Divine Dryers, Part 1

Deliciously Dry Lovely Locks

This is the very first hair-dryer we ever owned. Yup, we’re that old. We’re so old, the public was only using bonnet-style dryers.

Of course, our father bought us that dryer when we were in the first grade (at St. Gerard Majella Elementary School, where our nun-teacher used to pull our ponytails for talking too much – can you imagine?). We might even venture to guess he purchased it at the Broadway Department Store in Westchester, which is now a Mervyn's. If you’re taking surface streets and coming from the Westside, you pass it when you’re going to the airport (LAX).

At any rate, we don’t just have photos of the dryer to show you, we actually still own that dryer. We really do. It’s sitting under our sink, in the master bath.

And no, we’re not keeping it for sentimental reasons (well, maybe a little bit), we’re keeping it because we actually occasionally use it (well, very very occasionally). We use it when we’re super deep conditioning our hair. The scent of the bonnet brings back memories of our avocado-colored carpet and Jiffy-Pop.

There is also a little slot with a nail dryer. How cute were dryers back then?? We think this is the Lady Sunbeam Flirt. That is the actual original bonnet, which still has its elastic in good condition. We were not hard on our things (or toys, for that matter).

We’ve slipped into a moment of memory, when we wore our Little Kiddles doll pins to church on Sunday and had the Little Kiddles in perfume bottles (a Little Kiddle Locket in near mint condition is a dream present of ours, btw). Unlike today’s Chairman of the Board, we were not ladened with so many toys that we harass to buy, put together and then forget (leaving our mother/managing editor to clean up and ferret off to the Boys and Girls Club while we’re in school). No, we had what we thought were toys a-plenty, but not like today’s youth.

God, we’re old.

So, in conclusion, we’re not suggesting you get on Ebay or head to your local antique mall and search out a vintage model like the one your momma had.

In actuality, we have two "modern/contemporary" blow-dryers that we love, one in each bathroom. The newest acquisition is the T3 Tourmaline Professional Ionic Hair Dryer for Travel we adore it. Adore it. Even the Chairman of the board allows us to use it on him when we need to dry his luscious locks (yes, they’re yummy!).

The deal with this dryer, which was given to VIP guests of the Platinum Guild Emmy Suite, is that it’s extremely light weight. It offers a steady, but non-obnoxious stream of heat that (and this is important) never burns your head, but miraculously dries your hair in half of the time of a regular dryer (which we’re forced to use at hotels – not that we go often, but enough for a comparison).

For several years prior (O.K., like four, five at the most), we used what probably doesn’t exist anymore (and has been relegated to our guest bathroom, but is still super effective); at least the style/model we own. That dryer is a Bio-Ionic. As we recall, they were the first to introduce Ion technology to hair dryers, at least to the mass market (of which we’re proud card-carrying members). The Bio Ionic isn’t that much cheaper, but it might serve you well to sample both and see which you prefer.

Once you've used either an Ionic or Tourmaline, you'll lament visits to un-hip hotels or your mother-in-laws. They're fantastic and actually seem to be good for your hair -- after a complete dry, our hair seems way healthier than the frizz it was when it was dried "naturally."