Thursday 20 March 2014

What's in my travel handbag

After spending a few days of quality time with my family it's time again to pack my bags and travel back to the UK, and I return with a suitcase stuffed with beauty goodies that I simply had to pick up as part of my pre-flight relaxation exercises to calm my nerves. Even though it's a fairly short flight of just a few hrs I need to keep my mind busy when I fly, which means that I always carry a lot of stuff around me when I travel, so I need to dig out the most spacious bag I can find hidden deep in the tardis that is my wardrobe, and at the moment that's my 3.1 Phillip Lim handbag for Target. It's a battleship grey leather imitation version of the pashli bag with gold hardware and it has 4 pockets which is really useful to keep all your travel stuff safe and I have a lot of it... First we have the essentials like passport, keys and purse but then there's also my kindle in case the entertainment system doesn't work, my diary and a pen since I'm a scribbler making notes and lists all the time of things I need to do, plans for the blog etc and of course my phone.
On top of that I also have a mini beauty kit that I carry on board so that I can freshen up during the flight and when we land without having to rummage through my suitcase to get what I need. My in-flight "survival kit" pretty much looks the same wherever I go - starting with the lovely travel sized Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream in Pink Grapefruit (£5.70) which I've mentioned previously in my post about hand creams (see here). Having clean and fresh hands always makes me feel refreshed and energised and this cream is so light, fresh and pampering to use and it has a wonderful and delicate scent of mint and citrus fruits. I also always travel with at least one Bath & Body Works Anti Bacterial Gel Pocket (£2.10) and applying a little bit of the gels really enhance that fresh and protected feeling. Another must have handbag item, but which is extra great for traveling is the fabulous Caudalie Beauty Elixir (£10.95). It's an excellent quick fix to add some moisture to your skin during a flight even if it's not long haul, and to add some radiance when you land so you don't look shattered. The distinct herbal and aromatic scent of rosemary, and mint works so well to boost your mood and it may be a completely indulgent princess product, but it does actually work. I also make sure that I have a lip balm with me, and at the moment I'm trying to finish the Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm (£3.70). It's rich in softening and nourishing ingredients like lanolin, beeswax and natural oils and when my lips need something a little bit more rich to prevent dehydration, then this is a great natural product and a good primer for lipsticks.
When it comes to makeup I usually travel wearing as little as possible on my skin, and to freshen up as you land I tend to only use the bare essentials like a good concealer, and among the more affordable options one of the best products is the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (£5.49). It's a lightweight formula with just enough coverage to hide any dark circles or irritated skin after the flight, without making the skin feel heavy and tired. To blot any shininess I also have some transparent matte powder to hand, and the gorgeous luxurious Estée Lauder Scorpio Zodiac Powder Compact (£38.50) is the just perfect size to carry with you and it also comes with a tiny sponge applicator so no need to bring any big powder brushes since it does the job for a quick touch up on the go. I also have with me a mascara so that I don't scare people with my very blonde lashes and the YSL Babydoll Mascara (£24.50) gives a volumised effect as well as long luscious lashes with just a thin coat of mascara, perfect for a wide eyed and refreshed natural look when you step of the plane. I also always have some form of lip product with me and since I'm going pretty much au naturel, the L'Oréal Color Riche Collection Privée lipsticks (£8.19) in Julianne Moore gives just the right amount of peachy pink hint of color without looking overdone. To finish off I'll spritz some perfume on, and since I'm a nervous traveler I like to surround myself with harmonious scents that are calming and soothing, so I tend to use old, tested and loved favorites and this time I brought with me the Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne (£39)which is an amazing light and fruity feel good scent without being sickly sweet.

Despite carrying almost everything but the kitchen sink with me, the best thing is that there's still space left in the bag for any unexpected duty free items that might come my way. What do you have in your travel handbag?

42 comments:

  1. The Estée Lauder powder and Jo Malone look lovely Lucy x

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    1. There's nothing like Jo Malone for some everyday luxury :o). Xx

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  2. very nice pic slike it
    xx

    http://thedesire.es
    http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/10612739

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  3. Lovely stuff you got in the pretty bag. Loved reading the post.
    http://beautyndbest.com/

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    1. Oh I'm glad you liked it - thank you so much :o). Xx

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  4. Looks amazing!

    I’m waiting for your opinion on my latest post!
    BABYWHATSUP.COM

    Facebook | Instagram | Bloglovin |
    Win a trip in Genoa

    Kisses, Alice.

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  5. Love the post! I have basically the exact same stuff in my handbag except mines is a bit more cluttered! Got the exact same Swarovski pen too : )

    xoxo

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    1. The Swarowski pens are soo pretty, would love to have one in every color :o). Xx

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  6. This post is very useful, because I'm a travel agent and I know the problems jajajjajaja
    Great tips babe.
    Kisses
    The Indian Savage diary

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    1. :o) - lucky you, I hope you get great discounts :o). Xx

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  7. Such a pretty bag with a lot of awesome goodies :) xx
    www.ambifashion.com

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    1. And there's space for LOTS of things :o). Xx

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  8. The Caudalie Beauty Elixir is it!

    http://www.cindyslittleblackbook.com

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  9. Ohhh, the mini Jo Malone cologne is amazing, I love the brand but their huge bottles are not really travel-friendly! Nice post, I know almost every product and I use most of them!

    Arianna, Nymphashion ♡

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    1. I love the testers that you get, they're perfect for traveling :o). Xx

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  10. These products look great! Glad to know you had a nice time with your family :)

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    1. I did thank you, it's always so nice to see them and sad to go back to the UK to my other home :o/ Xx

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  11. Replies
    1. Thank you so much, I wanted to go with a color I didn't have and grey seemed really versatile :o). Xx

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  12. Great post..loving your bag! Thank you for stopping by!

    Come back soon to visit me on The Notebook of a Fashion Lover

    Evi xoxo

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  13. Love your bag xx

    pearlsandsparkle.blogspot.com

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    1. I'm so glad I got it, it's perfect for traveling :o). Xx

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  14. Thanks a million, and thank you for visiting :o). Xx

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  15. Thanks a million Laura :o). xx

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  16. Such a great post, you have some stellar products and so well organized! Thanks for your kind and thoughtful visit! Happy Friday!

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    1. Thank you so much for the lovely comment - have a great weekend :o). Xx

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  17. great post! I love that sparkly pen that you have in there. Well, I love these kind of posts, they givve me an idea about what all I should have with me while travelling!

    Relationships.College.Love

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    1. Thanks a million Selina - have a great day :o). Xx

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  18. I used Caudalie beauty elixr on my long haul flight last year and it was so refreshing - I must buy some more before my trip next month.

    Victoria
    FlorenceandMary.com

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    1. It's so great to have in the bag, even Him Indoors likes to use it :o). Xx

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  19. Such a lovely post Charlotte! Definitely agree with all your choices here, they are definitely a staple in my travel bag! In saying that I carry so much more rubbish its unbelievable haha I'm a nightmare!
    Hope you had a lovely time away!

    Rachael x
    All The Little Things x | Rachael McClenaghan

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    1. I'm glad I*m not the only one carrying almost everything around :o). Xx

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  20. so cute! great items for your travel bag

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    1. Thanks a million and still there's plenty of room for more in the bag :O). Xx

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