Five useful things to have in your make-up bag (that aren’t make-up)

By Hannah Hillyer
22nd May 2019

Five useful things to have in your make-up bag (that aren’t make-up)

I am often dubbed the ‘Mary Poppins’ of my friend group, always the one to carry deodorant, spare hair clips, plasters — and that’s just what’s in my handbag. When it comes to my make-up bag, there are a few essentials I can’t leave home without, and surprisingly, they’re not lipstick and mascara. Have a look below for what to carry around that will rescue you from even the worst make-up emergency.

Tiny Wipes

Boots Refreshing Handy Wipes 12’s; €1.29 at boots.ie

Although we do not advocate taking off make-up with wipes — absolutely sacrilegious, unless you’re at a festival — they are handy to have with you for doing make-up on the move. You may decide that you’re not feeling a red lip after having it on all day, or even reapplying your make-up on the train/bus can result in spillages or make-up on your hands. Keep a mini pack of these with you for any foundation fingerprint crises.

Cotton buds

Thin Cotton Buds x 200; €4.95 at muji.eu

If you’re a liquid eyeliner lover, or find mascara transfers easily on your lids, cotton buds are essential to have to hand. Rather than rubbing smudged mascara with your foundation brush (which can often just make it worse) wipe away with a dry cotton bud. The mascara will come off easily without leaving a black shadow behind. If you opt for the pointy cotton buds from Muji, they are great for sharpening up the edges of eyeliner after it’s been on all day but needs to stay put until evening.

Hand sanitiser

Cuticura Original Anti Bacterial Hand Gel; €1.99 at boots.ie

Like above, hand sanitiser is essential if you often top up your make-up at your desk or en route to the office. Clean hands are a must before applying make-up, especially if you have breakout-prone skin. So pop a cheap bottle in your make-up bag and apply before patting in that concealer.

Facial Mist

MAC Sized to Go Prep + Prime Fix +; €12.00 at brownthomas.com

This is especially handy for Fridays when heading from your desk to drinks with friends. Your make-up has been on all day, and combined with office air-con, can look a little lacklustre. Instead of putting more make-up on top of skin that looks dry and tired, spritz first to ‘wake up’ your face. We love the mini Fix+ from MAC as it’s tiny so won’t take up loads of space. Once you’ve spritzed, you’re free to reapply concealer and powder without the fear of looking caked.

An all-purpose balm

Weleda Skin Food; €8.95 at nourish.ie

A product like this can be a lifesaver as you can use it on lips, dry patches on your face, hands, cuticles, elbows, and even on cheekbones to add some shine. Weleda Skin Food is great, or alternatively, Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream is a great option.

Header Image: @intothegloss