If you've got a Dyson Airwrap on your Black Friday shopping wish-list, here's the information you need about whether it's the right tool for your hair type before you make a splurge
16:55, 21 Jun 2024Updated 11:35, 29 Nov 2024
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Dyson is notorious for not discounting its top hair tech. Most of the year, even during big sale periods, the max you can get off a product like an Airwrap is £25-£50 – and that's usually just for Boots Advantage Card holders.
Today, however, in a Black Friday offer, Dyson is slashing the price of the Airwrap to £399.99 instead of £479.99 in a limited-time deal (a sizeable £80 saving). You can make full use of this deal on Boots while stock lasts. And we suggest doing so with a bit of haste considering the tool has already sold out on Dyson's own website.
If you've got the Airwrap in your basket or you're hovering over the 'add to cart' button and going back on forth over whether the price is justified, we have the honest intel to make that decision easier for you.
First launched back in 2018, the tool very quickly transformed the world of hair, becoming a viral sensation seemingly overnight. It uses the Coanda effect rather than excessive heat, playing with air pressure to style hair in a much healthier way, providing incredible results. Plus, it helps that it's loved by top celebs ranging from Beyonce and Kylie Jenner to Lindsay Lohan.
READ MORE: 18 best Black Friday 2024 deals from our experts – including Apple Airpods
So, is the Dyson Airwrap
Many hair pros will say yes, including our own team of Mirror beauty testers, but only for certain hair types. Here, head of beauty Zoe explains her learnings of how it works on fine, thick, curly and coily hair...
Fine to medium hair: The Airwrap is especially effective on fine to medium-textured hair. It excels at creating voluminous blowouts, curls and waves using its Coanda airflow technology. With the right prep products (think thicker mousses and sprays), the waves can last well.
Thick or coarse hair: The reviews are a bit of a mixed bag. While the Airwrap can help refine and polish your look (especially with the smoothing brush attachment), you might need to call in reinforcements like a flat iron to get those super sleek or defined styles. The lower heat settings don’t always pack enough punch for tighter curls or heavy-duty straightening
Curly or textured hair: The smoothing brushes are great for taming frizz and adding shine. That said, it might take some extra effort to get your desired look, especially if you're working from your natural curl pattern. Expect a bit more time and technique to see those pro-level results.
In short: the Airwrap can work its magic across hair types, but it’s definitely a "know your hair, know your tools" situation.
What can I buy instead?
If you have a hair type that may not be ideal for the tool, but you still want a product like an Airwrap that uses minimal heat to create styles, I've personally been recommended the comparable Shark Flexstyle (£199.99 today) by a few hair pros. Even though it's a similar tool, some say it packs a bit more of a heat punch, meaning thicker hair types may benefit from it.
Also, look at L’Oréal Professionnel Steampod 4 (£281.20 today) if you have curly or coily hair. This tool uses steam technology to straighten hair while preserving moisture, making it particularly effective for thick or dry hair types. It smooths and hydrates strands for a polished, frizz-free finish.
Head of beauty Zoe reviews the Airwrap
I bought into the Dyson Airwrap hype the second it started. Blowout-like bounce from home? I'm in, say less. I know the initial cost is a lot, but I honestly use it for every kind of hairstyle I want to achieve. I use the flyaway attachment to dry and style, I use the round brush to add volume to my roots and I use the barrel attachment to create big, blow-out waves.
I've read a lot of reviews which state the Airwrap 'doesn't work' on all hair types, and that cheaper tools can create longer-lasting curls. To this, I would say yes and no. If you want tight curls and you have slippy hair, or hair's so heavy it barely holds a curl, get a normal curling wand. I have ghd's epic Chronos tool (shop it with £100 off today) for when I want long-lasting curls.
What the Airwrap offers is smoothing, volume and bounce – all the things I look for. It's 'clean girl' hair, if that's a trend you buy into.