1. Hand sanitizer
Just think about all of the things that we touch every day. Whether they are bathroom doorknobs, the screen of your phone, a book from a library, groceries from the store, the transit handrails in public transportation, these are not surfaces that are cleaned properly. They have germs that you can’t see, but this doesn’t mean that bacteria can’t affect you.
Keeping a hand sanitizer in your bag will ensure that you can clean quickly your phone and also give your hands a little bit of a clean-up. Keep in mind that using hand sanitizer shouldn’t be a replacement for washing your hands properly, with soap and water, but it’s a great tool when you don’t have a sink nearby.
2. Tissue paper
This one is important for almost everything! Whether you are eating and you want to clean up your hands, maybe allergies got to you, maybe you teared up when you heard some good news, maybe you have a kid with you, or you just want to blow your nose, you should always have a pack of tissues in your bag!
3. Vaseline
Young chemist Robert Chesebrough discovered petroleum jelly in the 1870s and then opened the first factory that creates the material. The company was built in Brooklyn, and he named it “Vaseline”. Since then, everyone knows petroleum jelly simply as vaseline. The scientist was so proud of his discovery, that he started using it for every rash, itch, or scar he had.
Soldiers used vaseline in order to treat their wounds, and Marilyn Monroe used this product to make her eyes shine after she applied eyeshadow.
Nowadays, vaseline can be used as a hand cream, lip balm, blister prevention, and makeup remover. That’s because it’s hydrating, and it creates a natural barrier that will protect your skin.
Pro tip: If you want your perfume to last longer, apply a small amount of vaseline on your skin, let it absorb for a few seconds, and then put on your favorite fragrance! You will smell divine for hours!
4. Hair tie
A bad hair day, a trip to the gym to get a quick workout in, hair covering your face, a wardrobe malfunction, an urge for a different hairstyle, a hot room – what do all of them have in common? The need of a hair tie in your bag. Some people even keep them around their wrists, to have them ready.
If your hair is not long enough to use a hair tie, a few bobby pins or clips will do the trick, so they won’t take up too much space if you toss them in your bag.
5. Headphones
Whether you are listening to music, a podcast, you are on a Zoom meeting or you are just using your headphones to escape a conversation, it’s always a good idea to have a pair in your bag.
This is a non-negotiable item, especially when you have a long day ahead of you and you need to focus, or you are taking a walk and you need something to listen to make the time pass by more quickly.
6. Deodorant
You will never know when you will need a little to quickly freshen up. And you can never know who will you bump into, so you have to make sure you smell nice and fresh, not like a stinky ogre.
