The Princess Fusion: October 2016

Sometimes being an adult can be kind of stressful. From opening bank accounts to cleaning, I thought it was necessary to treat myself and go for a walk into Lush. Now mind you, I've tried several of Lush's products before. I have a friend who use to work at the store in Minnesota and is a junkie to their products to this day. As a vegetarian, I try my best to be conscious of what I not only eat, but also what I buy. So when I heard that Lush had great hair products (especially for girls with curly hair) it was a no brainer to treat myself to some R&R.

I should probably explain to you guys how my hair is. Thanks to my curls, my hair seems to be changing almost every day. Some days my curls are very tight and curly. Other days, my hair is longer almost wavy like (and sultry?). Point of the story is- I never know what I'm going to wake up to. Having curls, I take certain precautions when it comes to products and maintaining healthy hair. I don't blow dry it (and in the rare occasion that I do, I use a diffuser) and believe that condition air is my best friend.

My hair before using the product: Curls are'clumpy' with little definition for each individual curl.

Having moved to the south of France hasn't been the best for my hair. With the humidity and wind, my hair turns into a frizzy mess pretty much two hours into my day, leaving me with only one option: to leave my curls in a bun. Mind you this is 100% a first world problem, but living in France comes with some 'responsibilities' per say. One has to present themselves in a certain manner here compared to that in the United States. The days of wearing sweatpants out in public with disheveled hair even for a 15 minute walk are now a thing of the past, and every occasion (even if it is just going to the post office) requires proper etiquette. This by no means is a written rule for France, but I truly believe that appearance can make a difference.

But I digress.... as I walked into Lush in my city of Montpellier, I explained my hair dilemma in hopes that they would have the right product for me. I winced as I bought a tub of shampoo (which I admit I don't use too much of, having been a former Wen user) and strutted back to my apartment excited for what the results would look like. Though I am only on my first week of trying out the new product, I am complexly in love with the Curly Wurly solution. I can feel that my curls are holding in water and that they feel light and airy (something that I never thought was possible before). Sure there is still a bit of frizz in my hair (I'm trying out the complementary conditionairs to see which one suits me best at the moment), but so far this shampoo has done wonders for my hair in France. I'm excited to see how this product's shelf life will last and if it will continue to make my curls look as stunning as they deserve to be.

After having used the product: more definition per curl and volume

Have you tried Lush's beauty products? If so which one?

Until next time,

Having visited Barcelona this weekend again for the second time this year, I thought it would be helpful for you guys to have some tips on what to do in Barcelona and what you can avoid. No matter if you are into seeing museums, tanning on the beach, or going from one tourist site to another there is sure to be at least one activity on here that you will enjoy!

· Walking on the boardwalk : This is best to do during the early morning at sunrise. What a way to start the day.
· Las Ramblas (note that the restaurants on this street are expensive, for cafes I recommend going on the side streets in the neighborhood so you don’t break the bank)
· El Mercado de la Boqueria: This is a foodie’s heaven. Here you will find stands from meats and cheese, fresh juice, chocolate covered strawberries, to sangria flavored gelato.
· Arc de Triumph: What’s more amazing than the arc itself might be the park attached to it. Here you can discover a tropical oasis away from the city which includes a fountain and even has a lake where you can take a paddle boat.
· Gothic quarter: Need a say more? This is a great place to get a great brush up on history.
· Park Guell: Tip of the day- look at the map and make sure you enter in the front rather than in the back of the park. Trust me- there are too many hills. Book tickets prior to entering the park online to save you time at this high tourist area.
· Sagrada Familia: Though this is currently on construction (and will be for another 20 years), this church is a must see. Make sure that you go around the entire church (back and front) in order to see the different styles of architecture throughout the building. Bonus points if you can find the Christmas tree.
· Magic Fountain: This is only going on during the weekends (particularly at night). A must see and is located close to one of the best shopping areas in the world.
· Any and every single bar: Yes there is a good amount to see here in Barcelona but remember to take your time when seeing tourist sites. Sit, relax, and take in everything you can (including food and drinks). After all that’s how the Spanish live. So why can’t you?

What are some other tips that you have for Spain? Post your comment below!

Until next time,

As someone who is traveling constantly, I always love to have my headphones with me wherever I'm going . Whether I'm on an airplane trying to calm my nerves by listening to some bubbly music or trying to work out, my Beats headphones have become a necessity when traveling. So when I saw that stores in Europe were selling Beats by Dre headphones for only 12 euros I couldn't help but buy a pair.

Packaging of the headphones purchased

*Side note, my pair that I've had (which are legitimate seeing that they came with my laptop) have started to wear out. The leather is begging to shed and though this is a minor detail a part of me is really debating about buying the latest rose gold pair. *

I'm usually one to be cautious about buying products that seem too good to be true, especially when traveling. When it comes to tourists traps, most products being sold are cheap, inauthentic, and have a short shelf life. Naturally I inspected the outside of the box before I bought the headphones. The packaging looked legitimate and had the same verbiage as my package did from the States. So I opened up my wallet, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best.

The phony pair of headphones

You're probably all thinking by now that I'm about to learn a lesson, and you're right. Though what I purchased was (what I assumed) were Beat headphones, what I got where very well crafted off-brand headphones. Sure they work as headphones but there are qualities that are lacking in these off-brand headphones compared to its competitors. Examples include surround sound, leather interior, adjustable head set, and volume control. At first glance, the headphones look pretty similar to the real deal, but after quick comparison it was evident that these weren't the real deal.

Beware that within Europe it isn't just this luxury product that is being sold falsely. Though it was only 12 euros lost, I would have preferred to have kept that money and spent it on something else (like a drink or two maybe?). Many other popular items such as perfume have the same exact packaging as the authentic pieces, but what lies inside of it are phony products. Understand that you as a customer have rights (such as asking about where the product was produced) and that sometimes there are some deals that actually are too good to be true.

Until next time,