What's in My Bag? 18 Essentials I Can't Live Without

I was recently joking with a friend of mine about how we knew our brains were finally fully developed because we now love purses and can’t go anywhere without them. Growing up, we hated them; I could not believe how many my mom had.

But now, as a 25-year-old, I can appreciate that not only are purses more chic than carrying a backpack everywhere, but they are an essential accessory to an outfit! Now I can’t live without them! I honestly think I may have even surpassed my mom’s collection.

On top of that, when I finally did get into the idea of bringing a purse everywhere, I could not understand why my mom’s bag had to be so big. She could never find anything; it was super heavy, and I preferred the look of a baguette bag. But, lo and behold, this is my current default bag, meaning I wear it every day unless there’s a better one suited for the outfit I’m wearing that day. I call it my Mary Poppins bag because it fits so much! That all to say, my brain has officially developed and I’ve become my mother.

You know what they say: moms are always right.

I’ve also mastered the contents of my bag, so I’m never caught off guard. Chapstick? Got it. Stain remover stick? Absolutely!

Here are 18 essentials I’ve been keeping in my bag this winter:

What’s in My Bag?

Touchland Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer Spray — I truly believe it’s the little luxuries that make all the difference, and having this hand sanitizer spray in my bag makes me feel so bougie. Plus, the extra moisture doesn’t hurt.

Fenty Recovery Lip Mask — In the winter, my skin gets drier than the Sahara Dessert, and I am always looking for new lip masks to apply. My current favorite is the Fenty Recovery Lip Mask because it smells so good. I have the salted caramel flavor, and they nailed it!

Mini Tangle Teezer hairbrush — I currently have a Machete travel-sized tortoiseshell hair brush that I was gifted, but they are ungodly expensive, so I would recommend the Tangle Teezer instead. I have a travel size in the car! Perfect for a quick hairstyle when you’re on the go.

Coach card case — This card holder from Coach Outlet is only $23! I absolutely looooove it.

Kov Daily Claw Clip — I alternate between two classic claw clips! The Kov Daily Claw Clip in Birch and the gold Kitsch French Hair Pin.

Brown seamless hair ties — These are pretty self-explanatory! Just love these bands.

Bondi Boost flyaway serum — I have a lot of little flyaways all over my hairline, so keeping this handy has been really helpful when I’m out and about!

Josie Maran mini body butter — Vanilla has always been my scent of choice, and this whipped body butter with argan oil is like heaven in a bottle. Keeps my hands so soft!

AirPods / earbuds — My 1st generation AirPods are still kicking. These go with me everywhere!

Nail glue — I’m typically wearing press-on nails, so I need a bottle of glue on me at all times in case one falls off. I switch between the Olive & June brand, and Static Nails.

Spearmint gum — This is my favorite gum ever.

Lip combo — My lip combo is everchanging, but I currently am loving:

YSL Black Opium Over Red perfume — This perfume smells unlike anything I’ve ever had, and I can’t live without it. So much so I need to have a 1 oz bottle on my person. You never know when you’ll need it.

Canon G7X Digital Camera — Since I work as a content creator full-time, I always like to have a camera on hand! And the Canon G7X is my best friend; it’s how I get my pictures to look like this.

SD Card reader — In order to download my pictures straight to my phone on the go, I also carry around this SD card reader.

Tide To-Go Pen — I’m always spilling things on myself; it’s my fatal flaw.

I’ve clearly come a long way from the days of questioning my mom’s oversized, bottomless pit of a purse. Now, it feels like I’m carrying everything but the kitchen sink — but I’ve perfected the art of keeping my bag organized; I just have 2 zipped pouches inside, one for beauty and one for everything else!

Now that I’ve shared what I keep in my bag, I’d love to hear what you can’t live without in your purse. Have you perfected your bag game too, or are you still in the phase of figuring it out? Share your must-have items in the comments below — we all know the best finds come from recommendations!