I’m one of those girls who admires fancy beauty tools from afar but I always question if they’re really any better than the basics. Will they really improve my life in some way? I tend to mix up my beauty products fairly equally between the high-end and low-end but when it comes to hair, to me it’s just hair. My hair has always been long and straight and it grows really fast. I don’t do a whole lot to it (but let’s be real — if I had the time and funds, I’d get it styled all fancy once a week). For the last five years, I’ve used a basic Conair hair dryer that probably cost a max of $25.00. It does the job but admittedly, it’s not great.

That’s where the Super Solano 232X hair dryer comes in. When Beauty Supply Online offered to let me try one out, I thought sure, why not — it’s a splurge I probably wouldn’t normally invest in on my own and I was really curious. Was it actually superior to my standard-issue dryer?

After trying it out for a few weeks, the consensus is a resounding yes. Let’s start with the superficial — this is a hair dryer I’m talking about, after all! The Solano is way better looking than a standard-issue dryer. It’s sleek, all black, imprinted with a gold coat of arms logo and not too bulky. But beyond that, it’s way quiet, which I love. The Italians sure know what’s up when building anything with a motor, that’s for sure. The first time I turned it on, I was a bit blown away (haha). Imagine starting up a Ford. And then a Ferrari. One sounds like a basic car, the other one purrs.

A bit embarrassingly, my Conair can overheat big time. I often feel the back of my neck burning and if I get it too close to my hair, this weird clearish smoke comes out in plumes. Kind of scary! The Solano has more precise, dialed settings (it’s not just ice cold air or third degree burn hot) and even on the highest setting, I don’t get that dreaded scorched hair smell. Yet, my hair dried about five minutes faster. The time savings was by far the biggest selling point for me. Finally, I should mention that the cord is super heavy duty which has led to a lot less tangles. The OCD Virgo in me loves that big time.

In closing: This hair dryer is the equivalent of a luxurious Italian sports car. It probably won’t change your life but it will definitely make your hair drying experience much more enjoyable. I like using a hair dryer that leaves me feeling like I’m in a fancy salon. The sad reality is that I step foot in a salon perhaps every six months so it’s nice to have a pro quality dryer. While your current hair dryer might work perfectly fine, if you can step it up down the road, consider treating yourself.

Readers, I have a question for you: Do you have any extravagant, pricey beauty product or tool that you absolutely swear by? I’ve always had the mindset of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but in my older, wiser age, I’m starting to see that there often is a difference.

* Special thanks to Beauty Stop Online for providing me with the Solano Dryer for review.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Amy, a stylist at Oscar + Fitch, a hip & fashionable eyeglasses boutique in Edinburgh, Scotland. She wanted to know if I would like to try a pair of their glasses and I excitedly agreed.

Though I have perfect vision, I enjoy wearing non-prescription glasses for some added style. After discussing options with Amy, I came to the conclusion that I didn’t want the frames I chose to be too normal in style; I wanted something a bit funkier so that it didn’t look like I was wearing reading glasses around town!

This girl knows what she’s doing. After viewing a few of my photos, she recommended a style (mod 2087) that turned out to fit my face perfectly upon arrival. I’ve always liked the geek chic frames, but on my small features, they sometimes look like big old safety glasses!

The style I chose comes in multiple colors, but I stuck with a very basic scheme which is black on the front and tortoise shell on the sides (you can see close-ups of them here and here). It goes without saying that the craftsmanship is amazing. After having so many pairs of cheap chain store glasses, I immediately could tell the difference in the quality of the frames, the smoothness of the heavy duty hinges and overall fit.

Sometimes when a company offers you a trial of their products, the results are less than extraordinary (over the years, there have been a lot of items that I’ve refused to review based on lackluster quality and service). In this case, I can 100% back not only the quality, style and selection of Oscar + Fitch, but also their impeccable customer service. Amy and I did all of our correspondence through email with frame numbers flying back and forth and I got exactly what I’d hoped for. I almost forgot to mention…not only did I get the glasses that I’d originally requested but also another unexpected surprise; a custom pair of super mod sunglasses which I will be sharing with you soon!

Oh and dear readers, conveniently enough, Oscar + Fitch is running a special this month over at eye heart glasses so that you can get your very own O+F frames at a reduced price!

P.S. The 40s-era blouse that I’m wearing in the above photos was a gift from online vintage mecca and client Monster Vintage. I love it so much!