My Plane wouldn't start

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Okay so I decided that I would go on a solo trip (and if I get a partner eventually sure I guess they can come too). Every year since I am gainfully employed and have pretty decent vacation time I have decided as a self proclaimed single women that I would travel somewhere each year to keep the wonderlust alive. As a result, I decided that for my first solo trip I would go to Vancouver. There were a few reasons I picked Vancouver. First, it is in Canada so I knew that I wouldn’t be as nervous flying domestically, second, many of my favorite creators and fellow bloggers live there and it made me want to go there, and three I am a bit of free soul so I thought I would fit in the west coast mindset. 

My travel day was a wild roller coaster and series of fortunate events. First, I scored at the vending machine and got two bags of ketchup chips for the price of one and I got the seat to myself to Toronto and to Vancouver.

But let’s start with the plane not starting. I felt like I was in my car when my battery died and I had to wait for CAA. First, our pilot tried to start the plane quite a few times. The cabin was dark with only the emergency pathway lit. The pilot made an announcement, saying we had no power to one engine, and something about the battery. THEN he kept trying. They had to bring in three back up things, and then finally the issue became the battery. 

I did not know that planes were like cars (I know have I been living under a rock). To me, it sounded like he was basically saying that we lost power because of the battery and he needed a boost. He made yet another announcement once again and advised that he then needed to reprogram the plane because the power outage cleared the plane’s computer. Ah how comforting. During this time I might add, it was super hot in the plane as we sat in the dark waiting. People were surprisingly fine – I thought a lot more mayhem would ensue. I heard some dude calling people saying that he was waiting for the plane but for the most part, my flight was not crowded and I had my whole three-row seat to myself which was a huge bonus as did many of the other folks. I could stretch out my short legs and use my scarf as a little pillow. I was not connecting so this delay wasn’t a huge issue. 

There were only a few things running through my mind when the plane wouldn’t start: when can I use the washroom, when do I get food, my phone is at 50% battery life and I want to charge it. I also saw White Collar on the TV thing and want to watch it. Many of the other travelers were a bit nervous about making their connection. Don’t I know that feeling. The real mayhem ensued when we landed. There was a lady rushing off and pretty pushed this other lady over trying to get off to figure out her next flight. Overall, the flight was good. I have flown many times myself, but never at such a great distance totally alone but quite frankly it was wonderful. Conquered travel day 1, next time an international escapade.

Stay tuned for the next installment of thegordonedit travels. 

Bobbi Brown Brand Focus

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Back in December I outlined 12 brands I wanted to try in 2020. I took to Instagram to ask the people what they would like to see, and by a landslide, Bobbi Brown won against Em Cosmetics. I’ve been toying with how exactly I am going to purchase from brands, whether that be by only getting best sellers or getting 4-5 items from each brand to try or just getting what really suits my fancy. Since not all brands are the same price point on that list, for Bobbi Brown I wanted to go with the most popular and iconic products from the brand as well as a lipstick I have been eyeing for awhile.

Let’s start with what the brand is about: The brand was founded 30 years ago by Bobbi Brown. The brand originated as a makeup brand with an artists eye. They came out with a wide range of foundation, for the time, in their stick foundation which was an iconic product. The approach of the brand was different for the time and was all about achieving the fresh-faced looked and enhancing what you already have. Bobbi Brown has since left the brand. 

Okay, so the brand is definitely not a millennial brand and I do think that rebranding is swaying towards the young millennial space, but also I like that Bobbi Brown doesn’t try to always get into the market. As a young professional, I was really attracted to the luxuriousness and simplicity of the products in this brand. 

The first product I knew I wanted to get was one of the shimmer bricks. I couldn’t decide which one to get, but after much internal deliberation I landed on the Rose one. I thought to myself that I moslty just have peach blushes in my collection so I went with this 3 in one product. I was suprised at how hard-pressed the product is, but effective. It is very tightly packed in the compact and really just gives you that glow from within look which is always what I’m going for. I would repurchase this 100% in the same shade and in the bronze shade. 

The second product I wanted was one of their colour crush lipsticks. I had swatched Grenadine last year and love the feel and glide of the formula, but at the time I swatched it I just didn’t have the money to spend on such an expensive lipstick. I bought this shade because I found that it is really a nice mix between a red, and a berry, and also is wearable for daily and super easy to apply. 

The third product, which I bought at the convincing of the lovely Sephora Employee, was the vitamin enriched face base. DAMMIT. This is freakin lovely. It makes your skin feels soft and smooth and all makeup sits beautifully on it. It also doubles a skincare product so you are able to have that benefit as well as have a priming benefit. 

The fourth product I bought was the highlighting powder in pink glow. What a beautiful, soft, easy glow for the daily. I find that this is the perfect, subtle but buildable highlighter for a workday. You can apply it with fingers and build it up with a brush. Or apply it with a brush and really work it into the skin. I love that it matches my skin tone perfectly. It feels to lean on the neutral side of the spectrum for my fair skin.

wearing Grenadine and the cheek products
Left to right: Rose highlighting brick, Pink Glow highlighter

Using Luxury Cleansers for a Month

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I always think to myself, what would happen to my skin if I used two super expensive cleansers what would happen to my skin. Quite frankly, I had my best friend ask me if I had ever done a comparison and I hadn’t. I decided I would do just that. I bought two cleansers, the Tata Harper Nourishing oil cleanser and the Drunk Elephant Beste cleanser. The main thing I wanted to know was if the clogged pores on my chin would disappear. I will admit, I wasn’t too great at taking progress photos, due to working late and forgetting, to take them I only got for the whole process, but I did take a day 1 and a day 30 photo. 

  • Day 1 of using the cleansers
  • Day 30 of using the cleansers

As you can see on Day 1 of using the cleansers my skin appears to be clear and free of much noticeable texture. Of course, throughout the 30 days I did get my period which I think contributed to the pimples I have on my shin. The second photo is me with all my skincare on hence the shine. I can only tell that I have less texture and what appears to be barely noticeable less blemishes on my cheek area. Let me know what you think in the comments.

my original line up

At first, I found the cleansers to really cleared up my chin dots. However, not so much so that they permanently stayed away. I really enjoyed using the Drunk Elephant Beste no. 9 Jelly cleanser and not so much enjoyed the Tata Harper. The Tata Harper really burned my eyes. For being a cleaner brand, I found that this was the worst part of using the cleanser was the fact that as soon as I would touch my eyes to remove mascara it would be all of the burn and none of the enjoyment. 

the new line up

The more the cleansers progressed, the more I realized that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Tata Harper. It does get my makeup off, but it isn’t as effective as I thought it would be. The burning of my eyes was probably the biggest surprise. I think that it is nice, but that quite honestly it is not better than other makeup removing cleansers I’ve tried. For example, I’ve used straight up almond oil to get my makeup off and that doesn’t burn my eyes whereas this, marketed to be a makeup remover, burns my eyes like no other. Now, am I using it up, 100 percent I am using this bad boy up because quite frankly I paid an arm and a leg for it, but at this point would not repurchase. 

The Drunk Elephant Beste cleanser. Okay. This is nice. I will give it to Drunk Elephant, they are one of my favourite skincare brands and this cleanser is no exception. I find that it does remove mascara and does not leave my skin feeling stripped. There is no burning sensation in my eyes. This is a classic cleanser, but I really don’t think it is any better than Cerave gel cleanser. Now, I will admit, when I don’t use the Tata Harper I find that my skin really loves the gentleness of the Drunk Elephant Beste Cleanser and I would repurchase this purely because it’s a really clean brand and I like supporting female-owned brands. 

Conclusion: my skin does feel a bit less textured, but I do find in any case my skin feels better after cleansing then it does with my normal gel and foam cleanser combination. I think high end cleansers and drug store cleansers to clean your skin the same way, but it all depends on what you are looking for and what cleansing experience you want in your life.

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Monthly Makeup Basket January 2020

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A bit late into the month. 11 days to be exact. I have been busy with work but am back to tell you what is in my monthly makeup basket for this month (excluding lips and mascara because I am always changing it up). I have probably a lot more in my monthly makeup basket than most normal folks out there. But when you are a beauty blogger, who loves makeup, choice is key.

The base products

I am using the Too Faced Hangover Rx Primer and the Nude by Nature perfecting primer. These are two, basic hydrating primers. Along with that, I have four foundations. I have the Nude by Nature loose foundation warm ivory, the Becca Aqua Luminous foundation, Kosas Tinted face oil in tone 02, and the Glossier skin tint in G11. 

I also have the Too Faced sculpting concealer (I’m still going on this) in Snow, and the Glossier stretch concealer in G11, as well as my mini nude by nature concealer ad the Charlotte Tilbury Magic concealer in fair 4. I have almost hit pan on the Hourglass ambient lighting powder in Ethereal Light. I also have the Klairs BB Cream and the Lush powder in Emotional Brilliance for a setting powder. 

Cheek products

I wanted to do creams and powders for the cheeks. I am using two NARS blushes this month, one in orgasm and one in Torrid. The other powder blush I have is the Revlon blush in the naughty nude. I then have all four of my Burt’s Bees cream sticks, Suez sands and Dhalia Dew as well as the two highlighters opal mist and bronze splash. 

My two powder bronzers for this month are the Hourglass Ambient Lighting bronzer in diffused bronze light and the Fenty Beauty Bronzer in in da sun. For highlighters, I have the new Body Shop Powder highlighter that was out for the holidays (no longer on their website) and the Physicians formula butter highlighter in the shade pearl. 

Eyes

Okay. Yes, it is a lot but I have three eyeshadow palettes I want to include. The Natasha Denona Biba Palette, the Tom Ford Coco Mirage powder, and the Fenty Beauty Moroccan spice palette. I did not include singles or toppers because I like to switch those up daily so I really just switch between all of my single shadows and liquid toppers depending on the day. 

*affiliate link has been used for the Klairs BB Cream*