An honest Dyson Airwrap review from a curly hair shopping pro

We all know Dyson vacuum cleaners, but did you know that the brand can also work miracles on your hair? I heard that the popular Dyson Airwrap – a multi-purpose styling tool designed to dry, curl, straighten and style hair of all types – it was essentially like having a hair salon at home, and I was dying to know if it was worth the overkill… and cost . With a retail price of nearly $600, it’s not cheap — but you they are you get six style products in one, and Dyson has an excellent reputation for a reason, right? Well, I finally got my hands on one of these babies and here is my honest review.

Amazon

The Airwrap comes in a nine-piece set, including the base tool, along with several barrels and brushes.

$599 at Amazon

Before I get into the nitty-gritty, a quick backstory: I have shoulder-length curly/wavy hair that frizzes at the mere mention of humidity. I’ve had some success with other heat styling products (read my Revlon Hot Air Brush review), but keep in mind that I’m 100% learning as I go along and I’m by no means a hair expert. In short, if I can get good results with Airwrap, anyone can.

First impressions

My immediate thought upon unpacking the Dyson Airwrap was, “Okay, this is a Lux product.” From its sleek ovoid case to its rich blue and copper design (it also comes in nickel/copper), it was clear that design was a priority. That’s all well and good, but would it also deliver in terms of performance?

As far as accessories go, let’s just say the number of attachments this thing comes with would put your boss’s emails to shame. Includes not one, but two curling barrels (1.2 inches and 1.6 inches), a firm straightening brush, a soft straightening brush, a round volumizing brush, a straightening dryer, and a filter cleaning brush . (You can also add a wide-tooth comb at checkout if your hair is curly or coily.) I’ll admit, it seemed a little complex for my taste, and although my impatient self would love to say that you’d be fine skipping the online Dyson tutorials and just winging it, I’d be lying. The good news is that the videos are super short and really help illustrate the purpose of each attachment. They also demonstrate how to use the accessories on different hair types, depending on the style you want, whether your hair is thin and straight or thick and curly.

Putting it to the test

For my first try, I opted for the firm straightening brush recommended for frizz-prone hair. I figured I could blow-dry and soften my naturally wavy waves and then use a barrel attachment to test out some curls. I’m not very tech savvy, so I was relieved to discover that the Air wrap It is quite easy to use. Just snap each accessory into place and choose your settings (there are three for heat and airflow).

It’s usually best to heat style your hair when it’s 70-80% dry, so that’s where I started. I resolved all tangles with my beloved Wet brushI applied my favorite thermal protector and tied most of my hair back so I could focus on small sections at a time. After turning on the Airwrap, I was surprised by how quieter it was than my other drying tools. It probably wasn’t even loud enough to wake my husband!

Thanks to intelligent heat control, which monitors airflow temperature 40 times per second to prevent the device from overheating, heat also appears more diffuse, even at the highest setting. Probably a lot less harsh on my frizzy ends! That said, it was still powerful enough to dry my hair in a fraction of the time it takes with a blow dryer (there’s that 13-blade Dyson digital motor for you!), and the brush bristles glide right through. To seal things up, I swapped the brush for a straightening dryer to tame flyaways, which resulted in a sleeker finish.

I would have been happy to use my brush for the rest of the day, but I wanted to test the curling function, so I added the thicker barrel to give my ends a wavy look. What’s ingenious about Air wrap is that you can change the direction of the airflow by turning the curling iron when switching to a different side of the head. And true to its name, the air coming out of the tool wraps a small section of hair around the barrel, meaning there’s no clamping to leave a ripple in your hair.

It took me a few tries to get the hang of putting my hair in such a way that the Air wrap I could take over, but I realized quickly. Before unwinding each strand of hair from the barrel, I used the cold air function to secure it – and it worked great. My hair had more body and bigger waves with minimal frizz. And the best part? It looked the same many hours after leaving the house on a particularly humid day (check out the photo above right!).

I also tested the thinner barrel on a different day to see if it would produce more distinct curls — and as you can see below, it really worked (you’ll want to start with damp hair for this). Okay, Dyson!

The verdict

Alright, it’s time to answer the question of the moment: what Dyson Airwrap Is it worth the money? In my humble opinion, yes – especially if you’re looking for versatility and much gentler heat than more budget brands. Because I color and use heat on my hair frequently, my ends start to get fried shortly after being trimmed. I feel so much better using the Airwrap’s diffuse heat on my hair and it’s more comfortable on my scalp. Plus, I love that I can quickly swap out a straightening brush for a curling iron; It’s much easier than handling several hot tools and waiting for each one to heat up.

Speaking of saving time, the Airwrap significantly sped up my styling process while also leaving my hair looking better than a standard blow dryer ever could. My wires are fine, but I have a very of them, and I can safely say that this tool cut my drying and styling time in half. In the weeks since I started using the Airwrap, I’ve noticed that my hair feels healthier and lighter, and the frizz has greatly reduced. I also love having access to over 20 different hair tutorials (especially now that I know they’re short) so I can play around with different looks. Although there is a learning curve in using some of the attachments, I think most people will be able to learn quickly by watching the instructional videos. I did, and that’s saying something! And while I wish the Airwrap was a little more travel-friendly, I can see myself packing it with just one or two of my most-used accessories. (I particularly liked the round volume brush and 1.6-inch barrel.)

What others are saying

I’m not the only Dyson convert! Reviewers praise the Air wrap for its careful design. “What a great product for us ‘seniors’ who have reduced manual dexterity and limited mobility,” he shared a user.

Don’t have much time to spend styling? No problem. “The ease of use is unparalleled. The intuitive controls and lightweight design make it super easy to style my hair, even on busy mornings when I’m short on time,” he praised a five star buyer. “Although the Dyson Airwrap is an investment, it is worth every penny for the quality, performance and convenience it offers. I can safely say that it has revolutionized my hair styling routine and I can’t imagine going back to traditional styling tools. “

Another fan wrote, “What used to take 2 hours, with drying and curling, now takes 15 minutes! My hair is shinier and softer than ever. … It has completely changed my hair and how I prepare!”

Even professionals swear by it. “I’m a hairdresser and I’m on my second Airwrap. It’s an amazing tool if you know how to use it,” gushed one. “The Airwrap saves my arms, shoulders and back. It also saves me time.”

Dyson

You can choose between two versions of the Airwrap depending on your hair type: the Complete Long for straight to wavy hair and the Complete Diffuse for curly to frizzy hair.

$599 at Amazon

Psst: As I mentioned earlier, the Wet brush It’s one of my must-haves for prepping my hair before styling it — and it’s on sale!

Amazon

This revolutionary brush has flexible bristles to gently combat tangles without painful tugging and tugging. It was developed to be used on all hair types and also helps prevent breakage.

$8 on Amazon

And before you apply heat to your hair, you’ll want to use a protectant—I like that, affordable Primer 10 in 1 Eva NYC Mane Magic. It smells divine and is free of sulfates, parabens and phthalates.

Target

Not only does this lightweight spray offer heat styling protection, but its argan and sunflower seed oil-packed formula helps strengthen, shine, smooth, detangle, and nourish hair.

$14 on target

The revisions cited above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.