My Current Handbag Essentials

Firstly AHH! I would like to sit and cry because I wrote a blog post and then the computer froze. *sigh* so here we go again!

I emptied my bag this morning, because I was sick of having to excavate it just to try and find my purse, or even worse, my house keys. I cleaned out and restocked my handbag make-up bag. So I thought I'd share my current handbag essentials (ruling out purses, phones and such). So here we go, in my hand bag this time I have:

• Hand cream - I have really dry hands, to the point where I can feel them cracking. It seems to last me September to February and I have to be so careful when I clean etc. So when I go out hand cream is my number one must have. I am currently using Garnier Intensive 7 days in 'soothing'.

• Lip balm - Always comes in handy, I'm using Nivea lip cream in Raspberry. It comes in a small round tin like Vaseline. It's pretty effective and smells AMAZING. I could eat  it's just that good.

• Eye liner - I wear eye liner most days so it makes sense to carry a spare with me. usually I put an old liner in my bag when I replace it. Still works but I get impatient and want to use new things so the old usually end up as hand-bag cast offs. Currently in my bag is Collection 2000 Extreme liquid liner in black. I avoid pencil liners on the go because they tend to break and I really can't be bothered to sharpen them in pubs or on the train! (I'd get some weird looks too).

• Concealer: Yay concealer, covering up mishaps and spots that don't want to stay hidden under foundation. Also great if you leave the house without make-up and realise you have dark circles etc. Currently I have Collection 2000 again. It's in stick form and is in a really pale shade, tempted to say 'biscuit' but the shade label has been abused and I can't tell what it says.

• Lip Stick: Sometimes this appears, but only if I go out wearing it. I tend to put it in my bag and forget about it, like I have this time. I found in my bad a Maybelline New York lipstick, in shade 630 'Velvet Beige'. I don't think I've seen this in months. Doh.

• Mascara - Why? Because I just do. Everyone seems to have one in their bag but I don't use mascara much so I have an NYC city curls mascara that just seems to never get used, waiting at the bottom of my bag for it's moment to shine.

• Nail File: I got some mini nail files in a Glossy Box a few months ago and they're prefect for just getting rid of sharp bits on nails. I tend to get these when I have tights on, or wool clothes, and then I catch them and ruin my tights (this really gets on my nerves, I seem to get through so many pairs of black tights).

•  Body Spray: Just in case, it always makes me feel a little fresher after a long journey. Currently I am using 'So Sinful' by Impulse you can find it in Superdrug, Boots and places like Asda or Tesco, it's pretty common but I love the smell. I first discovered it when I got a spray and perfume box set one Christmas and I've been hooked on it since.

• Perfume Samples: Providing the bottle is right and has a secure lid I sometimes carry a sample of perfume. I have one from Glossy Box in my bag at the moment 'Connock London'. I only carry these if I have a sample lying around. Usually body spray will suffice!

• Gum: Making train journeys seem less boring.

• Compact Mirror: Because when applying make-up going by your reflection on your phone screen should only be done if you are completely sure you know what you're doing. ;-)

• Hair Brush: If you have long hair the wind is a pain, moving your head is a pain. Hair just gets so tangled. I have a small round compact brush I think I got from Boots years ago. It's purple and black and has a small mirror on it too.

So there you have it, my current Handbag Beauty Essentials! Yay! :-)

I would love to hear what you carry around with you at all times? Are there some things you've found in your bag and 'rediscovered' like my poor Maybelline lipstick?

LUSH bubble bar - The Pumpkin

Firstly I would just like to point out that I was a complete banana when it came to this bubble bar. For reasons I will follow up below.

Possibly one of the cutest bubble bars in existence. He will turn your water very orange! I've had a friend complain that he stained her bath but I can safely say my bath cleaned out absolutely fine, no trace of pumpkin at all... so I think if you're unsure just make sure you give the bath a rinse out when you're done.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384"] LUSH Pumpkin Bubble Bar <3[/caption]

If you click on the image it will take you to LUSH where you can buy him online, but I believe he is seasonal so I don't know how long he will stick around!

I split him into three (I was aiming for four but I managed to knock one bit of him in the bath just after I'd dropped in the first part. You crumble it under running water, although if you've left it too later crumbling under the water and waving your hands will produce a ton of bubbles too, I would avoid using the whole pumpkin because you will end up with more bubbles than water, although this is really fun... not that I did this the first time I purchased this gem at all *looks shifty*.

His leaf didn't dissolve, nor did his stalk. I picked him up from the LUSH store in Lincoln and I noticed some of the pumpkins on their display didn't have stalks or leaves, so I presume it's a bit hit or miss. The stalk didn't dissolve and I presumed it wouldn't be rubber, so I bit it. Don't ask me why, my brain said BITE IT, and I did only to find out it is indeed licorice and I really don't like licorice. The leaf I just let float in the bath, it looked a bit bedraggled when I had finished but in the end I binned it because I was confused.

Here comes the banana part. On the internet LUSH states that it has a licorice stalk and a fondant leaf. I am such a dope I swear I do read things sometimes. To make it worse, it also says there are dairy free chocolate drops, even more doh. They were the eyes! My head was torn between not getting to eat them, and realisation as to why they looked weird in the bath. I'd like to say I wouldn't have eaten them because they were on a bubble bar but considering I bit the stalk I don't even know who I am any more.

Apparently according to LUSH: ''Pumpkin shares the comforting and Autumnal fragrance of our Figs and Leaves soap...'' I have never tried the figs and leaves soap, in all honesty because I really don't like figs, but perhaps you have? I might actually try some of the soap because I really loved the smell of the Pumpkin bubble bar, it just smelt of Autumn; quite a sweet and subtle fruity scent.

Sadly they give him eyes, and there is nothing worse than having to put his face in the bath and watch his eyes bobbing about as they slowly melt. Poor pumpkin.

Review: Collection 2000 Extreme eyliner

This little bundle of inky joy is £2.99 from Boots and Superdrug. I have the liner in black and purple, but I've only used the purple one a couple of times as it's not really an everyday thing for me; although the black one is used for my everyday make-up and has lasted really well so far.

It's really easy to apply, a lot less hassle than pencil liner in my opinion. I've been using it daily since September, so I'd say it's long lasting and really good value too. I wish it came with a wider range of colours to choose from, but sadly it doesn't. Currently you can get it in Purple, black, teal  and blue. The black and purple are quite dark and bold, but I really didn't like the thought of teal or blue because blue doesn't really suit me, so I avoided buying them.

The barrel is slightly thicker than your average pencil liner, but still pretty slim. The felt tip nib is what I love most, it just makes application so much easier. Unfortunately it's not waterproof, although if you cry just don't rub your eyes. Once wet If you can resist touching it I've found it usually re-dries and doesn't look smudged. It does dry really fast, and once it is dry it doesn't smudge easily, but sadly it's poison seems to be water, and it doesn't take much water to smudge either.

I'm in two minds about the eye liner, I do love the colour, application and it's durability, but I think I'm definitely a  person that needs a waterproof liner, and sadly this just isn't it. I try not to renew things unless they're almost out because I'm terrible for neglecting old and almost empty things. So I'm going to ride this one out until it runs out.