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1. A 12-pack of Shout stain remover wipes that’ll make sure you never get caught with spaghetti sauce splattered down your front ever again. Each wipe is individually wrapped, too, so you can just tuck ‘em in your pocket and you’ll always be prepared for whatever (literal) messes life throws at you.
2. A lil’ on-the-go bandage tin, because a minor cut or scrape doesn’t have to slow you down. This super cute tin from Welly includes not just 18 adhesive bandages in two different sizes, but also three single-use antibiotic ointment packets and three itty-bitty hand sanitizer packets — so whenever your next papercut strikes, you’ll have everything you need to take care of it waiting and ready to go
3. And a mini first aid kit that packs a truly astonishing amount of supplies into a single, pint-sized package. This adorable, portfolio-style fabric case unrolls to display a whopping 50, extremely well-organized items to help with a variety of on-the-go injuries — and since it’s so compact when it’s all folded up, keeping essential first aid gear with you has never been easier.
4. A teeny-tiny travel sewing kit, because buttons don’t care if you’re a million miles from home, they’re gonna drop off wherever they're gonna drop off, thank you very much. If you’ve got this extremely portable kit with you, though, you’ll be able to reattach any button — or fix any tear, or sew any hem — in the blink of an eye. (A NEEDLE’S eye, if you will.) (Sorry.) (Actually not sorry.) (…I’ll show myself out.)
5. A Pinch Provisions “minimergency” kit, so you’ll be prepared for any general, unplanned-for woes you might experience while you’re out and about. Pinch’s adorable little kits wrap tons of useful bits and bobs into one chic and compact bundle. Chuck it in your bag before you leave the house and you’re good to go!
6. A roll-on migraine stick that uses peppermint, spearmint, and lavender oils to help relieve headaches on the go. Since this rollerball is perfectly pocket-sized, it fits easily into a bag or purse; then you can just yank it out whenever you need a little head-soothing help.
7. And a sleek and space-efficient pill carrying case, so you can stay on top of your meds while you're out and about — or just bring along your favorite painkiller or remedy in the event of a surprise headache. This pick has a removable divider, so you can split its space into four compartments or just use it as one big one; it also fastens shut super securely — and, bonus! It’s actually pretty, too.
8. An external battery for your phone that’ll halt any “Oops, no juice!” moments right in their tracks. This sleek, slim power bank slips easily into a backpack or pocket, and it holds enough charge to load up an iPhone 13 twice over. If you ever get into a situation that requires outside help, this thing will make sure you can call in reinforcements.
9. A three-pack of Tide To-Go pens so you can stop stains from wreaking havoc on your wardrobe, no matter where in the world you are — literally or figuratively. Bring this packable pick along, and the second a mess happens, you can pull it out, scribble on the splotch, and watch it vanish right before your very eyes. Magic? Maybe not, but it sure feels like it sometimes!
10. Or an OxiClean stain removing stick for a boost of oxi-powered grossness removal. Like the Tide-To-Go option, this one works pen-style; to use it, just blot off any excess gunk from the location of the spill, then go at it with this lil’ guy’s unique scrubby tip. Stains, begone!
11. A pack of hand soap sheets, because you might not always have access to a full soap dispenser when you need one. No soap? No problem — just pull out one of these sheets, add water, and lather away. No muss. No fuss. No more gross hands.
12. Or, a travel-size pack of Wet Ones wipes for those times when you’re not near any water, but still really need a wipe-down. These wipes will kill roughly 99.9% of bacteria, and they’re pretty darn good at just getting regular ol’ dirt off, too.
13. A pack of Wisp brushers, because accidental midday coffee breath is a surprisingly solvable problem. It’s true that nothing beats an actual brushing — but since these portable brushers don’t need any water to do their thing, they make giving your teeth and tongue a quick brush a little easier and more discreet than it might otherwise be. It pays always to be prepared for important afternoon meetings, does it not?
14. And a pocket-sized pack of floss picks to help out with any stray… bits that might have managed to stick with you after lunch. (I mean, yes, that Cava run was 100% worth it, but that super-greens-and-lentils combo gets everywhere.) These flossers from Plackers are more than a match for any between-the-teeth cleanup job; the floss itself is designed to be super strong and shred-proof, after all. They even come in a handy little carrying case, too. What more could your mouth want?
15. A stick of Body Glide anti-friction balm, because you absolutely do not have to put up with chafing-related ouchies — even if they strike at the most unexpected of times. Just apply a little of this soothing balm wherever you’re experiencing discomfort, and it’ll help everything, y'know, glide instead of stick. The best part? This tidy, pocket-sized stick is supremely transportable, so you can take it along with you and reapply as needed. No more irritation!
16. A box of individually wrapped biodegradable body wipes, so you can take a moment to freshen up whenever you start to feel a little icky. Formulated with aloe vera, chamomile, and tea tree oil, they’ll give you a quick cleanse with just a swipe — meaning you don’t have to wait until you get home at the end of the day to de-grime-ify yourself. Or de-I-spilled-my-lunch-down-my-front-ify yourself. (We’ve all been there. I don’t judge.)
17. And a pack of antiperspirant wipes, just in case. Didn’t expect to end up in a sweaty situation today and don’t have your regular stick on hand? That’s what these are for. Keep a couple with you, and you’ll always have something refreshing to wipe your pits down with when you feel the need. Aaah. Much better.
18. A mini-sized bottle of Poo-Pourri spray, because taking care of business in less-than-private situations doesn’t have to be an anxiety-inducing experience. Give the bowl a spray before you sit down, and this lemon, bergamot, and lemongrass-scented stuff will stop odors from making their way out into the, uh… general population. Seems goofy, but longtime Poo-Pourri enthusiasts swear by it — and if public restrooms are a little fraught for you, the peace of mind this stuff provides might be worth it.
19. A tin of solid insect repellent balm that’ll both stop itchy bug bites before they even start and free you from the worry that your bottle of liquid repellent might leak in your bag (ick). This DEET-free balm harnesses castor, lemongrass, rosemary, cedarwood, and peppermint oils to keep bugs at bay — and since it’s delivered via a nongreasy balm fueled by ingredients like olive oil and beeswax, it’s the ideal way to keep yourself bite-free and your bag leak-free at the same time.
20. And a Shark Tank-famous Bug Bite Thing, for those times when a mosquito manages to work its way through even the best of defenses. This packable suction tool works by literally sucking out the insect saliva or venom from the bite, eliminating — or at least greatly reducing — the cause of the itching. It’s good for a huge variety of insect bites, too — not just mosquitoes, but also biting flies, wasps, and bees.
21. A pack of Dr. Frederick's Original Better Blister Bandages, so you’ll never be held up by painful blisters again. These big ol' hydrocolloid bandages both protect blisters and help them heal, saving you a whole bunch of discomfort in the process. Stick a couple of ‘em in your bandage tin or first aid kit, and rest safe in the knowledge that you will never, under any circumstance, have to put up with friction-related pain or gross, burst blisters. Ever.
22. A pair of Bambody period underwear, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure... especially when it comes to leakage. These undies hold up to two tampons’ worth of liquid, so when you’ve got them on, you’ll be prepared for even a surprise period arrival.
23. And a pack of individually wrapped heating patches for menstrual pain that’ll help alleviate cramps anytime, anywhere. These neat-o patches activate when unwrapped; then, once they’ve started heating up, you can stick them right on top of your underwear, where they’ll deliver soothing, relaxing, cramp-relieving warmth for up to eight hours. And since they’ve got such a streamlined silhouette, you can wear them under the rest of your clothes and no one will ever know.
24. A “Sandscreen” sand removal bag, so you can clean up your beachiest nightmares before you set foot in your car, your home, or wherever else you’d like to remain sand-free. (Seriously, cleaning up beach sand is NOT an easy task. Why not make it simpler on yourself by nipping the problem in the bud?) Just pat this friendly blue pouch to activate it, then use it to wipe the sand from your feet, legs, arms… you get the idea. Voilà — no more sand!
25. A pack of good ol’ fashioned Clorox disinfecting wipes, because life can be grimy, but these things can clean up basically anything. Lunchtime desk mishap? Questionable airplane tray table? The realization that you have no idea where the pen you’re currently holding has actually been? Clorox wipes are there for you. And with these purse-friendly, individually wrapped ones, they can be there for you wherever you go.
26. A “Geekey” multi-tool (get it?) so you’ll be prepared for literally anything, up to and probably including the apocalypse. If you’ve always dreamed of being that person who has a solution for every! Single! Problem! — this sucker belongs on your keychain.
27. And, lastly, a purse organizer insert to make sure you can actually find all your carefully packed, on-the-go emergency supplies when you need them. In addition to the big, roomy center compartment, this pick has a whopping 12 organizer pockets spaced along the outer edges, so you can stow all those bandages, stain removing pens, wet wipes, brushers, flossers, and so on with ease — and always be able to locate them again when the time to use them arrives!
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.