10 Small things every woman should keep in her bag

1. Vaseline is truly God’s gift to humans. Not only is it great as a skin moisturizer in a jiffy, you can also use it on your lips in place of Chapstick. Additionally, it can be used on the fronts of your teeth to prevent lipstick from getting on them and sticking there. It comes in miniature sizes, too—perfect for carrying around in your purse.

2. Spare napkins Spare napkins can go a long way, and cover a number of unfortunate situations: a bad spell of allergies, a spilled drink at the bar, or even an exasperatingly hot day that leads to unpleasant amounts of body sweat. Another option: baby wipes, for particularly sweltering days or extra-pesky stains.


3. Lipstick (Maybe Two) Sure, conventional wisdom suggests you should always carry your signature color lipstick in your bag, but you never know when you’ll need to change up your look quickly. The easiest way to do it? With a totally different lipstick shade.


4. A tiny bottle of perfume Roll-on, sample vials, a mini spray bottle, an atomizer: Whatever you prefer, keeping a tiny bit of your signature scent on you at all times is a must since scents fade throughout the day.


5. Band-Aids Any woman who’s stepped out in less-than-sensible shoes knows the unmatched agony of a torn ankle or toe blister. Don’t be a victim; always have on you at least five Band-Aids of varying sizes. There’s no reason not to. Extra points if you carry some moleskin too, for those times you know your shoes are going to rebel.


6. Cash when you know you’re going out with a group In the digital world, it’s easy to fall prey to the idea that you can get by with nothing but credit and debit cards all the time. While that’s largely true, it’s still better to be prepared. No one wants to be the one girl at the large dinner party who doesn’t have cash when everyone else does.

7. Floss (and mints!) Most of us eat three meals (or more) a day, so it’s key to always carry a little dental floss when brushing isn’t an option. Carry a tiny spool in your bag, and floss after eating and before you go out. And don’t just do it for aesthetic reasons: Research has shown flossing is good for your overall health.


8. Your health insurance card Sexy no, but useful: yes. If (God forbid) anything bad were to happen to you out in the real world—even if it’s just an accidental slip resulting in a sprained ankle—that requires an immediate hospital visit, you’ll need to have your health insurance card on you to get adequate (and affordable) care.


9. A nail clipper You never know when a hangnail is going to strike, and they’re just about the most annoying (and unattractive) things ever. Carry a tiny set of nail clippers in your purse to immediately fend off the pesky occurrences; they can also double as a tiny pair of scissors should you encounter a loose thread or anything of that sort.


10. A phone charger This should go without saying, but many a time have we found ourselves out after work only to look down and see that our battery is already down to two or three percent. No one wants to be the one girl who can’t take an Instagram photo because her battery is dead.