Everything I keep in my beauty bag for work
Have you ever asked for Tylenol or hand lotion from a colleague at work? Perhaps you got a blister from those cute new loafers you bought for your birthday. In today’s post, I share what’s in my commuter bag of tricks and the beauty products I can’t leave the house without. From emergencies to nice-to-haves, I break-down a full list of everything in my red, Chanel beauty make-up bag I keep in my work backback.
These products are those I just can’t risk leaving the house without when I’m in the office.
Hand sanitizer:
I found these small, single-use hand sanitizer packets from Purell at an event I attended. They were giving these out in addition to sanitizing stations and I grabbed a handful thinking they’d come in ‘handy’ later. They have proven useful when I don’t have a lot of room. Even though hand sanitizer has become so ubiquitous, these tiny packets fit easily in my pocket on a walk to a lunch meeting or after work drinks. I don’t have to worry about making room in my purse or jacket. Due to it’s convenient size, I can easily bring this anywhere with me!
Hand cream:
I love this travel-sized version from Aesop. This lucious hand cream is from one of their travel-friendly kits. I enjoy the natural scent. It has both woody and citrus notes without being overpowering. If it I were to put this on at my desk or in the middle of a meeting, I wouldn’t irritate anyone. The tube size is fantastic and I enjoy the overall aesthetic of Aesop products.
Blister bandages:
No matter what shoes I wear, if they’re new, I’m going to get a blister. I am that person that usually tests out new shoes walking around in my apartment but when I’m in a pinch, these BandAids are a life saver. I can’t tell you how many times I have also shared these with colleagues–especially during all-day conferences. When I previously worked at an art museum, a colleague shared her trick to staying blister-free–she would switch out her shoes half-way through the work day. But for those of us who wear heels or if you’re trying out a new pair of shoes in the office, these are a must-have!
Tampons:
I always make sure to have at least one or two extra tampons on-hand for emergencies. So many offices now provide pads and tampons for their employees but you can never be too safe. I found this compact, organic cotton version from Target.
Tylenol:
The adjustment going back into the office has been real y’all. Admittedly, I’m still trying to figure out my new schedule between the office and home. The ever-changing schedule, workspace and now added changing of seasons, I am bound to get a headache. I always keep Tylenol in my bag for minor aches and pains but I find them really effective for headaches. I found this travel-sized bottle at Target in the travel aisle and just keep refilling it from my regular bottle at home.
Eyecare:
As a contact wearer who is on the computer all day, I have to have rewetting drops with me at all times. These have come in handy more than ever now that wearing glasses with a mask is nearly impossible. I use rewetting drops to help rewet my contacts after staring a computer screen without blinking enough. My contacts are toric which means they are weighted and need to sit on my eye in a certain position for me to focus. Throughout the day as I get tired or don’t blink enough, the contacts actually rotate and slowly my vision becomes blurry. The rewetting solution helps keep them in place and also feels more comfortable on the eye.
I also keep a contact lens case with me just in case something happens and I need to remove my contacts. This way I have a place to store them or keep them without losing them. I don’t wear dailies so I don’t want to mess them up if I can help it.
Sunscreen:
This is a product I literally carry with me everywhere. I have a tube in my purse and my commuter bag. I even have a tube next to my computer at my desk. This is the stuff I literally buy in bulk. I alternate between different brands and formulations but I do my best to stick to SPF 50. My sister introduced me to this Japanese Biore sunscreen years ago. It has a lightweight, gel texture that’s refreshing. I stick to gel-based sunscreens in the summer. Once I finish this tube, I’ll open a different sunscreen with a heavier, cream-based texture for the cooler months.
Even though I now commute to the office in my car, I find that I tend to get sunspots or pigmentation on the left side of my face from sun exposure. I do my best to reapply my sunscreen throughout the day–even when I’m working indoors. The FDA recommends that sunscreen be reapplied every two hours.1
Lip care:
In both my commuter bag and my everyday purse, I always have an assortment of lip products. I typically have a lipstick or lip gloss along with a chapstick. As you can see, my commuter bag follows this same pattern. I have an Hermès lip care balm or chapstick. This is my current favorite, a luxurious gift from my mom. Like all of their lipsticks, enhancers, and balm, they are refillable. You can purchase refills separately. When I get through this stick I will definitely be repurchasing a refill.
I also have a lipgloss from Fenty Beauty in the color, Sweetmouth. This actually surprised me. Since wearing masks regularly, I have steered away from using lipgloss for obvious reasons. However, this Fenty Beauty gloss has a more balm-like texture. This isn’t the type of gloss that slips and moves around on your lips, nor is it overly sticky. The color is very light and pairs nicely with any lipstick or pencil. Honestly, Rihanna can do no wrong. I purchased this mini version of her Gloss Bomb in a holiday set from Sephora. They release new sets every year which I think is a great way to try new colors.
Face wipes:
If you read my post on “maskne” you know I recently added these to my routine to prevent breakouts from extended mask-wearing. Since my facialist recommended these to me, I have seen such an improvement in my skin–especially around my chin. At home I use water wipes if I don’t have time to properly wash my face after wearing a mask. But if I’m in the office, I don’t want to lug-around an entire wipe packet with me. These individually wrapped wipes from Ursa Major are so convenient and easy to keep in my bag or at my desk.
Mints:
As someone with chronic TMJ, I don’t chew gum but these Altoids have saved me numerous times. Even though most of my job is remote, there was a time when I would frequently travel to the Hill for meetings. Coffee breath is the worst when meeting folks and now that we’re all wearing masks without an opportunity to brush our teeth after meals, mints are a must have. I love how compact this Altoids tin is and the mints definitely pack-a-punch! I swear I see these mints at every grocery store in the check-out line. I have even seen some Trader Joe’s versions in multiple flavors.
Eyebrow spooly:
Since we are all wearing masks in the office, I have noticed there is an even greater emphasis on eyes and eyebrows. I suddenly became hyper-aware of my own eyebrows. Over the summer I got my eyebrows laminated for the first time and absolutely fell in love with the style. I now take my mini eyebrow spooly with me everywhere. I have one in my makeup back at home and a few others for various bags I keep in my commuter bag and purses. My brows are now well manicured and these spoolies ensure that I don’t have a brow hair out of place!
What do you carry to and from work in your commuter beauty bag? Did any of my must-have beauty items make your bag? Have you ever helped a coworker out with items from your bag? Share your stories down below and let me know if I missed anything you can’t live without.