My mom always said that a lady’s true nature is revealed by the things that are concealed.

I’m sure she was talking about character and/or lingerie, but I think even more can be learned about a woman by studying the content of her purse — especially her makeup pouch. So here is who I am according to my little bag:

1. A free bag my friend, Linda, gave me
2. Mini Vaseline for my lips, hands, or any parts of my body that’s dry
3. Ultra Repair Cream from Fab First Aid Beauty
4. Elf retractable brush — surprsingly okay-quality
5. Two hair ties
6. Shiseido eyebrow pencil because my worst nightmare is getting caught with no eyebrows on
7. Another free thing I got from said Linda -L’Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Gloss in 316
8. FitMe Concealer
9. Oil Clear powder from The Face Shop (with SPF 30 — the only time I apply sunblock to my face)
10. Lip Color from Nature Republic
11. Burts Bee’s lipbalm
12. And of course, birth control pills because I am a lady.

Assessment: I carry around a lot of useless stuff. Like, when do I ever use a concealer in the middle of the day? Who am I kidding. I can’t conceal my tired and greasy face with a cute stick of concealer. LOL. I need to redo my entire face.

I really didn’t do much for this mini-makeover, but I tried. Here are the items I eliminated:

• A free bag my friend, Linda, gave me — Sorry, Linda, but this bag had to go. It’s rainbow and pretty, but it’s entirely too small. Will keep for other uses!
• FitMe Concealer — There’s no point in carrying this around because I don’t use it during the day. Bye.
• Lip Color from Nature Republic — this bright orange lip color just does not work for the evening events. Goodbye.
• Burt’s Bees lip-balm — I actually hate this lip-balm. It does nothing for me.

Added:

1. A real, adult lipstick — Yves Saint Laurent’s Rough Pur Couture in 55 — that will help me look alive at the end of the day
2. An eye drop. Because my aging eyeballs are drying out like sad little raisins.
3. A cushion foundation from H&M because a concealer will never be enough.
4. (not in the photo above) a face mist because I am blessed with skin that is both dry and greasy at the same time. It’s just my toner in a spray bottle.

So here it is! This is what a makeup bag of an adult looks like. Oh and the stuff that’s not photo-worthy?

• Crumpled up receipts from lunches and random CVS runs.
• Tampons — even though I stopped using them in 2016.
• About $5 in pennies (why do we still use pennies?).
• Tissues and Starbucks napkins because I don’t trust public restrooms.
• Several sticky notes with very ambitious to-do lists (including, “clean out purse”).
• Crumbs. A lot of crumbs.
• Gift cards with unknown amount of money left.
• And much more. Basically, my entire life.

What do you carry in your purse? In your makeup bag? What items could eliminate/add to make it more ladylike?