Polished Professionals: Survival Kit

Hello again, everyone! I'm so glad to be back... it's been a stressful ten days prepping for my first day of law school. It hasn't been so much the preparation of books, work, etc, so much as it's been a mental preparation. There have been many meltdowns and panic attacks, but I think once the first week is over, I'll be okay. I survived my LSATs, didn't I?

I thought I'd start a new series on the blog, called Polished Professionals, that I'll be posting about with semi-regularity. I know that many places require much more subdued looks as far as nails are concerned, and that includes law school, so I'll be posting about different options that will allow you to keep your individuality and translate it to your every day look. Additionally, there will be tips for the weekend, quick fixes, etc. Don't worry though, I'll still be posting swatches and nail art that are not subdued in the slightest, so there will continue to be something for everybody!

Today's post is all about my Survival Kit, which I keep in a makeup case in my purse. For the record, because I'm commuting to NYC every school day via bus, I additionally have a small rolling suitcase for my books, laptop, etc. My little case could fit in the suitcase with the rest of the items I put in my handbag, as well, but I'd prefer that I have quicker access to everything.

For the record, W is my last initial!

This is everything in my survival kit. There's only one thing missing and I'll be discussing it in a bit.

Here are the beauty items in my bag. I have hand sanitizer, a Twilight Woods fragrance mist, and Twilight Woods mini body lotion from Bath and Body Works. For $1/$1.25 (depending on the sale), I like the scents from BBW. But I also like matching the mist and the lotion to what I use in the morning so that it doubles up and seals in the scent. I don't really have to reapply later in the day for fragrance purposes, this is just in case of emergency or... let's be honest... a cute guy at work/class/Starbucks. 

Trust me, though, do NOT mix fragrances that smell nothing alike. If you use a mango body spray after your morning shower, don't use a musky/woodsy scent like Chanel Chance, Burberry, or Twilight Woods later in the day. It's NOT a good concoction. It's like lighting a vanilla candle at the dinner table at an Italian Restaurant. Just bad news all around. 

Additionally, I have a lip gloss, lip balm, 4-in-1 nail file, scrunchies, bobby pins, and Colgate Wisps in the case. The Wisps are little toothbrushes with a bead of toothpaste-like gel that you can use in case of emergency. Again, use in the event of garlic and/or cute person!

The only item not pictured (due to the fact I didn't have it when I took the photo yesterday) is double sided tape. Sometimes wardrobe emergencies happen. A strap can break or you realize when you sit down, a top is lower cut than when you stood in front of your mirror. Believe me, you will use this at least one in a semester! It's critical.

Health/emergency items are also an essential part of your survival kit. I'm prone to occasional knee pain (due to ACL reconstruction in both knees, one at 14 and one at 17) and migraines, so I keep a pain reliever with me. Excedrin is currently facing a recall with certain expiration dates and this happens to be one of a few bottles I have that do not fall during those dates. Do not fear! Your go-to pills are perfectly fine, whether it's Advil, Motrin, Aleve, or something else.

I keep eye drops in the case my allergies strike at random and bandaids. I strongly encourage you keep Hydrocortisone with you, also known as anti-itch creme. Maybe a bug bite you got over the weekend is getting particularly itchy or you break out in a rash after trying that new sandwich place on the corner. Either way, nothing says discomfort and a blow to your self-confidence like itchiness, so this will keep you ahead of the game.

Also, please be sure to keep a few feminine product on standby in your bag just in case. It'll give you peace of mind, I promise. Pain relievers like Midol for cramps are also recommended.

Now, a lot of you are wondering what the heck that crazy black thing is there. It's actually an emergency battery charger for my iPhone. You periodically have to re-charge it, but it's great in case your phone is nearing the end of its battery life or you need an emergency boost. Always best to be prepared. These are available for other kinds of phones, not just the iPhone. I picked mine up on eBay for a relatively inexpensive price.

So there you have it... Princess Polish's survival kit. Let me know what you think!

Good luck to those of you starting school or a new job over the next few weeks... I'm right there with you.

Princess Polish