There are some items a woman simply can’t leave the house without. And while the contents of our handbags may change ever so slightly with each different stage of our lives, there will always remain those trusty handbag essentials that every girl needs.

Here’s my list of the 10 essential handbag items that I just couldn’t do without:

1. Period Products

There’s nothing worse than getting caught out by a period you weren’t expecting. You could be as regular as clockwork, but from my own personal experience I know how sometimes it likes to take you completely unawares. So, you gotta be prepared!

Keep a small make up bag in your handbag and fill it with all of your essential period products. Tampons, sanitary towels, moon cup, period pants, wipes, whatever your period product of choice is, whack it in there and be safe in the knowledge that you’ll never be caught out again.

2. Fast-Acting Pain Relief

When you’re a girl on the go you can’t afford to be held back by niggly aches and pains. Whether it’s a headache, period pain, or you’ve gone too hard at it at the gym, it’s important to take some control back by ensuring you have some fast-acting pain relief stashed away in that handbag of yours.

Paingone is perfect for when you want something portable and small enough to fit into your handbag without taking up too much valuable space (I mean there are 9 other handbag essentials to fit in there too!) and even better it’s totally drug free. I don’t know about you lot, but I like to keep my paracetamol and ibuprofen intake low and keep things as au naturel as possible.

3. Hand Sanitiser

Covid restrictions may now have eased, but I have a feeling we’re all going to be using hand sanitiser for some time to come. This handbag essential ain’t going nowhere!

More than anything I think covid highlighted just how many germs are out there. I never used to question using a supermarket trolley, or door handles, but when you stop and think about how many people have touched these things, and let’s face it not everyone has the same hygiene standards, well yeah I am all for continuing hand sanitising.

Most public places still supply hand sanitiser for their customers to use, but the quality of hand sanitiser can be very hit and miss. Keep a bottle of your favourite scented hand sanitiser in your bag so that you don’t have to use a product that is too sticky or dries your hands out too much.

4. Hand Cream

Talking of which, what with all this hand sanitising, combined with the cold winter weather, our poor hands are really suffering. The one thing every woman needs in her handbag, particularly at this time of year, is a good quality hand cream.

Choose a hand cream that is suitable for your skin. Natural ingredients are always best and try to also buy products that are organic, ethically sourced and sustainable so that you can help the planet as well as your hands.

5. Reusable Face Mask

The rules for having to legally wear face masks inside public shared spaces have now been scrapped. However, despite this being the case, it is highly likely that many people will continue to wear them for the time being.

Plus, as we all know, these rules and restrictions can change at the drop of a hat, so it’s always best to channel our inner Brownie, and be prepared by having a reusable face mask safely tucked away in our handbags.

6. Lip Balm

Chapped, sore lips are commonplace at this time of year and the only thing you can do to either prevent them from getting in this state, or to help soothe them if they’re too far gone, is by lathering them in lovely lip balm.

Make sure you buy a new lip balm every year, especially if it is a lipstick style one that you apply directly to the lips, as they can harbour all kinds of bacteria. In fact, I like to buy a few of them so that I can keep one in in my handbag, one on my bedside table, and one in various coat pockets. In my opinion a girl can never have too many lip balms!

7. Crystal Water Bottle

Now this one will depend on the size of your handbag, but if you’re a lover of a large tote then this is one handbag essential you definitely can’t live without.

We all know how important it is to stay hydrated, and I’m sure many of you already carry a water bottle around with you in a bid to reach your daily water target. But I want to take it to the next level, which is why I am all over these water bottles that I’ve seen that contain a crystal in the centre of them for extra added health and wellness benefits. Aside from the fact they look all kinds of pretty, the crystal releases its accumulated energy into your water. Thus, when you drink your crystal infused water you also take in the given energies of that crystal.

The choice of crystal is up to you of course. Perhaps you’d like to lower your stress levels in which case go for something like Amethyst or Black Tourmaline. Or maybe you’d like to improve your creativity, in which case opt for Citrine or Aquamarine. There is a crystal for everything, so do a little research and choose the one that feels right for you.

8. Reusable Bag

We’re all so much better at making environmentally friendly choices and have long been using reusable bags for our shopping. So, this handbag item probably won’t come as too much of a surprise. But to take it next level eco warrior it’s all about choosing bags that aren’t just reusable, but that are also either made from recycled materials or that are biodegradable when they reach the end of their lifespan.

Look out for bags made of modern materials, such as plant starch, that are compostable. Or if you prefer a sturdier bag, opt for organic cotton, that can also be washed if it gets dirty, and used time and time again. If you’re a bit handy with a sewing machine you could even have a go at making yourself a reusable bag out of any old clothes you no longer wear.

9. Aromatherapy Pulse Point Oil

We all like to smell nice, right? But what if you could smell nice and feel good both at the same time? See, it’s easy to bung a sample bottle of perfume in your bag, but after the couple of years we’ve all just had I reckon we could do with utilising the power of aromatherapy with a pulse point oil.

You can find them online or in independent specialist stores, I know we’ve got tonnes of shops that sell these in my local hometown. And the idea is you roll them on your pulse points whenever you feel the need. For example, if you’re feeling a little stressed it would be wise to look out for an oil like frankincense of clary sage, which have properties proven to ease stress and anxiety. By applying the oil to your pulse points, either your wrists or neck, it means it gets into your bloodstream quicker as the blow flows closest to the skin at these points. And that means you feel the benefits super, super quickly.

10. Positive Affirmations

Every woman needs their own cheerleader for those feel good self-love vibes. I love reading positive affirmations to help lift my mood and empower me throughout the day, so how about filling your handbag with little words of cheer, to make you smile every time you go rooting around in there.

It goes without saying that your handbag will contain your keys and phone, I mean no one goes anywhere without those handbag essentials do they, but how about accessorizing them with a positive message keyring or an empowering quote phone case. By sending ourselves these little messages every now and again, it helps motivate us and instil a sense of self-worth, which is something we could all benefit more from.

What Would You List As Your Handbag Essentials?

There you have it. My 10 handbag essentials that I reckon every woman should be carrying around with her in 2022. I’m interested to hear what you would add to the list if I haven’t mentioned it above. So please leave me a comment below or share your thoughts on my socials:

Facebook – @thisishealthyliving

Twitter – @ArtHealthLiving

Instagram – @arthealthyliving

Author Bio

Becky Stafferton is a content creator, full time procrastinator and mum of 2 kids and 1 aggy cockapoo. She tries to promote a realistic, sustainable and positive image of how to lead a healthy life, whilst also maintaining the fact that life ain’t all fluffy clouds and rainbows. When she’s not writing or sitting on her arse scrolling through social media, she can be found running through muddy puddles, making lists of lists, having a good old moan, doing random Google searches and squatting like her life depends on it.

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One of the most important parts of starting a new fitness routine is finding the right equipment to get started. Practising yoga at home without the help of a yoga teacher or the equipment provided by a yoga studio can be challenging for beginners. Having the right yoga gear for your practice will help beginners feel more comfortable and confident when they are just learning the poses, and it will also help more experienced practitioners increase your flexibility and strength for more advanced poses. While yoga studios often provide lots of equipment for their students, you don’t need to make an enormous investment to start practicing yoga at home. Below, we’ve listed the best at home yoga essentials for beginners and experienced yogis.

If you’re looking to start your practice, but are unsure what to buy, this guide is for you. We’ve provided some great basic items that will help you get started without breaking the bank. Here’s a look at all the most important items you’ll need to get started, plus additional items to make your yoga space more conductive for practice. We will also list some optional yoga gear that can help established yoga students with more challenging poses.

At home yoga essentials to get started

In order to practice yoga at home, you will need certain yoga equipment. Part of the beauty of yoga is that you don’t need a lot of yoga gear to practice at home or outside of the yoga studio. At the bare minimum you only need a mat. The other items on our must-haves for an at-home yoga practice are highly recommended for a successful practice. We’ve listed the essentials below by order of necessity and utility, so focus your purchases from the top down.

• Yoga mat—You can buy a yoga mat online or in any big-box store for about $15-25. A good mat prevents you from slipping and gives you some padding from a hard floor. If you have carpeting or other types of flooring, then a regular mat should be fine. If you have hardwood floors in your house, consider getting a thicker mat.
• Comfortable yoga clothes—You can start by just wearing what you normally wear to work out at the gym or to go jogging. Make sure what you wear can move easily with your body in the yoga poses. If you practice more vigorous styles of yoga you will want something that wicks away sweat and drys quickly. Most importantly, buy what you feel most comfortable wearing.
• Yoga blocks—Made from wood, foam or cork, yoga blocks or bricks can be very helpful for beginners. They are used as an extension of your hands to stabilize your body when you are doing poses that require you to be balanced and grounded. They come in various shapes and sizes and can be found online or at most big-box stores for about $13 per set of two.
• Yoga strap or yoga belt—A yoga strap is a very useful item if you lack flexibly in your legs. it is used as an extension of your arms to allow you to hold onto your feet and stretch deeper into the pose. You can find yoga straps online or at most big-box stores for about $7.
• YouTube videos or yoga apps—There are hundreds of free yoga videos on YouTube, and we’ve compiled the best videos for beginners. There are also several good free apps available for your smart phone. These apps will help you track your progress, give you tips and tricks and keep you motivated. You can check these options for doing Yoga at home using an app.
• Yoga mat wash—When your yoga mat gets dirty in can become smelly and slippery. You can use a pre-made yoga mat spray (it usually sells for about $11) or make your own spray to clean your mat. A quick spray and wipe down on a regular basis is all that is needed to keep your mat looking new.
• Yoga websites or books—Using a good website or book will be helpful to learn the various poses, how to properly align your body in those poses, meditation, and yoga philosophy. This will give you a lot of information and inspiration to help you on your journey. You can find a good yoga book at any bookstore and you can purchase YogaBasics’ two beginner yoga books online.
• Towel— A microfiber yoga mat towel is essential if you practice hot yoga or if you easily get sweaty during yoga. If only your hands are getting sweaty and slippery you can use smaller microfiber hand towels. Make sure the towel is thick and absorbent enough to help keep you dry and clean.

At home yoga essentials for experienced yogis

• Bolster or yoga blanket—For restorative poses you will need a bolster and one or two yoga blankets. You can certainly use any extra blankets, folded up towels and firm pillows around your home, but if you practice restorative yoga regularly it will be best to have the proper equipment to support you in these passive poses.
• Meditation cushion—You will want to support your body for seated meditation with support under your hips. You can use a bolster or yoga blanket for this, but if you are meditating daily, a comfortable meditation cushion is best to sit on when you are in your seated asanas. Cushions come in all different shapes and sizes and you can check out our meditation cushion guide to help choose the best one for you.
• Foam roller—If you have tight and tense muscles you may want to use a foam roller to help massage and release tension before or during your yoga practice. Foam rollers come in many different shapes and sizes, so choose one based on your body size, massage preferences and budget.
• Yoga wheel or yoga ball—if you like restorative yoga and back bending poses a yoga wheel is a fun prop to play with. You can also use it for making some poses more challenging. Alternatively, an inflatable yoga ball is a great accessory to support your backbends and to use for core strengthening exercises.
• Eye pillow—A weighted eye pillow can be used to reduce tension around your eyes and promote deeper states of relaxation while resting in Shavasana pose.

Essentials for a tranquil yoga space

Find a clean and comfortable place in your home where you can practice in peace and quiet. Equipping your space with a few items can greatly improve your experience and enjoyment.

• Air Fan—If you tend to get hot and sweaty in your practice you may want a small portable fan to keep you cool and comfortable.
• Portable heater—if you live in a cold climate or prefer a hot yoga class you can use a portable heater to warm up your yoga space instead of heating up the whole house.
• Aroma diffuser—Using an essential oil diffuser or burning incense would also add to the atmosphere of your practice. Different scents can be used to make your space more calming or energizing, depending on your desired mood.
• Bluetooth speaker—A good quality speaker can be used to improve the sound quality of any music or audio instructions used in your practice.

Yoga essentials shopping tips

• Shop around to find the best prices and deals. If you are brand new, consider looking at bundled yoga sets that contain a mat, blocks, strap and other items at a reduced cost.
• Look for eco-friendly materials and natural materials like cork, rubber and organic cotton.
• Ask your yogi friends which products and brands have been the most helpful and improving and supporting their yoga experience.
• If you are unsure how serious and committed you will be, it might be best to purchase inexpensive items at first and then upgrade to higher quality gear once you’ve had more time to feel things out.

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