Dyson recently made waves (literally) with the unveiling of its newest baby, the Dyson Airwrap styler. Born out of six years of development, 24 million euros in research cost and 642 prototypes, this hair-styler is the brand’s second beauty innovation, following the launch of the cult favourite Supersonic dryer. But does it really live up to the hype? Is the Dyson Airwrap styler worth the hefty price tag? Beauty editor Anthia Chng test-drove the device for a month and reveals her honest thoughts below.
The technology
Created by an in-house team of experts, the Dyson digital motor V9 powers the Airwrap styler. At the core of the technology is the Coanda effect, a phenomenon that occurs when a high-speed jet of air flows across a surface and the air flow attaches itself to the surface, allowing the hair to curl around the styling barrel. Whether you choose to curl, smoothen or dry your hair, the result is a natural look with a sleek finish – achieved without extreme heat damage. The machine’s styling brushes are also engineered to take advantage of the Coanda effect. The brushes align the hair when styling, helping to direct the airflow according to the tension in the brush. No matter which way you brush, the air flows in the direction of your hair, which helps you achieve a straight and shiny blow-dry outcome.
The Airwrap styler styles from wet to dry. Hydrogen bonds line each strand of your hair. When the hair is wet, this breaks down the hydrogen bonds, thus resetting the natural style of your hair and priming it for styling. That’s why it’s essential for your hair to be slightly damp before using the device.
What you’ll get
The all-in-one Airwrap Complete ($699) includes a pre-styling dryer, two 30mm barrels, two 40mm barrels, a firm brush, a soft brush and a round brush. There are two smaller kits available: Volume + Shape ($649) and Smooth + Control ($649).
Does it really work?
I’ve always had super straight hair. Don’t get me wrong: I love how easy it is to tame my mane, and I know many are struggling with frizzy hair in Singapore’s humidity. What I’m not keen about is how flat and limp my hair tends to look and feel. On top of that, all the damage caused by repeated rounds of bleaching have turned my tresses into a grassy mop. My poor hair has been through a lot! On first look, the Airwrap styler seemed like the answer to my prayers. Could I really achieve Hollywood waves for a day, and sleek, straight hair on other occasions?
A month into road-testing the Airwrap styler, I’m still having mixed feelings about how it performs. Initially, I’d expected to fall head over heels for the styling barrels. Yes, they deliver well by transforming my lacklustre hair into a bed of lively, bouncy curls within 20 minutes, but it stops right there. What’s lacking is longevity, as the curls simply do not last on me! Even after making sure my hair is damp and spritzing on copious amounts of hairspray post-styling, I’ll only get at most two hours of beachy waves, then I’m back to square one.
Instead, the soft smoothing brush has surprisingly become a must-have in my morning routine. A mere five minutes of brushing adds a visible shine and natural volume to my otherwise lifeless mane. Now it’s the underrated, life-changing beauty tool I can’t live without.
So… should you get it?
Before you shell out $699 in hopes of getting Blake Lively-esque locks, it’s best to keep your expectations in check. If you want tight curls that’ll take you from day to night, this may not be the best product to invest in, especially if your hair is stubbornly straight and thin like mine. A traditional curler would perform better in that case, but the potential damage caused by heat would be a trade-off. The fact that there’s no extreme heat damage when you use the Airwrap styler gives it plus points.
As the Airwrap styler works differently across all hair types, it’s not a miracle solution to every hair woe. Although it’s pretty easy to use compared to many conventional stylers in the market, you still have to set aside time to practise before you can master multiple looks. Nonetheless, Dyson’s breakthrough technology has added an exciting outlook to beauty innovation, and, who knows, perhaps in the near future we’ll get to see an improved version that ticks the missing boxes.
Available at selected departmental and electrical stores including Robinsons The Heeren and TANGS at Tang Plaza.
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