Purse Archives * Style Chicks

I’ve long admired and envied women who get through their day and their lives needing to carry only a small bag.

Throughout my life, I’ve felt the need to anticipate and pack for every possible daily eventuality. But now a torn rotator cuff and a request to review the Essential Traveler bag has led me to lighten my load, and to my surprise, I’m getting along just fine with what I can fit into my beautiful new little leather purse. Actually, I can fit a lot into this handy purse!

The Essential Traveler

The purse itself is a high-quality gorgeous Wine colored leather with five exterior compartments, four of which have zippers. The central interior part of the purse also has a zippered closure. The bag measures 7″ by 8.5″ by .5″ and has an adjustable shoulder strap. The front zippered pouch compartment comfortably fits my RFID wallet. My ring of fifteen keys neatly stores in the compartment directly above and behind the front pouch without bulging. The top front zippered compartment is a great place for coupons in that it is more than seven inches deep. I keep my checkbook in the back zippered compartment and a pack of tissues plus and a pack of mints in the open compartment.

The Essential Traveler

That leaves the entire interior to hold a comb, compact, lipstick, glasses case, and whatever else a particular trip might require, such as a magnifying glass, which is an essential for weekend excursions.

Why a magnifying glass, you ask?

I’m now enjoying the bag daily, but one day of the week it has become irreplaceable – going to estate sales on Saturdays! Both my hands are now free to examine jewelry with a magnifying glass and to be able to hold the piece securely with the other hand.

The Essential Traveler

One more thing I like about this purse is that it easily fits under a jacket or coat for those occasions when one might like an extra measure of security, such as walking to and from a parking garage. And once you arrive in the office, you can show off your beautiful bag all day long!

The Essential Traveler

Find the Essential Traveler bag at Affordable Leather and More.

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

1000 Hour Compact Hands-Free Makeup Mirror

When applying makeup that requires using both hands, such as one hand to hold the skin taut and the other to apply, such as with liquid eyeliner or applying false lashes, an angled mirror is very helpful. A hand held mirror or compact has an advantage over an upright mounted mirror such as a bathroom cabinet mirror because it can be positioned to look downwards into the mirror. The problem is getting the right angle and keeping your hands free. This 1000 Hour Compact is a hands-free makeup mirror that is particularly useful when applying makeup that requires being able to see from the underneath and at weird angles including mascara or anything else that you might tilt your head back while applying the makeup product.

HOW I USE THIS MIRROR TO APPLY LIQUID EYELINER
I don’t have a very steady hand, so when I apply liquid eyeliner, I place this mirror on the table at about a 75-degree angle. I put my elbow on the table and look down into the mirror. I hold my eyelid skin semi-taut with my left hand and hold the eyeliner brush in my right. Looking into the mirror, I tap out tiny dots of liner all along the lashline, midway between my top lashes and the skin. Then I blend it with a clean brush or q-tip.

The mirror can be used as a standard compact, and the arm can position the height and angle in a full range of angles. I find this especially useful for liquid eyeliner application, mascara application, any item you might use a stencil such as an eyebrow powder stencil and when I apply false eyelashes.

When I do quick makeup touch ups at my desk at work, this mirror is handy to lean over and quickly fix any errant mascara or eyeliner. While I don’t like to do my makeup at my desk, I prefer to fix some mistakes discretely without walking past the whole office to the ladies room.

It is also helpful to angle the mirror when tweezing my eyebrows so that I can see tiny hairs above or below on the brow tails; I tend to miss these hairs when I use a wall mounted mirror.

Sturdy, flexible, and bends into all sorts of angles and heights, this fits neatly into my bag or desk and is a useful little compact.

1000 Hour Compact Hands-Free Makeup Mirror

Find it at Amazon.com.

StyleChicks received this item for testing and unbiased review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and I’ll do my best to answer it!