the Ghosts and Graveyards tour we took. I just never took it out but I also think it could be handy to have at some point. When the flap is closed and snapped into place covering the main compartment I can unzip the flap to slip my phone in there if need be. This allows me to easily find it. I hate digging through a purse to find my phone or keys. Just don't unzip it before you're ready to grab your phone because gravity is a B#@$%!


Another really cool feature is that when the purse gets too packed you can also unzip the zipper around the outside of the big. This allows it to expand to give you some more room if you really need to fit those extra couple things in there. If I don't need it, I'll usually keep it zipped because it holds everything in it's place. If there's too much room everything starts to roll around in the bag but I do like that I can expand if I really need to.

So that's it! That's everything precious that I keep at hand all the time. Me and my purse are pretty much inseparable. I don't go anywhere without it. At home and in the office I have a special hooks where it lives when it's not on me. There's nothing worse that setting your bag down somewhere and not being able to find it. With such a small bag carrying it around is really NBD. It's also worth noting that I do keep a "Fashion Emergency Kit" in the car at all times and I have a mini face touch up kit in my desk at work. I used to carry a makeup bag with me in my purse and holy crap that's too much stuff.

UPDATED: I have restocked!!! I have added contacts back in, Shout wipes, tampons, and panty liners. I also decided to throw a small foil pack that contains 2 eye pads - Exuviance Intensive Eye Treatment Masque - because you never know when you'll need that pick-me-up. I've also since replaced my Well Kept Screen Cleaning Towelettes. The pack is now Turquoise!

What do you keep in your purse?

How do you compare with your stow-away lippies?


Today's Tidbits:

• Who else grabbed the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection today when it went live? I was so worried I wouldn't get it, but I got in and got out and I'm. So. Excited! 
• I finally finished unpacking from a couple weeks ago. I'm a slacker. My suitcase was unpacked the day we returned, but my skincare/makeup bag has been another story. Part of that is I needed to shoot so pictures. Now all I have to do is go through, photograph (if necessary), and find a place for my most recent hauls. 
• I got new decor for the bedroom this past week. I wandered into my local craft store and holy moly! I've got a few things to hang and a couple cute pieces for my vanity. I also ordered new bedding because cats are gross and they stained my duvet. 
• I'm considering trying Hello Fresh. I think it could really help me with time management and meal prep. It's definately a luxory, but I'm remembering a few nights ago when I kept coming up with new dinner ideas half way through the store and I did about 10 laps around the store by the end. I hate that. Has anyone tried a meal prep delivery service? What did you think?