4 Items Every Woman Needs in Her Purse

Even more important than finding the perfect purse for your outfit is making sure you have the right items in said purse! What can sometimes seem like an insignificant item can become the most important thing in your life when you find yourself in need with nothing at the ready. That’s why, aside from the vitals like cash and ID, these are the absolute must-have items that every woman should have in her purse.

Lip balm
I sometimes think that the only item I would bring with me if I were ever stranded on an island would be a solid tube of lip balm. The pain of having dry lips and not being able to get your hands on some balm for hours is one I would never wish upon my worst enemy, so I always make sure to have some in my purse. I also that a little bit of color on your lips can be incredibly revitalizing, so I’m including lipstick in this category as well (hey, it’s my list, I get to cheat a little bit). To compromise if I have a small purse where space is limited, I pack my Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm to give me the color I need to brighten my face and the relief I need for my too-often dry lips.

Nail file
As someone who almost always has long nails, my life would be miserable if I didn’t carry around my emergency nail file. Yes, broken nails are always the worst, but there is nothing more annoying than when your choppy broken nail keeps catching and pulling on your favorite blouse, making it unfit for future outfits. Trust me on this, it’s better to just be prepared and carry around a few cheap nail files in your purse than ruining your favorite clothes.

Bobby pins
Anything you can stick in your hair to hold it back out of your face is a total necessity. Whether it’s a barrette, a hair elastic, a clip or even a chip clip, when you’re desperate enough anything will do—though bobby pins are really the best option. You’ll never realize how essential this item is until you’re stranded on the hottest day of the summer without one. Sometimes what you had planned for your hair in the morning doesn’t always pan out for the rest of the day, and these emergency bobby pins will always come in handy in those moments of need.

Pen
Though it’s much less glamorous than the other items on the list, it is just as necessary. In our technology-ruled age of iPads and smartphones, pens might seem like a thing of the past, but I cannot tell you how many times I’ve saved the day because I always carry a pen with me (so what if most of those times were so we could write down our all-you-can-eat sushi orders quicker, it still counts!). Do yourself and your friends a favor, and always carry a pen.