Beauty to-go

As our diaries start to fill up, beauty products that travel well are becoming a key part of our stash. Easy-use formulas, quick mani essentials and mighty minis are being thrown into our handbag with as much purpose as our purse and keys. After all, who knows when an impromptu date night/walk in the park/lunch out might crop up! We’ve compiled our “can’t live without” handbag essentials to help you stay prepared on the go.

Perfectly petite 

If you thought we were obsessed with full-sized beauty, wait ’til we get started on our minis obsession. What’s not to love about your favourite formulas, but smaller? Travel-sized products are perfect for your holiday stash, and for keeping in your handbag, your desk, your car, your other handbag… the list goes on.

Benefit has a great range of travel-sized beauty. The Date Night Ready Collection features miniature Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain, Badgal Bang! Volumising Mascara and Gimme Brow+, making it the ideal kit for giving your look some va-va-voom ahead of after-work plans. With pretty Posietint Lip & Cheek Stain and Sugarbomb, plus Gimme Brow+ and 24-Hour Brow Setter, we love the Bite Sized Beauty Kit for a quick freshen up during the day or doing your make-up on the commute. These sets will change up your make-up look in an instant with no mess, fuss or bulky products.

You’ll always find a miniature of Tartes’s Shape Tape Stay Spray in our bags. Not only does it work to keep your make-up in place, it’s fantastic for reviving tired faces. Last-minute plans popped up and you’re feeling a bit lack-lustre? Just spritz and enjoy a complexion that feels revitalised.

We’ve been there. You need to change your mood from work-place boss to cocktail queen in a flash. Try changing your perfume. Shay & Blue’s beautiful scents come in handy travel sizes. Tallulah’s Camelia Eau De Parfum is a lovely everyday scent, light and fragrantly floral, while the four-piece Spring Fragrance collection also features decadent Atropa Belladonna, fresh Dandelion Fig and elegant Amber Rose. Keep them all in your bag for a quick scent switch-up to suit the occasion.

Nailed it

Nailcare may not be top of your list for on-the-go beauty, but it should be! Start with a moisturising hand cream, like Shay & Blue’s Rich Almond Hand Creme in English Cherry Blossom. Things like cold air and hand sanitiser can leave your mitts feeling dry and your skin looking dull. Keep a hand cream in your bag and massage in a dollop as needed for hands that feel silky smooth all day.

As for your manicure, Nails Inc has you covered in a hurry. Porchester Square is a classic suits-all neutral shade, and when paired with Kensington 45 Second Top Coat with Retinol, you can have a perfected nail look ready to go in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Need to rid your nails of chipped polish before a big event? The Coconut Collection features the quick-use Powered by Collagen Nail Polish Rapid Remover Pot for hassle-free bare nails, as well as two beautiful shades Caught in the Nude Nail Polish if a new nail look is on the cards. Finish with a spritz of Hand Sanitiser Spray, and you’re good to go.

Best of big beauty

Just because a product is full size, doesn’t mean it’s not a handbag essential. We always keep a mascara in our bag, like Doll 10’s Lash Remedy Transforming Peptide Mascara. Even on no make-up days, a slick of mascara can instantly make you feel more dressed-up if needed.

A creamy, tinted lip balm is also a must in our stash. Our favourite is Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea Quench Lip Rescue. The formula feels amazing on the lips, while the colour is strong enough to give your look a lift while still being super-easy to apply – even without a mirror.

A powder is a fantastic product to keep in your bag. Formulas like IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Poreless Powder help to combat shine and work to make your make-up last longer, so you’ll need less top-ups during the day. This one even comes with a brush. Result!

We might forget our phones, keys and purse every day, but at least we’ll all be well equipped in the beauty department. You can discover the rest of our fabulous range here.