I have been in a deep, dedicated relationship with my straightening iron since I used to be 12. Beginning within the sixth grade, I might get up a full two hours earlier than I needed to go away for varsity to blow-dry and flat iron my pure curls till they had been silky clean. Although this course of has modified barely within the final twenty years, I might nonetheless estimate that I take advantage of my straightener for touch-ups or a full-styling no less than 5 days every week, 9 months of the 12 months (I solely take a break in the summertime, when the humidity decides to work for my waves as an alternative of in opposition to them). And in case you do the mathematics, twenty years instances 5 days every week instances 39 weeks equals… plenty of injury.
I am a magnificence editor, positive, however even the typical particular person is aware of that incessantly clamping your strands between two 450ºF plates is a recipe for catastrophe. And for me, this created a vicious cycle: The one technique to hold my hair from trying as dry and frayed because it really was was to straighten it into submission… and repeat the method advert nauseam. I’ve tried numerous blowdryers and better-for-your-hair sizzling brushes, however none of them gave me the silky clean strands I needed.
So once I received my fingers on Dyson’s newest launch, the Dyson Airstrait ($499), I used to be each elated and skeptical. The instrument guarantees to take your hair from moist to straight in a matter of minutes with out damaging it within the course of—which truthfully sounded too good to be true. Although I have been a longtime consumer of the Dyson Supersonic Blowdryer, I am not a fan of the model’s AirWrap styler or Corrale straightener for my explicit hair wants (I’ve discovered that AirWrap’s curls do not maintain in my hair and that the Corrale is heavy and annoying to make use of), so I used to be uncertain about how nicely this new gadget would ship. But it surely’s now been in my possession for 2 weeks and—shock of all shocks, to me particularly—I have never touched my blow-dryer or straightener since.
How the Dyson Airstrait works
If you happen to’re aware of Dyson’s hair instruments, you realize that the model’s complete factor is making merchandise that will not compromise the well being of your hair. The Airstrait is not any totally different. Not like a standard straightening iron, which makes use of a set of sizzling plates, the Airstrait makes use of “exact directional airflow” to dry and clean your strands.
Associated Tales
To get a little bit science-y for a second, altering your coiffure requires breaking the hydrogen bonds inside your strands after which resetting them into the brand new form, which is usually achieved with warmth. When your hair is moist, it is simpler to control these bonds, so you possibly can form them to the shape your liking (on this case, straight) with out utilizing excessive temperatures.
“By utilizing the optimum degree of warmth and managed airflow, we’ve discovered a technique to type hair with much less injury,” the Dyson workforce shared in a press launch. “Styling with air permits for the creation of straight types while sustaining quantity and motion. As soon as hair is dry and aligned, the bonds are reset in numerous methods, locking the brand new type in place.”
The instrument is provided with a Hyperdymium™ motor that’s—no joke—quicker than {most professional} race automobile engines, which shoots out temperature-controlled air at a 45-degree angle to dry and straighten your hair in a single fell swoop.
Utilizing the Dyson Airstrait
As you will have gleaned, the Airstrait is mainly a blowdryer-straightener hybrid—and appears like precisely that. When it is within the locked place, it capabilities as a standard blowdryer and mainly blasts (very intense, not so sizzling) air onto your strands. And when it is unlocked, it appears to be like like a straightening iron (which means that you would be able to open it up and place a piece of hair between the 2 arms), however options jets the place the plates would sometimes be.
It is geared up with an LED display screen that makes it straightforward to modify between the instrument’s modes and airspeeds. There is a ‘Moist’ styling mode, which has three warmth settings (175°F, 230°F, and 285°F); a ‘Dry’ styling mode that has two warmth settings (250°F or 285°F, which, you will discover are a lot decrease than the 450°F temps most conventional straighteners high out at); and a ‘Cool’ mode that can assist you set your type. There’s additionally a root drying mode and a chilly shot mode, in addition to choices for low-flow and high-flow air stress.
The model claims that the instrument works on all hair varieties, and primarily based on what I’ve seen on social media, that rings true. I’ve 4A waves, that are fairly straightforward to straighten normally (no less than, with an iron), so I had excessive hopes about what the AirStrait would do for my particular person strands. On curlier and kinkier textures, you will nonetheless get a straightening and smoothing impact, however it might require a bit extra time and legwork.
@beingcrystalnicolee scared was an understatement | attempting the brand new dyson airstrait #type4 #dysonairstrait #dyson #naturalhair #fyp ♬ unique sound – CRYSTAL NICOLE
My Dyson Airstrait overview
I assumed there can be some kind of a studying curve the primary time I used the AirStrait, however frankly, this factor is pretty idiot-proof (and I say this as somebody who nonetheless would not know find out how to correctly use a curling iron).
While you flip it on, it goes by means of a 10-second cleansing course of to make sure the vents aren’t clogged with any dust and particles, which the model says is a useful step in making certain the instrument capabilities correctly for so long as attainable (while you’re spending $500 on something, you do not need it to crap out after six months, so I recognize the thoughtfulness of this inclusion).
TikTok instructed me I ought to tough dry my hair—notably the roots—earlier than making an attempt to straighten it, so I blasted my strands with the dryer on moist mode and within the locked place till it was about 50 p.c dry. Then, as directed, I took a small part of my hair between the jets, making certain that the airflow was pointed down (this, apparently, is de facto essential). I moved the instrument s-l-o-w-l-y from root to finish, and after a single cross it was completely dry, straight, and clean.
As I labored by means of the remainder of my head, there have been a number of issues that struck me in regards to the instrument. For starters, there wasn’t a single whiff of the standard burning hair odor that I might turn into so used to in any case these years of flat ironing. I additionally beloved that the instrument did not pull on my hair because it straightened, as a result of I do know that kind of stress can create extra injury. And in contrast to the AirWrap, the gadget goes to sleep after 3 seconds of inactivity, which meant that I may set it down on my desk between passes and never fear about it blowing every thing in all places (FWIW, it turns again on instantly while you need to use it once more—all you need to do is shut it round your hair).
It sometimes takes me a half an hour to blow-dry and straighten my hair, however this course of took—and this isn’t an exaggeration, as a result of I timed it—seven minutes from begin to end. To say I used to be blown away can be an understatement. In all my years of working in magnificence (and in all of the years earlier than that of utilizing magnificence merchandise), I’ve by no means, ever skilled a product this game-changing. I am hesitant to inform anybody that they want a $500 sizzling instrument, however in case you’re seeking to save time and mitigate injury in your styling routine, the Airstrait is a worthy funding.
@zoeweinerrr I attempted the #dysonairstrait ♬ unique sound – Zoe Weiner
Our editors independently choose these merchandise. Making a purchase order by means of our hyperlinks might earn Effectively+Good a fee.
