Summer Blogger Challenge: handbag essentials

When it comes down to summer and living in England, there is no proper way to prepare. One minute you can be soaking up the rays and complaining it's too warm, the next you can be sat indoors with the heating on, watching the rain thrash down on the windows, complaining it's too miserably cold (that's just how our logic works). It's hard to remember what essentials you'll need to pack away in your chosen summer handbag, in fact it's hard to figure out whether you'll need to pick up any items at all and just make do with an umbrella but for when the days are hot, everyone needs a check list to tick off what you couldn't be without and this post is all about the things I take with me on a daily basis as the summer months approach.

Being asked to take part in the #summerbloggerchallenge by the lovely Amy was an offer I couldn't refuse. I loved the idea of getting together a new summer related post every week (whether it was raining outside or not) and the first topic of choice 'Summer Bag Essentials' couldn't have come at a better time. I had planned on creating a post based around what I think are handy to rely on when travelling abroad but now I think this post just about covers all categories, and hopefully it will be of help to the rest of you!

THE BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder - £12.00 | L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick by Color Riche - £8.99 | Dr Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Lip Serum - £3.99 | Nivea Pearl & Beauty Mini Deodorant - £1.05 | Ted Baker Butterfly Wings Body Spray 50ml - £2.50

Oil absorbtions: Whether it's powder or blotting strips, I always need something with me when my face becomes sweaty and oily (gross, I know but it happens to everyone, especially in the heat!). Although my oily skin is much more under control now, I still have breakouts of colossal oil, especially around the forehead area. One product I can't get enough of at the moment, is the wonderful, translucent powder that is Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot. One sweep of this across the face erases all shine and leaves skin feeling freshly mattified!

Lip treatment: It's important to look after your lips whatever the weather, but especially in the sun when they can become dry, dehydrated, and prone to burning. I recently purchased Dr Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Lip Serum and am loving the moisture and nourishment it provides! After you have treated your lips to some TLC and they become nice and soft, you can add a splash of summer colour to them, which of course you take with you to top up through the day. The Color Riche Extraordinare Lipstick by L'Oreal is slowly becoming a favourite of mine. It is a high shine lipstick that goes on like a lipgloss without the added stickiness. I have it in the shade Rose Melody 101.

Products to keep you clean and fresh: Deodorants and body sprays are a must in summer! It's something I'll never forget to pop in my bag and they're even better when they're in miniature form. Applying a dab of both products (deodorant first of course) when you're feeling particularly grubby is pretty much life saving. It can keep you feeling refreshed, as well as less paranoid about being overly clammy in public! I can always count on Nivea Pearl and Beauty and Ted Baker's Butterfly Wings Body Spray has been one of my favourite scents for so long now! 

THE HAIR CARE COSMETICS:

Bobby pins - £0.89 (Bodycare) | Bobbles £1 (pack of from Primark) | Pocket mirror - £1 (Primark) | Tangle Teezer - £10.99

A brush, bobby pins and a few hair ties: Keeping it minimal. I go nowhere without my trusty Tangle Teezer, not only does it destroy the nasty knots I get in my hair when it's down, but it's there for whenever I need to tie my hair up in the summer when my thick mane doesn't get along with the stickiness on the back of my neck. This is where the bobby pins and bobbles come into place too, of course. I'd recommend squeezing as many as you can into your handbag because they seem to disappear without no valid reason (I swear they have legs?!)

A compact mirror: There doesn't need to be much explanation for this. The prettier, the better (for me anyway). It helps having two sides to it too, with one being more magnified. Having a mirror with you becomes a necessity, you can use it for tying said hair up, correcting your makeup, and even spying on the person behind you, whether that's for a good reason or a bad (weird person and cute guy at the back of the bus, this is aimed at you!)

THE PROTECTION: 

Sunglasses - £2 (Primark) | Vaseline Aloe Vera Hand and Nail Cream - £1.74

Sunglasses: They're a little miracle aren't they? Once again, they can be used for all reasons (cue being able to stare without being caught) but let's not forget the main reason. When the sun's blaring, sunglasses are the only option to protect and shade, and they can help with us hayfever sufferers too!

UV Protection: I don't regularly carry a sun lotion around with me when it's warm in the UK which is naughty of me, I know, but I'm one for applying it before I go out and then shrugging off the fact it is hot enough to burn (which is always regretted afterwards), and telling myself I'll be in the car more than I will be walking around. As I've grown however, I have learnt the importance of regularly shielding your skin from not only burning which can be intensely painful, but from long term danger too. If a day relaxing outdoors is planned, I'll certainly add an extra bottle of sun cream to my summer bag, but something which is brought out with me often is the Vaseline Healthy Hand and Nail Cream with SPF15, it keeps my hands feeling smooth and maintained and shades the one part of my body which is always on show, at the same time.

HUMAN NEEDS:

Water: Possibly the most important substance of all time. Surprisingly, I never used to drink that much water because I never realised how good it was for you. Now, it's all I drink. It's the one thing I always reach for when it's hot (and mostly the rest of the time, actually), especially icy cold water that clenches your thirst right when you need it (it may be even an beneficial option to freeze water and then take it out with you and sip whilst it melts). Water not only keeps you, your skin and your weight healthy, it is a natural hydration which should always be considered when it's hot and your bodily fluids are swimming out of you.

Entertainment: Whether that be a magazine, a book, music, or all 3! Carrying objects around with you that will prevent you from being bored is a must (trust me, you'd definitely appreciate it when you're stuck in a waiting area or on busy public transport, craving for any kind of entertainment). Plus, there's nothing better than laying out in the sun with a good book, your music blaring through your earphones, browsing through the latest summer styles.

OTHER RANDOM BITS AND BOBS (everyone surely has those in the pit of their bag?) 

Moist handy wipes - £1 (A pack of 4, Bodycare) | Tic Tac's - £1 (Primark)

Wet wipes: You'll never know when you'll spill something down yourself (especially if you're as clumsy as I am), or when you'll need to wipe your hands/arms/legs/anything in view when you're feeling a little grimy, which is why a small packet of handy wipes are always reliable.

Mints: Or chewing gum, whichever you prefer (I often have both). They're just what I carry with me every day. You don't notice how major they are until you run out of them so it's always best to regularly stock up for times of need. In the summer, my mouth tends to be more dry and desires a sweet pick me up!

Plasters: Last but not least, the saviours of all saviours! Feet tend to swell and cling to shoes much frequently in the heat which often results in blisters which can be unbearable. Permanently having plasters with you saves the hassle of nagging and trying to find a shop that sells them, and rescues your poor dying feet (particularly when your chosen shoe for the day/night is anything with a heel on!).

Do you have any other special essentials you carry around with you? Or do you suggest differently to the ones I've listed? I'd be interested to find out and even gain tips/idea from you lovely lot. Keep an eye out for next weeks post. I'm excited to find out the chosen topic and get to work on another post!