2020 UPDATE: A year after I originally wrote a review, I tried the Dyson Airwrap Styler for a second time after a girlfriend with great hair told me how much she loved it. I realized that I had never actually tested it on clean, damp hair (as recommended). I had only tried it in a department store on dry hair.
My husband bought me the Dyson Airwrap for Christmas and I’m totally obsessed with it. Every time I use it, I’m shocked at how bouncy and healthy my hair looks. Plus, it holds a curl for a week and I think it’s much easier to use than a curling iron. I definitely recommend this product!
My original concern was that the unit was complicated to use. But after getting a “lesson” at the store and watching a couple of YouTube videos, I had it figured out in no time. My other concern was that it was going to take a long time to dry my thick, curly hair. But after using the Dyson Airwrap for a couple of months, it isn’t taking any longer than it used to take me to blow dry and then curl my hair.
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ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 2018:
Saturday afternoon I was cutting through Nordstrom on my way to another store and I happened to spy the brand new Dyson Airwrap styler that was just released last week and has been blowing up the internet. So, in service to you, my dear readers, I had to stop for a few minutes and check it out. I already have (and LOVE) the Dyson hair dryer and I also have a Dyson stick vacuum so you could say with certainty that I’m a big fan of the brand.
Big thanks to Paul for thinking to snap a few photos and video while I was trying the product. However I wasn’t able to art direct and get the perfect shot. So, you get what you get. Speaking of which, I had just come from the gym and was wearing my gym clothes and no makeup so this is real life on a Saturday.
What Is the Dyson Airwrap?
The Dyson Airwrap promises to use “jets of air to achieve voluminous curls, natural waves and smooth blow-dry finishes at home.” So what does that mean? A motor inside the Dyson Airwrap’s wand (the same one used in Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer) creates a high-speed stream of hot air that is then distributed through an attachment to create curls or volume. That means that you can curl your hair as you dry it instead of drying it first, then using a hot curling iron or flat iron, exposing hair to double the heat.
The Dyson Airwrap Complete ($550), is the biggest kit and the one I tried. It includes a wand and five different attachments for all hair types: a prestyling dryer, a soft brush, two 1.6-inch barrels, two 1.2-inch barrels, a firm brush, and a round brush.
How Do You Use the Dyson Airwrap to Style Hair?
Since the Airwrap dries hair as it styles it, it is meant to be used on hair that is 80% – 90% dry. I tested it on my dry hair that we misted with a little water, but I don’t think I got the full effect that I would have had I started with allover damp hair.
There are two sizes of curling barrels so the next step is to select your desired curl tightness. I tried both the tighter smaller barrel as well as bigger barrel (1.6 inches) for more loose, voluminous waves. Just to make things even more complicated, there are TWO barrels in each side if you want to alternate which direction the hair is curled (e.g. towards your face or away from your face.)
I understand why they did this but it also seemed exceedingly complicated. If you like alternating the direction of your waves (one curl toward your face, the next one away from your face), you’ll have to keep switching the barrel attachments.
I tried wrapping a half inch section of hair around the barrel and holding it for a few seconds. I finished by giving the curl a shot of cold air to set it. It took me a few tries to figure out how to do it. See video HERE. The result: old-Hollywood, bouncy waves.
I did not try the smoothing or volumizing brushes but after looking at them, I think the only attachment I’d really use is the round brush head.
PROS
- Dyson quality and guarantee. They make a damn fine product.
- Lower (and controlled) temperature air means less damage your hair. Being able to avoid the double heat exposure of drying hair fully and then using a hot tool to style it into waves does seem like something that’d make a difference on the health of my hair over the long term. Dyson says the tool “measures its temperature up to 40 times a second” to make sure it doesn’t get too hot.
- There are LOTS of attachments for curling and straightening. See cons below.
CONS
- The $550 price tag. It’s definitely a splurge. And like all Dyson products, it’s never going to go on sale (although Nordstrom was offering some gift with purchase goodies and I expect other retailers will follow suit.)
- The product is a little tricky to use. I think I would get the hang of it in after one or two attempts but like all-things-hair-related, it’s easier when someone else does it for you. Would anyone like to come to my house twice a week and do my hair?
- The case that holds the main drying unit and all of the attachments is BIG. I wouldn’t have room in my bathroom to store the case with all of the attachments so I’d end up keeping it in our bedroom closet. And when I travel, I would have to only take the main unit and one or two attachments which really wouldn’t save me any space over just packing a curling iron or straightener and using the hotel blow dryer.
- The air that comes out of the the tool is hot but not scorching. But it definitely blows hot air right on your scalp. If you’re prone to hot flashes, you’re not gonna love this feature.
- If you have curly hair or wavy, it’s not going to replace a flat iron for a smooth, sleek finish
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Every Tuesday I try a new product and post a (brutally honest) review. This is not an ad. I have received no compensation for this post.
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