Meet Lola. She’s got purple hair, real earrings, magnetic eyelashes and is causing a bit of a stir at Crummy Mummy HQ – and not just among the kids!

A styling head was the childhood gift I always wanted but never got, so when Mumsnet asked us to try out I’m a Girly’s new styling head in the run up to Christmas I didn’t need asking twice (it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!)

I'm a Girly's new styling head

If you haven’t come across I’m a Girly before they’re a Swiss fashion doll brand giving conventional dolls a contemporary twist.

Lola is the latest addition to their line up and the second styling head in their I’m a Stylist range, and we were lucky enough to be among the first to try her out. So, if you’re hunting for the perfect gift this Christmas and want to give them a childhood gift they’ll remember, read on!

Making memories with I’m a Girly’s new styling head Lola

Launched in November 2019 just in time for Christmas, Lola is one of the bigger styling heads on the market at 33cm high with a naturally proportioned face and a price tag of £109.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

As with all I’m a Girly’s products, she’s co-created by a design panel of 9 to 14-year-old girls and boys who give the dolls their seal of approval before they go into production.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

What’s in the box?

The first thing worth noting is that I’m a Girly’s dolls are delivered in recycled boxes and their hologrammed packaging is designed to be reused, so instead of throwing the packaging out you can use it to store your doll.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

Lola’s box has a hinged see-through panel which opens and closes so you can easily get her in and out and store her away again – a feature which gets the thumbs up from me because there is just so much waste when it comes to the packaging of kids toys, especially at Christmas.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

As well as Lola herself, who comes wearing a pink sequined top which you can take on and off so you don’t get it dirty if applying make-up, included in the bundle are two sets of face gems (also tested for kids’ skin so they can wear them too), a set of magnetic eyelashes in a compact-style case and an assortment of hair bobbles and clips. Accessories including a hairbrush, additional interchangeable wigs so you can change the colour of their hair or even cut it if you want to and an I’m a Girly cosmetic-style bag to keep all your bits and pieces together are available separately.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

What can you actually do with Lola?

More to the point, what can’t you do! This is the sort of toy my eight-year-old self dreamed of, and my eight-year-old daughter couldn’t believe her luck to receive.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

The first of many ‘wow’ moments came during the unboxing when we discovered Lola’s diamante set earrings, complete with real posts on the back just like the real thing. And it doesn’t get much better than taking earrings on and off a doll when you’re eight!

I'm a Girly's new styling head

Lola comes with special edition purple hair and blue eyes and we were also given a longer blonde wig so we could chop and change styles, and I was instantly struck by how thick and luxurious the hair is. There’s a handy booklet to use for style inspiration, and the look of concentration on this one’s face as she combed and plaited the hair was priceless!

I'm a Girly's new styling head

As a mum who struggles with elaborate hair styles (even the humble French plait gets me in a twist) it’s also worth pointing out that Lola is the perfect dummy for practicing – and even better she can’t say ouch!

I'm a Girly's new styling head

Rubber suckers on the base of the doll are a clever feature – she sticks to the table and stays put while you’re styling her, while her head rotates left and right so you can still get at her at all angles.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

After styling Lola’s hair using the clips and bobbles it was time for the face gems, which this one spent ages getting ‘just right’ on both her own face and Lola’s. The eyelashes are also fun to use – they simply ‘snap’ on and off owing to the fact they’re magnetic – if only it were that simple in real life!

I'm a Girly's new styling head

You can also put any make-up you like on Lola’s face and wash it off again, but make-up isn’t included in the pack as I’m a Girly know that not all parents like their kids playing with make-up.

What did we think?

Let’s address the elephant in the room first: toys like styling heads tend to get a bad press for reinforcing gender stereotypes, but to be honest I don’t know what the fuss is about. We just let toys be toys in our house and don’t differentiate between any that come through our door whether they’re pink, blue, green or gold, and as with all our toys my three all loved playing with Lola equally.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

In terms of price, I must admit my eyes widened when I saw the £109 price tag and while it might sound like a lot for a doll – or the head of one – having played with her in the flesh, so to speak, this is a high quality product with soft, human-like hair and a life-size face that can be played with again and again. There’s a groove around her head which the interchangeable wigs fit into, allowing them to be tied at the back to keep them in place, and I was also impressed with the range of accessories, especially the face gems which the kids can wear too.

I'm a Girly's new styling head

The fact the styling head is bigger than others on the market means there’s the added bonus that the wigs also fit little people – as this one discovered to his delight!

I'm a Girly's new styling head

Our verdict

Having always wanted a styling head myself I’m not sure who had more fun – me (39) or the oldest (eight).

I'm a Girly's new styling head

Lola might be tipped to be one of the toys this Christmas, but this is a toy for life, not just for Christmas and I know she’ll provide endless entertainment well into the new year and beyond. I can already see the oldest growing in confidence as she masters new hairstyles, and for anyone who finds themselves sitting on the living room floor as the ouchy guinea pig when their kids decide they want to ‘play’ with their hair like me, Lola is the perfect solution!

I'm a Girly's new styling head

Did you have a styling head when you were little, or was a styling head the elusive childhood toy you always wanted but never got like it was for me? I’d love to hear about your experience!

This post was written in paid partnership with Mumsnet and I’m a Girly. As always all opinions are my own, and based on our own honest experience.

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