I know one too many fashionistas who fall victim to shoveling every piece of their beauty life into their handbags, even on a night out. My own verdict – GUILTY!

Here are a few items that have both intentionally and miraculously made it into my self-deemed bag of shame: Benefit compact, three different shades of lip gloss, eyeliner, wallet with every credit card minus cash, 8 fl. Oz. of Bath & Body Works Spray (i.e. the “big” bottle), hair serum to maintain the faux straight look, gum, mints, keys, cell with detached cell holder, camera, tampons, receipts, deodorant…and I will stop there for the sake of coming off neurotic. A little late? Admittedly, I’m not surprised.

The good news is, if you’re anything like me, know that for every one woman who continuously does this, there’s about an infinite number of gals who have at one point or another committed the same “Crazy Bag Lady” crime. Now, don’t get me wrong, in the typical day of a hardworking glamazon, I know it’s easy to throw everything in your Betseyville bag. However, for either a night out with your girls or a date, this may not be the wisest route to take.

In the first scenario, it’s simply too much to shuffle around in a clubesque setting. One of my girlfriends once told me, “Mal, leave your purse behind, it’s like a whole other person we have to worry about!” I couldn’t have said it better myself. An extra weight on your shoulder, continual bumpage with other people (which can potentially be taken the wrong way, yikes!), and the risk of losing your favorite lipstick. While on a date with a new beau, taking along your pseudo-suitcase may become the “third wheel.” Not to mention, you run the risk of giving off, at best, the narcissistic impression to your date. Definitely a no win situation.

Much to the relief of my arm-candy, I decided to undergo some beauty intervention and wisely choose the necessities that I cannot do without while on a night out. Here’s what I came up with:

*One shade of lip gloss (no need for several-especially for one night)
*Compact or oil-absorbing sheets (to rid of the excess shine)
*Tampon (need I say more)
*Gum or mints (not both)
*I.D., one credit card, and loose cash (the latter is important just in case you need to opt for the taxi on a date turned bad)

Although you may not have every piece of your beauty regimen with you, it’ll save you the frustration of digging through Pandora’s Box, backache, and most importantly, looking like the Crazy Bag Lady!

What are some necessities that you can’t let go of when going out?

Photo credits: polyvore.com and apparelop.com