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Inside My Bag

What's In My Bag

Inside My Bag

November 29, 2014

Inside my Prada Saffiano tote (similar color here, similar style here):

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustres in Seduction and Sweet Stiletto (reviewed here)
Frederic Malle Travel Spray in Carnal Flower
Canon G16 Camera
Key ring and small wallet by Louis Vuitton

I’m a huge fan of the pouches and clutches by Truffle.
I have multiples now in different colors and styles and love how they really help keep
things streamlined and organized in my purses. They just released a few additions in Nude, Black and Rose Gold. They are a bit of a
splurge, but I feel they are well worth the price because they are well-made and very sturdy. Right now Truffle is offering 25% off your entire
purchase with code HOLIDAY25 at checkout (it ends on Monday December 1st).

The Privacy Clutches are also good for on-the-go. If you don’t want to lug around your purse and just want to carry the essentials, it will fit quite a bit but still keep everything streamlined (see what I fit in the Blush version back in August).

Sometimes I’ll carry multiples in my purses that don’t have compartments. They are pretty good at staying flat and keeping their shape so it keeps everything streamlined.

P.S. If you’re like me and have been eyeing Charlotte Tilbury items you might want to look into the holiday offer at Beautylish. They are offering a $20 gift card for every $100 you spend (also ends on Monday).

What’s in your bag right now? How do you keep your bag organized or streamlined. I usually tend to throw things in each day of the week so by the weekend it gets heavy and messy. Compartments help keep me organized but not all of my bags have separators.
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and that you are enjoying the weekend! I spent the last 3 days sick in bed with a bad cold, but my fever broke and I am starting to feel more like myself this afternoon.

The Black Privacy Clutch was gifted by Truffle without charge, all other items purchased by me.
What's In My Bag

Inside My Bag: MAC Clear Bag Set

October 26, 2014

I’ve received lots of requests about clear makeup bags ever since I featured a clear Bobbi Brown cosmetic bag in a few of my inside my bag posts. Unfortunately it was a gift with purchase a few years ago and was never released for purchase which is too bad because it was well made and compact enough to fit into most of my smaller purses. I’ve been on the hunt for something similar but haven’t found anything quite like it. The Truffle Clarity Clutches are a favorite for their sleek look, high quality material and functional design but some have asked for other recommendations. I spotted these new MAC Clear Bag Sets ($25) and immediately went to my MAC counter to investigate. Size dimensions weren’t disclosed online so I wasn’t sure how small or large these were.

The MAC Clear Bag Set ($25) is a set of two sealable rectangular pouches. One side of each pouch is clear with a black back. They are sleek and compact and the set comes with two different sizes. The zipper glides nicely in a plastic format. Below shows what I was able to fit into each:

The Large Pouch measures approximately 9.4 inches by 5.75 inches. It fits quite a bit inside. I like my flat makeup bags to remain relatively flat so I didn’t pack it full. I was able to get the following inside the pouch:

The Small Pouch measures approximately 9.4 inches by 3.1 inches, this one is ideal for smaller sized items like small brushes, pencils, skinny objects or minis. What I was able to fit into the smaller clear front pouch:

Revlon Tweezers

They are both fairly compact in size. The flat design makes them fit easily into your purse and keep everything compact. The material is just ok. It’s nicely made but not the best quality. It’s not as good as the material used on my Bobbi Brown case or Truffle Pouch. The design of the MAC Clear Bag Set is basic and simple with a no-fuss look, but it lacks a hard backing and the trim is very minimal around the edges which makes it easy to bend. I had one corner folded (accidentally) after putting it inside my purse. It didn’t crease completely, but it did get mashed up a bit. The bag isn’t ruined and it will probably go back to its original shape if I lay it flat for a short while. I find these functional but in the past I have had issues with other brands of pouches and bags that have the plastic zipper seal – I’ve found they aren’t always the sturdiest and often become misaligned and the pouches stop sealing all together. Only time will tell with these, but so far they do seem to be pretty well made.

I’ve used these for a couple of weeks and they have held up pretty well although they aren’t the sturdiest makeup bags I’ve tried so I don’t know how long they will hold up. I like that the design is simple and sleek. They keep everything compact and having one clear side is nice so you don’t have to go digging through your makeup bag to find things. The simplicity in the design has a slight downside in the sense the trim is almost non-exisiting so it is very easy to bend. With thinner plastic material I do sometimes worry about it stretching if things don’t stay flat inside making the shape distorted.
Overall I think they are nice. I wouldn’t call them must-haves simply because I would have preferred something with a sturdier design. Still, they are functional and I find the price is reasonable for a set of two pouches. These would certainly be a good storage option for brushes if you are looking for something to store them on-the-go.
I purchased the MAC Clear Bag Set for $25 from Nordstrom. It’s also available at Macy’s and Maccosmetics.com. Do you have a favorite clear makeup bag?

What's In My Bag

Inside My Bag

September 30, 2014

Inside my Prada Saffiano (in camel) bag this week:

NARS Lipgloss in Ophelia (swatches here)
Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss in Liar (swatches soon)
Guerlain Maxi Lash Waterproof Mascara (review here)
Chanel Les Beiges 20 (swatches)
Revlon Marchesa Tweezers
Louis Vuitton Empriente Wallet
Dior Rouge Baume in Milly (review soon)
Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black mini (review)
Smythson Notebook

What’s in your handbag right now?

What's In My Bag

Inside My Makeup Bag

June 26, 2014

Here is a peek at what I’ve had inside my makeup bag this week. The clear makeup bag is from Bobbi Brown which I found as a gift with purchase several years ago during a Neiman Marcus beauty event (for those looking for a clear makeup bag, a few other alternatives from MAC, Make Up For Ever, Sephora, Lulu).
  1. Chanel Les Beiges No. 20 for mid-day touch ups
  2. MAC Sharon Osbourne Refresh Mineralize Skinfinish Duo (still available at Macy’s)
  3. Chanel Hydra Beauty Lip Balm (new for me, review soon)
  4. Jo Malone Grapefruit Cologne (mini from a gift with purchase)
  5. By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock which I works alone on the lids, it’s a medium pink shade with plum shimmer, I swipe directly from tube onto lids and then blend with the fingers
  6. Tom Ford Paradiso Lip Color Sheer (sold out most places, but still on tomford.com)
  7. Burberry Lip Glow Balm in Pink Peony
  8. MAC Brush #168SH (mini size discontinued)
  9. Marc Jacobs Overprotected Lust for Lacquer (love the tingle)
  10. YSL Kiss and Blush #3 Rose Libre still testing these out and figuring out to use these, I like them on the cheeks, for the lips, I’m still undecided
  11. Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm is a staple, love the clear finish, decent price and the unique scent of this one (see Malin + Goetz Los Angeles store feature here)
  12. Guerlain Maxi Lash Waterproof Mascara I rarely touch up with mascara in the middle of the day, but I sometimes carry one with me because in the mornings I typically am running out the door and have missed a few makeup steps before I leave the house, mascara and lips are usually the last two items I apply
  13. Diptyque Geranium Odorata is such a pretty soft floral, the roller ball tip makes it easy to apply quickly, I keep it in the velvet pouch it comes with (not shown above)
  14. NARS Andromeda Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow accidentally made it into the makeup bag this week, but I’m not complaining
To see the full contents of what has been in my bag most of this week, check out the post on Styled Notes. Hope you have a great Thursday! 
What's In My Bag

Inside My Makeup Bag

May 16, 2014

TGIF everyone! I hope you had a good week and have some down time to relax this weekend. I’m looking forward to meeting up with a few friends, a trip to Barneys and plan on taking lots of photos for upcoming reviews.

Inside my makeup bag this week (way too many lip products stuffed in here):

  1. Tory Burch Watercolor Botanical cosmetic bag (smaller sizes here and here)
  2. Chanel Le Volume de Chanel mini
  3. Diptyque 34 L’Eau du Trent-Quatre Eau de Toilette mini (full size here), seriously considering the full size but I already have 3 other perfumes on my wish list
  4. Guerlain Healthy Glow Terracotta Bronzer (discontinued from holiday, review here)
  5. NARS Mini Blush Brush (from a GWP many years ago)
  6. Chanel Les Beiges No 2 in the darker shade for summer (review soon, original ones in 20, 30 and 40 here)
  7. NARS Angelika Lipgloss is a gorgeous pink color (P.S. Sephora has a super cute 100 beauty insider reward option of a mini NARS lipgloss, it was completely gone from all the stores near me but you can still find it online while it lasts)
  8. Aerin Rose Lip Balm in Pretty, a classic staple nude pink (review and swatches)
  9. MAC Viva Glam VI lipstick, my favorite darker rose brown color (wish they made this in lipglass form too, more VG swatches here)
  10. Caudalie Lip Conditioner from the Favorites Set (feature here)
  11. Edward Bess Defining Eyeliner in Deep Brown, my absolute favorite basic brown eyeliner staple (see my eye essentials here)
  12. Dior Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown, this is one of three brow pencils I’ve been testing out, the super fine tip makes application easy and I like the packaging which is super convenient and easy to use
  13. YSL Kiss and Blush in 2 Rose Frivole, will be testing this more extensively this weekend for a review next week
  14. Edward Bess Deep Shine Lipgloss in Stolen Kiss (on sale right now until stock runs out at Sephora.com)
  15. NARS 413 Blkr Illuminator is a lovely champagne highlighter that’s exclusive to NARS and NARS Boutiques (review here)
  16. Dior mini brush from one of the highlighter sets
  17. NARS Bronzer Brush in the old version, have any of you tried the New Version yet?
  18. Caudalie Hand Cream from the Favorites Set (review here)
  19. Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Tiny Pink 269 (lip swatched here)
  20. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy my no-brainer swipe and go lipstick
  21. Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Canvas (review here)
I need to start using smaller makeup bags so I don’t end up carrying around so much stuff. Things tend to pile up each day. What’s been in your makeup bag this past week?

What's In My Bag

Inside My Makeup Bag

April 1, 2014

Happy April! Today’s accessories and inside my bag/makeup bag: a couple April issues of Allure and Harper’s Bazaar, Smythson Notebook, Moleskin Small Notebook, Oribe Cote d’Azure Hair Refresher (mini), Caudalie Divine Oil (mini), Nude Pink Sunglasses.

  1. Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm – my go-to lip balm of the week
  2. Tom Ford Spring Fling Lip Sheer (sold out online, check your stores if you are interested in this color as soon as you can if you want to locate, swatches here and here)
  3. Chanel Twinkle Glossimer – a classic golden peach shimmer
  4. NARS Bimini Larger Than Life Lip Gloss (swatches here)
  5. Armani Gloss d’Armani Pink 502 (discontinued, swatched here)
  6. MAC Viva Glam IV Lipstick – classic deep rose shimmer
  7. L’Artisan La Chasse Aux Papillons (mini from a holiday trio, full size here)
  8. NARS Descanso Satin Lip Pencil (swatched here)
  9. Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream (on sale at Sephora in a Divine Oil/Hand Cream Duo)
  10. Dolce & Gabbana Warm 100 Powder Foundation (review here)
  11. Caudalie Divine Oil (mini size or on sale in a Sephora Duo)
  12. Caudalie Beauty Elixir (from the Favorites Set)
  13. Chanel Emotion Blush (review here)
  14. Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Abandon – gives the perfect peach nude shine
What’s in your makeup bag this week?

What's In My Bag

Travel Makeup | January-February Edition

February 1, 2014

I’ve been traveling this past week in San Francisco. This particular post is inspired by an interesting conversation I had with someone this week on what beauty items to bring when traveling. We both talked about how we were really sad we couldn’t bring any hair aerosol products with us. I personally was dying that I had to leave my Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray at home this past week. Not to mention pretty much all of my hair care and most of by body care products. (I brought several mini sample packets of Oribe and Diptyque to test.) This is what I brought with me during my 4.5 day trip (excluding a Dolce & Gabbana Powder foundation and my Moroccanoil mini, not photographed):

The items I brought with me included:

  1. Tom Ford Brush Holder (from several holidays ago)
  2. Chanel Eyelash Curler
  3. MAC Tapered Face Brush #138 for blush and contouring
  4. Chanel Powder Brush #1 my favorite all over fluffy brush
  5. MAC Eyeshadow Brush #239 has super soft white hair and has the best shape for multiple uses
  6. Tom Ford Brushes #12 Eyeshadow Blend and #13 Eyeshadow Contour (review here)
  7. Giorgio Armani Lacquer Pink #502
  8. MAC Huggable Lipstick in Out for Passion (review here)
  9. Tom Ford Flush Blush (looks pink in the picture because of bathroom lighting + flash, it’s really a straight peach)
  10. MAC Magnetic Nude Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Fairly Precious (review here, it’s official this one needs a backup to the backup)
  11. Edward Bess Daydream Bronzer (original version I stocked up on, new one is just as good but I love the round packaging)
  12. Bobbi Brown Pink Apricot Shimmer Lipstick (review here)
  13. Armani Eyes to Kill Stretch (my it-mascara of the moment that thickens, defines and holds the curls, without it, I look lash-less)
  14. Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base in Suede (review here)
  15. MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass a classic neutral no-fuss pink
  16. Various mini sample items from Chanel and Tom Ford Oud Wood (review here)
  17. NARS Palette #9944 (old palette with Bellisima, All About Eve, Kalahari and Bali)
  18. Ole Henricksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser from The Works Set I’m in love with this stuff
  19. Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner sample, new to this brand as well, thanks to my friend LJ for pointing this out, I’m a new believer
  20. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland
  21. Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation Beige Illuminator (review to be posted soon)
I carried everything in either a quart sized bag or a flat black leather pouch from Rebecca Minkoff. For me this was light packing. I usually tend to bring a lot more items. Stay tuned for posting to resume this week.

Update – A few of my readers asked for an update on what I used/didn’t use and what I wish I brought. I ended up using everything I brought with me on this trip. Aside from liquids I couldn’t bring, if I had to do it over, I would have brought a couple more dark shadows or a dark smudgy cream shadow stick.

What beauty, skincare and body products do you usually carry for a week trip?