What’s Always On Hand
Sometimes I feel like I live at my office. Ok fine, most of the time I feel like I live at my office.
I frequently tell taxi drivers my work address instead of my apartment, I usually answer my cell phone with my company name, and I rely on my desk drawers to get me through the day.
Often this drawer feels like a veritable Mary Poppins’ bag of goodies…
There are plenty of things that you use on a daily basis without a second thought, things that you carry in your car, your purse, your pockets. From chapstick to Advil to water bottles, we’re used to being able to reach for certain things on a daily basis.
Well, I showed you my cupboards, why not show you the vital things that I always keep on hand when I’m at work?
Backup Supplies
“Just in case,” is pretty much my mantra. Just in case I forget my makeup bag I have enough basics in my desk drawer to get me through the day. Just in case I get called into a client meeting, I can freshen myself up. And just in case last-minute plans come up I’ve got enough backups to appropriately doll myself up for a night out.
It pays to be prepared!
Stationary
Keeping a box – or two or three – full of pretty notes & envelopes is a LIFESAVER. I cannot even count the number of times this has saved me. From forgotten birthdays to thank you notes to impromptu letters to the family, having these right there waiting for you is an absolute must. If you don’t have extras on hand, go get them, I promise this will make you a calmer, more productive person.
Sewing kit, safety pins & lint roller
I think it would make you sad if I confessed how many times I’ve tripped and fallen in my office, but when you combine klutz-induced wardrobe malfunctions and “I got dressed at 4am in the dark” mistakes it becomes clear that having the ability to fix my hems at the last minute is a must. Same goes for safety pins, you’d be amazed not only by how useful they are and by how many times I’ve had people ask to borrow one!
As for the lint roller – I have two black cats. Enough said.
Tea & natural sweeteners
My office has a great selection of teas, sodas, coffees, iced tea, sweeteners, and so on and so forth, but a girl always has her favorites that should be kept on hand at all time. I always have flavored green teas, decaffeinated teas, and speciality tea bags for immune support, stomach aches, detoxing etc. I also keep a supply of all-natural plant-based sweeteners so that I don’t have to resort to using the Splenda or Equal in the kitchen.
Note – In addition to these teas and sweeteners I keep tons and tons of food, snacks, spices, bars, and protein powders under my desk… This is just what fits in my top drawer, I’ll share the rest later.
Supplements
Since I’m an avid sunscreen wearer and spend my days indoors, Vitamin D is a must. Alnd vegans and vegetarians can have trouble getting enough Vitamin B so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your B levels. In the mornings I also take a gummy multi-vitamin and chewy calcium supplement so they’re not pictured here.
So what do you use on a daily basis during the day that you can’t live without?
MCLV’s Makeup Bag
I’m here today to give you a peek into one of a women’s secret sources of power – her makeup bag. 🙂
I’ve always loved reading articles like this where celebrities or fashion/magazine insiders share their secrets so that I can discover new products and fun tricks to try. I swear, at this point, I’ve tried them all. Eye cream in the refrigerator, a perfume spritz on your hair-tie, tea tree oil on your nail beds, lining inside your eyes with a nude pencil, mixing multiple colors of blush to find the right shade…
My routine has been refined after years of trying new products and squeezed down to the bare essentials. Yes, I still love to play with makeup and a night when I get to do a smokey eye is a good night, but when you start work at 4:30am less is more in the preparation department.
Repeat offenders: These are the products that I use daily. It may have been all that time in Italy, but I rarely leave the house without putting myself together completely, which includes at least some of following basics: Laura Mercier Undercover Pot in UC-1, Benefit BADgal Mascara in Rich Black, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencils in Crash & 1999, Bare Escentuals Blush in Fruit Cocktail, Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde & an eyelash curler.
Other products in rotation: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Tipsy, Tarte Liquid Liner, Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir, and Chanel Precision Eye Definer in Demonic or Coffee Bean.
Lotions: BagBalm, L’Occitane & Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil. I’m completely addicted to hand lotions so I’m practically a connoisseur after years of trying different brands.
Perfume: Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle – I keep a mini Coco roller ball in my purse and another in my desk. I talked about the evolution of my scent over the years here if you’re interested in learning more about how I ended up with this perfume.
In case of emergency: There are some extras I carry with me juuust in case. Who knows, you might have to run to an impromptu event after work and need to whip yourself into shape in only a few minutes. A dramatic eye is my go-to for dressing up so I always have the following extras on hand: Yves Saint Laurent Ombres Vibration Duo, Laura Mercier Eye Liner in Black Ebony, and Chanel Ombre Paupieres Eyeshadow in 747. This last one is a liquid eye base that comes in a phenomenal bronze color and can easily be used on lips, eyes and cheeks so it’s ideal if you can only fit one product in your bag. A MUST have. And last but not least, a kick @$$ red lipstick – Chanel Trois Facettes in Wildrose with the most amazing gloss ever, Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in Galactic.
I hope you’ll be tempted to try some of these, I really can’t recommend them highly enough. Now tell me, what do you keep in your makeup bag?
Also see – MCLV’s Medicine Cabinet
Fashion Inspiration
Fashion isn’t just about what you wear, what goes on your body. It’s truly an expression of yourself that extends far beyond your clothes.
“Fashion is everything. Art, music, furniture design, graphic design, hair, makeup, architecture, the way cars look – all those things go together to make a moment in time.” – Tom Ford
And just as fashion isn’t limited to the cloth that we wrap ourselves in, inspiration can also be found in many forms.
I began clipping pictures from magazines as a pre-adolescent, not so much fashion photos, just pictures that caught my eye, things that I found eye-catching or memorable or mesmerizing.
As I became interested in fashion however, my clipping habits became more focused. And while I don’t confine myself to photographs of clothing and accessories, I’ve found that my love of fashion gives this activity more direction and purpose. I’ve found that even without context, pictures can serve a creative function.
They excite. They encourage. They inspire.
The beauty and artistry captured by a photographer can be moving, regardless of the medium. Advertisements, promotional materials, editorials, art, home decor…
I’ve found that by keeping these images available to myself I can stay out of a fashion rut. They provide new ideas and inspiration, get my creative juices flowing, and motivate me to grow and evolved. I highly recommend creating and maintaining a Look Book, a collection of images that make you smile, that invigorate you, that make you push your boundaries.
Whether it’s a physical book filled with clippings like mine are, or Boards on Pinterest, this is a great creative and inspirational outlet. Keeping pictures of looks that you like, styles that call to you, photos that take your breath away, can all be great tools to keep your approach to fashion fresh and interesting.
What’s your favorite way to get inspired?
Moi Contre La Vie 