25 Incredibly Useful Things To Keep In Your Bag
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
BuzzFeed Staff, Canada
BuzzFeed Staff
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We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the thing that they ~always~ carry with them. Here are are helpful results:
1. A lavender sanitizing spray that's 99.9% effective at killing germs and 100% effective at smelling amazing.
"The smell is so calming and addictive. It keeps me safe during cold and flu season." —hadhinahfawwazahn
"I use it every day." —courtneyjewellb
Get a pack of two of Dr. Bronner's lavender hand sanitizer from Amazon Canada for $26.99.
2. A bestselling Swiss army knife for any situation. It's a classic for a reason!
The knife comes with six stainless steel tools including a knife blade, scissors, nail file with screwdriver tip, toothpick, and tweezers.
"The tiny scissors, the emergency toothpick, the itsy-bitsy nail file. Everyone needs a Swiss Army Knife!" —Katyna Singleton, Facebook
Get it from Amazon Canada for $19.98.
3. These oil blotting papers that use a formula containing green tea to absorb access facial oil and eliminate shine.
4. A handy dandy Tide To Go stick so you don't have to sit around the office all day with tomato sauce on your shirt. Again.
It's super portable and can tackle tomato juice, ketchup, BBQ sauce, grape juice, coffee, wine, tea, chocolate syrup, and so much more!
"It really comes in handy and it allows you to come to the rescue for others who have stained clothes." —allisonn4524eac7e
Get a pack of three on Amazon Canada for $9.97.
5. A double-USB portable battery to keep your phone (and the phone of your bestie) fully charged for any situation.
"Portable or wired, but ALWAYS have one! Just in case of emergencies." —nataliescott511
"A portable battery, because my commute to school is really long and I would also die if my phone died." —s428cdb6f3
Get this one, with two USB ports, from Amazon Canada for $18.99. Also available in black.
6. A dark circles concealer with a built-in felt applicator so you don't have to whip out a brush. It'll actually erase all evidence of the fact that you went to bed at 4 a.m. (but unfortunately, it does not get rid of tiredness).
"If I cry and there's mascara under my eyes? Concealer. Makeup fading? Concealer. After-gym sweat all over your face? CONCEALER!" —hollys4af76bd26
Read BuzzFeed's full review of Maybelline's Dark Circle Concealer to learn more. It's #4!
Get it from Amazon Canada for $8.97. Available in 13 shades.
7. A pack of of 100% natural Burt's Bees lip balms that will hydrate and nourish your lips all day long.
This pack includes pink grapefruit, mango, coconut and pear, and pomegranate.
"I have tubes in my car, purse, in a drawer at work, and in my husband's car!" —jenniferz3
Get a four-pack from Amazon Canada for $13.30.
8. A lightweight and waterproof Kindle Paperwhite for anyone who wishes they could carry thousands of books with them at all times.
"I feel naked all day without my Kindle." —anoukvanderz
Get a 16G Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon Canada for $119.99+. Also available in 32G.
9. A set of perfectly petite hairbrushes for when you're feeling a bit ~knotty~.
"It's handy when you decide to put up your hair but can't deal with the bumps." —sarah43002
Get three mini hairbrushes on Amazon Canada for $17.54.
10. A roll of to-go Kleenex tissues for any potential allergic sneezes or movie-induced tears.
"You never know when you're going to need one (also because my mom constantly nags me about bringing them)." —abigails4299324fa
Get a four packs of 50 tissues each from Amazon Canada for $9.99.
11. A handful of trusty hair elastics to get your hair off your face during your busy commutes or workouts.
These braided hair elastics have 5 stars on Amazon and won't stretch out after just a couple wears.
"I absolutely have to have my hair ties." —savannahh41c909d89
"I always have at least four hair elastics." —missykgin
Get three packs of ten elastics on Amazon Canada for $16.63.
12. A pair of wireless earbuds that don't take up a ton of room, but provide excellent sound quality.
These are waterproof, have a built-in microphone, and 40 hours of playtime.
"Even if I'm pretty sure I won't need them, I bring them just in case. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it." —mayas468676b47
Get them from Amazon Canada for $69.99.
13. A pack of chewable Pepto-Bismol tablets to solve any mysterious tummy problems before they turn into disasters.
"My friends always make fun of me for my mom purse, but it has saved us in a number of occasions. Something I always have in the bag is a travel-size bottle of Pepto Bismol. It has come in handy many-a-times; for myself, friends, family, coworkers, drunk girls in bar bathrooms, etc." —cjylangevin
"I have a touchy stomach so I keep it with me at all times. Plus you can help your friends out if they're feeling ill too!" —chloestarwater
Get two travel-size bottles of Pepto Bismol chewable tablets from Amazon Canada for $7.29.
14. A couple of compact tampons that stow away neatly for those emergency situations.
"Someone always needs one somewhere." —emilyslehman
Get a box of 50 regular compact tampons from Amazon Canada for $9.97. Also available in other light, super, and super plus.
15. An aloe and rosewater facial spray to refresh and hydrate your face whenever you need a pick-me-up.
"It has aloe and rosewater. I use it as a setting spray once I put my makeup on, and then freshen up throughout the day!" —babybunbun
Get it from Amazon Canada for $11. Also available in a set of three assorted facial sprays.
16. A soft pocket-sized set of Moleskine notebooks for jotting down information or inspiration when the mood strikes.
"You never know! You might need to scribble down an address or a phone number if your phone is dead." —nataliescott511
"Any kind of inspiration can happen anytime." —sararonai
"I always always ALWAYS have pens (at least three in different colors) and an extra piece of paper or mini notebook or index card. Never know who you're going to run into or when inspiration for something will strike! It has saved my butt so many times. I keep extra pens and paper in every purse I have, even if I'm not using it at the moment." —brittneeg3
Get a set of three Moleskine pocket notebooks from Amazon Canada for $10.62. Available in several colours and in dotted, rules, or plain formats.
17. A holographic manicure set to touch up your jagged nails, fix a hangnail, or even remove unwanted hanging threads from your garments.
The kit comes with 12 stainless steel tools including tweezers, scissors, a nail file, nail clippers, and more.
"I'm always breaking my nails at work, and since I work in personal care, if I have sharp nails they could scratch my clients. Carrying a file's been a lifesaver for both me AND my coworkers." —philliamthegreat
"Rough edges, breaks, and hangnails make me go ballistic if I can't fix them right away." —daniellems
Get it from Amazon Canada for $15.99.
18. A water bottle you can fill whenever you want; when it's empty it folds down neatly for lightweight and compact storage.
"I have low blood pressure so getting dehydrated can hit me hard. Being without water can make me feel like absolute shit in just a couple of hours, especially in the Texas heat. I carry my reusable cup everywhere and refill it as often as I can." —emslala
Get this collapsible one from Amazon Canada for $27.95. Available in eight colours.
19. A tube of pawpaw ointment with papaya extract to help heal scrapes, rashes, rough skin, and more. Reviewers also say it keeps their lips super soft!
"It's an all-in-one wondrous ointment. It helps with chapped lips, burns, cuts, rough skin, and rashes! I carry a tube with me at all times. I also have a jar of it for home use." —robine4725ef0bb
Get it from Amazon Canada for $10.50.
20. A compact first aid kit chock full of necessities like bandaids, alcohol pads, antiseptic towelettes, and more!
"I always have first aid supplies. Years of medical training has taught me. And first aid includes snacks for low blood sugar as I'm diabetic." —gennsixx07
Get this 70-piece kit from Amazon Canada for $14.45.
21. A small deodorant stick, because you never know when you'll need a little deo for your B.O.
This deodorant is vegan and has no aluminum, propylene glycol, parabens, phthalates, or artificial fragrances.
"Can't tell you how many times a quick reapplication in a bathroom has saved my life." —danieller4da9e1fb0
Get this natural charcoal and magnesium deodorant on Amazon Canada for $7.97. Available in several other scents.
22. A travel-friendly sunscreen stick to protect your skin and soothe it after sun exposure.
23. A pack of stunning rollerball bottles that you can fill with your favourite scents and essential oils.
This set includes 12 refillable bottles, two funnels, an opener, two extra stainless steel roller balls, and 24 individual labels.
Get it from Amazon Canada for $17.50.
24. A tube of Carmex medicated lip balm that says "not today!" to chapped lips.
It uses cocoa butter to moisturize and soften lips.
"If I don't have my Carmex, I spend the whole day actually crying over not having it." —ashtonk454e0fa8f
"Tried it for the first time a year ago and now I can't live without it!" —omdpl6
Get a pack of three from Amazon Canada for $8.49.
25. And finally, a neat travel case full of plenty of bobby pins for touchups or hairstyle changes throughout the day.
Now all you have to do is cast an undetectable extension charm on that bag of yours.
Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.