what's in my bag

here we go, a what's in my bag post. #WIMB just switchin' things up on JDC because honestly, i get tired of plastering my face on here all the time!! plus my friend, Anxhela // @luxbubs tagged me so why not? check out her feed for some beauty product eye candy! 

first about this bag. lately, my go to bag has been the Henri Bendel west 57th carry all satchel in light beige (color sold out) -- avail in dark grey, tan, brown / black / black lizard. you can see it styled here in my latest outfit post, for reference i am only 5'2" short. the price, size (9.5"H x 14.5"W x 5.5"D), and functionality are all on point and make it the perfect everyday work bag. it can hold a laptop, portfolio, and any documents needed for meetings.

other details of the bag: remove-able cross body strap for hands-free, three pocket compartments and one zippered one inside, both sides of the bag are zippered so you can put more things in there if you want but it can make it look clunky if you're stuffing it with too much -- i don't use them. the bag is made of durable saffiano leather, the top handles fold down, the bag features a non-exposed magnetic closure, gold feet, and also lined with satin. i was drawn to this bag due to the lizard texture and the color. it's been a while since i had a white/light beige bag so i thought i would give it another go. pleased to report no stains or color transfer yet! now that it is fall, i'll be busting out with another HB. black. of course. so predictable! check out Henri Bendel for a variety of sizes and colors in handbags.

side note: i saw the Bridget Jones's Baby movie this past weekend. i laughed like a crazy lady the entire time, just what i needed. y'all, it HILARIOUS and light-hearted. i was pleasantly surprised and plotting how i'm going to see it again! haha! 

currently on my playlist: if i ain't got you by Alicia Keys 

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01. snacks

i like to snacky snack so i always have something i can munch on JUST IN CASE. you never know and hangry is not a good look. these Justin's banana chips & peanut butter are delicious -- with pretzels and almond butter. and any kind of protein/energy bars are good to have on hand -- faves are Oh Yea! birthday cake and KIND bars

02. electronics

i've raved about these Symphonized noise cancelling earphones for $26 (goodbye crappy Apple ones) -- newer version has volume controlsnewer with heavy bass option, save your hearing and time unraveling a tangly mess because the cord is made of nylon. also comes in so many colors and three sizes of custom ear tips. my BFF, the mophie powerstation is actually an older model and much heavier than the new one. must upgrade soon. but this has come to the rescue too many times!

03. lip care

one of my FAVE lip balms right now is the Glossier balm dot com. so moisturizing and my morning lip balm. i also love Jack Black intense therapy lip balm SPF25 (great deal for a set, one for each bag. yes, please!) for the day because it has SPF25. lips need SPF too. for a subtle lip tint, i use the Dior Addict lipglow in coral -- similar by Glossier. oh, and lipstick/lip color is always a good idea to have on hand. Tom Ford lipcolor in casablanca and MAC lipstick in brick-o-la are my most used and help bring out my natural color. 

04. health & beauty products

floss. yes. i carry floss. a better hygienic option than hair. ahem ahem. i know we've all done it. but i carry the one you usually get from the dentist goodie bag. tylenol/advil because i am always to the rescue to save people from headaches! 

05. wallet

this Louis Vuitton epi leather business card holder in red -- similar by Kate Spade / similar by Michael Kors, is actually my sisters hand me down!! i know she is amazing. i get compliments on the red thing all the time. it holds the essentials and that is really all you need. #lessismore

06. sunnies

i can't resist a good pair of cat eye sunglasses. pictured is the Celine caty sunglasses. others in heavy rotation in include the Karen Walker number one -- similar, and Celine tilda

07. nerdy supplies

moleskin is the best for jotting down those ideas that come to you at the most random times. this one is my top pick because of the hardcover and placeholder. pens... i'm so picky when it comes to my pens, and my all time favorite pen is (insert drum roll)... the Sanford uni-ball signo micro 207 pen. there just isn't a replacement. okay... maybe a mont blanc. 

08. misc

not pictured, but i also usually carry some Dr. Scholl's dreamwalk ball of foot gel cushion inserts. these are life savers and help relieve all the pressure from the balls of your feel due to heels. i also have them for in the full strip. #hugefan #savethefeet. i also have a deodorant removing sponge which has come in handy on a few occasions! LASTLY and most importantly, my trusty refillable water bottle is always with me at all times. it is the only way i can keep myself hydrated, which i can't stress enough. so many fun options to pick from: klean canteen with interchangeable tops including a cafe one / S'well / Target's sip by S'well -- one with donuts!! / bkr (glass bottle with silicone sleeve).

now i know why my bag is so heavy,
JD

october beauty

sharing some new beauty items on my radar. more details after the jump!

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01 | Wayne Goss brush 02 -- Wayne Goss, highly respected in the make-up industry, came out with his own set of brushes that sold out upon it's release earlier this year, they always get great reviews so i've been meaning to try one. 02 caught my eye as a highlighter brush to use with my beloved Kevyn Aucoin celestial powder in candelight. these are handcrafted in Japan (so you know it's good quality just like Hakuhodo). i'm also eyeing The Eye Set. #nopunintended #deskslapper
02 | Diorshow iconic overcurl mascara set -- whenever i go see my aesthetician, we talk about a lot of beauty products! she mentioned she had tried this recently and loves it! i read some reviews and i like how it seems to hold curl pretty well. while i am not one to spend this much on mascara, i'd be curious to try it. i like how this comes with a free mini eyeshadow palette! 
03 | CHANEL le top coat lame rouge noir (vamp attitude holiday collection, limited edition) -- this holiday collection is beautiful and inspired by their vamp nail polish (which, btw, if you don't have this color you need it in your life). IMO, the stand out is this top coat with gold specks in it. um, hellooo holidays. see a review and swatches of all the polishes from this collection on @temptalia. great, now the joues contraste blush 12 coups de minuit is looking good too!  
04 | Tom Ford nail lacquer in black out (noir holiday collection, limited edition) -- just when i thought it was crazy to spend $27 USD on a CHANEL nail polish... TF takes the cake at $35 USD (I'm not ready to talk Christian Louboutin yet!). i have read that these polishes are well worth the money in terms of longevity and color pay off. from the photos this looks like a gray/black/blue with shimmer. i look forward to the release of every Tom Ford collection, he's that good. see swatches and a review on @beautygypsy.
05 | Tom Ford matte lip color in first time -- this is apart of this regular matte line of lipsticks, which are amazing and NON-DRYING (oxymoron for matte right?!). this is apart of the noir 2015 holiday collection, and a re-promote that has been re-packaged for $3 USD more than the regular packaging. this is a beautiful peachy-pink not too nude color and has vertical lines going up and down the tube. basically, it's sexy packaging at its finest. see this color on @beautyprofessor (also one of her fav lip colors!).
06 | too cool for school egg cream sheet mask -- korean beauty products are all the rage right now @sephora. this is a cloth face mask, and at a pretty good price too (at least cheaper than the SK-II facial treatment essence masks!). it is described as, "a milky, serum-enriched microfiber sheet mask infused with egg white and egg yolk extract to instantly hydrate for a bright and radiant complexion." i've read that users love the way their skin feels so soft afterwards. 
07 | Glossier boy brow -- i discovered this brand through instagram (ahem, enabler @damselflavored) starting with their lip product balm dotcom.  their newest product is the boy brow. it is supposed to, "thicken, fill in, and groom your brows into place." now that's an all in one product! it is a creamy formula and not supposed to make your brows feel "crunchy." (note: no beauty product should ever feel crunchy). comes in blond, brown, and black. love the slogan for this product, "brush your teeth, brush your brows, and then maybe brush your hair." #hilar #browgame use code "TAMIRASBROWS" @tamirajarrel for a free balm dotcom and shipping! trust me, you want anything she uses for her brows!
08 | Kevyn Aucoin gossamer loose powder in diaphanous -- apparently, this is an old product that was discontinued and made it's way back. they seem to be similar in function to the Hourglass ambient lighting powders (which are amazing) but in loose powder form. comes in two colors, diaphanous (for light skin tones) and radiant diaphanous (warmer skin tones). 

the perfect travel bag & essentials

i decided to do a post on the perfect travel bag and essentials that i took with me on my last trip to NYC

bag 

when i travel, i never carry anything designer (i.e., CHANEL, Celine...) mainly because i do not want to worry about the bag getting scratched, rained on, stolen? to me, the ideal travel bag must be a few things: 1) crossbody = hands free, 2) durable, 3) lightweight, 4) fit the essentials, 5)  zip closure, 6) have compartments. the Tory Burch robinson mini dome satchel in dust storm (taupe grey-ish color) fit the bill on all counts. it measures 9"L x 3.7"W x 7"H; 23" crossbody strap. in addition, the strap is also removable in case i needed to go to an event or anything. i LOVE this bag (and all mini bags in general! they are adorable!). this one in particular has a side zipper and two pockets for your phone or keys on the inside. the top handles also fold down which i really like. lastly, the entire Tory Burch robinson line is made from saffiano leather; which is scratch resistant. this is an older model but i have linked a few similar ones below. 

  • Tory Burch robinson small multi satchel -- $495 USD. comes in black, tiger's eye (cognac), french grey, and jitney green (which is a BEAUTIFUL fall color). 11"L x 5.25"W x 8"H; 4.5" handle drop, 22". three compartments, two are zip closures and the bag itself is a snap closure (a little downside). saffiano leather, detachable straps, and the handles fold down. sign up for Bloomingdales emails and receive 10% off. 
  • Michael Kors medium cindy saffiano dome satchel* -- $258 USD. comes in blush, cornflower, black, and navy (my pick!.. if i needed one...) this is the closest dupe to the Tory Burch dome satchel in the picture above, but a little larger at 12"L x 4.5"W x 8.5"H; 6" handle drop, 17" to 19" strap drop. zip closure, saffiano leather, detachable straps, and the the handles fold down. 
  • Coach nolita satchel in crossgrain leather* in beige/light gold -- on sale for $206.50 USD; regular price $295 USD. this looks like saffiano leather and i really like the shape/design, the finish of the leather on the sides is very streamlined. this color is very close to the TB dust storm. it measures about 11"L x 7"H x 5"W; 22" strap drop. zip closure, detachable straps, and the handles fold down. Coach has definitely stepped up their game in the recent years.

*this is apart of the Bloomingdales friends & family sale so get 25% off by using code "FRIENDS" at checkout. also, shipping to TX is TAX-FREE! details on this sale here.

electronics

  • mophie powerstation (mini) -- i've mentioned this before in one of my current lemmings, and purchased one for myself (again, i take my recommendations very seriously!) i can't tell you how much i love my mophie! i've used it on a normal day-to-day basis, but it really comes in handy when you travel and outlets are limited (i.e., your traveling groupie be using all of them!). the only thing you have to do is remember to charge it. AND... did i mention that this is a great gift idea!? the mini is good for two FULL charges on my iPhone 5s, and also works on Android.
  • Symphonized premium in-ear noise cancelling earphones -- i purchased these for the NYC trip, and the moment i put them in my ears for the flight, i vowed to never go back to the CRAPPY Apple earphones. it's one of those things you discover where you ask yourself, "how have i lived so long without this?!" while my sister was listening to her music at the highest volume, i was listening to mine at one or two notches. i had to put a stop to the feeling of deaf-ness/ears ringing when getting off the plane from listening to high volume audio. these peaked my interest due to price (only $25!, regular price $99) and rave reviews (4.5 stars, 6,500 reviews). the cords are also nylon so they are not easily tangled. i mean, untangling Apple earphones?! ain't nobody got time for that! it also comes in different colored headphones/cords and three different silicone ear tips for a custom fit. I CAN'T RAVE ABOUT THIS MORE. JUST GET IT. 
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 -- this was borrowed from my SS (thanks soul sista!). it's a pretty cool camera that has a touchscreen and you can take pictures with different filters like instagram. the downside = no zoom. i will be investing in my own travel camera soon! #moretravelingplease!  
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health & beauty

  • Jack Black intensive therapy lip balm SPF 25 -- my friend introduced me to this and i've come to REALLY LOVE it more than my Kiehl's lip balm (gasp!)! it is much longer lasting and it has SPF 25 (high). like skin, lips are also prone to get freckles too, i know i see one on my lip right now. so SPF is a must for lip balms during the day. purchase a pack of four (one for each purse!?!) and save $5. 
  • Dior Addict lip glow in sheer pink coral SPF 10 -- this is a great alternative to lip balm for those who want a little tint. this is supposed to, "enhance your natural lip color while moisturizing and protecting the skin." looks extremely natural. 
  • Emergen-C in pink lemonade flavor (my fave flavor!) -- i'm a germaphobe so i usually take a packet the day before i leave and when i arrive at my destination. i always bring extra packets and for some reason... i come home with none! it's because i'm giving them away to my traveling groupie so they don't get me sick. LOL. 
  • Eucerin skin calming daily moisturizing creme -- you can get a 1 oz. tube in the travel section at Target (just try to only pick up one item in that section! i dare you!), its small enough to fit in your bag and what's great about this is that you can use it on your hands AND your face (in case it gets super dry or irritated from being in different environments)! it is also unscented and great for sensitive skin! 
  • Kleenex, Advil, Band-Aids -- these are great items to have for headaches, random cuts/bumps/scratches, blisters? 

needless to say, i'm someone you want to travel with! i'm usually prepared for anything/everything. 

life is short. travel (and smile) more,
JD