Bridal Beauty In The Bag

Make sure you pack your bride’s wedding day handbag essentials

With all the wonderful little handbags around -- beaded, satin, organza, embroidered, hard-sided or soft -- finding just the right one to complement your wedding finery is a cinch. But the question remains: just what do you put in it?

First and foremost, you’ll want to carry a few things to ensure that you look perfect throughout your day and not just at the beginning. And if you can’t fit them into your bag, get the bridesmaids to bring them for you.

Make-up matters

Depending on the make-up you use, you’ll need to retouch it throughout the day. If you’ve gone for a minimal look, you may not want to worry about anything more than retouching your lipstick. But if gorgeous make-up is part of your wedding ensemble, be sure to carry the minimum you can get away with to keep it looking flawless. For example, can you replace your powder compact with a packet of shine-control papers? They are a quick way to mop up any shiny patches and maintain a perfect matte complexion.

Another way to save space is to treat yourself to a few of those two or even three-in-one products. For example, try foundation that can be used as a concealer and has a matt finish, so you don’t need powder on top, or blusher that doubles up as eyeshadow. If you think you might need to do a more substantial repair job on your eye make-up, eyeshadow compacts with your chosen colours are a good idea too. And get down to your nearest big department store. All the good beauty counters have those dinky little sample products, which are great for traveling light.

All in hand

It only takes a minute for perfectly manicured nails to break or get chipped. Keep a nail file and varnish on hand. Check out the Mavala range of varnishes. It’s used in lots of salons, but even better, the entire range of colours comes in mini bottles (around £3.50) that will easily fit into your handbag.

Crowning glory

If you’re leaving your hair in a fairly natural style chances are you’ll want to run a comb through it every now and again. It it’s up, take spare grips and a teeny bottle of hairspray too.

Stock up on spares

If you’re one of those people who only has to look at a pair of stockings to latter them, it’s worth carrying a spare set just in case the worst happens.

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