Browsing Tag

Clutch

What's In My Bag

Summer Date Night Beauty Favorites and Clutch Essentials

July 12, 2016

Summer is in full swing and I thought I’d put together a roundup of some date night beauty favorites for the season. I like to keep things on the makeup side soft and shimmery – pretty much the same as everyday kind of colors but add more on the eyes. A good neutral lip can give a nice polished look and will go with every color of outfit. A good classic red, coral or bright pink lip can add more oomph to your look – if you like a good bright classic, I think the best color and formula right now are from the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips and Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo lines. If you’re a neutral lip lover, read on for my top picks.

First a note on clutches and pouches. Finding a good classic flat zip clutch is harder than you would think.
For as long as I can remember I’ve been into the simple classic
streamlined zip pouch, but being petite at 5’3″ it’s hard for me to find
one that isn’t too large. I’m forever looking for good classic options. The envelope style is pretty chic (one affordable option featured in this post here also eyeing this nude blush one here) but for some reason my heart belong to the flat zip ones.

My two most-used clutches are the Clare V Leopard Clutch (8″ H x 11″ W) and Truffle Privacy Clutch (6 1/2″ H x 10 1/2″ W). Small compact coin purses or card cases are also essentials for me. Any kind of textured leather makes wallets more sturdy and last longer, the Chanel classic quilted caviar is one of my favorites. The Tory Burch Robinson Coin Case is actually more like card case but also works as a more affordable option but still extremely well made and sturdy.

The best date night fragrances for me, some come in the tiny roller ball or small spritzer version to fit inside a clutch:

  • Diptyque L’Ombre Dans L’Eau which comes in a limited-edition travel size for summer. It’s the fragrance version of Baies candle which I was surprised works well as perfume and has a mix of blackcurrant leaves and rose.
  • Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb is the ultimate date night fragrance (travel spray was taken with me on my summer trip). For daytime I feel like it’s more of a fall/winter fragrance, but I think it’s amazing for summer nights. It’s a hard one to describe but the notes are bergamot, tea, freesia, jasmine, orange blossom, orchid, rose, patchouli.
  • Chloé Eau de Parfume is another favorite, I have a small bottle, but you can find it in a travel size as well, it’s another classic floral with notes of Pink Peony, Freesia, Lychee, Magnolia Flower, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Cedarwood, Amber, Honey.
  • For those who want something more unique, Byredo is always a good option. I bought the Discovery Set over the holiday which has a sampler mix of scents. It’s been discontinued but the current version is the Floral Discovery 6 Piece Set which has Blanche, La Tulipe, Bal D’Afrique, Inflorescence, Flowerhead and Rose Of No Man’s Land. I highly recommend the travel/discovery sets. It’s a great way to try out different ones without having to splurge on the full size bottle. Another option is the Nécessaire de Voyage Eau de Parfum Travel Set which has Black Saffron and Blanche with a case.

For eyes I like shadow sticks because they’re easy to apply and blend with the fingers. They’re great for touch ups or if you’re on the go and compact enough to carry in a clutch if you don’t have time to go back home to fix your makeup for date.

I like a good shimmer for the eyes because it dresses them up a bit whether it’s to add highlight or deepen with a golden smokey shade. Favorites shown and swatched below include:

For lips, I’m all about the soft pink and peachy shades. Current favorites shown below to mix and match or layer:

Shown above but not swatched:

Swatched below:

For pressed powders, the two I’ve been reaching for the most include the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder in No. 20 and Clinique Stay Matte Sheer Pressed Powder in Stay Neutral. I’ve been on the hunt for a good retractable brush that’s flat but not too small and I finally found one from Hakuhodo which is the H611 Portable Brush. It’s soft and fluffy and super compact. If you don’t need a powder to touch up, but want a good blotting paper to carry to absorb shine, the Tatcha Blotting Papers are the best ones I’ve tried (details on why they’re the best in this review here).

That rounds up my summer date night beauty favorites! As always I’d love to hear what you love to wear and/or carry with you. If you have any favorite clutches or zip pouches – please share! One last note, shoes featured are from Ann Taylor.

Press samples featured include Tatcha Blotting Papers, Tom Ford Lip Color, Edward Bess Lip Definers, Truffle Clutch.

11 Comments
Uncategorized

Truffle Privacy Clutch in Blush

August 29, 2014

Truffle recently launched their Privacy Clutch ($54 each, 6 1/2″ H x 10 1/2″ W) in four colors White, Blush, Seaglass and Dove Grey. It’s a chic flat leather zip pouch perfect for carrying just the essentials. I recently discovered and fell in love with the Small Clarity Clutches for keeping beauty essentials compact in your tote or purse while making it easy to see what’s inside (no more digging of fishing around in your bag). The Privacy Clutch is a similar sleek option but one made of solid textured leather with a beautiful red lined interior. Truffle sent the Blush as a gift and I’ve found it perfect for on-the-go holding just the essentials. (Update, Truffle is offering free US shipping this weekend for Labor Day, use code LABORDAY at checkout.)
Items I’ve featured that fit inside my clutch:
Close up of the texture of the leather and detail features:
For size reference on the two kinds of Truffle clutches I own, the Small Clarity Clutches measure 7 1/2” H X 9 1/2” W. They are similar in size to the Privacy Clutches. Both styles come in four different colors White, Blush, Seaglass and Dove Grey. I can fit more items into the clear version, with the solid leather clutch, I need to stack things well otherwise they bulk up the pouch.

The construction of the Privacy Clutches are well made. The leather is sturdy, interior is nicely lined, zipper is also well constructed. When I told my husband I spent $40+ on the Clear Clutch, he said, “you spent what on a clear pouch?” but when he saw the actual product he was very impressed with the quality and design. He also approves of the Privacy version as well. Contents featured above all inside the pouch (minus the jewelry).

Bottom line love. The Privacy Clutch is functional as a makeup bag yet sleek enough to use as a stand alone clutch. At $52 I do find them on the pricey side for something simple, but those who own a Truffle Clutch or Pouch know that once you have one, you absolutely love it. The products from the line are sleek, classic and well made.

The Privacy Clutches retail for $54 each at Onetruffle.com. There are currently four color options. If you’re interested in other designs, they offer a variety of shapes, sizes and colors to choose from. Do you own any Truffle pouches or clutches? What’s your favorite?

Update: for Labor Day, Truffle is offering free US shipping on order with code LABORDAY. 

The Privacy Clutch was gifted by Truffle. The Clarity Clutch in Grey was purchased by me. For more information, refer to my Disclosures.

8 Comments
Uncategorized

Truffle Clarity Clutches

August 14, 2014

I have an obsession with clear makeup pouches and flat clutches, so when I discovered a brand called Truffle that combined the two into one product I was beyond thrilled. I fell in love with this clear one by Bobbi Brown which was part of a GWP one year, I haven’t been able to find anything similar that I liked enough to purchase (Make Up For Ever
has similar ones but you can’t buy them online). The Truffle pouches
come pretty close but with a different design twist which I love. Truffle carries a number of different flat pouches that range in size, design, color and shape. I was particularly smitten with the shape and size of the Small Clarity Clutch ($42). It measures 7 1/2” tall X 9 1/2” wide and is designed with a luxe textured leather trim and gold plated hardware, and it’s size is TSA approved making it the perfect companion for any carry-on. Truffle kindly sent a white one for review, I loved it so much I bought another one in grey.

The small Clarity Clutches are compact enough to fit the essentials for makeup: compact, mini hand cream, lipgloss, eyeshadow stick, eyeliner, mini perfume and a lipstick. The plastic case is well made so it’s thick and sturdy yet flexible. The leather trim is well designed, it has a textured surface that is also extremely sturdy and holds the shape of the bag well. I’ve found these really good for organizing accessories and makeup. The small size helps me keep a well edited makeup bag. Those who have seen past Inside My Bag posts know I tend to have an overpacked makeup bag (even on the go).

When it comes to my purses or totes, I like bags that are flat so they slip in easily and don’t bulk up my bag. I like that these keep everything slim and compact. Here’s the Small Clarity Clutch next to my Prada Saffiano Tote which measures approximately 8 1/2″H x 13″W x 5″D for size comparison with makeup essentials stored inside:

Above shown includes: Small business cards
Chanel Glossimer Wild Rose
NARS Lip Gloss in Greek Holiday
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Frozen Quartz
YSL Volupté Candy No. 14 Belle Cannelle
Hermes and Celine Bracelets
These are also great for the pool or beach to carry a few things with you. The clear pouch makes it easy to find things in your bag. Below is the Small White Clarity Clutch with beach and pool essentials tucked inside. For the beach the larger size would be more ideal to carry larger sunscreens, hair ties, a small comb etc.

J.crew Summer Straw Hat (similar)
Purex Hand Sanitizer mini
Tatcha Aburatorigami Blotting Papers

Overall a huge thumbs up. Even though the $42 price tag seems a bit steep for a small makeup bag, they are extremely well made clutches – the quality is definitely there in the material and design. The leather is thick and sturdy and the hardware is also very good. You can find out more about Truffle on their website www.onetruffle.com. Also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for new on the latest releases, occasional promo codes and Truffle inspiration. There are a number of different pouch and clutch options to suit your personal taste.

I’d love to hear what your favorite makeup bags are. Do you have any favorites that are clear?

 
One clutch courtesy of Truffle for review consideration, the other clutch was purchased by me. For more information see my Disclosures.

22 Comments